Best bandaids

I carry a variety of sizes, usually 2 of each up to 4×4.  I also carry a few gauze pads, some antiseptic wipes, and “medical” tape which you’ll find in the first aid section of most stores.  Absolutely do not use clotting bandages – they can actually do more harm than good due to their chemical composition.  (Unless you anticipate large bleeding wounds due to gunfire or IEDs)  According to my WFR instructor and some Navy SEALS, a tourniquet is preferable to the clotting bandages.

Will preface this by saying that I’m an RN and certified in WFA. I skip the bandaids, mostly because they just don’t hold up and they let in dirt. I like to use sterile gauze pads with a little antibiotic ointment to keep the pad from adhering to the wound (always apply the ointment to the pad, not to the wound) & leukotape over top it all to seal it on all 4 sides (this all, of course, after cleaning the wound). The leukotape sticks really well (no tincture of benzoin needed; if you’re using regular first aid tape I’d use the benzoin). Cut the leukotape larger than the gauze pad and round off the corners. Leukotape also adheres well in difficult places, like toes, so it’s wonderful for hotspots & blisters.

If you want something waterproof, I’d suggest tegaderm transparent dressings. They can be applied directly over a cleansed wound. My suggestion would be to use these when you’re pretty sure the wound won’t start bleeding again. (So you might start with tape over gauze, then progress to the tegaderm). The nice thing about the tegaderms is that you can see the wound and can thus assess it without taking off the dressing. If you’ve never used one before, I’d suggest practicing before you need one in the field. They aren’t difficult to use, you just don’t want to be fumbling when you really need one.

Yes, stay away from the clotting bandages — actually pressure & elevation of the affected body part is the preferred method of stopping bleeding (assuming we’re not talking about an amputation or crazy arterial bleed). Sometimes the process can take a while — just keep the pressure on.

Half a dozen ordinary J&J BandAids, and half a dozen large ones. Plus some 3M Micropore tape for bigger problems.

Cheers

I carry some bandaids, but leukotape stays stuck better

I just had a burst blister, so I cut the gauze part out of a bandaid and then used leukotape.  Stayed in place for a couple days

I was going to suggest luekotape and gauze but listen to the RN/WFA who has much more training than me (just WFA, almost expired!)

Trained up to EMT-I, WFR, and Combat Lifesaver plus a half dozen advanced first aid course from the military and tactical medics.  I have three trauma bags I can put my hands on in less than a minute from where I’m typing this, and an IFAK that has combat gauze and both a CAT and SOFTT tourniquet in it.  My gear is set up to where I can easily access my occlusive dressing to treat a sucking chest wound at a moment’s notice and can self apply a tourniquet to any of my limbs with either hand if one arm were to become disabled or removed from my torso.

The one first aid item I use on a routine basis and would never leave home without are plain ol’ bandaids.  The only ones I’d stay away from are the cloth ones as they can act like a sponge.  I like to keep a few of the plasticy ones and a few that are labeled as waterproof.  I typically buy the Band Aid brand but I’m sure the Nexcare ones are fine too.  This is just for minor cuts to keep debris out of them and blood off of my clothes.  For something that would need a 4×4, then gauze and tape which I keep wrapped around my Burts Bees lip balm in my FAK.

what’s a good bandaid to keep your nipples from bleeding? regular bandaids just don’t stay on, and the fully waterproof ones seem a bit too small. bought some of the ‘sport’ bandaids. hope they work.

Just for Doug

http://www.runguards.com/products/nipguards

Doug, I can confirm Kt Tape and Luekotape both excell in that application.

KT Tape here too. Leukotape if I want to do a post run epilating session. But if you have leukotape I just stick it to my hand a couple of times before putting it on my chest.

Thanks guys!  I learned a lot here.  The luekotape idea is especially cool because it’s multipurpose.  (blisters, bandaids, even gear repair)

Curious about the leukotape.  How much would you carry on a weekend backpack.  I’m thinking for my personal FAK, hiking with a few friends.  They should have their own kits, but it may be old bandaids or just duct tape in some cases.

I carry luekotape in lieu of white tape now so I carry enough to brace an ankle. I got some silicone release backing paper from a sign shop from their rolls of vinyl. I laid strips of luekotape onto it and then cut them apart. I’ve usually got ~3′ folded up in my FAK.

.Mike C’s ULTRALIGHT TIPS – the DINKY stuff (part 2).

Listen to the RN and the sucking chest wound expert.

However I have a few band-aids and for bigger stuff use duct tape, gauze (cut to size) and Neosporin. I once got a 4-inch gash in my knee while mountain biking and was glad I had some 3M Steri-Strips for holding that together while I got out of the woods. So now I always carry those as well.

Fortunately the worst I’ve had in years is a cut finger or scraped leg.

I just did the same thing as Mathew except with wax paper.  1.5 inch wide.  Maybe 6 pieces  3 inch long.  Occasionally I use one of them so that’s more than necessary.

I did the same thing with plastic but it’s a little hard to get the leukotape off.

Jerry, I used to use wax paper but after hauling it around for a few months I needed some and it wouldn’t release from the wax paper.

ahhh…  interesting

after hauling around Leukotape on plastic (polyethelene?) for a few months it was a little hard to get it off, but It did, and the leukotape then stuck to my heel for two days

maybe parchment paper?  That’s silicone

what do you use?

sounds like an experiment is in order, I’ll report back in one year : )

For clairification, my first paragraph in my response above is in reference to what I carry at work and have access to in the front country.  My FAK for backpacking is minimalist and is only a few ounces.

I’ve used medical tape most of my life and Leuko tape is a recent acquisition for me.  Truth be told, I rarely get blisters and I’ve not had a reason to use it in the field so I’m just going off of what others have told me.  It does appear to adhere much better than medical tape so it stands to reason that you can get more mileage out of it.  As to how much,  I’d agree that three feet sounds about right although I just eyeball it and couldn’t give an exact measurement as to how much I carry.  Again, I just wrap my tape around my lip balm which works for me since I’m bringing it anyways.  I’ve seen people wrap their tape around a plastic hotel key.

Along with the tape and gauze, I always have 2 of those little one time use crazy glue packets with me. It doubles as gear repair as well. I have gashed myself at work to the point of staples and stopped the bleeding with crazy glue. I will never go in the back country without it. To me the tape and gauze is secondary.

With reference to luekotape it would be appreciated if someone could post a link to the particular type that is preferred. From my down-under looking through the window pane there seems to be different types and even brands. I have some Leukoplast elastic by BSN Medical but that appears to be different from what is shown in the video linked to early on.

This Leukotape

Yeah what K T said.

Thanks KT. Found it here; sold by the looks under the Elastoplast brand and by BSN. I will check out the chemist to see if they can get it for me.