First Aid Kits Review: See What You Get for Under $35

As I always say, it is a practical (and potentially life-saving) idea to always have backups for your backups. So if you have already put together a first aid kit, you should put together another one for your BOB, car or workplace. If you don’t have the time to create another kit, I think it makes sense to purchase a ready-made one to back-up your main.

Look for one that is:

• Compact – reasonably sized but should be easy to store in your car’s glove compartment or put inside your backpack, hand bag, or BOB without taking too much space
• Lightweight – something that can potentially save your life by reducing the threat of an injury should not feel like a burden to carry.
• Portable – the kit should be easy to take with you anywhere
• As complete as possible – we all want our money’s worth

I’ve looked at three FAKs from different manufacturers that have these qualities for under $35…

2-in-1 First Aid Kit (120 Pieces) by Swiss Safe ($23.95)

The main kit boasts 120 useable pieces and for a limited time, Swiss Safe is throwing in a pocket sized mini kit that contains an additional 32 items.

So you’ll be getting the following:

• 10 Alcohol Prep Pads
• 30 Medium Bandages
• 10 Mini Bandages
• 20 Cotton Tips
• 4 Knuckle Bandages
• 4 Fingertip Bandages
• 4 Butterfly Bandages
• 5 Sterile Gauze Pads
• 6 Antiseptic Cleansing Wipes
• 4 Sting Relief Pads
• 2 Disposable PVC Gloves
• 1 Disposable Instant Ice Pack
• 1 First Aid Tape
• 1 Large Trauma Pad
• 1 Compass
• 1 Moleskin Blister Relief
• 1 Triangular Bandage
• 1 Emergency Mylar Blanket
• 1 Whistle
• 1 Metal Scissors 15cm
• 1 Elastic Bandage
• 1 CPR Mask
• 1 Metal Tweezers
• 1 Sewing Kit
• 6 Safety Pins
• 1 Glow Stick (6 hours)
• 1 Pocket Size First Aid Pouch

EXTRA CONTENTS OF MINI FIRST AID KIT:

• 10 Medium Bandages
• 10 Cotton Tips
• 1 First Aid Tape
• 1 Non-woven Pad
• 1 Sterile Gauze Pad
• 2 Alcohol Prep Pads
• 4 Safety Pins
• 2 Sting Relief Pads
• 1 CPR Mask

Additional product information:

Compact and lightweight kit. It weighs a little over 1 pound and measures only 9-inches wide so it can fit right inside your camping backpack, bug-out-bag, glove compartment, purse, or closet. The mini kit is also small enough to fit your pocket or the size pocket of your backpack.

Approved by the FDA. The contents of the kit are manufactured from FDA approved facility with high safety standards for emergency first aid.

Money back guarantee. Swiss Safe offers no questions asked 100% money back guarantee. If you are not satisfied with the quality of any part of the product received (the bag or any of the contents), or if the kit is damaged during shipping, the product will be replaced or your money refunded.

My review of the First Aid Kit by Swiss Safe

An initial concern about this kit is the quality since it contains a lot of items. In my experience as a consumer, when a product goes for quantity, the quality is often downplayed. However, the quality of the items looks very good and when the time comes to use them, they are sure to perform well. Nurses and first responders stand by the quality of the items in the kit in their own reviews. Since there are a lot of items in the kit though, I recommend going through them to familiarize yourself so that in an emergency, you can easily sort through and find what you need.

Another concern was extra space for additional items. The products already in this kit cover the basics but you should go the extra mile and make sure you can rely on it not only in a general emergency but also in a personal one. It’s a good thing that despite being loaded with a variety of first aid supplies, there’s still enough space for add-ons so you can personalize it to suit your needs. You can add OTC meds, inhaler, Epi-pen, burn gel, extra gauze/dressings, Ammonia Ampoule, snake bite kit (which sadly is not included) or any other items you’d think necessary.

Every sterile item in the kit is labeled with an expiration date ranging from 3 to 5 years so you know when to replace each one.

The nylon bag is water resistant but it is not 100% waterproof so you might want to keep the supplies within in their little Ziploc bags that they come in for extra protection. The individual packaging of the items is a nice touch that also prevents contamination when one of the items is used.

Except for not being fully waterproof (and not having a snake bite kit), all in all, this First Aid Kit by Swiss Safe is a handy one to have around and at $24, I consider it a good buy that can go a long way.

Compact First Aid Medical Kit by TripWorthy ($19.97)

This kit is smaller than Swiss Safe’s at just 7 ½” wide and contains the following items:

• Abdominal bandage (1pc.)
• Extra-large adhesive bandage (4 pc.)
• Fingertip adhesive bandage (3 pc.)
• Standard adhesive bandage (25 pc.)
• Sanitary Prep Pads (10 pc.)
• Antibacterial ointment (4 pc.)
• Antiseptic cleansing wipes (10 pc.)
• Butterfly closure strips (6 pc.)
• Sterile gauze pads (3 pc.)
• Single-use cold-compress (1 pc.)
• Cotton swabs (10 pc.)
• CPR face mask (1 pc.)
• Elastic bandage (1 pc.)
• Emergency blanket (1 pc.)
• First aid tape (1 pc.)
• Glow stick (1 pc.)
• Metal tweezers (1 pc.)
• Moleskin blister relief pad (1 pc.)
• Disposable poncho (1 pc.)
• Sterile razor blade (1 pc.)
• Safety pin (4 pc.)
• Sting relief pads (4 pc.)
• Triangular bandage (2 pc.)
• Vinyl disposable gloves (1 pc.)

Additional product information:

All items in the kit are manufactured in an FDA-approved facility and enhanced for everyone from beginner campers to avid outdoorsmen. The kit is also assembled in an environment that meets OSHA/ANSI requirements.

