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Hey guys need some recommendations for the first aid portion of my EDC.
Putting together a maxpedition 4×6 notebook cover for EDC. In one of the larger pockets I’d like a small amount of first aid items. (Band aids, maybe a gauze pad or two, and maybe some medication.) I’m looking for a good antiseptic that I’d use to prep a minor cut or small wound before applying a bandage. The only two requirements are that it be effective, and individually packaged. In other words, small, packaged like a moist towelette or something.
What is my best bet? Alcohol wipes? Triple antibiotic creams? Iodine wipes?
Thanks for the tips!
First off, I think you’ll find that most such sanitizers have a common element: usually an active ingredient of about 60% or so of ethyl alcohol (there are some formulations that use natural or other active ingredients, but the ethyl alcohol is the most commonly seen).
When you select the brand you’ll probably quickly find that there are two “features” that will help you decide whether you’ll want to keep on purchasing that particular company’s formula or not: 1) how the sanitizer dries on your hands: some end up with a sticky residue, and 2) what the smell associated with the sanitizer is: some smell like menthol, some like perfume … years ago I tried one that smelled exactly like gin (not good for using at most workplaces.). I quickly found one that does not have a sticky residue and has a non-lingering smell and stopped looking (so there may be other brands out there with those characteristics). It’s Purell.
That brand (I think the company that owns it is GoJo) has all kinds of options for containers: from huge bottles to towelette-sized packets. Long story short: I’ve found that for me for EDC the towelettes (approximately 1 inch squares) and the little .5 ounce bottles work best … your mileage may vary.
Oh, and I thought I’d mention that the alcohol-based hand sanitizers, such as Purell, can work adequately as emergency fire starters, too. Hope that all helps.
Great, thanks for the heads up! Now I have to research Celox to see if they have packages small enough to fit in there. (I wouldn’t use it for small cuts, but in the event I encounter heavy arterial bleedying…) though I might have to skip it and just add it to a dedicated FAK. Though I’d like to have it with me.
Thanks again.
I am not a fan of alcohol based wipes for wound cleaning (OK for some prep work or hand sanitisiing) and antibiotics on minor cuts and scrapes have some well documented long term problems. I think Iodine has been around a while and still going well. Betadine make wipes swabs paint or small liquid containers small enough for a 4×6 notebook cover.
Yeah, you’re right, VinnyP, let me clarify: my remarks are all addressing sanitizer selection, which would be used for hand cleaning when soap and water are not available. I mis-read the original posting.
My fault for not being more specific. My goal is little packets of SOMETHING to use to clean cuts and small wounds before applying a bandage of some sort. Iodine wipes are the way to go?
I think good irrigation of a wound is a far greater need than alcohol for short term field uses. I wouldn’t over think the disinfectant mode much. Small amount of Iodine or whatever.
I don’t know if they where doing the best thing or not but when I was heavy into distance backpacking (what was some years ago) the standard seemed to be triple anti biotic, iodine, and a disinfectant wipes. Now these guys didn’t carry much for first aid and made it minimal.
Rub some dirt on it. 😉
Just washing the wound out with soap and water is usually adequate. I wouldn’t t want anybody pouring hand sanitizer in my open wound.
Unidoses of saline solution to wash, Unidoses of chlorexidine to disinfect, and 3M hydroalcoolic gel to sanitize hands 🙂
Neosporin makes some individualized triple antibiotic flat packets which are great for EDC especially when space is a factor. They can be difficult to find but work great.
+1 on small packs of Neosporin/triple antibiotic. I got this idea from someone else on this forum and have since added them to my FAKs…….
http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/catalog/s…89&productId=402989&navAction=jump&navCount=3
+1 on small packs of Neosporin/triple antibiotic. I got this idea from someone else on this forum and have since added them to my FAKs…….
http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/catalog/s…89&productId=402989&navAction=jump&navCount=3
cap6888 said: ↑
+1 on small packs of Neosporin/triple antibiotic.
these are the ones I use as wellthey are very small (and flat) and light- for short solo trips I only carry one, for longer trips two
as an added benefit- they burn great if you needed a fire in a pinch 🙂
I also carry a very small irrigator as well (you can find them online as well)
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