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Adventure Medical Kits
GlacierGel and Blister Medic
Initial Report
21th May 2008
* Reviewer Information
Name: Mark McLauchlin
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Height: 1.76 m (5’ 9”)
Weight: 80 kg (176 lb)
Email: mark at swanvalleyit.com.au
City: Perth, Western Australia
* Backpacking Background
I have been hiking since 2006 with most of my hiking consisting
of day walks
averaging 16 - 22 km (10 - 14 mi) and short overnight trips where possible.
I consider myself to be a light hiker with an average pack weight of
13 kg (29 lb).
My preference is for hot dinners, breakfasts of cereals with fresh fruit,
and lunches usually of bars and sandwiches.
* Product Information
Manufacturer: Adventure Medical Kits
Year of Manufacture: 2008
Manufacturer's Website: www.adventuremedicalkits.com
Listed Weight: Not Listed
Measured Weight: Blister Medic 42 g (1.48 oz), GlacierGel 22 g (0.78 oz)
MSRP: Blister Medic US$10.00, GlacierGel US$9.90
* Initial Impressions
The GlacierGel kit contents are stored in a zip-top bag which is something I am particularly
fond of as they are lightweight, waterproof and re-useable. The clear coloring
also makes it easier to see the contents and remove the items needed.
Individual packaging of each item means that there is little waste as I can use only what is needed. The packaging is basic and functional.
The emergency Medical Information card is a great idea, as it tells someone who
finds me on the trail if I have any allergies or other medical conditions and
also an emergency contact number.
* Reading the Instructions
Each item contained in the pack has a basic set of instructions on the packaging to give an overview of its usage.
These instructions are easy to understand and comprehensive enough to complete
the task.
As the instructions are on each of the items they are always on hand.
There is also another set of instructions on the main shelf packaging which are again easy to understand and contains images for easier understanding.
Each of the items contains and expiry date ranging from 2009 to 2011.
* Kit Contents
3 x GlacierGel oval dressings
3 x GlacierGel rectangular dressings
5 x Alcohol Wipes (packaging states 6)
1 x Emergency Medial Information card
1 x zip-top storage Bag.
* Special Note
1 x Alcohol Wipe missing.
* Initial Impressions
I like the simplicity of the contents of the Blister Medic kit and its packaging, again these items are stored in a
zip-top bag which provides many benefits including weight reduction, re-usability and it is also easier to remove the items that
I need to as they are more visible.
Each of the items is stored in individual packaging complete with instructions on the reverse side.
This kit contains BZK Antiseptic Towelette which to me seems a great deal easier that handling the traditional small bottles
of antiseptic.
I have some initial concerns with the pre-cut dressing shapes in terms of their ease of removal from the main backing
sheet as they do not pull off easily and require trimming with scissors. It
seems as though the pre-cutting process is not as accurate as it could be.
* Reading the Instructions
Each item contained in the pack has a basic set of instructions on the packaging to give an overview of its usage.
These instructions are easy to understand and accurate to assist with the
application of the Blister Medic dressings.
There is also another set of instructions on the main shelf packaging which are again easy to understand and contains images for easier understanding.
Each of the items with the exception of the BZK Antiseptic Towelette has an
expiry date ranging from 2009 to 2011.
* Kit Contents
1 x GlacierGel oval dressing.
1 x GlacierGel rectangular dressing.
2 x Moleskin Large Oval.
4 x Moleskin Medium Oval.
6 x Moleskin Small Toe.
4 x Moleskin Medium Toe.
6 x Moleskin Small Strip
6 x BZK Antiseptic Towelette.
6 x Alcohol Wipes.
1 x zip-top storage Bag.
* Testing Strategy - Blister Medic and GlacierGel
The emphasis of my test plan will be on day trips and overnight hikes, which I
actively combine into geocaching. These products will form part of my medical kit for the duration of the testing.
I have several day and overnight trips planned for the duration of this test series.
* Summary
I am looking forward to being able to take these out with me on my hiking trips, and will be very interested to see the efficiency and healing advantages these provide.
This concludes my initial report. Please check back in three months for the results of the field report.
Thank you to Adventure Medical Kits and BackpackGearTest.org for the privilege of testing these GlacierGel
and Blister Medic products.
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