River First Aid Kit
When we talk about kayaking gear, what comes to mind besides your basic gear to paddle down the river? Some people might answer a throw rope. Others might chime in cold weather gear like a drysuit. But many people overlook carrying first aid supplies.
I have gotten the question many times over the years, “What do you carry in your kit”?
The answer for me is a list of items instead of a prebuilt kit, but by all means there are other options out there for sure. The key to this topic is to make an informed decision. You can go with full trauma bags that weigh 10 pounds down to a very minimalist kit that can be carried in a Nalgene bottle. I fall in between those two by carrying supplies in my dry bag that may weigh around 2-3 pounds total. Before I share my list, let's talk about considerations for your kit.
What location am I paddling? If the answer is rivers with easy access to get out in case of injury, then you can get by with a more minimal kit. Some of the items I mention may not be as necessary with easy access to vehicles or emergency services. But these items are still helpful and should be considered. If you are paddling in remote areas that would take hours to hike out to get help? My list attempts to cover everything you would need. You will want to add more if you are doing remote multi-day trips since infection and other issues can arise.
What kind of paddling am I doing? If you are paddling lakes or class 1 rivers, the risk of serious injuries is significantly lowered.
Both of these can help drive your decisions on first aid kits. Time to get into the list. For general paddling I carry the following:
An emergency bivy: This device traps body heat in case someone is either in shock or if you end up in the unfortunate situation of an unexpected overnight on the banks of a river. This could be the item that keeps you from becoming hypothermic. Emergency blankets work ok but the bivies are much better and decently durable.
Fire starter: There are various iterations of these, but the key is having something that can at least start a fire such as a lighter or waterproof matches. Even better would be fire starters that work on wet wood. There are ways to make these at home with cotton balls that work well.
Benadryl: Even if you have zero allergies another person on your trip may be allergic to insect stings or other environmental exposures. I once had a fellow hiker get stung by something and while we were able to get them out of the woods, we were lucky. His reaction while severe was slow moving.
Ibuprofen: My most used item in my kit. Many people take bumps here and there and these make the rest of the paddle much more pleasant. They also reduce swelling and could make it where someone can paddle out that otherwise may not have been able to continue. And people always appreciate them!
SAM splint: A rollable splint that can stabilize a limb if broken. Being able to stabilize the injured person can be critical to help them get out to help.
Hemostatic bandage: This item helps control bleeding, and I can attest it does a good job of it. The bandage has a built in ace bandage and locking mechanism so you can apply pressure to stop the bleeding. Mine is a 4” version so it will cover fairly large wounds. When I used this on myself I was back on the water in less than 10 minutes and able to paddle out and go to urgent care.
Waterproof medical tape: This can secure bandages, gauze, and other items in place. I have also used this to tape a carabiner on a paddle blade with the gate open to be able to hook a boat’s security bar to retrieve it from the middle of a river.
Duct tape: As most people know, duct tape has a multitude of uses. It can temporarily patch a crack in a boat or drysuit, hold a splint in place, and many other useful things.
Tourniquet: If the bleeding is not controlled by the hemostatic bandage listed above then a tourniquet could save the person’s life.
CPR barrier mask: If you have to provide CPR to someone this keeps bodily fluids separate.
Bandages: While these aren’t necessary since they only work on minor injuries, they can patch up scuffed knuckles or other body parts and make your day easier.
Latex or Nitrile Gloves: These will keep bodily fluids off you if you are treating somebody. Being infected with a bloodborne pathogen is not a risk worth taking.
There are other items that you can carry of course, this is one of those subjects where you can make it your own personal style. I try to cover the main things that could seriously hinder or kill someone. I want to be able to control bleeding and/or stabilize the person. I do not cover minor injuries as much since I paddle places that a minor injury will not really hinder me and I generally will be out within a few hours. There are a few other items that are not directly considered first aid are emergency materials that should be carried or considered.
Headlamp: If you find yourself in the dark you will be glad to have it. In some cases I will carry spare batteries.
Cutting tool: Hand chainsaw or folding saw can help cut wood that would otherwise be impossible. This in addition to a basic river knife to be able to cut rope and smaller items.
Pin kit: These kits setup a 3:1 mechanical advantage setup or redirects to pull on items such as pinned boats. There are other uses as well.
Breakdown paddle: If someone loses a paddle, this comes in handy fast. These paddles break down to fit inside boats. My general rule is that someone in the group should have a breakdown paddle. I’ve seen one used at least 5 times over the years.
I hope you have found this information informative. First aid is sometimes overlooked but is a vital piece of your gear. What do you carry and why? Do you know how to use the items in your kit? These are questions we should always ask ourselves.