The Basic Camping First Aid Kit Essentials

Having a well stocked basic kit should be an essential part of any camping trip. Here are just a few items that we recommend you pack:

• Plasters/bandages of various sizes
• Sterile wipes
• Antiseptic cream/spray
• Painkillers (e.g. paracetamol, ibuprofen)
• Tweezers
• Scissors
• Safety pins
• Tape
• Insect Repellent and Sunscreen

Imagine if you arrived at your campsite and found that you'd forgotten to pack insect repellent or if at the end of a long sunny hike, you forgot to apply sunscreen! Not only would you have to suffer through a night of mosquito bites or potentially burned skin, but you'd also be at risk of upsetting all of your fellow campers with your yelps of pain every time you turn over or get bitten.

But what about when setting up your campsite kitchen and the family is playing down by the stream in your beautiful field that is home for the week. All those little rocks in the stream bed are a trip hazard and one of the kids falls and rolls their ankle. After applying the principles of RICE (an acronym for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation), where would you be without that bandage or ice pack to help reduce swelling and discomfort. It goes without saying, seek medical advice should you need to!

As you explore further and perhaps on longer camping trips or even try your hand at bikepacking (read the article here on where to begin), you may want to increase what goes into your pack.

Other useful items to pack in your first aid kit

While the items listed above are should form the basics of any first aid kit, there are a few other items that can be useful to have on hand, depending on your camping location and activities:

• A small torch or headlamp or certainly spare batteries
• Spare personal medications (e.g. asthma inhaler)
• Allergy medication (e.g. epi-pen or hay fever antihistamines)
• Rehydration sachets/powders
• Aloe Vera
• Emergency blanket
• Duct tape - it's not just yourself that may need a repair after all!

So there you go, our camping first aid kit essentials. Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments below! And don't forget to check out our other camping tips and tricks for more advice on making the most of your time outdoors here!