A good outdoor first aid kit should reflect where you are going, what you are doing, how many people are with you and how long it could take for help to reach you.

A short family walk close to home does not require the same equipment as a full day in the hills, a remote camping trip or an outdoor activity where serious injury is a realistic possibility.

The best approach is not to pack everything you can think of. Instead, consider the likely injuries, the environment, weather, terrain, remoteness and the people in your group.

There is another important point.

Your outdoor first aid kit is only one part of your emergency equipment.

If someone breaks an ankle several miles from the road, treating the immediate injury may only be the beginning. You may also need to keep them warm and dry, establish your location, summon help and protect the casualty while you wait.

This guide looks at both sides of outdoor preparedness: the first aid equipment you may need and the wider emergency equipment that could become extremely important when something goes wrong.

What Should Be in an Outdoor First Aid Kit?

For general walking, hiking, camping and outdoor activities, a practical outdoor first aid kit could include:

assorted adhesive plasters
sterile wound dressings in different sizes
sterile gauze pads
adhesive medical tape
conforming or roller bandages
triangular bandages
disposable nitrile gloves
alcohol-free cleansing wipes
sterile eye dressings
first aid scissors
tweezers
blister dressings
instant cold pack where practical
emergency foil blanket
tick-removal tool
basic first aid guidance

This is a starting point rather than a universal packing list.

You may need to add or remove items depending on your activity, environment and level of risk.

Weight and size also matter. There is little benefit in building an enormous first aid kit that is so heavy or inconvenient that you eventually stop carrying it.

Choose Your Outdoor First Aid Kit for the Activity

Before deciding what to carry, ask yourself four basic questions.

Where are you going?

Consider whether you will be:

close to roads and populated areas
walking on established low-level paths
in hills or mountains
in woodland
on exposed moorland
near the coast
camping overnight
travelling somewhere remote

The further you are from help, the more self-sufficient you may need to be.

What are you doing?

A gentle countryside walk presents different risks from:

mountain biking
climbing
trail running
wild camping
scrambling
paddling
organised outdoor sport
forestry activities
working outdoors

Think about the injuries that could realistically result from the activity rather than trying to prepare for every imaginable emergency.

How many people are going?

A small personal kit may be adequate for one person on a short walk.

If you are responsible for a group, you may need additional dressings, gloves and other supplies.

You should also consider the ages, experience and medical needs of the people involved.

How quickly could help reach you?

This is one of the biggest differences between conventional first aid and first aid outdoors.

On a remote trail, hillside or isolated campsite, professional help may take considerably longer to reach the casualty.

That affects not only your first aid equipment but your wider emergency planning.

Dressings and Wound Care

Minor cuts and grazes are common outdoors.

Your outdoor first aid kit should contain a selection of sterile dressings appropriate for the activity.

Useful items include:

assorted plasters
sterile gauze
medium and large wound dressings
adhesive medical tape
conforming bandages

Keep sterile equipment sealed until it is needed.

Outdoor environments can be wet, muddy and dirty, making it particularly important to protect wounds from further contamination.

For serious bleeding, apply firm direct pressure using an appropriate dressing and arrange emergency help where required.

Disposable Gloves

Carry several pairs of disposable nitrile gloves.

Gloves help reduce contact with blood and other body fluids when treating another person.

More than one pair is sensible because gloves can tear, become contaminated or be needed for more than one casualty.

Keep them somewhere easy to reach rather than buried underneath the rest of your equipment.

Blister Treatment

For walkers and hikers, blister supplies are one of the most useful additions to a standard first aid kit.

Consider carrying:

blister dressings
suitable plasters
padding
medical tape

Prevention matters too.

Well-fitting footwear, suitable socks and dealing with a developing hot spot early can help prevent a minor irritation developing into a painful blister that makes it difficult to continue walking.

Bandages and Triangular Bandages

Bandages can help secure dressings or provide support following an injury.

A triangular bandage is particularly versatile and can be used to support an injured arm.

Falls are common during outdoor activities, particularly on uneven or slippery terrain.

However, carrying equipment is not the same as knowing how to use it. Practical first aid training gives you the opportunity to practise techniques before you need them during a genuine emergency.

