One of the most important items in your bug out bag is some type of first aid kit for use if yourself or someone in your party is injured.
Here’s the problem:
Many first aid kits are packed with supplies that are unnecessary and add too much weight to your bag.
In this post we are looking at the 5 best first aid kits for bug out bags that are both useful and lightweight.
Deciding on the best first aid kit for your bug out bag can be a bit of a challenge. While you want to ensure you have all of the medical supplies that you may need in an emergency, you also need to be cautious against adding too much weight to your pack.
Of all the items in your bug out bag the first aid kit is the one single item that can be the most challenging to decide on due to the amount of options available. Luckily we have scoured the web and determined the best first aid kits for bug out bag use for you.
Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF)—We will always give you our top recommendation at the beginning of our guides for those folks that just want to get to business without reading through the full guide. Our top choice for the best bug out bag first aid kit is the Delta Provision Co Trauma Kit. This kit is a military individual first aid kit (IFAK) that includes all the necessary items and is MOLLE and PALS compatible. The combination of light weight and range of items makes this kit the top choice for your bug out bag.
What Type of Injuries Are You Most Likely to Face
In an emergency bug out scenario there are many injuries that could occur. The types of injuries most likely to be sustained are trauma type injuries (lacerations, scrapes and minor wounds, and gun shots). In a natural disaster you will be facing a large amount of debris such as glass, splintered wood, and other building materials. This type of debris makes you vulnerable to injury. The other type of injuries you may face are mobility injuries such as twisted ankles, and broken bones. Moving long distances carrying the heavy weight of your bug out bag or navigating piles of rubble make these injuries likely.
What to Have in a First Aid Kit
This is the most challenging question we face when developing our bug out bag first aid kits. The best advice you can follow is to think about the types of injuries most likely to be sustained (above) and build your kit around that.
You have two options when building your bug out bag first aid kit:
1) Build your first aid kit from scratch by purchasing individual items, or 2) purchase a first aid kit that comes pre-loaded with all the supplies you determine you will meet your needs.
When determining the best bug out first aid kit for your situation you will want to consider the following features:
- Weight (Only the necessities should be included. This is not your home first aid kit.)
- MOLLE Compatibility (If utilizing a MOLLE type bag you will want this feature to carry it easily)
- Durability of the pouch materials
- Number of people in your group
- Your level of medical knowledge
- Availability and knowledge of natural remedies
What is an IFAK?
When researching bug out bag first aid kits you will most likely come across the term IFAK. The acronym stands for individual first aid kit and was initially used as an issued item to military infantry units. These kits are not really first aid kits as they are more geared towards treating major trauma injuries that are immediately life threatening. Most of the items in an IFAK are to stop bleeding, and improve the airway of the affected person. The best IFAKs will also include items for both mobilization and bleeding type injuries such as an Israeli compression bandage and splint.
#1 – Delta Provision Co. Military IFAK
This military style IFAK pouch comes loaded with all the supplies you would need to treat most types of bleeding injuries. It also includes a splint for mobilization type injuries as well. While a splint isn’t always necessary if you know how to utilize items in the field to splint injuries, it is great to have it on hand.
The great thing about this kit is that it includes only items that individuals with basic medical knowledge would need. It does not include oral airways or other items used for intrusive procedures. This IFAK pouch is MOLLE/PALS compatible to allow attachment to any tactical type backpack.
The Delta Provision IFAK is well organized which is vitally important during an emergency. You want to know where each piece of equipment is stored and how to access it quickly. This kit is both easily accessible and designed with ease of use in mind.
This kit comes packaged with 35 essential items that are vital to life saving in the event of a major or minor injury including a tourniquet, gauze pads, and even an emergency blanket.
The inclusion of the Israeli compression bandage is a great feature to this kit. These bandages are extremely versatile and are the best way to stop bleeding due to the amount of pressure they place on the wound. Check out the video below for a quick demonstration of how to use an Israeli bandage.
