What little items have you added to your range-bag first-ad kits?

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

Mark1964

Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2020
Messages
368
What little items have you added to your range-bag first-ad kits?
I ask because after a lovely bit of slide bite this weekend I restocked the routine FAK -- the boo-boo kit -- with two items (good Band-Aids and "Wet Ones" singles) and added one new item (a styptic pencil.)
By way of context, I'm on blood thinners. Any little bleed can look more dramatic than it is. Bothers me not at all. I'm used to it, and know how to address it -- as long as I know I'm bleeding. But not everyone's like that, and I don't want to gross out the gentler souls.
Those individual wet wipes are danged handy. And I find keeping some inside the boo-boo kit a good idea, 'cause I don't have to rummage for 'em in the main bag. (I hate bleedin' all over my gear when I can avoid it.)
Also added the styptic pencil to the little-wound kit. I figured for small cuts, lot handier and cheaper than a coagulant agent like Quik Clot or Celox.
Also by way of context, I do keep both a simple FAK (the boo-boo kit) for minor stuff and a separate blowout kit -- tourniquet, pressure bandage, Quik Clot Z-fold gauze, shears, a bit of duct tape, marker, gloves -- in the range bag. Lord knows I hope I never have to use the latter, but the simple FAK has come in way handy many a time.
 
Bandaids couple of sizes, some gauze pads, roll of gauze, little packets of Tylenol. alcohol wipes. Keep these in zip-lock bag in my range bag. And make sure to change out the band aids after a year. the adhesive gets bad with heat / age.
 
Re changeouts, yep.
I change out the Tylenol and aspirin in my kits every year, too.
 
I keep a tourniquet and hemostatic agent as part of my EDC in an ankle carrier. In my opinion, that is the bare minimum to have on hand to deal with a severe bleed. And you have both, and that is more than most people consider in a range bag.

A small first aid kit is more than just about stopping a life threatening bleed. I cannot tell you how many times I had a hot piece of brass land on skin and give an uncomfortable burn. Or a finger that gets rubbed raw on an extended session. Both a simple band aid can fix. I started carrying a small first aid travel kit on my range bag with the little boo boo stuff.

An important factor to consider is first aid capabilities at the range and how far are you away from higher level care. If your range is on the back 40 a good hour away from a hospital and no medical supplies on site, it is a good idea to pack a few more items for more situations.
 
Mark1964 said:
What little items have you added to your range-bag first-ad kits?
Click to expand...
Some bandaids for me but in recent years, I changed the beige masking tape with blue painters tape.

I found the blue color can be used as point of aim stickers and could be used to apply more pressure to wrap around the bandaid to stop the bleeding.
 
herrwalther said:
I keep a tourniquet and hemostatic agent as part of my EDC in an ankle carrier. In my opinion, that is the bare minimum to have on hand to deal with a severe bleed. And you have both, and that is more than most people consider in a range bag.

A small first aid kit is more than just about stopping a life threatening bleed. I cannot tell you how many times I had a hot piece of brass land on skin and give an uncomfortable burn. Or a finger that gets rubbed raw on an extended session. Both a simple band aid can fix. I started carrying a small first aid travel kit on my range bag with the little boo boo stuff.

An important factor to consider is first aid capabilities at the range and how far are you away from higher level care. If your range is on the back 40 a good hour away from a hospital and no medical supplies on site, it is a good idea to pack a few more items for more situations.
Click to expand...

Yep. I've taught and RO'd and worked some well attended shoots (GSSF, ISTEM/AIM, 3-gun intros for youth at the Grand American, youth days at a local club, etc.) When you're there for a long day or two or three, you find yourself needing some stuff.
When I was helping out an event, dang car gut full fast. Range bag, armorer's tool bag, cooler, jacket, extra shirt, sometimes an instant-up canopy, etc.
Have never needed the blowout kit, thank goodness, but the basics kit has been used a lot. Little cuts & scrapes, slide bite, bee stings, etc.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BKS
Not just for range bag, hunting and fishing kit too..
Along with band aides, you might add a bottle of liquid bandaide. Smells like clear nail polish (may be what it is), similar small bottle with brush. On small cuts it will seal the wound and keep out bacteria. I usually brush on 3 coats and depending on what I'm doing use a bandaide or tape or not. Works well on scrapes, it must have some pain deading too.

I have even used super glue to close not so minor of wound, cover with bandage. Both are waterproof.
 
