
## Bikepacking Self-Rescue: What to Do in the First Five Minutes

When something goes wrong far from help, the sequence is the same every time: **stop, get clear of the trail, check yourself before you check the bike, then commit to one of three moves** — repair and ride on, self-evacuate under your own power, or call for help and shelter in place. Choose early. Most bad outcomes start with drifting between those three until dark.

That is bikepacking self-rescue in one paragraph, and here is the part nobody puts on a gear list: **it is a decision-making skill first and a gear skill second.** The splint and the chain repair are the easy part. The hard part is admitting, at 3 p.m. with 22 miles to go, that today's ride is over. Riders get into trouble by pressing on, not by stopping too soon — which is why this belongs alongside the rest of [staying safe on remote rides](/posts/bikepacking-safety-complete-guide).

<SectionDivider variant="trail" />

## What Self-Rescue Actually Means for Bikepackers

The word "rescue" conjures a helicopter. That is almost never what happens.

According to Heggie and Amundson's study of National Park Service search-and-rescue reports in *Wilderness and Environmental Medicine*, US national parks recorded 65,439 SAR incidents involving 78,488 individuals between 1992 and 2007; of those, 24,288 were ill or injured and 2,659 died. The study found hiking (48 percent) and boating (21 percent) were the activities most often behind a callout. Two things stand out: most people involved were neither killed nor seriously hurt, and ordinary self-powered travel, not extreme sport, generates most of the workload.

Bikepacking sits in that ordinary category with one wrinkle — you brought a machine, and the machine can quit. What ends a bikepacking day is a short list:

- A **mechanical** you cannot fix with what you carry.
- A **minor injury** — a rolled ankle, a road-rashed hip, a cracked rib — that leaves you mobile but slow.
- A **capability failure**: out of water, calories, daylight, or body heat.
- Rarely, a **genuine medical emergency** that needs outside help now.

The first three get solved by the rider, with no phone call: **getting yourself out is the expected result, not the heroic one.**

<PullQuote>
Self-rescue does not usually look dramatic. It looks like a person walking a bike down a forest road at dusk, annoyed, eating a candy bar.
</PullQuote>

<SectionDivider variant="trail" />

## The First Five Minutes: Stop and Assess

These are the five minutes people waste. Adrenaline says fix it and keep moving. Slow down instead.

**Get off the line of travel.** Move yourself and the bike out of the trail corridor or off the road shoulder first. A second rider coming around the blind corner into your crash is how one casualty becomes two.

**Check yourself before the bike.** Sit down. Look for bleeding you have not noticed, run a hand over your helmet for cracks, wiggle fingers and toes, press on anything that hurts. Adrenaline hides injuries, so recheck once you are calm — and run the same survey out loud for a partner, because people badly under-report their own symptoms.

**Then take inventory, out loud:**

- **Water.** How much is actually in the bottles, and where is the next source?
- **Food.** Real calories, not the emergency gel you have carried for two years.
- **Daylight.** Not "a few hours" — the actual sunset time from your phone or GPS.
- **Warmth.** What can you put on, and is it dry?
- **Location.** Distance and climbing to the nearest road, and whether you know the way.

Cold and dark are what turn an inconvenience into an emergency. Everything else — a bent wheel, a sore ankle, a missed turn — is a logistics problem right up until you are shivering in the dark. According to the CDC, hypothermia can occur even at cool temperatures above 40°F if a person becomes chilled by rain, sweat, or immersion in cold water, and a body temperature below 95°F calls for immediate medical attention. A stopped, sweaty, lightly dressed rider on a 45°F evening fits that description exactly.

<Tip title="Put a jacket on before you start wrenching">
The moment you stop pedaling you stop making heat, and repairs happen with bare hands in the wind. Insulating layer first, then work on the bike. Thirty seconds, and one of the two escalating factors is off the table.
</Tip>

<SectionDivider variant="trail" />

## The Three-Option Decision Framework

For any incident anywhere, you have exactly three moves. Naming them out loud is the whole trick, because it forces a decision instead of a drift.

