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[Sandbox]

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Honestly how often do you guys use first aid kits? I’ve never carried one and can’t say I know anyone who does?

Cuts/scrapes, too bad just ride it out. Then again don’t do too many big backcountry rides around here, probably at most 4-5 miles from a road.

Not trying to be a dick, genuinely curious.


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Never used mine. I’ve done some stupid stuff, had some nasty falls so thought it didn’t hurt to carry one.

I carry a more advanced one in my truck that could do ride out injuries or comfort for the ride home but also as Israel bandages and a TQ. I have training on those and wife is a medic so I’m happy loading it with shit when weight and size are less of a factor.


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[Dee Hubbs]

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Not in my bike kit, cause I don’t go that far off the beaten path….
But back in the day in Whistler everyone in my winter crew had a tab of acid in our first aid kit.
If someone broke their leg deep in the backcountry and we had to hike him out for a 15 hour mission, the agreed plan was to drop a tab and march out non stop like North Korean soldiers.

[XXX-er]

I don't carry any excpet that bandage for when you cut yer leg off running a saw but often recreate with an anesthetist/ ER physician so when I ask if he has any 1st aid he sez

" ya man, last aid too "

[joetron]

Honestly how often do you guys use first aid kits? I’ve never carried one and can’t say I know anyone who does?

Cuts/scrapes, too bad just ride it out. Then again don’t do too many big backcountry rides around here, probably at most 4-5 miles from a road.

Not trying to be a dick, genuinely curious.


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I carry absorbent pads, roll of gauze, a few band aids, ibuprofen, neosporin, Benadryl, a chunk of dark chocolate and some sort of opiate in my high country/backcountry pack.
I’ve busted it out once when I fileted my shin last summer. Was by myself, 9 or so miles from the trailhead and bleeding like a stuck pig…was great to have some pads and wrap.


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[toast2266]

Honestly how often do you guys use first aid kits? I’ve never carried one and can’t say I know anyone who does?

Cuts/scrapes, too bad just ride it out. Then again don’t do too many big backcountry rides around here, probably at most 4-5 miles from a road.

Not trying to be a dick, genuinely curious.


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Almost never carry one for biking. Have a fairly basic kit in the ski pack. If I remember, I'll throw my ski kit in my bike pack for bigger backcountry rides, but that's maybe a small handful of rides each year.

[homemadesalsa]

I carry something similar, and have used various parts fairly often. Most notably, came upon a friend and her dog a couple miles back; dog was bleeding heavily from unknown encounter (wildlife or branch goring) and we managed to stop bleeding and carry it out.

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[Andeh]

Honestly how often do you guys use first aid kits? I’ve never carried one and can’t say I know anyone who does?

Cuts/scrapes, too bad just ride it out. Then again don’t do too many big backcountry rides around here, probably at most 4-5 miles from a road.

Not trying to be a dick, genuinely curious.


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I don't bring it for local rides. But for backcountry rides where phone coverage is questionable at best and you're looking at a few hour walk out, it comes with me. Basically my kit is tiny (smaller than a sandwich) and weighs nearly nothing, so anytime I am going on a ride long enough to need a Camelbak, it comes.

I'm usually the only one I know who brings one, other than a buddy who's a professional bike coach and another guy who's older and has gotten into some bad crashes himself.

[anotherVTskibum]

Almost never carry one for biking. Have a fairly basic kit in the ski pack. If I remember, I'll throw my ski kit in my bike pack for bigger backcountry rides, but that's maybe a small handful of rides each year.

I have a compression dressing and I think some tape and gauze in my hydration pack. My bigger kit usually only comes along for backcountry outings where I expect getting help would take hours. I generally operate on a similar theory skiing.

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[XXX-er]

our area has 2 icecream buckets with big crosses painted on them full of first aid supplies and even a naloxone kit in the main p-lot

[jm2e]

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Maybe an alternative question; what injuries have occurred on your rides, and what did you use (or wish you had)?
Most common things I can think of are abrasions that are usually too generalized to do much first aid on, and orthopedic injuries where getting out is more of an issue than bandaging.
Edit, I ride with a pack and always have a little first aid kit. The ibuprohpen is hands down the most used item. Second most used is eye drops.

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[toast2266]

I can't recall ever using a first aid kit on a ride (either for myself or for anyone I was with). Plenty of injuries, but none that were going to get fixed or even substantially improved with any realistic first aid kit. Maybe one or two deep gashes that some tape / butterflys / tight wrapping would help with.

Most injuries were either minor enough that they could be ignored, or involved broken bones (collarbones are popular) and/or concussions.

[Andeh]

Personally: plenty of scrapes ranging from minor to requiring stitches. Pedal bites. 1 slash on my arm from a branch that didn't bleed too bad but healed into a badass scar. Also split my chin open going OTB without a full face, and the fucker wouldn't stop bleeding. Dislocated my shoulder.

On people I've been riding with: bad cramping from dehydration, bad diarrhea, lots of scrapes & pedal bites, 1 concussion, 2 torn rotator cuffs, 1 broken collar bone.

On people I know but weren't riding at the time: broken ribs + punctured lung + concussion, broken wrist, concussion. (All separate incidents / people.) The punctured lung guy rides with an InReach in the backcountry now.

[adrenalated]

Most injuries in my crew that we've dealt with were cuts/gashes/abrasions/etc. Irrigate, bandage, ride out, go get stitches.

We reduced a shoulder dislocation a couple years ago that saved my buddy from an 8 mile walk out on the Whole Enchilada.

Most of my first aid kit fits in a small waterproof bag under my seat (my particular setup has plenty of clearance to not buzz the tire at full compression). It weighs nothing and is always on the bike. Gauze, tape, bandages, triangle bandage, etc. I also ride with an InReach. Most of my rides now are solo and nearly all of them out of cell service and not many other people around.

[snowaddict91]

I have a first aid kit that lives in my ski pack all winter, I typically throw it in my camelbak on longer, more remote rides. I was glad to have the ibuprofen when I broke ribs this spring, and I used the triangle bandage to sling my shoulder, but that could easily have been done with a jacket or shirt sleeve or something. I used to carry some left over vicodins in the first aid kit, but they were super old so I tossed them. Now that I reupped my supply I'll probably keep a few in there, just in case.

My inreach mini fits great in my hip pack, and I spend a lot of time in the bike solo so it comes on every ride, unless I forget it.

[Dantheman]

I split my shin open 3" long to the bone a few years ago. It was pretty gnarly, the front desk lady at the clinic kind of freaked when she saw it. Luckily I was only about a mile from the bottom and then it was just short drive to the PC Instacare. If I had been far from the truck and/or had a decent drive to medical services some disinfectant, non-stick pads and a roll of coban would have been extremely useful.