Rainy Days, Ski Wrecks, and First Aid Wisdom

Hey all,
Spencer here from High Above. It’s a gloriously wet day in Washington, and while I usually love to be out on the trails, I’m currently stuck inside, recovering from a ski accident (don’t worry, I’m okay!). This unexpected downtime got me thinking about first aid preparedness in the mountains. Here's a pic of me sharing a shaka with the EMT who rescued me. I'm grinning like an idiot because I'd just tried Fentanyl and it's working really well.

During my accident, the importance of that first aid kit I'd carried for 15 years without ever using really hit home. It was a relief to have it when I needed it most. Almost everyone I know who backcountry skis carries a first aid kit in their group. However, I see very few mountain bikers doing the same even though the injury frequency is significantly higher. Weird, right?

Last fall, in Squamish, I witnessed my first serious mountain bike crash. I’ve been around for a few wrecks (and obviously had my fair share), but it’d always been someone I didn’t know, which made it feel fairly disconnected from my reality. Our friend Conrad (pictured below) took a digger on some rocks, but luckily, his wife Marina, a nurse, had a solid first aid kit and managed to make him comfortable enough to walk out.*

This incident should have left more of an impression on me. I should have gone out and bought a first aid kit the next day and kept it in my pack every time I rode. But I didn’t. When I joined High Above in April, I discovered we make an excellent first aid kit housed in a durable x-pac bag with waterproof zippers** that’s made to last a lifetime. It's packed with thoughtfully chosen components, selected with help from first responders, ensuring you have what you need for the most likely trail incidents. Its unique shape fits perfectly in our hip packs and most other packs

I, of course, picked one up when I started at High Above, and it’s been intermittently going in and out of my pack. I’d throw it in there for a bigger day and out for just a smaller after-work lap. That stops today. I’ve resolved never to ride without a first aid kit again. Even on short rides, it’s worth carrying a pack to fit the kit. These low-probability, high-consequence events demand preparedness. When you need it, you’ll be glad you have it.

At any rate, we make a first aid kit we believe is the best out there. Whether you choose ours or another, please ride with a first aid kit. We’d be humbled if it was ours.

Cheers, Spencer