Friday, July 29, 2022

A Minimal Motorcycle Medical Kit

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.

I've wanted this for a while now, and everything finally aligned so I was able to buy it. So what's the "this" that I wanted?

Why, a Ducati 1260S Multistrada!

This is a 2019 model, so it's not the current V4, but instead the traditional V twin that has made Ducati famous. It's sporty enough to have fun with other riders after taking the bags off, and comfortable and powerful enough to carry a second rider and gear for extended rides. I'm looking forward to having fun with this!

My New Bike

It's set up as a touring bike, with pannier/saddlebags that will hold about 12 gallons of gear. This seems like a lot... until you look at what 12 gallons converts to in the real world. My bike will hold about what the average kitchen trash bag holds (well, before it's overstuffed to the point the seams almost split, anyway). 
 
What's in the (Saddle) Bag? 
There seems to be more room than actually available, which is the reason for saving as much space as possible with things that are permanently carried. There's a bare-bones tool kit stored under the seat, along with required paperwork, so first aid supplies will have to go into one of the bags. I decided to do pretty much what I have carried in other bags with some slight differences.
 

From the Amazon ad:

  • Includes QuikClot gauze, trauma pad, triangular bandage, and other key supplies for your trauma kit
  • Nonallergenic QuikClot first aid gauze speeds up natural clotting and stops bleeding within minutes
  • Used by hospitals, EMS/first responders, military, law enforcement, general public & outdoorsman
  • Fits perfectly in any first aid kit, suture kit, medical kit, iFAK pouch, EDC pouch & survival kits
  • Travel safely with QuikClot in your car first aid kit, camping essentials & backpack emergency kit

I own a duplicate of this Trauma Pak and have actually used it before. I am very satisfied with its contents and performance. 


There's a little overlap in the contents between these two kits, but since there's a possibility of serious injuries to myself or others in an accident, I don't feel bad about that. 

Another consideration was the red color. I have been trying to switch out from black back pouches and gear to things that might be a bit more visible in low light/dark areas, and red is the universal First Aid color.

From the Amazon ad:

https://amzn.to/3zGgDc9
The M-FAK, North American Rescue's Mini First Aid Kit, was designed to be the most compact, multi-use IFAK for delivering immediate critical care for penetrating, blast or other traumatic injuries. Despite its reduced size, this kit comes fully loaded with the critical medical equipment most requested by First Responders operating in the line of duty. 

Dimensions: L 6 in. x W 3 in. x D 3 in.
Weight: 13 oz.

Treatment pack includes: 
  • 1 x CAT Gen 7 Tourniquet Orange, 
  • 1 x 4 in. Flat ETD, 1 x S-rolled Gauze (4.5 in. x 4.1 yd), 
  • 1 x HyFin Vent Compact Chest Seal, Twin Pack, 
  • 1 x pair Bear Claw Nitrile Trauma Gloves, lg.


I don't plan on taking any trips soon, so there are several small items that may still go in/on the bike as I sort out what I want to take, either as permanent items or as trip-specific items. At the top of my list is a flashlight of some kind. Reading through the Owner's Manual (400+ pages!) I found there is a built-in USB port under the seat. That gave me the idea to look for a USB rechargeable light like the Nitecore MT21C 1000 Lumen 90 Degree Tilt-able head LED Flashlight.

This is still a Work In Progress, as I need to determine exactly how much room I have under the seat for a flashlight, I may need to look for a smaller format light, or possibly run a cable from the port into a saddlebag for charging.

Regardless, it's good to have options.

Recap And Takeaway

  • A new vehicle needs basic supplies, and a small vehicle needs to be very efficient in what is carried. 
  • Resisting my Packrat tendencies is hard.
  • Purchased from Amazon: M-FAK Kit$89.94 with no Prime shipping available.
  • Purchased from Amazon: Adventure Medical Kits Trauma Pak. $24.70 with Prime shipping.

Stay tuned, this is difficult to figure out.

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If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

2 comments:

  1. Re: keeping the flashlight under the seat

    Can you find the seat release without the flashlight? None of the models I've ridden would allow this. I have one of those tiny soft dongle lights on my key just to enable me to get to better illumination.

    ReplyDelete

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