### Option A: Repair and ride on

**Choose this when** you can genuinely fix the failure with the tools on the bike, the fix will hold, and you have daylight to spare afterward. **Do not choose it** out of stubbornness: a bodge that fails 8 miles deeper in leaves you worse off — same problem, less daylight, more walking.

### Option B: Self-evacuate

**Choose this when** the bike is unrideable but you and it can still move, and the math on distance versus daylight and water works. That includes the unglamorous versions: coasting 6 miles down on a bike with no drivetrain, or walking to a paved road and putting a thumb out. The math is the whole decision, and it is the next section.

### Option C: Call for help and shelter in place

**Choose this when** you cannot move safely, a medical problem is beyond your ability to manage, or the walk-out does not fit inside your daylight and water. This is not a failure state. It is often the correct answer.

The failure mode we see is **the drift**: an hour on an unfixable derailleur, a half-hearted start on a walk-out, a change of mind, then dusk. Set a decision deadline the moment you stop — "if this is not rolling by 4 p.m., we are walking" — and honor it. Our guide to [knowing when to quit a bikepacking trip](/posts/bikepacking-when-to-quit) applies the same muscle to whole trips.

<Highlight label="The commitment rule">
Repair, evacuate, or call. Choose within 30 minutes of stopping and say it out loud. A mediocre decision made at 2 p.m. beats a perfect one made at dusk.
</Highlight>

<SectionDivider variant="trail" />

## Mechanical Self-Rescue: The Failures That Actually Strand People

Most mechanicals are trivial. A handful are trip-enders. Here is which is which — full procedures live in our guide to [emergency field repairs](/posts/emergency-field-repairs-bikepacking).

**Broken chain — fixable.** A chain tool and a quick link make this a 10-minute roadside job, and even without a quick link you can shorten the chain and ride a limited gear range.

**Broken derailleur or hanger — fixable, ugly.** The classic trip-ender, usually a stick through the cage or a derailleur pulled into the spokes. The field fix is the singlespeed conversion: remove the derailleur, break the chain, run it over one chainring and one middle cog, rejoin at the shortest length that still has tension. One gear, usually the wrong one, but it rides. A spare hanger for your frame is the cheapest insurance in bikepacking; our [derailleur repair guide](/posts/derailleur-adjustment-repair-bikepacking) covers the conversion.

**Destroyed tire casing — usually fixable.** A cut too big for sealant gets a boot: a proper tire boot, a folded bar wrapper, or a section of old casing between tube and tire. Booted tires want lower pressure and a gentler descent, but they get you out. See [what bikepackers use to patch their tires](/posts/what-bikepackers-use-to-patch-their-tires).

**Broken spokes — depends.** One or two on a 32-spoke wheel is usually rideable once you release the brake and true it roughly by eye, as in our [wheel truing and spoke repair guide](/posts/wheel-truing-spoke-repair-bikepacking). A wheel folded into a taco is not.

**Cracked frame or fork — stop riding.** The one category where "ride it carefully" is genuinely dangerous. Walk it.

**Dead brakes — situational.** An inconvenience on flat ground; a walk-down at the top of a 3,000-foot descent.

<Warning title="The bodge that fails at the worst moment">
A booted tire, a shortened chain, and a wheel trued by eye are all fine at 8 mph on a forest road. None are fine at 30 mph on a loose descent. Ride the fix like it is temporary, because it is.
</Warning>

<SectionDivider variant="trail" />

## Injury Self-Rescue: Stabilize, Then Decide

We are not going to teach you medicine in a blog post, and you should be suspicious of anyone who tries. What we can do is describe the decision structure and point at the authorities. One thing first: an injured rider stops making heat immediately, so get insulation under and around them before anything else.

**Bleeding comes first.** Mayo Clinic's fracture first aid guidance says to stop bleeding by applying pressure to the wound with a sterile bandage, a clean cloth, or a clean piece of clothing. Direct pressure, held long enough, is the first-line step for the kind of bleeding riders pick up in a crash — which is why the gauze in a [bikepacker's first aid kit](/posts/first-aid-kits-bikepackers) matters more than the assortment of tiny adhesive bandages.

