Our most recent first aid kits (the Triage Kit and the First Aid Plus) are both a little more than first aid. They include not only the expected bandages and gauze, but also tools, designed to help you fix gear.
A few years back, we took a good hard look at first aid kits. Our perspective has always been that if we can’t make something significantly better than what’s already available, we shouldn’t waste our time recreating the wheel.
So we interviewed over 100 experts, and learned quite a bit. But one data point stood out and stood out frequently - many times, fixing gear was preemptive to causing an injury.
Example: Being able to fix a ski touring binding may prevent you from having to walk home, saving precious time, and that could mean avoiding exhaustion, hypothermia, getting lost in the dark, and over-use injuries. Or maybe you simply need to tighten up a shoe with a broken shoelace. Under heavy load, a loose shoe or boot can mean a rolled or broken ankle, which has major implications.
While we appreciate everyone is not McGuyver - we believe the few simple tools included in these kits have a profound impact on your safety and being able to carry one despite breaks, rips and crashes. Below are some of the tools we include in our kits:
|
Tool: |
Usage example(s): |
|
Duct Tape |
Cover tears, seal holes |
|
Zip Ties |
Secure broken zippers, hold up a tent, attach items to your pack |
|
Bailing Wire |
Makeshift boot ties or bike brake wires, paddle repair |
|
Safety Pins |
Fishing hook, replace button/zipper, remove splinters |
|
Multitool |
Tighten screws, bend metal or aluminum, cut wires |
|
Matches |
Singe ends of loose threads, laces or straps |
Our goal is to make sure you get all the way out there, and all the way home. Our first aid kits, plus gear repair, are an integral piece of gear in achieving these goals.
