JMT sobo July final list

No minimalist first aid or repair kit. Dry bag for at least your bag and jacket, unless your camera one is for everything.

Thanks Marko,

I do have a sleep pad repair kit, however I'm not sure on the first aid other than some moleskin and Aleve. I'll be using a trash compacter bag to line my bag.

About the first aid kit: The way that I look at it, as long as I have a minimal first aid kit with me, I almost never have to use any of it. If I went without any kit at all, I'm sure that I would be wounded every day. I don't bother with Band-Aids much, but I do try to prepare for something bigger, like a wrenched knee or worse.

–B.G.–

Thanks Bob, whats your version of a minimalist first aid kit?

A few band aides or just tape and a roll of sterile gauze, a way to cut it, antibiotic ointment, a few pepto bismol tablet (for the diarrhea you will get when you suddenly start eating nothing but mountain houses), a few benydril tablets. Super glue.

A needle and thread. Some pieces of tenacious tape for rips. A 1/4 oz tube of seam grip for you pad.

Even people doing UL or SUL take a few of these thing. More importantly they know what they will do in several very common scenarios, the most trivial of which is you cut yourself falling on a rock, and would not like to have a simple wound turn into a septic one that will end your trip.

If you get a deep cut what are you going to do? Its a long enough trip you ought to have a simple answer to get you to the next town.

I suggest watch this video. Consider taking what Mike has here in his First aid kit and repair kit.

The one item I wished I would've taken was a roll of gauze.

One evening as I was setting up my tent, nailing a stake into the ground, I stood up quickly and whacked my head on a sharp tree branch. Blood started pouring that second and it didn't turn out to be much of a cut but man gauze would've helped the situation.

My version of a minimalist first aid kit varies from one trip to another, and it depends on several factors. What kind of terrain do I think I will be on? I am seldom on a normal trail for a long time. How far do I expect to be off the beaten path? In other words, I think about the long-term consequences if I get hurt and I am not found right away. How long am I going to be out?

If I am going to some predictable place where I've been before, I seldom carry more than 2-3 ounces of stuff. Maybe an elastic wrap for a knee. Maybe one or two pieces of sterile gauze. Maybe at least one good roll of cloth or rayon first aid tape. Maybe one of those little packets of antibiotic ointment. Maybe some aspirin and similar OTC pills. Maybe something simple to fix a foot blister.

For my next trip, I already have a slightly bigger kit assembled, 4.7 ounces.

Many years ago when I was leading group trips, I normally carried a group first aid kit that was about the size of an American football. No longer.

–B.G.–

"Blood started pouring that second"

Yes, head wounds tend to be bloody. The good news is that with a bandana and a shirt, you should be able to sit down and stop the bleeding quickly.

It's either that or else put a tourniquet around your neck! not

–B.G.–

No long johns?
No rain pants?
No spare socks?
No gloves?
Bug stuff is a consumeable, except for the container
Sunscreen is a consumeable, and you probably need a bit

ooh! I totally missed the no gloves. Not recommended – take at least some merino liner gloves.

OK y'all I have updated with my gloves, baselayers ect… Final thoughts? What type of bug spray do you recommend?

Head net, as much coverage with clothing as possible, then use small amounts of DEET (or something else) on you hands and venerable bits. No spray. Use some kind of cream in tubes, for example:

http://www.rei.com/product/686229/3m-ultrathon-insect-repellent-34-percent-deet-2-fl-oz
or one of the DEET "pens", for example:

http://www.amazon.com/Repel-94095-0-475-Ounce-Sportsman-40-Percent/dp/B0037TTQX8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402443303&sr=8-1&keywords=deet+pen

If you really want to kept them away, and unfortunately you will not be out of bug season yet, then get some Permethrin and just before you go spray the outside of your pants and hiking shirt – follow instructions, let dry overnight. Will be fantastic. No smell. Stay on for a good while.

'What type of bug spray do you recommend?"

I use picaridin and treat my clothes with permethrin. There are 176 species of mosquitos in the US so not sure if what works for me in Washington will work in California.

gloves: I use sun grubbies on my hands, both for sun and mosquito protection.
They're lightweight and not too warm. If needed I spritz deet on the grubbies, although they're made with a tight weave that's pretty impenetrable to mosquito bites. While eating I take them off. The back of your hands are really exposed to mosquitoes when you're hiking.