**Head injuries end the ride.** According to Mayo Clinic, symptoms after a head injury that warrant emergency care include repeated vomiting or nausea, loss of consciousness lasting longer than 30 seconds, a worsening headache, fluid or blood draining from the nose or ears, vision changes, weakness in the arms or legs, and confusion or slurred speech. Mayo Clinic also notes some concussion symptoms may be delayed for hours or days after the injury; the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine's 2023 diagnostic criteria use a 72-hour window for symptom onset. A rider who is confused or repeatedly asking what happened does not get back on a bike.

**Suspected fractures.** Mayo Clinic's guidance is to call 911 if the injury results from major trauma or there is heavy bleeding, not to move the person except when necessary to avoid further injury, and to immobilize the injured area — noting explicitly that you should apply a splint only **if you have been trained to** and professional help is not readily available. It also says not to realign a bone or push a protruding bone back in.

The honest conclusion is uncomfortable for a website: **a two-day wilderness first aid course is worth more than every article written on this subject, including this one.** According to NOLS, its wilderness first aid curriculum covers wound management, fracture and dislocation care, evacuation plans and emergency procedures, and the part that matters most — how to make an appropriate evacuation decision.

<SectionDivider variant="trail" />

## The Walk-Out Math

This is the most useful arithmetic in bikepacking, and hardly anyone does it in time.

Start with a known baseline. Naismith's rule, devised by Scottish mountaineer William Naismith in 1892, allows **one hour for every 3 miles plus an additional hour for every 2,000 feet of ascent**. Later refinements are more honest about terrain: Aitken's 1977 correction assumes about 3 mph on paths and roads but only 2.5 mph on rough surfaces.

Now apply the bikepacking penalty. Naismith assumed a hiker with a day pack, not a rider shoving 60 pounds of loaded bicycle through babyheads in stiff-soled shoes. **We plan on roughly half the Naismith pace when pushing a loaded bike on rough ground.**

A worked example: your derailleur is dead, the singlespeed conversion is out because the chain is mangled, and you are 9 trail miles from the trailhead with 1,200 feet of climbing in between. It is 4:15 p.m., sunset is 8:20 p.m., and you have 1.5 liters of water.

- **Naismith baseline:** 9 miles at 3 mph is 3 hours, plus roughly 36 minutes for the ascent — call it 3 hours 36 minutes.
- **Rough-surface correction:** at 2.5 mph, about 4 hours 12 minutes.
- **Loaded-bike penalty:** double it. **Call it 8.5 hours.**
- **Daylight available:** 4 hours 5 minutes.

The math has answered the question. Starting the push means finishing in the dark, dehydrated, on the sketchiest terrain. Camp where you are, eat, sleep, and start walking at first light with nine hours of daylight ahead of you.

The corollary surprises people: **a walk-out is often the more dangerous option, not the safer one.** Pushing a bike is exhausting and it burns daylight and calories fast. Camping is a skill you already have. Use it.

<Highlight label="The rule of thumb worth memorizing">
If the walk-out cannot be finished before dark with the water you are carrying, do not start it. Spend the night. Walking into darkness is how a manageable evening turns into an actual emergency.
</Highlight>

<SectionDivider variant="trail" />

## When to Stop Trying and Call for Help

Sometimes self-rescue is the wrong instinct. Escalate — press the SOS button, or send a message and wait — for any of these:

- **Bleeding you cannot control** with sustained direct pressure.
- **A head injury with confusion, repeated vomiting, worsening headache, or loss of consciousness**, per the Mayo Clinic warning signs above.
- **A suspected spinal or neck injury**, or any injury where moving the person looks likely to make it worse.
- **A broken bone you cannot stabilize** well enough to move, or a limb that will not bear weight.
- **Hypothermia that is not reversing.** The CDC lists loss of shivering among the signs of severe hypothermia, so someone who has stopped shivering or gone quiet may be getting worse, not better.
- **Immobility plus falling temperatures and no shelter.** That one does not need an injury to turn lethal.

