First Aid Kit by Atwater Carey : A Must Pack Item

On a recent trip to Central America, I felt a little more safe and secure with my Atwater Carey Backpacker First Aid Kit tucked into my day pack. Fortunately, I only needed to use it once—but isn't that how it works? Blisters may not seem like a big deal, but when you're hiking in the rain forest, a little bit of antibiotic ointment and some moleskin go a long way.

This compact, soft-shell but durable nylon kit reminds me of my favorite mini-purse when I was a girl (get over it, guys). Although the kit is small (approximately 7 inches wide by 5 inches deep), it’s tough. And so neatly organized, with first aid essentials, such as bandage strips and gauze, antiseptic towelettes, antibiotic ointment, tweezers, ibuprofen and acetaminophen, packed into zippered compartments. It even has room for some extra things like nail clippers, sunscreen, and my favorite homeopathic ointment.

The Atwater Carey kit also includes instructions on basic and back country first aid. I found the two booklets a good refresher for the mountain-oriented first-aid class I took years ago.

Bottom Line: I like that the Backpacker First Aid Kit is easy to use and pack. Hopefully I won’t have any emergencies, but with this kit at least I’m more prepared. It's worth a reminder: A basic first aid kit is one of the ten essentials that anyone should take out on any back country outing..--J.I. (June '05)

Price: $29.95

Buy Online: , Altrec.com