Climbing gear makes bouldering and climbing safer, but stuff still goes wrong out there, and a good climbing first aid kit is what gets you patched up and back to the car. This is the climber’s guide to putting one together. You can buy a ready-made kit or build your own. Below we’ll cover why you should always pack a first aid kit and the 20 items that belong in it.
Why You Need A First Aid Kit for Climbing
Climbing and bouldering have safety gear and systems that make them about as safe as they can be, but you’re still at risk of getting hurt. Any time you head into the mountains to climb, bring a first aid kit. Injuries run the range from a few scratches or a bruise all the way to something life-threatening, and being prepared with first aid gear lowers your odds of infection and, in a bad situation, can help save a life.
Some climbers figure an injury bad enough to need first aid just won’t happen to them, but the research says otherwise. One study on the epidemiology of rock-climbing injuries found that around 50% of climbers surveyed had picked up at least one injury in the past year. Another study on injuries associated with rock climbing found that traumatic injuries like falls made up 18% of injuries, and the other 82% were overuse injuries.
You can do plenty to prevent injury, and it helps to know the most common climbing injuries and how to prevent them, but even when you’re careful it’s better to be safe than sorry. A first aid kit doesn’t have to be big or heavy, and it’ll fit in most climbers’ bags. You can also buy one or build your own for pretty cheap.
Your Climbing First Aid Kit Checklist: 20 Items
My kit started out as a pre-packaged one, but the more I climb, the more I’ve personalized it with gear that fits how and where I climb. Here’s what I’d put in your climbing pack.
No matter what, make sure you remember #16. You’d be surprised how important it is!
1. Climbing Tape
Climbing tape, also called athletic tape, is sticky, strong, doesn’t stretch, and tears into thin strips easily. It has two main jobs: supporting tendons and joints, and protecting skin. Climbers also use it to hold gear together, which makes it one of the most-used items on this list. If you want the full rundown, here’s why and how to tape your fingers for climbing.
2. Neosporin
Skin splits, tears, and scratches come with the territory in climbing, and an antibiotic ointment helps your skin heal faster. If you get a scratch and want to keep climbing, clean the wound, put on a triple-antibiotic cream with a pain reliever like Neosporin, and cover it with a bandaid, tape, gauze, or whatever works best.
3. Antiseptic Wipe
Antiseptic wipes kill germs and clean skin, which is the first step after a scrape. Soap and water is messy and hard to manage out in the mountains, so it isn’t ideal for cleaning wounds. Hand sanitizer isn’t great either, since it kills both good and bad bacteria. Antiseptic wipes clean wounds safely and prep the skin for ointment and bandages.
4. QuikClot
QuikClot isn’t something you ever want to use, but it can be life-saving when you need it. Compared to gauze, it helps blood clot about 5x faster, and it’s flexible enough to mold to a wound. It’s also been tested and proven over years of combat use by the U.S. Military.
5. Scissors
There are different kinds of scissors, from multi-purpose to medical. Medical scissors are pretty cheap, so they’re worth grabbing. They cut cleanly through bandages, tape, gauze, clothing, leather, harness straps, thin metal, and other tough materials, and they’re built to cut close to the skin without nicking you.
6. Rubber Gloves (Disposable)
The first thing you reach for in your climbing first aid kit should be gloves. Always wear them, not just to protect yourself from blood but from all body fluids and any infection. A box of medical gloves is cheap, so you can keep the box at home and stash a few pairs in your pack, or bring the whole box if your kit has room.
7. Moleskin
Climbing shoes are about the tightest, most uncomfortable athletic shoe out there, so blisters are basically a given. Whether they’re from your approach shoes or a fresh pair of climbing shoes, moleskin belongs in every climber’s first aid kit. It’s one of the most common blister-prevention dressings. Put it on clean skin (wipe the spot with an antiseptic wipe first) anywhere you tend to get blisters, like your heel, the side of your foot, and your toes. Ideally you apply it before you start climbing or hiking to the wall.
8. Gauze Pads and/or Sterile Dressings
Gauze pads are a must in any first aid kit. Climbing outside, there are plenty of ways to end up with a wound. Gauze pads plus a little tape handle heavy bleeding, and you can also use them to apply ointment or clean a wound when you don’t want something oily like Neosporin all over your hands mid-session.
9. Bandaids
Bandaids are a no-brainer for your climbing first aid kit. Scrapes are tough to avoid, so odds are you’ll pick one up out on the rock. Keep it covered so you don’t get blood on the holds, and before the bandaid goes on, clean the spot and add Neosporin. For the bigger skin tears, here’s how to deal with climbing flappers.
10. Butterfly Bandages
Butterfly bandages are different from regular bandaids because they’re made to hold skin together, which you’ll want if your skin splits or opens up. Clean the wound with an antiseptic wipe first, then the adhesive sticks well to the skin around the cut without sticking to the wound itself. It’s a quick way to patch a cut that happens on the rock.
11. Pain Medication / Ibuprofen & Aspirin
Aspirin, ibuprofen, and other pain meds should be used with caution. A good rule of thumb is to only take them once you’re done climbing. Ibuprofen can help control swelling if, say, you broke your ankle in a fall and you’re being moved to the hospital. Check with a doctor or a first aid book for proper use, though. I’m not a doctor.
If you take pain medication while you’re still climbing, you’re more likely to get an overuse injury or do long-term damage to the tendons in your hands. That happens when climbers mask pain to keep going instead of stopping. When in doubt, only use pain meds on a doctor’s advice. If there’s no doctor around, use caution and think about your long-term health before you medicate and keep climbing.