Two things make this easier. First, knowing your options when there are no bars: our guide to [emergency communication when there is no cell signal](/posts/emergency-communication-no-cell-signal) covers what works and what the message should say. Second, carrying the hardware — two-way satellite messaging turns "I am hurt, somewhere" into "I am hurt, here, and this is what happened." We compare [the best satellite messengers for bikepacking](/posts/best-satellite-messengers-bikepacking) if you are choosing one.

**Push the button early rather than late.** A call at 5 p.m. from a rider who can still describe their location and their injury is a far simpler problem than a 2 a.m. search for someone who thought they could make it.

<SectionDivider variant="trail" />

## Prevention: The Self-Rescue Plan You Make at Home

Almost all of the leverage in self-rescue is applied before you leave the house.

- **Leave a real trip plan with a real person.** Route, planned camps, where the vehicle is parked, expected finish time, and an "if you have not heard from me by X, call Y" instruction with the right agency's number. Vague plans produce vague searches.
- **Mark a bail-out point for every day.** Every road crossing, ranch gate, and shortcut that exits the route, noted before you ride. When you need one, you will not be in a state to find it.
- **Carry a repair kit you have actually used.** A chain tool you have never operated is a heavy talisman. Break a chain in the garage and fix it; practice the singlespeed conversion once. Our guide to [building a bikepacking tool kit](/posts/building-bikepacking-tool-kit) covers what earns its weight.
- **Fix the bike before the trip.** Many trip-enders are wear items already visibly failing at home — a stretched chain, a cracked sidewall, a loose hanger. A [pre-trip bike inspection](/posts/pre-trip-bike-inspection-checklist) is dull and it works.
- **Know the local hazards.** Terrain, weather, water, and animals shape what "wrong" looks like on a route; our guide to [wildlife safety for bikepackers](/posts/wildlife-safety-bikepacking) covers the last of those.

Riding alone raises the stakes, because nobody is there to notice your judgment going soft — the adjustments are in our guide to [solo bikepacking](/posts/solo-bikepacking-riding-alone).

<SectionDivider variant="trail" />

## The Point of All This

None of this promises a safe trip. It is not supposed to. What it does is make the decision easier at the moment your judgment is worst — when you are tired, embarrassed about the schedule, and quietly hoping the problem will resolve itself.

Stop early. Check yourself first. Name your three options and pick one. Do the walk-out arithmetic before the first step, and if the numbers do not work, spend the night instead. Call sooner than feels comfortable.

Riders who handle bad days well are not tougher. They have already decided what they will do, so the decision costs them nothing when it counts. For the rest of the system, start with our complete guide to [bikepacking safety](/posts/bikepacking-safety-complete-guide).


Self-Rescue for Bikepackers: What to Do When Things Go Wrong


## Medical Self-Sufficiency

When you're miles from the nearest road, first aid isn't optional—it's the difference between continuing your trip and needing rescue. Bikepacking injuries are usually minor: blisters, scrapes, muscle pain, insect stings. But minor problems become major ones without basic supplies to address them.

The goal isn't carrying a complete emergency room. It's having what you need to treat common issues, stabilize serious ones until help arrives, and continue riding when problems are manageable.

This guide covers pre-made kit options, how to customize for your specific needs, and the skills that make supplies useful.

For complete safety gear, see our [Emergency Gear Guide](/posts/emergency-gear-every-bikepacker).

---

## Pre-Made Kits vs. DIY

### Pre-Made Kit Advantages

- **Curated contents:** Someone with medical knowledge assembled the supplies
- **Proper packaging:** Waterproof, organized, compact
- **Replenishable:** Replace individual items as used
- **Starting point:** Add personal items to a solid base

### DIY Kit Advantages

- **Customization:** Include exactly what you use
- **Weight optimization:** Eliminate supplies you won't need
- **Cost savings:** May be cheaper for basic kits
- **Personal medications:** Must be added regardless

### Recommended Approach

Start with a quality pre-made kit, then customize. Add personal medications, remove items you'll never use, and adjust for specific trip conditions.