The basic kit weighs only over 1 pound for ultimate portability and small enough to be stored easily in cars, boats, closets, backpacks and even pockets.

TripWorthy offers manufacturer warranty. If you are not satisfied with the product or it does not live up to your expectations, let them know and they promise to make it right. The kit has an expiration date of 4 years from the manufacturing date.

My review of the First Aid Kit by TripWorthy

The first noticeable thing about this kit is the caliber of the bag – it is sturdy and made from high quality nylon – so it can withstand rough handling or lots of moving around that can be unavoidable when outdoors. The nylon is water and moisture resistant.

Upon opening, the contents are surprisingly well organized and kept in place by the two clear pockets on both sides. As listed above, the kit contains pretty much all the basic necessities to patch up minor wounds. The quality of the emergency-preparedness supplies is also nothing to complain about (it’s a $20 kit) and you are hard put to buy better quality items for the same price.

There are 100 first aid products in all (including a small sewing kit) and there’s still some room for additional items in tubes or packets such as Epi-pen, OTC meds or anything specific to your requirements.

The only thing is, the items are not labeled with expiration dates although the manufacturer did say their kit is good for 4 years from date of manufacture. If you’re lucky enough not to use any items in the kit for that span of time, be sure to remember to change stock after four years.

TripWorthy’s first aid kit is the best fit for you if you’re looking for an emergency preparedness kit that is reliable and that can be stored anywhere without taking a lot of space.

First Aid Kit by Surviveware ($32.95)

Surviveware’s first aid kit contains the following items:

• 6” Shears(1)
• 600D Polyester Bag(1)
• Alcohol Wipes(3)
• Antiseptic Wipes(4)
• Adhesive Bandages:
  Butterfly Closures(5)
  Butterfly(5)
  H-Shape(5)
  Large(2)
  Standard (20)
  Mini(5)
  Square Shape(5)
• Cotton Gauze Swab(3)
• Cotton Swabs(10)
• CPR Pouch with Instructions(1)
• CPR Breathing Mask(1)
• Crepe Bandage(1)
• Emergency Blanket(1)
• Eye Pads(2)
• Hypoallergenic Tape(1)
• Nitrile Gloves(1)
• Personal Medicine Laminate Bag(1)
• Personal Medicine Mini Bags(5)
• PBT Conforming Bandage(1)
• Safety Pins(4)
• Splinter Probes(2)
• Strip Wound Closures(3)
• Sting Relief Wipes(3)
• Tourniquet(1)
• Triangular Bandage(1)
• Tweezer(1)
• Whistle(1)

Additional product information…

The bag is made from 600D Polyester and measures 5.5 x 7.5x 3.5 inches. It also comes with MOLLE-compatible straps on the back for easy attachment to backpacks or belts.

The bag is water-resistant and the items are protected by waterproof laminate bags.

The bag has inner sleeves that are labeled according to which items they contain. It also comes with a separate zip pouch for your own prescription medication.

Surviveware also offers a money back guarantee on the product. If you are not satisfied, you can ask for your money back. The bag itself has a lifetime guarantee.

A dollar is donated to Hands Free for every product sold. Hands Free helps kids and veterans with 3D printed prosthetic hands.

My review of the First Aid Kit by Surviveware

Now this is one pretty organized first aid kit. The kit by TripWorthy is organized enough but this one from Surviveware takes it up a notch and created a place for everything. There are little net compartments that are labeled for the adhesive dressings, CPR kit, gauze swabs, cleaning wipes, bandages, hypoallergenic tape, and everything else that comes with the kit. This is a very good feature for a first aid kit in my opinion because when there’s an emergency, even the most prepared of us can get into a state of near panic and a clearly labeled kit can help you gain control of your composure and the situation. Additionally, if anyone not familiar with the kit has to use it, it helps that everything is labeled and easy to find. Since everything has its place, it is also easier to determine which items you’re low on and need replenishing.

There’s an outer zipper that has extra ziploc bags for your personal meds. The space can also be used for other things like an extra pair of gloves, heat pads, small tube of ointment, etc.

I also like that the bag comes with MOLLE-compatible straps which makes it possible to attach to the outside of your back pack or belt when out hiking or climbing for easier access.

The quality of the items included is very reasonable (the bag itself is of surprisingly good quality for an overall price tag of $33) and without question, can be relied on in an emergency. I find that there’s also a little bit of room inside the kit for extras like a compass, a glow stick and tourniquet strap.

After purchase, you will receive a guideline for using the kit via email so that’s a huge plus for good customer service.

All in all, I’m pretty impressed with this kit. I only wish it was little larger because for the quality of the bag, which is completely re-packable, I can convert it easily to a first aid + survival kit. Knowing that my purchase helps raise funds for kids and U.S. veterans in need of prosthetic limbs is pretty cool, too.

In Conclusion

Be ready for whatever comes your way, no matter where you are. No one knows when crisis will strike so it’s a great idea to have access to a first aid kit all the time, whether at home, at work, while travelling or when camping or doing any outdoor activity. These little items are necessary for treating injuries or ailments that can happen unexpectedly.

All three first aid kits are equipped with all the basic emergency preparedness necessities and can be reliable enough during emergencies. Depending on your needs or preferences, you can choose any of the three and I’m sure it will serve its purpose and more. Personally, I like the one form Surviveware best and don’t mind the extra dollars as it is well worth it.

In order to utilize your first aid kit to the fullest, I also suggest that you take the time to learn how to use all the items in your kit. Surviveware provides a free information guideline after purchase but the other two manufacturers don’t. The internet is a great resource for anything you’d like to learn but you should also check out your local Red Cross and learn from experienced instructors. They also offer free first aid certification.