Let’s talk about the one piece of gear we’ll hopefully never have to unzip. Adventure Medical Kits stock equipment that stops the bleeding, numbs the pain away, and helps guarantee the bad days on the trail don’t turn chaotic.
We all feel alive with a bit of adventure, and the more danger involved the quicker the heart races. Pushing ourselves to the edge of our limits is part of the reason we head outside in the first place, but to reach new heights, we need to give our adventure the respect it dictates.
You could carry a medical kit for years and never need it, but the one weekend you do have to break it out you’ll be glad it’s there. Whether it’s just to patch you up enough to limp back to the parking lot or stopping intense wounds from spiralling out of control, knowing you have an ‘uh-oh’ bag in your back pocket will give you the confidence you need to explore new experiences properly.
Sure, you can probably get away with a few day hikes without a tourniquet in your back pocket, but it’s a great idea to take a medical kit with you on every adventure.
We can’t pick and choose when accidents happen. I don’t care if you’re leaving the house for the afternoon or the foreseeable future; it’s only a matter of time before taking a few of the bare minimum first aid materials will pay off.
Unfortunately, none of these adventure medical kits makes you invincible. The only thing that can truly protect you from serious harm in the backcountry is respect for the severity of your adventure and a bit of common sense.
No matter how much you prepare, there are bound to be some bumps and bruises along the way, so bring along a medical kit to get on top of recovery and keep moving forward.
Quick Answers – Are These The Best Adventure First Aid Kits?
#1 Best Budget First Aid Kit – Adventure Medical Kits Mountain Series Hiker
#2 Best Medical Kit For Day Hikes – Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight
#3 Best Kit For Long Trips – Adventure Medical Kits Mountain Series Explorer
#4 Best Kit For Alpine Use – MyMedic MyFAK
#5 Best Survival Medical Kit – THRIAID Emergency Survival First Aid Kit
The Thing About Adventure Medical Kits
Hopefully, you’ll never have to use your portable first aid station. While it’s never a bad idea to have an emergency kit buried at the bottom of your bag, most day hikes or scrambling to get great views of city skylines require nothing more than a bottle of water and a granola bar in your kit.
These kits become a necessary tool on any adventure that gets you far away from the nearest parking lot, cell phone service, or takes a few days. Even quick bikepacking trips or a day of mountain biking necessitate a lightweight kit in your back pocket.
There is just no point in taking the risk of leaving medical equipment behind. Nobody plans on getting hurt, but the golden rule of the backcountry is to expect the unexpected. If shit hits the fan, all the training won’t do you much good without the proper tools for the job.
You can always build your kit piece by piece. Broke backpackers are all about easy DIY solutions. Unfortunately, you may not know exactly what you need to stock until that one specific tool you didn’t pack comes in handy.
We have found it easier to simply buy a good-to-go kit as it has all the essential bits packed into a compact, accessible packaging. Investing in a one-stop-shop will eliminate the guesswork out of first aid and get you confidently into the woods by next weekend.
Adventure Medical Kits Mountain Series Hiker
- > $
- > Well-thought-out compartment systems
- > Includes an informative guidebook
Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight
- > $
- > Watertight outer seal
- > Ultralight weight
Adventure Medical Kits Mountain Series Explorer
- > $
- > Most comprehensive set of medications and treatment options
- > Sorted into compartments based on injury type
MyMedic MyFAK
- > $
- > Excellent for group safety and high-risk exploration
- > Exterior loops and pockets
THRIAID Emergency Survival First Aid Kit
- > $
- > Offers loads of different tools
- > Comes with a knife, whistle, and firestarter
The Best Outdoor First Aid Kits
Who needs a medical license when you’ve got style? These medkits are the next best thing to a trip to the emergency room and fit inside daypacks or larger luggers to bring safety into the borderlands.
These kits won’t teach you wilderness first aid, but they’ll do everything to keep things safe.
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Join REI Today!#1 Best Budget First Aid Kit – Adventure Medical Kits Mountain Series Hiker
You can probably find a few medical kits that make bold claims, like 100 piece kits for $8 dollars, but you get what you pay for in First Aid. This $25 kit is our favourite affordable package on the market. It may be the cheapest medkit on our list, but it’s the real deal.
The well-thought-out compartment systems organise equipment according to injury and help you stop the bleeding faster. They even left a bit of extra space so you can add on your personal favourite first aid facets.
When it comes time to break out the bandaids, you don’t want to fret over whether or not your cheap tape will hold. The hospital-quality tools keep strong and stay lightweight to qualify for journeys large and small.
- The tried and true middle-ground option by one of Medical Kit’s most reputable manufacturers
- Includes an informative guidebook that covers the basics of will precisely aid
- Not suitable for adventures that last more than two days
#2 Best Medical Kit For Day Hikes – Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight
Just because you’re not planning on spending the weekend in the woods doesn’t mean you can switch out the medical kit for snacks. Some emergency kits should never leave your day bag, and when your first aid is inside this minuscule container, you’ll forget it’s even there until it comes in handy.
