First aid kits are often not given the importance they deserve. However, whether you are at home, in the office, in the kitchen, camping outdoors, traveling, or hiking, having a first aid kit on hand is a good idea as it saves you from unnecessary pain, panic, and tension in case of medical emergencies. They also allow you to immediately tend to relatively minor accidents resulting in cuts, bruises, insect bites, burns, or sprains. This is particularly useful for households with small children or accident-prone family members, especially when you travel or engage in maintenance or other outdoor activities.
Those who have already found themselves ill-equipped in the face of a medical emergency in the past would know that first aid kits are indispensable in the hour of need and are, therefore, a must-have. Despite largely having the same contents, some first-aid kits often suit one application more than others, so your kit choice should be based on where you wish to use the kit (at home, at work, in the car, or outdoors), and what medical emergencies are most likely to happen in that environment.
Here, we have compiled a list of the 15 best first aid kits you can find online based on the uses they’re best suited for.
DeftGet Compact First Aid Kit
This small, lightweight, and fairly compact first aid kit with 163 items is a great all-rounder, not only regarding the range of items it has, but also regarding their quality, durability, and affordability. Its small size allows you to carry it along wherever you go, whether at home, in your car, or while outdoors.
The DeftGet medical kit contains all the essentials you would need for an emergency, including circular as well as strip Band-Aids, alcohol pads, iodine pads, sting relief pads, non-woven triangular bandages, an emergency blanket, medical bandages, compressed towels, a whistle, a pair of stainless steel scissors and tweezers, a powerful flashlight, a stainless steel saber card, multiple cotton sticks, and safety pins.
All these contents are neatly packed in a small bag that is soft yet durable and water-resistant. As this kit does not come with a guide and some other items, such as trauma pads, cooling packs, or burn creams, which could come handy outdoors, it would be suited to use at home, at work, or in the car, but it could also come in handy for minor outdoor emergencies.
Swiss Safe 2-in-1 First Aid Kit
This fully stocked yet amazingly lightweight kit is designed by Swiss Safe, a trusted leader in providing high-quality medical-grade first aid supplies for business and home use. The package has 120 high-quality medical-grade items in addition to an even more compact mini-first-aid-kit with 32 items, making it a 2-in-1 kit.
This first aid kit also includes a comprehensive 18-page guide written by healthcare professionals to help you administer first aid correctly in a wide range of emergency situations. It contains a number of basic first aid items, such as bandages, wipes, safety pins, sting relief pads, alcohol pads, and first aid tape, along with some “fancier” ones: an instant ice pack, CPR masks, a large trauma pad, a sewing kit, an emergency glow stick, and a compass. And to top it all, the kit is manufactured in a specialized FDA-approved facility with high regard to safety standards and end-product quality, so you know you are getting a great product for your money.
While this kit is reasonably versatile and thus well-suited for both indoor and outdoor use, it appears to be more tailored to indoor application. You can also keep it in your car or take it with you for short outdoor trips, but if you intend to spend more than one day outside, you may want to go for a first aid kit that offers more medical supplies and tools.
Pac-Kit First Aid Kit
This 298-piece, all-purpose first aid kit by First Aid Only is a best-seller, and for good reason. It will have you covered for just about any potential emergency, no matter where you are or what happens. With so many useful components, this kit is rather evenly balanced and serves as the perfect all-round first aid kit that would serve you well both indoors and outdoors.
The essential first aid supplies include fabric and plastic adhesive bandages for cuts, abrasions, and puncture wounds. These basic contents work well to treat pain and swelling, as well as cuts, scrapes, and burns.
Furthermore, the soft case kit contains an aluminized rescue blanket, antibiotic ointment packets, nitrile exam gloves, aspirin and ibuprofen tablets, extra-strength non-aspirin tablets, sterile gauze pads, antiseptic towelettes, a disposable thermometer, a finger splint/tongue depressor, a burn gel packet, and a first aid guide to round it out. Having both the essentials and the more sophisticated tools at your disposal prepares you for most medical emergencies, which we feel is a good enough justification for the slight bulkiness of this kit.