---

## Featured Products

<ProductCard
  name="Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight/Watertight .7"
  pickLabel="Our Pick"
  description="The Ultralight/Watertight .7 hits the sweet spot for most bikepackers—comprehensive enough for multi-day trips, light enough to always carry. The waterproof DryFlex inner bag keeps supplies dry through stream crossings and rain. Contents cover wound care, blister treatment, medications, and basic tools like tick removers. At under 6 ounces, it fits easily in a frame bag or handlebar pack. The organized pouches let you find what you need quickly. For trips up to 3 days with 1-3 people, this kit provides genuine capability without unnecessary bulk."
  amazonLink="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DV6NTJBK?linkCode=ll1&tag=besamadea0bd-20"
  highlights={["Waterproof construction", "Under 6 oz weight", "3-person/3-day capacity", "Organized pouches", "Tick remover included"]}
  specs="5.9 oz, 8x7x2 inch, waterproof"
  rating={5}
/>

<ProductCard
  name="Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight/Watertight .5"
  pickLabel="Best Ultralight"
  description="For overnighters and weight-conscious minimalists, the .5 kit provides essential supplies in a truly ultralight package. At 3.5 ounces, it barely registers in your pack. Contents focus on the most common needs: wound cleaning, bandaging, blister care, and basic medications. The waterproof packaging protects supplies without adding weight. It won't handle extended trips or serious injuries, but for weekends with reasonable access to civilization, it's sufficient. Many bikepackers carry this even on day rides for basic trail-side first aid."
  amazonLink="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DV6PDY9R?linkCode=ll1&tag=besamadea0bd-20"
  highlights={["3.5 oz ultralight", "Waterproof DryFlex bag", "Essential supplies only", "Fits in jersey pocket", "Weekend-trip focused"]}
  specs="3.5 oz, 7x5x1 inch, waterproof"
  rating={5}
/>

<ProductCard
  name="Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight Pro"
  pickLabel="Extended Trips"
  description="For week-long expeditions or group trips, the Ultralight Pro expands capability significantly. CPR mask, irrigation syringe, wound closure strips, and comprehensive wound care supplies prepare you for more serious situations. The larger kit serves 1-4 people for up to 7 days. Weight increases to around 10 ounces, but so does capability. If you're leading groups, traveling in remote areas, or expect extended time between resupply, the Pro version provides meaningful safety margin."
  amazonLink="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076QDG1TZ?linkCode=ll1&tag=besamadea0bd-20"
  highlights={["Extended trip capacity", "CPR mask included", "Wound closure strips", "Irrigation syringe", "1-4 people, up to 7 days"]}
  specs="~10 oz, comprehensive, waterproof"
  rating={4}
/>

---

## What to Carry: Category Breakdown

### Wound Care

**Essential supplies:**
- Adhesive bandages (various sizes)
- Gauze pads (2x2 and 4x4)
- Medical tape
- Antiseptic wipes
- Antibiotic ointment (single-use packets)
- Butterfly closures or wound closure strips

**Why it matters:** Road rash, cuts from tools or branches, and scrapes from falls are common bikepacking injuries. Clean wounds, apply antibiotic ointment, and cover to prevent infection.

### Blister Care

**Essential supplies:**
- Moleskin or blister pads
- Alcohol wipes (for cleaning before application)
- Medical tape (for securing moleskin)
- Needle or safety pin (for draining, if necessary)

**Why it matters:** Foot blisters from hiking, hand blisters from gripping, and saddle sores all respond to proper care. Untreated blisters become infected or debilitating.

### Medications

**Consider carrying:**
- Pain reliever (ibuprofen or acetaminophen)
- Anti-diarrheal (Imodium)
- Antihistamine (Benadryl)
- Electrolyte tablets
- Personal prescriptions

**Why it matters:** Pain relief keeps you moving. Anti-diarrheal prevents trip-ending GI issues. Antihistamines treat allergic reactions and help with sleep.

**Note:** Pack medications in original packaging or clearly labeled containers for border crossings.

### Tools and Accessories

**Essential supplies:**
- Tweezers or splinter picker
- Tick remover (in tick country)
- Safety pins
- Medical tape
- Scissors (or use multi-tool)
- SAM splint (for extended remote trips)

**Why it matters:** Splinter and tick removal prevents complications. Tape and splints stabilize injuries until proper care is available.