12. Tweezers
Tweezers are another tool you hope you never need but should always carry. Since climbing happens outdoors in the mountains, tweezers come in handy for pulling out a splinter or a tick. Disinfect them well before and after each use.
13. Anti-diarrhea Medication
Anti-diarrhea medication isn’t the most glamorous thing in your climbing first aid kit, but it can make a rough day a lot better. The mountain is the worst place to have an upset stomach. And it isn’t just rich food, illness, or bad water that sets it off. Being at an altitude your body isn’t used to can do it too, which is common in the mountains. Anti-diarrhea meds ease the discomfort and help protect against dehydration.
14. Ziploc Bag
A few Ziploc bags are a great add to your first aid kit. They’ve got all kinds of uses: keeping bandages dry, packing out used antiseptic wipes, carrying out used toilet paper, keeping tissue dry and separate from everything else, and so on. Ziploc bags aren’t biodegradable, so if you bring them, pack them out and dispose of them properly.
15. First-Aid Book
Unless you’ve got a medical degree and practice regularly, a first aid book is a huge help. There are compact versions that don’t take up much room and still give you what you need to provide care. When something goes wrong while climbing, it isn’t always obvious what to do, and the book walks you through it while you wait for emergency help or get someone to a hospital. This is another better-safe-than-sorry item.
16. Emergency Contact Information
This one’s a little different from the rest, but it matters. Even if you’re climbing with friends who know you well, emergency contact info makes it easy for them to know who to call if something happens to you. Figuring out who to call isn’t easy when you’re in pain waiting on a paramedic or being carried down a mountain, so a little card in your kit does the thinking for you.
17. Aluminum Blanket
An aluminum blanket is a great thing to keep in your first aid kit because it’s small and packs down tiny. Besides keeping you warm, it helps if someone’s going into shock. Tuck it around the person, including the sides and under the feet, to hold body heat in and keep the cold out. It isn’t built for repeat use, so if you want a blanket to stay warm between climbs, look at an outdoor blanket that’s water-resistant or easy to clean.
18. Headlamp
A headlamp might already live in your climbing bag, but if it doesn’t, keep one in your first aid kit. It isn’t safe to climb at night, and it isn’t safe to hike down a mountain in the dark either, since it’s easy to trip and there are nocturnal critters to deal with. But if you end up stuck or can’t get down during daylight, a headlamp makes the hike out a lot less dangerous. It’s hands-free too, which beats a flashlight when you’re a climber who needs both hands.
19. Emergency Whistle
This one’s a little different, but if you’ve ever seen 127 Hours, you know how much a whistle can matter. Whether your hand is pinned under a rock or you get lost hiking back to the car, a whistle helps people find you. You hopefully never need it, but it’s small and cheap, which makes it an easy add to your first aid kit.
20. 2 Liter Dry Sack
A 2-liter dry sack is the perfect size to carry everything in your first aid kit while keeping it clean and ready to use, whatever the weather. Dry sacks are durable and waterproof, so whether you’re hiking past a waterfall or getting rained on, the stuff inside stays fine. A 2-liter bag tucks into your camping pack, and some dry sacks even have shoulder straps.
Packing smart is a habit, and so is climbing smart. If you want to keep leveling up, the free Send Edition newsletter sends you one short climbing drill or tip each week, about 15 minutes’ worth, straight to your inbox. It’s a quick way to get a little sharper every time you tie in.
Conclusion
No matter your situation or how careful you are, every climber and boulderer should have a first aid kit in their bag. There’s always a chance of an accident, and being prepared with the right first aid gear can head off a minor infection or even save a life or a limb. Whether you buy a pre-built kit or make your own, use the checklist above to make sure you’ve got what you need.
Your first aid kit is just one piece of the puzzle. There’s a longer list of gear that belongs in your rock climbing bag too. For the full rundown, check out this post (37 Things Serious Climbers Bring With Them To The Mountains)
Frequently asked questions
What should be in a climbing first aid kit?
A solid climbing first aid kit covers wound care and the odd emergency: climbing tape, antibiotic ointment like Neosporin, antiseptic wipes, QuikClot, medical scissors, disposable gloves, moleskin, gauze pads, bandaids, butterfly bandages, pain medication, tweezers, anti-diarrhea meds, Ziploc bags, a first aid book, emergency contact info, an aluminum blanket, a headlamp, an emergency whistle, and a 2-liter dry sack to hold it all.
Do I really need a first aid kit for climbing?
Yes. Injuries are more common than most climbers think. One study found around 50% of climbers surveyed had at least one injury in the past year, and another found falls accounted for 18% of injuries with overuse making up the other 82%. A kit doesn’t take up much space and can lower your odds of infection or help in a serious situation.
Should I buy a climbing first aid kit or build my own?
Either works. A pre-packaged kit gets you started fast and is usually cheap, and you can personalize it over time with gear that fits how and where you climb. Building your own from the checklist above lets you skip anything you don’t need and add what you do.
Is it safe to take pain medication while climbing?
Use caution. A good rule of thumb is to only take pain meds once you’re done climbing, since masking pain to keep going makes overuse injuries and long-term tendon damage more likely. Ibuprofen can help control swelling after an injury, but when in doubt only use pain medication on a doctor’s advice. I’m not a doctor.
More About Safety and First Aid:
- Taping Fingers For Climbing: Why And How
- Proper Nutrition For Tendons For Climbers
- Exercises To Prevent Tendon Injuries For Climbers
- Climbers’ Tendon Injuries And What Causes Them
- 5 Common Injuries In Climbing And How To Prevent Them
- Climbers Guide: First Aid Kit
- How Do You Deal With Climbing Flappers? Prevention And Care
- Should You Wear A Helmet For Bouldering?