Surviveware First Aid Kit
This product from Surviveware comes with a solid water-resistant bag made from extremely durable fabric and offers a lifetime warranty. The sturdy laminate pouches in the bag prevent all inner items from getting wet. Weighing in at less than one pound, this bag is very light and easy to carry around. The care taken to design the bag shows that it was made to specifically cater to outdoor usage needs.
This first aid kit includes all the usual supplies, such as adhesive bandages, alcohol wipes, an emergency blanket, cotton swabs, cotton gauze, and triangular bandages. This kit also packs a basic tourniquet, a CPR mask, a CPR pouch with instructions, hypoallergenic tape, and crepe bandage, all of which are hard to come by in most other first aid kits. So, if you need a basic but very portable first aid kit with high-quality components for outdoor activities or hiking, this one fits the bill perfectly.
AIRSOFTPEAK First Aid Kit
As a 96-piece first aid kit with a waterproof nylon bag featuring a custom design from MOLLE, this product is well-suited for short outdoor trips and mostly indoor usage, including travel or workplace environments. What makes this first aid kit stand out among the competition are the textual labels born by all supplies. This means that you can quickly find appropriate supplies during sudden emergencies and save some seconds or maybe even minutes, which are sometimes a matter of life and death.
In addition, this first aid kit comes in two sizes: big and small. If you find you that you don’t really need the extra offerings in the big kit, you can choose the small one to save some money and get a more portable kit. Be sure that both kits provide all the necessary supplies, including a pressure bandage, burn dressing, a first aid booklet, a pair of shears and tweezers, triangular bandages, a CPR kit set, conforming bandages, hypoallergenic tape, splinter probes, cotton gauze swabs, and two pairs of gloves.
On top of that, the big kit includes a tourniquet, eye pads, waste bags, a forehead thermometer, an emergency blanket, and wound dressing. While it does not have a lot more items compared to the smaller kit, each of these extra items can be quite important if you’re in need of a first aid kit primarily for outdoor use.
Coleman Camping First Aid Kit
The Coleman Camping first aid kit is made for camping needs (as suggested by the name) and would suffice very well for most medical emergencies that could potentially arise on longer trips.
This first aid kit is easy to carry and includes the most commonly needed first aid items, such as latex-free bandages, gauze pads, adhesive tape, antiseptic towelettes, antibiotic ointment packets, sting relief wipes, finger splints, safety pins, a cold pack, nitrile exam gloves, and even a razor blade. All these come packed neatly in a durable semi-hard case, which also features a unique EZ find system to keep the items organized and easy to see in times of a medical emergency.
Bear in mind that despite being designed primarily for camping and travel, this kit is far from being useless in indoor medical emergency scenarios. The Coleman Camping first aid kit is very well-rounded and is equally suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
Be Smart Get Prepared First Aid Kit
The Be Smart Get Prepared kit comes with a comprehensive assortment of first aid treatment products manufactured by Total Resources International (TRI).
This kit is FDA registered, as well as OSHA-, ANSI-, and ISEA-compliant, which really makes it stand out in terms of quality and safety. It is not only suitable for home, travel, and outdoor use, but it also meets all OSHA/ANSI 2009 type I and II requirements for small businesses, so if you’re looking for a kit that you could have at your workplace, this may just be the one you need.
Being an all-round kit, it consists of alcohol prep pads, antiseptic towelettes, antibiotic ointment packets, burn cream packets, an instant cold pack, adhesive bandages, a paper tape roll, a triangular bandage, sterile gauze pads of different sizes, a sterile trauma pad, examination gloves, and an extensive first aid instruction guide.
Northbound Train
Designed by a US Marine, this product from Northbound Train is styled along the lines of a military first aid kit and can fit in any bag or backpack. The nylon bag is water-resistant and even has waterproof pouches to protect the medical supplies from rain or dampness.
