As I was doing a "pack check" today making sure that I have everything that I want and need in my pack I decided to do a mini-series. I always take stuff in & out of my pack, use certain pieces that I forget to put back in my pack - so it's good to go through your pack and make sure you have all your essentials!

Here's the first post in my mini-series of what I think is important to pack around. I base a lot of my pack list off of NASAR (National Association of Search and Rescue) SARTECH II Pack List. This is a 24-hour ready pack in case you get stuck out overnight and is a good standard to build your hiking pack around. I started with an Adventure Medical Kit first-aid kit and added extras to it. 

of course you have to start your first aid-ing with good hand hygiene ;) hand sanitizer, antiseptic towelettes, along with a betadine stick and antibiotic ointment

moleskin and various sizes of band-aids

gauze pads, various kinds and sizes

mosquito repellent and after-bite relief

various medicines in little containers (left to right) - tylenol and cold medicine, benadryl, antidiarrheal, pepto-bismol, ibuprofen

aspirin just in case I come across someone that is having a heart attack

tampons useful for multiple things including bloody noses, Q-tips

saline (for eyes, irrigate a small wound, etc) and an extra contacts

here's the pointy stuff in my bag. trauma shears, tweezers for splinters, hemostats (never know when your dog is going to step in a cactus and you have to pull the needles out of their paws!!) 
the razor blade (I know, weird item - have to have it for my NASAR pack tests) and pocket knife I usually keep in a different part of my pack, but thought it'd be a better picture with all the sharp stuff. 

of course you have to have an ace bandage! I may have cut a piece off to be a hair tie one day.... it worked great though!

All in all I added 3.9 oz to the original 8 oz medical kit. 

What else do you have in your first-aid kit that you wouldn't leave behind??