First Aid Scissors and Tweezers

Compact first aid scissors can be useful for cutting dressings, tape or clothing where necessary.

Tweezers may help with superficial splinters and similar debris.

Keep sharp equipment securely stored inside your kit.

Should an Outdoor First Aid Kit Include a Tick Remover?

For people regularly walking, camping or spending time in grassy, wooded or moorland areas, a proper tick-removal tool is a useful addition.

Ticks should be removed carefully rather than squeezed, burnt or covered with substances in an attempt to make them detach.

After removing a tick, monitor the area.

If you develop symptoms following a tick bite, particularly a circular or oval rash or flu-like symptoms, seek medical advice.

The NHS guidance on tick bites and Lyme disease provides further information about symptoms and when to seek medical help.

Should You Carry an Emergency Foil Blanket?

A foil emergency blanket is compact and lightweight, making it a sensible addition to an outdoor first aid kit.

However, it should not be your entire plan for keeping an injured person warm.

Someone who has stopped moving because of an injury can become cold surprisingly quickly, particularly in wind, rain or exposed terrain.

This is where first aid equipment and wider emergency equipment begin to overlap.

An Outdoor First Aid Kit Is Only Part of the Solution

Imagine someone slips on wet ground and badly injures their ankle.

You assess them and provide appropriate first aid, but they cannot continue walking.

The temperature starts falling.

Rain moves in.

You are several miles from the nearest road.

The problem is no longer simply the ankle injury.

You now need to:

protect the casualty from the weather
prevent them becoming increasingly cold
establish exactly where you are
summon assistance
communicate your location
potentially remain with them for a prolonged period

That is why outdoor preparedness requires more than dressings and plasters.

Wider Emergency Equipment for Outdoor Adventures

For longer walks, hills, mountains and more remote adventures, consider carrying emergency equipment alongside your first aid supplies.

Depending on the activity and conditions, this could include:

waterproof jacket and trousers
additional warm clothing
hat and gloves
emergency shelter or survival bag
headtorch
spare batteries or backup lighting
whistle
fully charged mobile phone
power bank
map
compass
additional food
sufficient water
essential personal medication

Mountain Rescue England and Wales provides useful outdoor safety advice covering preparation and equipment for the hills.

The equipment you need will change with the season, weather, environment and activity.

Why an Emergency Shelter Matters

An emergency shelter can be one of the most useful pieces of equipment an outdoor adventurer carries.

Options include:

lightweight group shelters
bivvy bags
survival bags
emergency blankets

Their primary purpose is not to treat an injury.

They help protect an injured or stranded person from wind, rain and cold while you deal with the situation or wait for assistance.

This can become particularly important because an injured casualty who can no longer keep moving may cool down quickly.

For groups, a lightweight group shelter can provide valuable protection for several people while waiting for help.

Carry a Headtorch, Even If You Plan to Be Back Before Dark

A headtorch can seem unnecessary when you expect to finish your walk during daylight.

Outdoor incidents change plans.

A twisted ankle, navigation problem, worsening weather or slower progress can turn a daytime walk into an evening one.

A headtorch:

provides reliable illumination
leaves your hands free
helps with navigation
can help when providing first aid
can be used to attract attention
avoids draining your phone battery by using its torch

For longer or more remote adventures, consider spare batteries or another light source.

Your Phone Is Important, But Do Not Rely on It for Everything

A fully charged mobile phone can be extremely valuable during an outdoor emergency.

It can help you:

call emergency services
communicate with rescuers
identify your location
access mapping
check weather information
contact other members of your group

A power bank can provide additional battery capacity.

However, phones can run out of power, become damaged, get wet or lose signal.

That is why suitable navigation skills and equipment remain important for more remote outdoor activities.

Map and Compass

For remote walking and hillwalking, carry suitable navigation equipment and know how to use it.

A map and compass do not depend on mobile signal or battery power.

Carrying them without knowing how to use them provides limited benefit, so navigation skills should form part of your wider outdoor preparation.

Carry a Whistle

A whistle is small, inexpensive and extremely lightweight.

It can help attract attention over distance without exhausting yourself by repeatedly shouting.

Keep it somewhere accessible rather than buried at the bottom of your rucksack.