---

## Customizing Your Kit

### Add Based on Conditions

**Hot weather:**
- Extra electrolytes
- Sunscreen (if not in toiletry kit)
- Burn treatment gel

**Cold weather:**
- Hand warmers
- Extra tape (cold affects adhesive)
- Knowledge of hypothermia signs

**Bug season:**
- Extra antihistamine
- Sting relief wipes or gel
- Tick remover (essential)

**Remote routes:**
- Wound closure strips
- SAM splint
- Irrigation syringe
- Emergency space blanket

### Add Personal Items

**Prescription medications:** Always carry in addition to kit contents

**Allergy medications:** EpiPen if prescribed; antihistamines regardless

**Known conditions:** Asthma inhaler, insulin, etc.

### Remove What You Won't Use

Pre-made kits include items for broad audiences. Remove:
- Supplies you don't know how to use
- Redundant items
- Medications you'd never take
- Items past expiration

Keep kits lean. You're more likely to carry a light kit than leave a heavy one behind.

---

## Kit Location and Access

### Where to Pack First Aid

**Accessible location:** You need first aid when you need it—not after unpacking everything.

Good locations:
- Frame bag (top or side pocket)
- Handlebar bag (accessible compartment)
- Top tube bag (if kit is small enough)

Bad locations:
- Bottom of saddle bag
- Deeply packed in frame bag
- Anywhere requiring full unload to access

### Waterproofing

Even "waterproof" kits deserve extra protection:
- Keep in dry bag if using non-waterproof kit
- Replace contents if kit gets wet
- Check waterproof seals before trips

### Marking for Others

In emergency, others may need to find your kit. Consider:
- Distinctive color or marking
- Telling riding partners where it's located
- Standard first aid symbol if visible

---

## Skills Matter More Than Supplies

### Basic Skills Everyone Should Know

**Wound cleaning:** Irrigate with clean water, remove debris, apply pressure for bleeding.

**Blister treatment:** Clean, drain if necessary (needle sterilized in flame), apply protective covering.

**Splinting:** Immobilize suspected fractures using sticks, trekking poles, or SAM splint.

**Tick removal:** Grasp near head with tweezers, pull straight out slowly, save tick if concerned about disease.

**Recognizing serious problems:** When to stop riding, when to seek help, when to call for rescue.

### Training Resources

**Wilderness First Aid (WFA):** 16-hour course covering backcountry medical scenarios. [NOLS Wilderness Medicine](https://www.nols.edu/en/coursefinder/courses/wilderness-first-aid-WFA/) is the gold standard. Highly recommended for remote riders.

**Wilderness First Responder (WFR):** 80-hour comprehensive course. Overkill for most bikepackers but valuable for guides or frequent remote travelers.

**CPR/AED:** Basic life support skills. [Red Cross](https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class) and many organizations offer short courses.

**Online resources:** [REI Expert Advice](https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/first-aid-basics.html), NOLS, and Wilderness Medical Associates offer online introductions.

---

## Kit Sizing by Trip Type

### Overnighters (1-2 nights)

**Kit:** [Ultralight/Watertight .5](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DV6PDY9R?linkCode=ll1&tag=besamadea0bd-20) or minimal DIY

**Contents focus:**
- Wound care basics
- Blister care
- Pain relief
- Personal medications

**Weight target:** 2-4 ounces

### Multi-Day (3-5 days)

**Kit:** [Ultralight/Watertight .7](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DV6NTJBK?linkCode=ll1&tag=besamadea0bd-20)

**Contents focus:**
- Full wound care
- Blister care with extras
- Medications for GI issues
- Basic tools

**Weight target:** 4-8 ounces

### Extended/Remote (1+ week)

**Kit:** [Ultralight Pro](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076QDG1TZ?linkCode=ll1&tag=besamadea0bd-20) or augmented standard kit

**Contents focus:**
- Comprehensive wound care
- Wound closure capability
- Splinting materials
- Extended medication supply
- CPR mask

**Weight target:** 8-12 ounces

---

## Replenishing and Maintenance

### After Every Trip

Check kit contents:
- Replace used items
- Note items that were missing
- Remove expired medications
- Dry out if kit got wet

### The Pre-Trip First Aid Audit (5 Minutes)

Before every multi-day trip, run through this quick check:

1. **Open every compartment.** Visually confirm supplies are present and intact
2. **Check medication dates.** Especially ibuprofen and antibiotic ointment—these degrade
3. **Verify adhesives.** Peel back one bandage edge—if it doesn't stick well, replace the batch
4. **Test your knowledge.** Can you name how you'd treat a serious blister? A deep cut? If unsure, review before the trail
5. **Confirm location.** Is your kit packed where you can reach it without unpacking everything?

