What do you have in your touring medikit?

[elStado]

I'm planning a 6-8 week self-supported tour through central Europe, Scandinavia and some of the Baltic next June-July.

We'll be camping out most nights, either free camping or at proper camp grounds.

Obviously you need to pack certain items in your medikit depending on where you're going and how long, but what items are stock standard in any medikit you carry with you while touring?

Thinking about it, the most common ailments/injuries while cycle touring would be cuts/scratches, grazes, minor burns (while cooking), insect bites, sore muscles and blisters/chafing.

Other more serious injuries which would require a temp fix en-route to a medical centre would be broken bones (especially wrists, fingers, ribs and collarbones) and serious cuts/gashes.

I've started collecting a few items that I think should cover these potential situations and was wondering what others use themselves. Obviously you want to only be taking the essentials to avoid excess bulk and weight. What would you add/remove? Red = removing. Green = adding.

4x Sticking plasters (band-aids)
2x Antiseptic wipes
1x Non-adherent absorbent dressing (7.5x10cm)
1x Combine dressing (9x10cm)
1x Triangular bandage (110x110x155cm)
1x Crepe bandage (7.5cm x 1.5m unstretched/3m stretched)
1x Stingos gel tube (25g) (Keep/use Papaw instead as it is more versatile).
2x Saline solution vials (15ml ea)
1x Painkillers tablet pack (500mg paracetamol, 12 tablets in sealed blister packaging)
1x Mini "essential first aid" illustrated booklet; waterproof (got this a few years back after doing my senior first aid course - quite handy to have on hand)
+ A few misc safety pins and elastic bandage fasteners.

All this is neatly packed into a 35x20cm clear, heavy duty, ziplock bag. Ready to sit somewhere accessible in my panniers and hopefully never used!

Ed: I'll get a smaller zip-lock bag for this now.

I don't consider these part of the "medikit", but more as part of essential items that will be useful for maintaining health, comfort and well being while on the road:

1x SPF 30+ Sports suncream tube (100ml)
1x SPF 30+ Lipbalm stick (4.2g)
1x Aloe vera burn relief gel (100ml) (Can buy on the road if needed).
1x Papaw ointment tube (25g)
1x Heat gel/muscle rub tube (100ml) (Can buy on the road if needed).
1x Chamois Cream tub (230ml)
1x Bushmans insect repellent spray (50ml)

Anything obvious I have missed?

[Aushiker]

I'm planning a 6-8 week self-supported tour through central Europe, Scandinavia and some of the Baltic next June-July.

What would you add/remove?

Personally, I don't bother with much at all now, so I would cut this down ....

4x Sticking plasters (band-aids) - I prefer to take the plaster that comes in a roll which can be cut to size. Not a lot of it, just a small bit for the odd cut but it is more flexible in terms of use. Also I find Fixomull or similar is again a much better option given it is light and can be cut to suit the demand.

2x Antiseptic wipes
1x Non-adherent absorbent dressing (7.5x10cm)
1x Combine dressing (9x10cm)
1x Triangular bandage (110x110x155cm)
1x Crepe bandage (7.5cm x 1.5m unstretched/3m stretched)

All of the above would go ... I don't carry this on off-road tours/bushwalks either. There are plenty of emergency options if necessary. Frankly I suspect if you need a triangular bandage a big four wheeled vehicle with flashing lights would be need as well

1x Stingos gel tube (25g) - I probably wouldn't bother with this either.

2x Saline solution vials (15ml ea) - This would go.

1x Painkillers tablet pack (500mg paracetamol, 12 tablets in sealed blister packaging) - Would keep this.

1x Mini "essential first aid" illustrated booklet; waterproof (got this a few years back after doing my senior first aid course - quite handy to have on hand) - This would go.

+ A few misc safety pins and elastic bandage fasteners. Safety pins are handy, but as the bandages have gone ...

1x SPF 30+ Sports suncream tube (100ml)
1x SPF 30+ Lipbalm stick (4.2g)

Would keep these two items

1x Aloe vera burn relief gel (100ml)
1x Papaw ointment tube (25g)
1x Heat gel/muscle rub tube (100ml)

All this would go.

1x Chamois Cream tub (230ml) - Would keep this.

I carry a small tube of Bentadine Antiseptic Ointment.

My first aid kit fits in to a sandwich sized snap-lock bag. I also to carry an emergency sewing kit (like you get in hotels) and a swiss army pocket knife which has a pair of scissors in it and a pair of tweezers - multi-use so I can justify it .

That covers me. Over the years my first aid kit has got smaller and smaller as I have learnt that with a little care you can reduce the likelihood of something happening and frankly if you are really going to need a lot of what gets carried in some kits you are probably not walking/riding out anyway or you can get to help using a shirt or whatever as bandage.

I have led lots of group backpacks (eight plus people often) over the years and have not had an experience where I have not needed make use of anything more than I now carry and I have had to get three people out who couldn't complete the walk due to injuries/sickness.

Andrew

[elStado]

Good points. Though I'd still like to always have have one small roll of bandage on me as it is pretty versatile and suitable for various uses/situations.

Can ditch the stingos and keep the Papaw ointment instead as it does the same thing. Going to Scandinavia in summer after all, mozzies are fierce.

[RonK]

I carry one of these Equip first aid kits, with a few supplements. It weighs bugger all and is very compact, so I wouldn't bother removing anything. Just make sure you don't pack it in your cabin luggage

Pawpaw creme is good, but I prefer Paraderm Plus - it is recommended for the first aid treatment of cuts, abrasions, insect bites, stings, itches, sunburn and minor burns. Anesthetic, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. The anesthetic properties have proved very effective in relieving NZ sandfly bites, which itch like crazy. And it's also proved very effective treatment for a painful saddle sore I developed on tour. I also carry a small puffer tube of antiseptic powder and a length of Fixomil tape in case of road rash.

A sheet of Voltaren Rapid 25 tabs are handy to have in case of knee/joint pain and sprains. And a sheet of Katadyn Micropur tabs in case you need to treat some water.

You can get Tiger Balm in a tiny little travel size, it's great for sprains, colds and runny noses.

Bushmans or some other insect repellant containing DEET is essential.

And instead of expensive and bulky tubs of chamois creme, get a few tubes of Ego QV creme - it's half the price, and the tubes pack easier. Used liberally, it works just as well. And as it's non-greasy and water-based, it hand-washes out of the chamois easily.

If you have an iPhone I recommend Travelling Well, produced by travel doctor Deb Mills right here in Brisbane. It contains a wealth of medical information for the traveller, and is also available in both electronic and booklet formats. Even if you can't take it with you it's worth reading through before departure.