The kit contains a pair of 6” stainless steel shears and tweezers, a Mylar emergency blanket, a triangular bandage, a large adhesive wound dressing, gauze pads, antiseptic and alcohol towelettes, PVC protective gloves, laminate bags for contents, sting relief wipes, safety pins, conforming PBT bandage, and polybags for pharmaceutical products. The Northbound Train first aid kit only contains high-quality items and comes with a lifetime warranty, so it’s a pretty good investment if you need a first aid kit that’s going to last.
If you’re looking for a lightweight, compact, and portable kit that is on par with military-grade or individual first aid kit (IFAK) standards, this is the one for you.
Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight and Watertight .5 First Aid Kit
Designed by Adventure Medicals Kits, this kit does a great job of accompanying athletes and adventurers who would like to have a portable, compact, and water-resistant kit for a single traveler accompanying them on short hikes or trips.
This kit keeps your supplies safe and dry with its two-layer waterproofing. The first one relies on DryFlex bags that are sewn into the kit while the outer layer is a seam-sealed bag made of nylon with siliconized elements and an additional zipper for improved water-resistance. This first aid kit only weighs around 3.5 ounces and fits easily in most pockets, backpacks, and bags while allowing you to provide first aid for several people on shorter trips of 1 to 4 days.
The contents include previously sterilized and ready-to-use bandage materials that can be useful in cases of bleeding, blisters, or burns as well as bone fractures or joint sprains. The kit also provides the most essential medications, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen, and some basic medical tools you may need. All these items come in a transparent bag that ensures high visibility so that you can find the right medication quickly in an urgent situation. If you’re an athlete or a sports enthusiast in need of a first aid kit, you will be hard-pressed to find a better kit for your needs.
SHBC Compact First Aid Kit
Manufactured in a modern FDA-approved facility that complies to multiple safety standards, this kit contains 228 pieces of various first aid treatment supplies. All these medical equipment items come in a shock-proof, tough, EVA molded case with a waterproof PU material surface that also manages to be relatively compact and lightweight.
The contents of this kit include all the standard items that you would expect to find in any first aid kit, such as bandages, tapes, and gauze pads. It also contains two CPR masks, multi-function saber cards, scissors, two first aid blankets, an instruction manual, and gloves. Of course, this is not a full list of items found in the SHBC first aid kit.
All in all, If you’re looking for a very well-rounded first aid kit with a solid case and numerous items that can come in handy in a variety of medical emergencies, you really should take a closer look at this one.
Tactical Freedom First Aid Kit
This FDA-certified first aid kit by Tactical Freedom is one of the best kits available due to the range of items it includes. The design and contents of this kit are based on input from a Veteran Emergency Room Doctor, so you can be sure that it is equipped to provide first aid for just about any medical emergency ranging from small scratches to major bleeding.
The kit is double sealed, durable, and water-resistant. As for the contents, it contains some items that are rarely found in other first aid kits, including a belt style tourniquet, a CPR mask, gauze pads, a triangular bandage, bandage wraps, trauma ABD pads, Band-Aids, cotton applicators, alcohol pads, antibiotic ointment, safety pins, a pair of scissors, a pair of tweezers, a pair of PVC gloves, first aid tape, an emergency blanket, instant cold compress, a first aid carry bag, and even a small bottle of saline solution.
This kit appears to be by far the most complete in terms of the emergency supplies provided, so it would be the perfect safety net for you if you spend a lot of time outdoors. Being lightweight and compact enhances its portability and makes it easy to carry along wherever you go.
WELL-STRONG First Aid Kit
This FDA-approved kit comes in two different sizes, the smaller one containing 210 items and the larger one 300 pieces of medical equipment. The 300-piece kit contains just about anything you might need in case of an injury except a tourniquet and would serve you well at home, in the office, or outdoors. You can also take it with you on long outdoor trips as it packs enough supplies to provide first aid to multiple people even if they have the same or similar injuries.