I keep those larger knuckle band aids in my range bag and apply one before I shoot my BHP web-biter so I don't bleed all over the place. Alternatively, I can use a piece or two of gorilla tape for this.
 
bikerdoc said:
As a former combat medic, EMT-P and RN, my kit is large and heavy.
Never used it much but I'm ready.
The only thing I refuse to carry is Narcan.
Oh, you are a junky, sorry for your bad choice.
Click to expand...

LOL on the Narcan. Spoken like another well worn Medic. I’m also an EMT-P & ICU RN. I totally agree with you on the Narcan for a personal jump bag. That said I have given Narcan on EMS calls to a Pediatric that took older brother’s Tussionex & was apnic. I have also used it on dementia pts that double doses their daily meds including Oxycodone.
 
Need to add the tampons...multiple uses!

My bag has Celox, tourniquet, bandage material, antibiotic ointment, superglue, water purify tablets, small suturing kit, scalpel, compass, mylar blanket, can't remember what else.
 
I have a medic bag in my truck, (actually 2 of them, a large full backpack, and a sling pack) which is with me at the range, so my actual range bag can hold shooting stuff.
 
entropy said:
I have a medic bag in my truck, (actually 2 of them, a large full backpack, and a sling pack) which is with me at the range, so my actual range bag can hold shooting stuff.
Click to expand...

Same here. A full medical bag in my SUV range locker I carry all the time. A small medical bag when hunting.
 
Band aid and after pinching a blood blister couple times on my pinky popping in a 7 rd mag learned to pay attention
 
Add a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, great for wash out wounds and scrapes. It is cheap,
I replace the bottle when used or every year.
 
I stock my FAK with Hello Kitty, Disney Princess, or My Little Pony band aids. It started when my daughter was very young and would come to me for a bandage. Turns out she really wasn't into Hello Kitty. After a while she realized she probably didn't need a bandage after all. However, she and I have continued to give each other "whimsical" Band-Aids for Christmas since.

Whenever I do something stupid and the cylinder release button bites me in the thumb and I put a "Peppa Pig" band aid on, I think of her.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BKS
PWC said:
Ansolutely not, they will soak up blood and help stop bleeding.
Click to expand...
They will soak up blood, since that's what they were designed to do. They will not stop bleeding. They might hide it for a while, and keep it internal, thus briefly hiding a life threatening problem from an ignorant responder, but they won't stop it. Zero tactical medicine professionals recommend that you use tampons for bullet wounds, for those reasons. Here are a few articles on the subject.
https://www.crisis-medicine.com/heavy-flow-is-not-massive-hemorrhage-tampons-dont-belong-in-ifaks/
https://www.doomandbloom.net/the-tactical-tampon/
https://www.integratedskillsgroup.com/blog/mythbusting-tampons-stop-bleeding-and-other-fairytales
https://havokjournal.com/fitness/me...n-is-useless-for-life-threatening-hemorrhage/
http://starlightcdn.blogspot.com/2018/01/myths-in-tactical-medicine.html
http://privatebloggins.ca/?p=1026
https://www.personaldefensenetwork.com/article/severe-bleeding-first-aid-misconceptions-tampons/
 
Last edited:
My small blowout kit in my pistol bag started with a "Adventure Medical Kits Trauma Pak Pro with Quick Clot & Tourniquet." I replaced the small packet of Quik Clot with Celox Rapid Z-fold hemostatic gauze and added a pair of bandage shears.
I agree re Tampons or pads: I suppose if you had nothing else ... but in a pre-prepared kit, I'll take an actual hemostatic agent and a pressure bandage.
 
I carry a 'ready kit' in the car for being first on scene at a traffic accident. I recently found 'incontinence pads' for putting over sheets of those who might leak. They make great wound coverings for stuff like 'road rash' or burns or serious cuts or skin removal of any sort. They're in the same section as 'female hygiene' products; they are at least as sterile as car parts or the roadway.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

D
  • Locked
Range Safety and First Aid
Replies
22
Views
2K
denton
D
C
  • Locked
  • Poll
Would YOU buy pre-assembled "real" first aid kits?
Replies
1
Views
518
Justin
Justin
G
  • Locked
what would you put in a first aid kit for your range bag?
2 3
Replies
50
Views
2K
CoalCrackerAl
CoalCrackerAl
L
  • Locked
What do you keep in your range bag?
Replies
6
Views
472
Jorg Nysgerrig
J
M
  • Locked
Bag of Evil and contents
Replies
18
Views
2K
agtman
agtman
Back
Top