Food and Water Are Emergency Equipment Too

Carry enough food and water for the activity you have planned.

For longer or more remote trips, consider additional supplies in case you are unexpectedly delayed.

Weather, injury, navigation problems or a rescue situation can turn a planned four-hour walk into a much longer day.

A small amount of additional food can make a considerable difference if your plans change.

Remember Essential Personal Medication

Anyone who relies on medication should make sure they have what they need for the planned activity.

This could include prescribed:

asthma inhalers
adrenaline auto-injectors
diabetes medication
other essential medicines

Medication should be appropriate to the individual and stored according to its instructions.

For longer or remote activities, consider what would happen if your return were unexpectedly delayed.

Where appropriate and with the person’s agreement, other members of the group should know about important medical conditions and where emergency medication is carried.

Preparing for Hot Weather

Outdoor emergencies are not limited to cold conditions.

Walking, running or exercising in hot weather can increase the risk of heat-related illness.

Preparation could include:

sufficient drinking water
sun protection
suitable clothing
checking the weather
adjusting the activity to the conditions

Heat exhaustion can cause tiredness, dizziness, headache, nausea, excessive sweating, cramps and thirst.

Move the casualty somewhere cool, remove unnecessary clothing, begin cooling them and give fluids if they are able to drink.

Heatstroke is a medical emergency and requires urgent medical help.

Cold Weather and Hypothermia

Hypothermia occurs when body temperature falls dangerously low.

Outdoor casualties can be particularly vulnerable because injury may prevent them moving and generating heat.

Wet clothing, wind and prolonged exposure can make the situation worse.

Your preparation should therefore include appropriate clothing and emergency protection from the environment.

If you suspect hypothermia, seek medical help.

Do not assume wrapping someone in a foil blanket alone solves the problem. Shelter them from wind and rain and prevent further heat loss while assistance is arranged.

Do You Need Burns Equipment in an Outdoor First Aid Kit?

That depends on your activity.

Someone on a short walk with no cooking equipment may have little need for specialist burns supplies.

Someone camping with stoves, fires or hot cooking equipment has a more foreseeable burn risk.

Where burns are a realistic possibility, consider appropriate sterile dressings and whether sufficient clean water would be available for cooling.

Burns should be cooled with cool or lukewarm running water for 20 minutes where possible.

Do not apply ice, creams, butter or other substances to a fresh burn.

Do You Need Equipment for Severe Bleeding?

For most ordinary recreational walks, an outdoor first aid kit should concentrate on practical equipment for foreseeable emergencies.

Some outdoor activities present a greater risk of serious or catastrophic bleeding.

Examples may include activities involving:

axes
knives or cutting tools
forestry equipment
mountain biking
climbing
remote practical work
other higher-risk equipment or activities

Where a genuine risk of catastrophic bleeding exists, additional equipment might include:

trauma dressings
haemostatic dressings
equipment suitable for wound packing
a recognised commercial tourniquet

Specialist equipment should be accompanied by appropriate training.

Do not carry equipment simply because it looks impressive. Understand why you are carrying it and how to use it correctly.

What About Snake Bites?

For ordinary UK outdoor activities, snakebite should not dictate the contents of your entire kit.

The adder is the UK’s only native venomous snake, and bites require medical assessment.

If someone is bitten, keep them as calm and still as possible and arrange medical help.

Do not apply a tourniquet or tie string, cord or fabric tightly around the limb to stop circulation.

Do not cut the bite or attempt to suck out venom.

This is particularly worth mentioning because outdated first aid information can still be found online recommending these approaches.

A Small Outdoor First Aid Kit for a Short Walk

For a short, low-risk walk close to roads and populated areas, a compact kit might contain:

plasters
sterile dressings
gauze
tape
disposable gloves
blister dressing
triangular bandage
cleansing wipes
scissors
emergency foil blanket
personal medication

Add appropriate clothing, water, a charged phone and other equipment suitable for the conditions.

This keeps your kit practical and lightweight.

Outdoor First Aid Kit for a Longer or Remote Adventure

As distance, duration and remoteness increase, consider increasing your provision.

