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Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight and Watertight .5

medkit-1Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight and Watertight .5

Guest review by Bart Rein

As an avid trail runner and ultrarunner, I normally try to prepare for most eventualities that can occur away from civilization and easy accessibility. As a race director and organizer of trail runs, that applies not only for myself but for my runners. I was excited to take with me and evaluate the Ultralight/Watertight Medical Kit .5 by Adventure Medical Kits.

I took the kit with me on a group run of 20 miles through some trails where no medical support was readily available should it have been necessary. Luckily, there were no mishaps this trip but I was able to carry the kit with me for the run. After the run, I opened the kit and examined the contents.

The Good:

The kit certainly lived up to its claim to be both lightweight and watertight. I put the kit into the carry pouch of my hydration pak and did not notice any additional weight at all. Through sweat and water crossings, the kit stayed completely dry. The easy access bandages are a great innovation and seem to me to be the single biggest improvement in what’s commonly known as “band-aids” since I first used one. Very easy to open and apply.  They should all be like this. The kit contained insect bite relief wipes which is a must. Ibuprofen, diphenhydramine good for those with allergies that get bitten and some precut moleskin, good for hot spots that can come up.

The Bad:

While the kit was complete and could handle a wide array of first aid needs, it seems to me that it was better suited for biking or hiking where larger paks are more convenient and/or common. While it fit into my hydration pak, it used almost all the space available. Trail runners are, as a whole, a hardy bunch. If you can keep moving you do. If you can’t, there isn’t anything in the kit that will allow you to do so.

Overall:

Overall the kit lived up to its claim to be ultralight and watertight but it just didn’t seem best suited for on the go group trail running. Cuts, scrapes, and insect stings are the most common injuries that could be treated by one of these kits. Turned ankles are also one of the more common but cold paks would prove to be too bulky and heavy as would ace bandages. I believe that with a re-allotment of the items in the kit, it can be very useful for a trail running group. I would like to see more of the great easy access bandages, more of the “after bite’ wipes, more ibuprofen, and more diphenhydramine. I think it could do without the alcohol wipes, the tweezers, the roll of tape and the safety pins.

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