First aid kits, for the majority of us, don’t look like something one would give a lot of priority to. However, having one on hand for those rare, but inevitable, situations where it is needed is of utmost importance, because the best first aid kit can help in handling numerous medical emergencies that won’t cause much damage if taken care of on the spot, otherwise there might be severe complications.

At Strongnia, we, as outdoors enthusiasts, know the importance of getting the best first aid kit in order to face whatever nature has to throw at us while we’re in the wild, hunting, kayaking, or even fishing.

Even for simple cases like a small cut or bruise that necessitate a disinfectant or a band-aid, it is beneficial, and these happen very often especially for someone who is raising kids for example. That’s why getting a first aid kit in your office or for carrying when you’re out hiking or camping, is a great idea and one you shouldn’t really ignore.

This is what inspired us to make this particular article, because this is a problem you urgently need to solve if you have it. So, we have looked around for the most effective first aid kits that are available online, whether minimalist ones that are perfect for quick hiking trips, or elaborate all-in-one kits that’ll help you deal with any emergency in the office. Then we compiled the best picks in this list, where you’ll definitely find one that’ll suit your needs.

So, have a look through it, and we’re sure one of them will catch your attention, and even if not, we’ll be giving you an idea about what you should look for in a first aid kit.

The Best First Aid Kit Picks

Trip Worthy Compact

Trip Worthy Compact is a well-rounded kit that is versatile and will suffice for many different situations and will help you no matter what bad event had happened. It weighs 1.1lbs, which is as good as it gets, especially considering all the utility it provides, and the price tag also, so you can say that for what it offers, it can be regarded as a compact kit. Additionally, that makes it suitable for all age categories, whether children or adults.

The Supplies’ Quality

Every item that comes with this kit satisfies the highest existing standards and is of medical grade quality, which is highly reassuring, considering that the supplies additionally meet the ANSI and OSHA criteria that are essential for using the product in the workplace.

Moreover, all of the kit’s supplies are approved by the FDA, making it a safe and reliable product. You will find everything you need inside of the nylon pack, from glow sticks to abdominal bandages and even safety pins, so you won’t be in shortage of something necessary for any given situation.

Additional Features

This kit was built with longevity in mind, so you can be sure that it will last you for a long while. Furthermore, they give a 4 years guarantee (from the manufacturing date though), and they offer an amazing customer service that’ll be more than glad to help you in case you have an inquiry or a critique even. If that’s not reassuring enough, then we don’t know what is!

The only inconvenience of this kit is that it’s not very convenient for hiking, because if its’ bulkiness and bigger than average size, and not being waterproof doesn’t help either. But if you’re looking for a kit for your house or office, this is the best first aid kit for you.

Swiss Safe 2 in 1 First Aid Kit

Go with Swiss Safe, and you’ll always be safe, put simply! The slightly large size might seem prohibitive when it comes to carrying on quick outings, but it’s perfect for long camping trips. Furthermore, they even offer an additional more compact kit for when you want to hike in the neighboring sites to where you’re camping, which is a more-than-welcomed bonus.

The Supplies’ Quality

This packaged features items that are latex free and FDA approved. Moreover, some of the items it includes are moleskin blister relief pads and a compass. It also has additional space where you can put your favorite supplies, which is very thoughtful of them.

Additional Features

The small kit is conveniently lightweight and is suitable for any hiking trip, while also having 32 items, more than enough for most of the demanding situations that you might encounter. It’s also what makes it a very versatile kit, on top of being very compact: the perfect combination when it comes to first aid kits. In other words, this is the best first aid kit when it comes to size and portability.

Additionally, the quality is undoubtedly high, particularly that of the medical components that come with it. So you can use the Swiss Safe kit in day-to-day settings also, whether in the workplace or at home, and it will be as equally effective as on camping trips or other outings.

The versatility it offers, however, comes at the cost of size and weight, so this might not be your go-to pick for small outings and when you expect only minor injuries.

Surviveware’s Best First Aid Kit

This product has an impressive five-star rating count on Amazon, which shows how reliable it is and how fantastic its’ quality is, tested and verified by the people who bought and tried it. So you can’t go wrong with the Surviveware Small First Aid Kit as additionally, it is very affordable for what it offers, and to top it all off, it boasts a water-resistance.

The Supplies’ Quality

This kit comes in a 600D polyester bag that has incredible durability. Additionally, it is water-resistant, as mentioned earlier. It is true that it has fewer supplies’ than the other kits. However, it packs the 100 essentials that are more than enough in a situation that needs minor first-aid. A CPR mask is one of these, a crucial item for some cases. It goes without saying that all of these are top quality, and organized in a neat way.

Additional Features

The purchase of this kit will entitle you to a free guideline e-book that’ll be sent to you by email, which is quite helpful for quickly adapting to it. In the bag, there is a bit of extra space that’ll be enough to insert the print guidelines if you’d rather take them along with the kit instead. Even though it holds 100 items, the whole kit is small and highly portable, which enables it to work perfectly if you want to keep it in your car or carry it with you on hiking trips.

For ultimate convenience, the contents of each pocket are labeled on it, so you’ll save the time of looking for the item you need, which is crucial in an emergency, so it’s immensely thoughtful of them to implement this. They also put an extra one for personalization and specific needs.

What makes the Surviveware Small First Aid Kit all the more attractive is the 100% money back policy and lifetime guarantee which, on top of all the other perks, makes it the best first aid kit when it comes to the lightweight. The only setback is that it’s not as comprehensive as the other ones on our list, which makes it fall short on certain rare occasions.