You might add:

additional wound dressings
extra gloves
more blister treatment
additional bandaging materials
emergency shelter or survival bag
additional insulation
headtorch
backup lighting
whistle
power bank
map and compass
additional food and water
suitable personal medication
activity-specific first aid equipment

The aim is not to carry a miniature ambulance.

It is to have enough equipment and knowledge to deal with foreseeable problems and keep someone as safe as possible while further help is arranged.

Choosing a Ready-Made Outdoor First Aid Kit

A ready-made kit can provide a useful starting point, but do not assume that the word “outdoor” on the packaging means it contains everything you need.

Check the contents yourself.

Consider:

number of people
activity
length of trip
terrain
weather
remoteness
likely injuries
personal medical requirements
size and weight

You can then add or remove equipment to suit your needs.

The best outdoor first aid kit is the one that matches what you are actually doing and that you will genuinely carry.

Keep Your Outdoor First Aid Kit Protected

Outdoor equipment has to cope with conditions that a home or workplace first aid kit may never experience.

Rain, mud and repeated movement inside a rucksack can damage supplies.

Consider using:

a water-resistant first aid pouch
sealed internal bags
clearly organised compartments
protective containers for delicate items

Keep frequently needed equipment accessible.

You do not want to empty your entire rucksack onto a wet hillside just to find a pair of gloves.

Check Your Outdoor First Aid Kit Before You Leave

Before setting out, check:

sterile packaging is intact
nothing has expired
previously used items have been replaced
your phone is charged
your power bank is charged
torches work
essential medication is present
your equipment suits the planned activity
emergency equipment is accessible

Check the weather forecast and conditions as well.

The contents of your bag may need to change when the conditions change.

Tell Someone Where You Are Going

Equipment is only one part of good preparation.

Before heading somewhere remote, tell someone:

where you are going
your planned route
who is with you
when you expect to return

If your plans change significantly, update them where possible.

This information can become extremely important if something goes wrong and you are unable to raise the alarm yourself.

How Do You Call Mountain Rescue?

If you need Mountain Rescue in England or Wales:

Call 999 or 112, ask for Police, then ask for Mountain Rescue.

Be prepared to provide:

your location
the nature of the emergency
details of the casualty
number of people involved
your telephone number

For coastal emergencies, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.

First Aid Equipment Is Only Useful If You Know How to Use It

You can have an excellent outdoor first aid kit and still be poorly prepared for an emergency.

The most important thing you take outdoors is knowledge and the confidence to act.

Would you know what to do if someone:

became unresponsive?
stopped breathing normally?
suffered a serious bleed?
broke an arm or leg?
sustained a head injury?
developed shock?
had a severe allergic reaction?
became hypothermic?
developed heatstroke?

Equipment supports first aid. It does not replace the skills needed to assess a casualty, make decisions and take action.

Our guide to 10 essential first aid skills everyone should know explains some of the core skills that can make a difference during an emergency.

Outdoor First Aid Kit Checklist

Before your next adventure, ask yourself:

Do I have a suitable outdoor first aid kit?
Does it match the activity?
Is it appropriate for the number of people?
Have I considered how remote we will be?
Do I have enough wound and blister supplies?
Is essential medication packed?
Can I protect an injured person from the weather?
Do I have an emergency shelter?
Do I have a headtorch?
Is my phone fully charged?
Do I have backup power?
Do I have suitable navigation equipment?
Do I have a whistle?
Do I have enough food and water?
Have I checked the weather?
Does someone know my route?
Do I know how to use the first aid equipment I am carrying?

If several of those answers are no, spend a little more time preparing before setting out.

Build the Skills to Deal With an Outdoor Emergency

Outdoor first aid is about more than treating a cut or applying a plaster.

When professional help may take longer to reach you, you may need to assess the casualty, manage an injury, protect them from the environment and make sensible decisions while assistance is arranged.

First Aid and Safety Training provides practical first aid training designed to build the confidence to act when something goes wrong.

Our Emergency First Aid at Work course develops essential emergency skills including casualty assessment, CPR, AED use, choking, bleeding and shock.

Organisations and groups can also arrange onsite first aid training across the North East.

If you would like to discuss first aid training for your organisation, group or team, contact First Aid and Safety Training.

You can also see our South Shields training location and customer reviews on Google.

Real Skills, Real Confidence.