This habit catches problems before they matter. The 5 minutes before your trip is worth far more than discovering issues mid-adventure.

### Annual Maintenance

Even unused, kits need attention:
- Check all expiration dates
- Replace adhesives (tape, bandages) that may have degraded
- Verify waterproof seals still function
- Review contents against current knowledge

### Restocking Sources

Adventure Medical Kits sells [refill supplies](https://adventuremedicalkits.com). Pharmacies and outdoor stores stock common items. Keep a list of your kit's contents for efficient restocking.

---

## When First Aid Isn't Enough

### Knowing Your Limits

First aid is first response, not definitive care. Seek professional help for:

- Deep cuts that won't stop bleeding
- Suspected fractures
- Head injuries with confusion
- Allergic reactions with breathing difficulty
- Severe GI illness with dehydration
- Any injury that prevents safe riding

### Emergency Communication

First aid supplies are useless if you can't call for help when needed.

**Options:**
- Cell phone (limited coverage on many routes)
- Satellite communicator (inReach, SPOT)
- Personal locator beacon (PLB)
- Satellite phone

For remote routes, satellite communication provides genuine safety margin. Our [Emergency Gear Guide](/posts/emergency-gear-every-bikepacker) covers communication devices and other essential backup equipment.

---

## FAQ

**What's the most important first aid item?**

Knowledge. All the supplies in the world won't help if you don't know how to use them. After that: wound cleaning supplies and basic bandages cover most situations.

**Should I carry a SAM splint?**

For extended remote trips, yes. For weekends with reasonable access, probably not—improvise with sticks or bike parts if needed.

**How often do medications expire?**

Most OTC medications last 1-2 years. Prescription medications vary. Check dates annually and replace as needed.

**What about snake bite kits?**

Modern medical consensus: don't carry them. They're ineffective and may cause harm. In snake country, learn to identify venomous species and get to medical care quickly.

**Is wilderness first aid training worth it?**

Yes, especially if you ride remote routes or travel with groups. The 16-hour WFA course provides practical skills and confidence. Many first-time bikepackers underestimate safety preparation—see our guide on [Common Bikepacking Mistakes](/posts/common-bikepacking-mistakes) to avoid other pitfalls.

---

## Quick Kit Checklist

**Wound Care:**
- [ ] Bandages (various sizes)
- [ ] Gauze pads
- [ ] Medical tape
- [ ] Antiseptic wipes
- [ ] Antibiotic ointment
- [ ] Butterfly closures

**Blister Care:**
- [ ] Moleskin
- [ ] Alcohol wipes
- [ ] Medical tape

**Medications:**
- [ ] Pain reliever
- [ ] Anti-diarrheal
- [ ] Antihistamine
- [ ] Personal prescriptions

**Tools:**
- [ ] Tweezers
- [ ] Tick remover
- [ ] Safety pins

---

## Be Prepared, Stay Safe

The best first aid kit is one you carry consistently and know how to use. Start with a quality pre-made kit, customize for your needs, and invest in basic training.

Most bikepacking injuries are minor inconveniences with proper supplies. The kit in your bag provides confidence to handle problems and continue your adventure.

For complete safety planning, see our [Emergency Gear Guide](/posts/emergency-gear-every-bikepacker). For trip planning that minimizes risk, check our [First Trip Planning Guide](/posts/your-first-bikepacking-trip-planning).

Ride prepared. Ride far.


first-aid

Self-Rescue for Bikepackers: What to Do When Things Go Wrong

First Aid Kits for Bikepackers: What to Carry