First Aid

Here’s a slick way to quickly rig a 2 person carry / evacuation for a patient with minor injuries in the backcountry.

To treat hypothermia, or to keep a patient with another injury (hopefully) warm dry and comfortable when it's cold in the backcountry, the “thermal burrito” technique works great.

Cold fingers. Everyone has to deal with them. Something as simple as “windmilling” your arms can help a lot.

Finding high quality, fairly priced, and low quantity supplies for a wilderness first aid kit can be tough. Good news: the folks at WildMedcenter.com have you covered. If you want to build up a 1st aid kit from scratch or resupply an existing kit, this is a great place to start.

If you like to adventure in the outdoors, odds are pretty high that sometime you're going to have to deal with a dislocated shoulder, yours or someone else's. Knowing the proper sequence of diagnosing, examining, and reducing, can be a huge help, especially in a remote setting. Learn how to do it here.

Using a triangular bandage for an arm sling is way old school. Learn three simple ways to use a coat and an extra T-shirt for a makeshift sling.

When reporting a wilderness emergency to 911, take a few minutes and gather some critical information before you make the call.

Sure, you've probably taken a first aid class at some point. But if you're lucky, you've never had to use it. Why not back up your hands on training by having a complete first aid book on your phone?

Latex gloves for your first aid kit can be tricky to store. Fortunately a pair fits perfectly in a 35 mm film can. (Remember those?)

Ticks. YUCK! I’ve heard stories of people actually going to the emergency room to have a tick removed, which is a little overkill. Here's a way to do it yourself. (Also works on your dog.)

Fortunately there aren’t many ways you can suffer a burn in the backcountry. Here’s some easy ways to avoid it.

Tincture of benzoin is great to have in your first aid kit, as it's often the only way you can make tape stick to sweaty feet to prevent blisters. Here’s a crafty way to carry it that’s leakproof, low-cost, and very lightweight.

Blisters are usually caused by friction. Minimize friction with a slick pair of liner socks.

Here’s a quick test to see if your climbing teammate is suffering from altitude induced loss of coordination, which can indicate more severe problems.

Here's a great item to have in your first aid kit that most people don't carry.