Pac-Kit’s Best First Aid Kit

Pac-Kit’s Best First Aid Kit is certified by an immense amount of users on Amazon. All of this is thanks to the inclusion of over 300 contents that are recommended by doctors, which makes The First Aid Only Pac-Kit a comprehensive kit. The size to contents ratio is also impressive because, for all the items the soft shell of the product holds, it seems really compact and portable.

The Supplies’ Quality

Every minor injury can be covered with this kit, as it provides all the tools necessary for them. Of course, they are doctor-recommended and are of good quality. Furthermore, it is OSHA certified so no need to worry about that either. The only minor setback is that two-thirds of its’ contents are band-aids.

Additional Features

The seemingly soft case is surprisingly durable. Moreover, you can easily replace the items inside to refresh it. Its’ weight is also relatively low sitting at about 2.4 pounds, while the size is compact which makes it easy to store. It is not available, however, for international shipping, so that’s a disappointment if you’re not in its’ target country.

Northbound Train’s Best First Aid Kit

The Northbound Train first aid kit is perfectly suitable for camping as well as hiking trips, thanks to its’ convenient size. It enables it to hold only 64 items though, but it contains all of the essential ones for most situations and is easily re-stackable.

The Supplies’ Quality

The kit meets the TSA criteria, and although the items it features are made in China, they are approved by the FDA, and they come with a lifetime warranty, while also being adequately priced and of excellent quality. This makes for a great pack for vacation and trips.

Additional Features

The nylon pouch is sturdy and keeps reliably all of the items in good protection. Furthermore, the product is water-resistant, featuring additional plastic pockets inside to ensure water doesn’t get to them, which is more than enough for use in water sports.

The only thing that makes it less eye-catching is the fact that it’s a pouch, not a box. This makes for a bit unorganized kit. So if you don’t mind this problem, this kit is perfect otherwise! On the other hand, if you do mind this feature, you might as well look into one of the other products on our, and we’re sure that you’ll find the right one for you.

Important Questions Regarding First Aid Kits

Where Should I Keep My First Aid Kit?

If you pick a first aid kit that is designed for camping, hiking, or backpacking, it is most likely waterproof. Nevertheless, it should be stored away from light and humidity, as moisture can shorten its’ shelf-life. You also must be wary of spillages.

Additionally, it should be kept away from the reach of children like any medical-related thing. One of the points that are not well-thought of most of the time but is of utmost importance is that the location of the kit should be a piece of information that all members of the group are aware of, because in emergencies sometimes even mere seconds matter. It won’t hurt if children also were aware of its’ purpose.

You should periodically check the expirations date of items inside the package, as they have each different shelf lives, as some might necessitate replacing more than other ones.

Many of the hiking enthusiasts, while they hike near their campsite, tend to keep their kit behind. This is not advised though as accidents can happen at any given moment. You should take a first aid kit with you, and for this purpose, small ones or convertible ones are ideal. These are the ones that come in a big box which holds all the items, alongside a small sack that contains only the most essential ones and is a lot more convenient, as it is intended for this particular use.

What Items Should My First Aid Kit Contain?

When you’re looking for the best first aid kit, you should put the functionality and the utility it provides as the utmost priority, as the first and foremost purpose of having such a tool is to save lives. And in order to fulfill such a mission, there are some crucial items that are essential for it to work. And don’t forget that the quality of them is also equally important because it varies from one kit to another. That’s why you should be informed adequately before you make your purchase.

With all that said, the recommended items (by the Red Cross) are the following ones:

• 1 roller bandage
• 1 breathing barrier
• 2 packets of aspirin
• 2 absorbent compress dressings
• Oral thermometer (non-mercury/nonglass)
• 25 adhesive bandages
• 2 hydrocortisone ointment packets
• Scissors
• First aid instruction booklet
• 1 instant cold compress
• 2 pair of non-latex gloves
• 5 antibiotic ointment packets
• 1 adhesive cloth tape
• 1 blanket
• 5 antiseptic wipe packets
• Tweezers
• 2 triangular bandages
• 5 sterile gauze pads

Should I Put Together My Own First Aid Kit or Buy A Pre-Made One?

Assembling your own kit from scratch is a time-consuming effort. In fact, they contain at least 20 items, and some of them are not really easy to find. That’s why it’s preferable that you purchase a premade kit which has quality items inside. They have a lot of advantages, and one of the most notable ones is the durability of the containers which are often waterproof, unlike the low-quality cheap sacks available at stores. And don’t forget that you can always customize your best first aid kit, whether you want to remove seldom used contents or add new ones, it’s always your call.

If you decide to make your first aid kit yourself, make sure to get a waterproof pouch.

What Are Some Other First Aid Items to Bring if You Are Traveling?

It is best that you see what your doctor recommends regarding what items are essential for you on your trips, but here’s a list of some items you should start with and include in your best first aid kit:

Insect Repellent

Some wild places have many different kinds of nasty bugs that might pose some danger, that’s why you need this repellant to defend yourself from their bites.

Anti-nausea Medicine

When traveling, you might go by plane, boat or bus. One, or some of them might make your stomach go wild, and for these situations this item is essential.

Disinfectant

Wounds are almost inevitable when making journeys in nature, or even in more generic settings. That’s why a disinfectant, like hydrogen peroxide, is quite handy to have.

Tweezers

This is an often omitted, situational yet very effective when it’s needed kind of item. When you get a splinter, a piece of glass or a thorn under your skin, this thing is your savior.

Verdict: Is Choosing the Best First Aid Kit Important?

We know that this is a boring thing to discuss. However, the importance of having the best first aid kit on hand goes without saying. You shouldn’t bother with this issue too much though, just pick one that suits your needs, while focusing on the quality, and the weight, especially if you intend to take it with you on your best crossbow hunting or camping trips, along with your crossbow scope and other accessories.

So, choose wisely, and be safe!