Uses for ace bandages

Off the top of my head, they're great for compression wrappings to control bleeding, wrapping sprains, loop around the chest when you have a broken rib, and for wrapping improvised splints to shore up the rigidity.

Consider veterinary wrap (self-adhering foam wrap) available at any feed store and most pet stores. You need to replace it every couple of years because the foam tends to melt together after a while. Of course the elastic in ace bandage gets brittle so it also has to be replaced. Vet wrap isn't as stiff as elastic bandage, but you can reinforce it with duct tape (which most of us take anyway) on the outside. It is less than half the weight of ace bandage. I have to take vet wrap for my dog's first-aid kit anyway, and I found that it can do for double duty. As long as my dog doesn't cut his leg at the same time I sprain an ankle (not likely), we're fine!

I backpack with a pair of trekking poles and my wife carries a single pole which has a 1/4"-20 bolt hidden under the ball. I can turn them into a photographic tripod sturdy enough to support a DSLR by wrapping an ace bandage around the handles, and mounting a 3.5-ounce ballhead to the bolt.