REI Backpacker Extended Review

• Bandage Materials — 24 adhesive bandages of various sizes, 2 gauze rolls (2" x 4.1 yards and 3" x 4.1 yards), 8 gauze pads (2" x 2" and 3" x 3"), 4 non-adherent pads (2" x 3" and 3" x 4"), 1 ABD combine pad (5" x 9"), 4 top sponges (4" x 4").

• Bleeding Control — 2 pairs of non-latex gloves, 1 resealable waste bag.

• Blister/Burn Treatment — 3 moleskin (3" x 4"), burn cream, aloe vera gel.

• Fracture/Sprain — 1 elastic bandage (3" x 5 yards), 1 wire splint, 1 triangular bandage, a roll of tape (1" x 10 yards).

• CPR — 1 face shield.

• Instruments — scissors, forceps, 2 safety pins, an irrigation syringe.

• Medical Information — Wilderness First Aid Manual, 3 accident record sheets, 1 pencil.

• Medications — 3 antacid tablets (calcium carbonate 420 mg/2 pack), 3 ibuprofen (200 mg/2 pack), 2 acetaminophen (500 mg/2 pack), 3 allergy-relief (diphenhydramine 25 mg) tablets, 2 anti-diarrheal (loperamide hydrochloride 2 mg), 1 electrolyte (2 pack), 2 empty pill vials with label.

• Wound Care — 6 BZK antiseptic towelettes, 6 triple antibiotic ointment, 6 povidone iodine wipes, 1 antimicrobial hand wipe, 4 sting-relief wipes, 2 hydrocortisone cream, 5 butterfly closures.

Performance Comparison

Quality of Components

Our testers were impressed with the quality of the components in this kit and it received the highest score in this category. The individual components were from reputable manufacturers, such as Hart Health, a Seattle, WA based company that's been manufacturing industrial first aid materials since 1976. This kit comes with hard-sided pill vials and an ace wrap that won't tear when pulled under tension, and the 10 cc irrigation syringe creates good pressure irrigation for wound cleaning. It also comes with the Wilderness First Aid Manual, a small 75-page reference guide. This is an invaluable tool for assessing the signs and symptoms of common medical ailments and treating wilderness emergencies that you may encounter on the trail.

The REI Backpacker Extended kit did have a few lower quality components, such as the latex gloves and mesh splint. Though the lightweight gloves are great for backpacking, they tend to tear while administering first aid, resulting in no “body substance isolation.” The mesh wire splint is low profile and doesn't take up a lot of space in the kit, but it's not an ideal splint building material and could do more harm than good if used incorrectly to immobilize a broken bone. The Adventure Medical Kits Mountain Series Fundamentals comes with a far superior splint. Overall, we think REI found a nice balance between using high quality components and keeping the cost of the kit reasonable.

Usefulness of Components

We tested the REI Backpacker Extended kit in wilderness medicine classes during simulations, as well as on trips in the backcountry, and its components were useful for those applications. It comes with medications not found in most of the kits that we tested, such as individual topical relief products like Benzocaine 6% (minor bite and sting relief) and Hydrocortisone cream 1% (for itch relief and burns). The wound cleaning supplies include an assortment of sterile field prep tools, barrier creams and antiseptic wipes. There are enough supplies to deal with several minor cuts and scrapes or one serious mountain bike crash. The variety of medications in this kit surpassed any of the other kits that we tested. This particular model also has basic first aid supplies, like a triangle bandage and a roll of athletic tape, for taping ankles or bandaging wounds.

Durability and Design of Bag

The innovative design of the bag was one of the standout features for our testers. It has unique foldout panels, and the multiple sleeves and pouches were well laid-out and labeled, keeping the supplies well-organized. This design allowed our testers to quickly find the items they were looking for, and there is plenty of extra space to add specific products that suit your needs. There are even Velcro closures on the pouches to keep small loose items from falling out into the main compartment. The bag itself is well-made, with a thicker nylon than some other models and a high quality zipper. It also comes with REI's standard warranty policy, which covers manufacturing defects but not issues related to “ordinary wear and tear.”

Versatility

We gave the REI Backpacker Extended kit the highest score in Versatility out of any product that we tested. The diversity of medications and quantity of wound care materials make this kit appropriate for larger groups or multiple uses. The removable day pouch allows you to pack some supplies in a smaller package for a day hike while leaving the bigger kit at camp. The reference book adds to the versatility of this kit, though we'd like a CPR mask and higher quantity and quality of gloves.

Weight and Size

This kit has a great balance between weight and usefulness. That said, it was one of the heaviest and bulkiest kits that we tested, which is a huge detractor for backcountry users. The day module is useful, but it does increase the weight without contributing directly to the quantity of first aid supplies. While we do think that the amount of useful equipment justifies the weight, the Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight/Watertight .5 or Lifeline Trail Light Dayhiker are quality kits with more weight-savings.

Best Applications

This product is suited for most activities except where shaving ounces matters. Home use, day trips, car camping, and multi-day trips with a group size of one to four people would be well-served by this kit. However, because of the limited quantities of some items, it's not the kit you want to take on an extended expedition to a remote location.

Value

This kit is a great value for what it offers. It has as many items as kits twice as expensive have and even has some larger quantities and higher quality supplies than kits in a similar price range.

Conclusion