Apart from the usual assortment of bandages, tapes, gauze pads, emergency blanket, trauma pad, sting relief pads, and antiseptic towelettes, it also contains a one-time use thermometer, an instant cold compress, eye pads, a pair of nickel-plated scissors, a pair of plastic tweezers, exam-quality vinyl gloves, and a comprehensive first aid guide.
With this kit, you can rest assured that you won’t run out of bandages, and since it is FDA-approved, you don’t have to worry about the quality either. Therefore, it is a very well-rounded kit suitable for all settings, both indoors or outdoors, and even for longer trips. If you find that you don’t need all the items included with the 300-piece kit, simply go for the smaller kit to enjoy improved portability and save some money.
Zenwells First Aid Kit
Developed with input from professional physicians in mind and produced in an FDA-registered facility, this kit is definitely a good option for people who value quality and safety. It contains 192 first aid supplies made from high-quality materials and comes with a strong polyester bag that is one of the best in this price range. It has five transparent zipper pouches that allow you to find the items you need with ease. What’s more, the bag itself is water- and stain-resistant and has enough space to include your own medications and other essentials.
The pack also contains a 24-piece mini-first aid kit, which provides a valuable array of first aid necessities to treat common injuries that people might sustain during daily activities. The pouch is small enough to tuck into a purse or in your pocket and can be really helpful for a number of minor injuries sustained on the road, in the office, or in school.
This first aid kit contains a glow stick, a compass, a cooling fever pouch, a sewing kit, metal tweezers and scissors, an emergency Mylar thermal blanket, an ice pack, a pencil, a notepad, an instruction manual, first aid dressings, antiseptic and alcohol wipes, soap wipes, trauma pads, eye pads, bandages, and tapes. As you can see, it has the usual collection of medical supplies typical for first aid kits along with some additional items that can come in handy during medical emergencies. Go for this kit if you want one that is similar to a kit you would find in a local primary healthcare center.
Tripworthy Compact First Aid Kit
The Tripworthy Compact first aid kit is (as indicated by the name) a kit you probably want to have with you on any trip. It is easily one of the most well-rounded and versatile kits available on the market. Approved by the FDA in 2018, this medical-grade kit contains premium medical supplies and is manufactured in an FDA-approved facility.
This first aid kit was redesigned in 2018 to achieve maximum efficiency and portability, so it now comes with a travel-friendly design and a total weight of only one pound. Inside the kit, you will find an abdominal bandage, sanitary prep pads, antibacterial ointment, adhesive bandages, sterile gauze pads, a single-use cold compress, a glow stick, tapes, antiseptic wipes, a sterile razor blade, a disposable poncho, sting relief pads, elastic bandage, an emergency blanket, triangular bandages, a CPR face mask, metal tweezers, and a pair of disposable vinyl gloves.
Looking at the contents, you can easily tell that this kit was designed with outdoor usage in mind. While it does perform extremely well in outdoor scenarios, you can also purchase it for indoor use or to carry with you on a daily basis. The Tripworthy Compact first aid kit contains a number of items that would be hard to find in most other kits and is, therefore, highly recommended.
AAA Lifeline First Aid Kit
This 121-piece kit is ISO-certified and FDA-compliant, which is already an indicator of its good quality. It was designed by Lifeline First Aid, which is an exclusive licensee of the AAA brand for automotive first aid and safety products, so you know that it was created by people who knew what they were doing exactly.
With a hard shell foam carry case, it has all the essential first aid items, including scissors, tweezers, two pairs of vinyl gloves, a whistle, cotton tip applicators, sting relief pads, antiseptic towelettes, alcohol prep pads, triangular bandages, a small instant cold pack, combine bandages, conforming gauze rolls, and an emergency whistle with a carabiner. The kit also has a comprehensive first aid guide that can help you know how to give first aid care even if you have no prior medical knowledge.
So, if you’re looking for an FDA-certified first aid kit with a hard case and numerous items sufficient for most medical emergencies, this first aid kit by AAA Lifeline could be your best option.