Best first aid kits to keep you prepared while travelling

Founded in 1989, Lifesystems developed the UK’s first travel-specific first aid kit. They’ve gone on to become a household name, and their range of kits (which vary widely in size and comprehensiveness) have become a staple for hikers, trekkers and DofE participants. Everything right from the compact, waterproof, rip-resistant cases, to the carefully thought out, high quality medical equipment inside makes this a brand a great choice for first aid kits, both at home, in the office and while travelling.

The Pocket First Aid Kit we’ve chosen is, as you might expect, one of their smallest offerings which inevitably means it has less in it than other options. However, if you’re looking for something small and lightweight that you can easily throw into a backpack, or indeed pop into your pocket, this is ideal. You may want to add a few bits and pieces yourself, such as painkillers and an antiseptic cream.

The founders of Thrudark, Anthony ‘Staz’ Stazicker CGC and Louis Tinsley spent a combined 27 years in the British military, 18 of which were in the UK special forces, so they really know their stuff when it comes to technical gear. As well as an extensive range of high-performance apparel and accessories for men and women, their selection of first aid kits (available in ‘minor’, ‘intermediate’ and ‘advanced’) excel in quality and have clearly been put together by people who are very experienced in undertaking challenging expeditions. And, let’s face it, they look really cool too.

You can choose your preferred size based on how many people you’re travelling with and how prepared you want to be. For a large group (up to 14 people) you won’t find anything better than the Advanced kit which comes with an incredible selection of first aid items that you won’t find in your average kit, including a thermal blanket, a flexi splint, paramedic shears, spot check thermometers and duck tape, along with many, many other bits and pieces.

If you’re a parent, you might only want to pack a travel first aid kit that can help you take care of minor scrapes and mishaps that could befall your child. Only last month, my 8-year-old decided to do some impromptu parkour on the Our Lady of the Rocks island in Montenegro, which unsurprisingly ended up with him sustaining a nasty gash on his elbow and shin. This kit would have come in handy then! Despite being very small, this clever kit includes 90 items chosen by paediatric first aid experts, including paramedic scissors, burn gel, wipes, plastics, a helpful booklet containing advice on what to do in common first aid situations, and the all-important bravery stickers, which all mums know make the biggest difference of all in most scenarios.

Some travel first aid kits are really specific, like this one from SURVIVAL, which has been put together to handle a snake bite. While most of the time you won’t encounter a snake – and if you do, they’ll slither off and hide rather than attack – snake bites can and do happen on occasion, particularly on hikes, and they can be very serious. Immediate medical attention is your best course of action when snake bites do occur. Again, while traveling with my son in the Atlas Mountains, he came alarmingly close to a viper just when running up to the door of our hotel room. I can confirm, they are out there.

This kit was designed in Australia (a lot of snakes there) by leading first aid experts and developed in conjunction with snake safety experts, SSSafe. As well as a snake bite instruction card with details on CPR and the bite record register, you’ve got everything you need here for immediate snake bite treatment before heading to hospital such as an emergency blanket, pressure bandages and a splint.

Another from Australian brand SURVIVAL, and the smallest on our list. This one is perfect if you just want the bare essentials to hand when travelling, including adhesive dressings, wound closure strips and splinter probes. The tiny design of this one and the carabiner clip makes this ideal for attaching to your trousers or rucksack and keeping with you wherever you go. Plus, it doesn’t have anything sharp inside, like scissors or tweezers, so you can bring it on board a flight in your cabin bag.

Travelling with your pet? There’s a first aid kit for them too! Developed by Reliance, who have been making pet care products since 1973. You’ll need to buy tick removers separately (a must for any pet owner), but what you’ll get in this pet first aid kit is everything you’ll need to treat a cat or dog quickly in the eventuality of a minor cut, bruise or strain. Supplies include saline pods, alcohol-free wipes, a foil blanket, bandages, tweezers and more, encompassing all the items on the PDSA’s list of essential first aid items for pets.