The half-pound pack protects itself with a watertight outer seal that doesn’t mind getting wet. This protection makes the kit a perfect choice for days on the rapids that helps bandage up minor cuts, cool tough stings, and mend blistered feet.
The kit goes to extreme lengths to cut weight and won’t come packed full of beefier supplies like shears or heavy-duty medication, but it’s got everything you need to limp back to the car after a tough day’s hike.
- Ultralight weight and also still protected by a waterproof outer carry bag
- Easy enough to slip into a bike shirt pocket
- Not more than 3 ounces lighter than some more comprehensive options
- Doesn’t pack much more than a few basics
#3 Best Kit For Long Trips – Adventure Medical Kits Mountain Series Explorer
While the longer the trip, the more every ounce you’re carrying matters, it’s also all the more important to bring along first aid. You don’t want to turn around halfway through a weeklong expedition just because you’re bleeding through a few pairs of socks. Bring along this medical kit mountain series and conquer new peaks.
The heavily stocked explorer has entire kits built around blisters, burns, cuts, stings, trauma, and treatment instruments. A pocket-sized wilderness medicine guide can help familiarise yourself with the kit’s contents and can also be left out to save a few ounces.
We found this kit great for long trips, thanks to loads of medications. You’ll find the three A’s: Antihistamine, acetaminophen, antibiotics, and sticky benzoin to keep the bandage in place.
Not only does this gear pack the extra equipment to get through long trips, but it also ups the quantity enough to support 1-4 people and help your whole crew safely explore the backcountry.
- Most comprehensive set of medications and treatment options on our list
- The kit is sorted into compartments based on injury type for quick access
- It’s the most comprehensive but also the heaviest and largest pack on our list
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#4 Best Kit For Alpine Use – MyMedic MyFAK
This quality kit not only helps you recover from the beating but also protects itself with high-quality nylon to take a beating without messing up your medical supplies. With loops, buckles, straps, and more, this MyFak hooks into set-ups and stays in a hurry. This heavy-duty kit is excellent for group safety and high-risk exploration.
Medical kits often embellish or advertise 100 piece kits that mainly consist of band-aids, but not this guardian angel. They take things an extra mile with finger splints, emergency blankets, and loads of heavy-duty bolsters that help the kit better manage extreme injury.
MyMedic promises the best first aid kit on the planet, and the contents of their pack do wonders for backing up their claim. While it’s too expensive to be our overall favourite, anyone heading into particularly intense situations can do no better than this high-quality kit.
- Exterior loops and pockets hook up to waist belts, headrests, and horsebacks
- The pack splits in two and allows you to carry a smaller version of the kit to the summit
- A bit too much medkit for most relatively safe days in the woods
- The most expensive medkit on our list by a wide margin
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Buy on REI!#5 Best Survival Medical Kit – THRIAID Emergency Survival First Aid Kit
This wide-ranging, durable package offers loads of different tools that most typical first aid kits omit. A well-made knife, tourniquet, and splints for nursing fractured limbs. These niche pieces combine with the usual offering of cut, burn, sting, and allergic reaction protections to round out a first aid kit that does more than only patch things up.
A pull out corner of the included tactical knife reveals a whistle and fire starter piece that will keep you going through a surprise night in the woods. These crucial survival extras upgrade the bag and make it a great one-stop shop for backcountry safety.
- Comes with a knife, whistle, and firestarter just in case your trip unexpectedly turns into an overnighter
- Packs the splints, Israeli Bandages, and heavy reinforcements necessary for severe injuries
- Has an American flag sewn onto the front of the bag to confuse you, but it is made in China
- Molle attachments leave a lot to be desired
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Final Thoughts on the Best Adventure Medical Kits
Just like a great cloth bandage, that about wraps it up. These adventure medical kits are the real deal. From day-hikes to overnight expeditions, group trips, and ascents, the kits on our list are well respected and well-proven to perform in the clutch.
While any plastic bag full of band-aids and anti-diarrhea pills may get you through most backpacking trips and day hikes, these full-on kits cover all sorts of injuries and ailments and equip you to respond well to emergencies as well as nurse up minor ouchies.
If you’ve gotten this far, there’s no turning around now. Hopefully, the evidence has piled up, and you’ve seen the light – travel can be dangerous! There is no good excuse not to keep a medical kit close. In our younger days, we all rolled our eyes and shrugged our shoulders at parents and protectors shoving safety down our throats, but there comes a day in everyone’s life where you learn the hard way that injuries are unavoidable.
When that day comes, don’t just sit around and bleed about it. Whip out these highly qualified medical kits and prevent a bad day from worsening.
And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links. That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!