#2 – Lightning X Premium IFAK
This IFAK by Lighting X is an excellent choice at the mid-level for these products. The high quality nylon construction ensures durability in any environment. This IFAK pouch is MOLLE compatible so it will attach easily to any tactical backpack with a MOLLE set-up.
This kit includes genuine North American Rescue (NAR) gear and includes some specialized items not found in other IFAK pouches. Some of the included items are a Combat Application Tourniquet (CAT), BurnTec dressing, and Hyfin chest seal. In addition, this kit includes a QuickClot 25 gram blotting sponge for efficiently stopping bleeding of major trauma injuries.
One of the most useful features of the Lightning X premium IFAK is the drawstring cording platform that allows the kit to open to 90 degrees and stay there. This is a great feature because it allows easy access to all of the items and keeps it from falling completely open and becoming an obstacle to movement.
This kit also includes an Israeli bandage and a nasal airway making this pouch one of the more versatile kits for the money.
#3 – EVERLIT Survival First Aid Kit IFAK
This IFAK pouch is a great choice if you are looking for something a little bit bigger that will have enough supplies for treating a single family or small group. This 250 piece kit has everything that you would need to treat any medical or emergency needs during camping trips, backpacking excursions, hunting trips, or any emergency bug out scenario.
The Everlit IFAK is constructed of 600 denier water resistant nylon and offers 3 large compartments with plenty of space to customize to your liking and add any additional items you may want. They have included a lot of items in this kit which makes it a little on the heavy side weighing in at just under 2 pounds.
The kit includes a small tactical flashlight that may be of some assistance if operating in the dark and also includes a paracord bracelet with compass and whistle as well as a flint. These survival items are not the most necessary items to be included in an IFAK. I would take them out, but it is a cool touch. This pack does not include a tourniquet unfortunately
Overall, this is a really solid IFAK designed for just about any emergency scenario you may find yourself in. If you are looking for a good quality IFAK with enough supplies to treat your family, this one fits the bill.
#4 – Ever Ready Tactical Trauma IFAK
This kit by Every Ready comes with everything you would need to treat trauma type injuries. With a QuickClot advanced clotting sponge you can quickly control severe bleeding to give you the best chance at saving a life.
This tactical first aid kit also comes with a SWAT-T tourniquet. The tourniquet used in combination with the QuickClot sponge gives you the potential to control most types of traumatic bleeding injuries.
The Ever Ready first aid kit also includes an Israeli compression bandage and bandage shears to aid in controlling bleeding until you can get the victim to advanced medical care. This kit also includes a nasal airway with lubricant which will allow you to get air to the victim efficiently.
Lightweight and small in size, this kit is a good jumping off point to building a great trauma kit for your bug out bag or vehicle.
#5 – Adventure Medical Kits Trauma Pak
The Adventure Medical Trauma Pak is a great choice for having a small size and very little weight added to your bug out bag. This medical kit is so light because it only includes the major items you need in an emergency; nothing that isn’t.
This kit is the lightest one on this list weighing in at only 4.4 ounces and is small enough to fit in a coat pocket. This trauma kit is primarily designed for treating bleeding wounds such as large lacerations and gunshot wounds. It includes a hemostatic sponge containing the chemical Zeolite which accelerates the bodies natural blood clotting properties.
What sets this kit apart is the size and weight. It only includes the items required in a major trauma and not all the extraneous items that some kits include which adds to weight and clutter. This pack is a great choice for carrying in your bug out bag or car. If you are looking for a stripped down trauma kit with only the most necessary of items, this is the best choice.
Conclusion
While this is not an exhaustive list of every first aid kit that is suitable for a bug out bag it will give you an idea of the 5 best options available. It is important to decide exactly what you feel you would need in your own first aid kit and you should keep your level of medical knowledge in mind.
You should also be mindful of how many people you have in your family or group and what the most likely types of injuries to sustain in your environment. If you know exactly what items you want to carry in your first aid pouch you could build your own but it is far easier to cover all the bases by getting one of the kits on this list.
