First Aid Skills Every Outdoor Enthusiast Should Know
A first aid kit is only as good as the person using it. On the trail, you are the first responder — often an hour or more from definitive care. These skills buy time until professionals arrive.
Bleeding control
Apply direct pressure with gauze — do not peek every few seconds. If blood soaks through, add more gauze on top. For severe limb bleeding, a tourniquet high and tight is appropriate when pressure fails. Note the time you applied it.
Burns
Cool thermal burns with clean water for 10–20 minutes. Remove jewelry near the burn before swelling starts. Cover with a sterile non-stick dressing. Do not apply butter, ice directly, or pop blisters in the field.
Sprains and strains
Rest, ice in a bandana or cold stream, compression with an elastic wrap, and elevation — RICE still works. An ankle brace or tape may allow a slow, supported walk out. Do not "walk it off" if the joint cannot bear weight.
Fractures and immobilization
Splint the joint above and below the injury using trekking poles, SAM splints, or padded rigid material. Check circulation and sensation before and after splinting. Open fractures need bleeding control first, then splinting without pushing bone back in.
CPR basics
If someone is unresponsive and not breathing normally, call for help immediately, start chest compressions at 100–120 per minute, and use an AED if available. Compression-only CPR is appropriate for most adult cardiac arrests until rescue breathing is trained.
Kit + training
Take a wilderness first aid or Stop the Bleed course annually. Restock your kit after every trip. Know where your trauma supplies live in the pack — seconds matter when someone is hemorrhaging.
Gear from Go Code gets you equipped. Skills keep someone alive. Invest in both before your next trip.