My Most Popular First Aid Supply of the Year

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The envelope please.

And the winner is… <drum roll>

Wait! Who am I kidding? There’s no such thing as a “popular” first aid supply. In fact, first aid supplies are decidedly unpopular. I can’t recall a single time I reached into my first aid kit and produced something a patient actually wanted to see. Burns, cuts, scrapes, and stings, the patient always wants to be someplace else!

What Does it Mean to be Popular?

Twice each year I reevaluate and restock all my first aid kits. I do this in September (the start of the academic year) and again after the New Year (the middle of the academic year). I volunteer at a nonprofit that takes urban youth into the outdoors. So it is imperative that both my personal and group first aid kits are well stocked all year round.

Besides restocking spent and expired items, I make decisions about which first aid supplies to discard and what to add to my kits. During this process I note the supplies I use most often. In other words, the supplies that are most popular!

And The Winner Is…

So without further ado, the envelope please…. <drum roll>

And this year’s winner is…

QuikClot Clotting Sponge

This year’s winner is the Adventure Medical Kits QuikClot Sponge.

A, B, and C

When we learn wilderness first aid, it’s drilled into us that the most critical body functions are:

A – Airway

B – Breathing

C – Circulation

QuickClot helps with ‘C’, circulation. Circulation can be compromised by uncontrolled bleeding. We treat bleeding using direct pressure. And direct pressure works in almost all cases.

But sometimes we need a little help. Arterial bleeding can be difficult to control. And some patients take blood thinning drugs for chronic heart conditions. In these cases, QuikClot helps the body form blood clots fast! It contains a hemostatic agent that stops bleeding sooner than using gauze alone.

Bleeding is more Common than in the Past

I used QuikClot three times last year. And the story was the same for each. An older hiker (all were men) slips on the trail and falls. One suffered a cut when his glasses gashed the bridge of his nose. The others suffered multiple lacerations to the palms of their hands, arms, and knees.

None of the injuries were life threatening. But all the men were recovering from heart attacks suffered within the last year. They were all taking blood thinning medication.

It is frightening to see blood, even when it is not a large amount. The blood dripping from the men was like water. Bright red rivulets coursed down their skin and droplets quickly drenched their hands and clothing.

The population of older adults is growing in the United States. And these older adults are more active than their predecessors. So we are more likely to meet hikers on the trail who are taking blood thinners. And I expect incidents like these to become more common.

This is when I use the QuikClot sponge to stop bleeding fast!

How Does it Work?

The sponge looks like a common 3.5”x3.5” gauze pad. But it has a thickness because it contains minerals called zeolites. Zeolites are microporous minerals that contain aluminum, silicon and oxygen. Products like QuikClot advertise their active ingredient as either zeolite or kaolin. Kaolin is a white clay that contains zeolites. When clay containing zeolites comes into contact with blood, it immediately activates the blood’s natural clotting process. The blood coagulates and forms a clot.

It’s amazing how quickly the sponge stops bleeding. It’s like turning off the tap!

How to Use

I carry QuikClot in both my personal first aid kit and my group first aid kit.

The QuikClot sponge comes in a sealed packet that I can slip into my personal first aid kit.

I apply direct pressure using the sponge, making sure to get it directly on the wound. I maintain direct pressure for 15 minutes, just like I was using a regular gauze pad. At that point I verify the bleeding has stopped and bandage with gauze rollers.

The back of the package has instructions for use

While I was photographing the instructions, a Western Fence Lizard stopped by to have a closer look. It is visible in the picture of my first aid kit, above. But it seems eager to read the instructions along with me.

Apparently, Western Fence Lizards like QuikClot

Expensive and Expires

The QuikClot sponge is expensive compared to untreated gauze. So I usually carry only one of them. They do not replace regular gauze pads.

And it expires! When I purchase a QuikClot sponge from a retailer, the expiration date is usually about two years from the date of purchase. Several friends continue to use their sponges after the expiration date. But I discard them when they expire.

Size and Packability

I use the 25 gram size. The package is lightweight and about 5”x5”, with a thickness of half an inch.

QuikClot package beside a 6-inch ruler

Other Options for your First Aid Kit

There are other options available in the market. But they are often more expensive. The Celox Z-Fold Gauze provides more material that you can pack into a large wound. But it is very expensive. There is also a larger, 50 gram QuikClot sponge that measures 5”x5”. But I have not used either product.

QuikClot Sponge – Most Popular First Aid Supply of 2019

Most times, you will be able to control bleeding using direct pressure with a normal gauze pad. But when you need to treat severe bleeding, or someone who is taking blood thinners, you will be grateful to have the QuikClot 25 gram sponge. It gives you the comforting certainty that you can stop the bleeding.

QuickClot sponge and personal first aid kit

My Most Popular First Aid Supply of the Year – 2019