Build a Paddling First Aid Kit
A well-stocked first aid kit is something you hope you won’t need on a paddle trip. But you’ll sure be glad to have one along if you do.
Multi-day canoe trips require a well-stocked first aid kit plus extras (photo courtesy of Caleb Young)
You can build your own first aid kit or buy a ready-made one. Even if you buy one, though, you’ll want to customize it for your own needs and the needs of your family or group. The more remote your trip and the longer you plan to be out, the more robust your kit needs to be.
Events to Prepare For
We can’t remove all risk from our outdoor adventures, including canoe and kayak trips. But we can certainly prepare for it. Here are some common scenarios you may face while canoeing, kayaking or kayak fishing that would require a first aid kit:
- Bee, wasp or hornet stings
- Poison ivy and other noxious plants
- Blisters on hands and feet
- Scrapes, gashes, cuts and other wounds
- Twisted ankles, sprains or worse
- Hypothermia in cold and/or wet conditions
- Heat stroke
- Illness
In addition to what we’ll cover below, consider adding a small first aid booklet to your kit. Tiny Survival Guide (and maybe some reading glasses for the 40/50+ crowd!) or The Pocket First Aid Field Guide are options. Resources like these are especially helpful if no one in your group has medical knowledge or training.
Red Cross First Aid Kit Checklist
The Red Cross provides recommendations for a basic first aid kit. They specify amounts for a family of four, as you’ll see on their list. If your group is larger, be sure to increase these amounts—especially if you’re paddling in a remote area or will be gone overnight or longer.
This ready-made kit from My Medic is well-stocked but not personalized (photo courtesy of Sharon Brodin)
Over-the-Counter Medications—Include common drugs like ibuprofen (Advil), aspirin (Bayer), acetaminophen (Tylenol) and antacids (Tums) for pain, inflammation and stomach issues. Antihistamine (Benadryl) for mild allergic reactions and hydrocortisone for cuts, bug bites and burns are also on the suggested list.
Check over your kit before each year’s paddling season to be sure the medications haven’t expired. Replace any that have.
First Aid Items—Absorbent compress dressings, adhesive bandages (Band-Aids) of assorted sizes, adhesive cloth tape, antiseptic wipes, an instant cold compress, a couple of pairs of nonlatex gloves (size large), gauze roll, roller bandage, sterile gauze pads of different sizes, triangular bandages, a non-mercury/non-glass oral thermometer, tweezers, an emergency blanket and a breathing barrier (with a one-way valve) for CPR. A pair of small blunt-end scissors is handy as well.
If anyone in your family or group has unique medication needs, you’ll want to be sure that comes with you too. Examples are epinephrine (EpiPen), insulin and personal meds.
Since you’ll be on the water, be sure your first aid kit is in a waterproof container. Marine kits are available, or you can store your kit in a waterproof dry bag or tackle box. Mark it clearly so it’s easy to find and let everyone in your group know where it is.
If you paddle an inflatable canoe or kayak, don’t forget your patch kit (first aid for your boat).
Kayak anglers need a first aid kit too (photo courtesy of Chris Funk)
Other Emergency Items for Remote and Multi-Day Paddling Trips
Do you plan to canoe or kayak in remote areas or embark on multi-day trips? If so, you’ll also want to put together an emergency kit with some items beyond your basic first aid kit:
- Mylar emergency blanket—provides warmth in case of a capsize or storm when hypothermia is a danger. These are cheap and very lightweight, so one per person isn’t unreasonable.
- Fire starting kit—Strike-anywhere matches, stormproof/waterproof matches or lighter, or at the very least, regular matches and tinder in a watertight container.
- Change of dry clothes for each person in a waterproof dry bag.
- Tent, tarp or other emergency shelter.
- Duct tape can come in handy in many different situations, including a quick, temporary repair for your canoe or kayak.
- Calorie-dense prepackaged food like protein bars and trail mix in a small dry bag.
- Small water filter or filtration tablets.
- Extra paddle in case one breaks or floats down the river.
- Bear spray, if your trip takes you into bear territory.
These may seem like overkill, especially if you’re only planning on a day trip. But an unexpected storm or other event could keep you out overnight if you’re paddling in a remote area (just read Gunflint Falling: Blowdown in the Boundary Waters about a history-making storm that was not predicted by the weather service).
The Red Cross’s recommended first aid kit is for a family of four (photo courtesy of @happypaddlin’)
The vast majority of the time you won’t need to pull out your first aid kit for anything more than a scrape or blister here and there. But when you need it for more serious situations, you’ll be glad yours is well stocked. As they say: Better safe than sorry.
Happy and safe paddling!
(This was first published in 2017 and has been updated.)
What paddling questions can our friendly Customer Service team help you with? Contact us here: 715-755-3405 or [email protected]
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