My Medic Recon & MyFAK First Aid Kits review – Always be prepared!

REVIEW – Even in uneventful times everyone should own or have access to a good first aid kit. In many emergencies being able to respond quickly with the appropriate gear is one of the few ways to prevent catastrophe. Having worked briefly as a first responder, I know that having the right resources available in an emergency is just as important as having the right training. My Medic addresses half of that equation with their Recon and MyFAK First Aid Kits. These pre-built kits aren’t cheap, $249.95 for the Recon Standard and $119.96 for the MyFAK Standard, but they contain high-quality materials in well-thought-out quantities all loaded into two very durable packs that could help save the day.

What is it?

The My Medic Recon and MyFAK are pre-loaded, self-contained first aid kits designed for response to a variety of medical situations or emergencies. I reviewed the Standard versions of both kits.

What’s in the box?

Both the Standard Recon and Standard MyFAK kits have a ton of items included in the packs. The Pro versions, which are significantly more expensive, contain additional items, like sutures and scalpels, geared toward response by a medical professional or someone with advanced training.

Recon Contents

• Recon Pack
• Bleeding Aid
  • 5 Liquid Skin 5 g
  • 5 Gauze Pad 2 in. x 2 in.
  • 5 Gauze Pad 4 in. x 4 in.
  • 2 Secure Strips 0.25 in. x 3 in. x 3 per pack
  • 1 Dyna Stopper Bandage 9 in. x 5.5 in.
  • 1 Gauze Roll Conforming Stretch 3 in. x 12.3 ft.
  • 5 Curad Performance Series Antibacterial Bandage 2 in. x 4 in.
  • 5 Curad Performance Series Antibacterial Knuckle Bandage 1.5 in. x 3 in.
  • 5 Curad Performance Series Antibacterial Fingertip Bandage 1.75 in. x 2 in.
  • 5 Curad Performance Series Antibacterial Knee Elbow Bandage 3 in. x 3 in.
  • 10 Curad Performance Series Antibacterial Bandage 1 in. x 3.25 in.
• Burning Aid
  • 5 BurnShield 3.5 ml
• Airway Aid
  • 2 CPR Shield
• Sprain & Fracture Aid
  • 2 Elastic Bandage 3 in.
  • 1 Sensi-Wrap 2 in. x 5 ft.
  • 1 Triangular Bandage Woven
  • 1 ActiSplint Roll 4 in. x 36 in.
  • 2 ActiSplint Finger 1.75 in. x 3.75 in.
• Topical Aid
  • 2 Vaseline
  • 2 Lube
  • 5 Sunscreen
  • 5 Lip Guard Chapstick
  • 5 BZK Wipes Antiseptic
  • 5 Medicaine Sting + Bite Relief
  • 5 Alcohol Prep Pads Medium
  • 5 Oral Pain Relief Generic Orajel
  • 5 P.A.W.S. Hand Sanitizing Wipes
  • 5 Triple Antibiotic Generic Neosporin
  • 5 Hydrocortisone Cream Skin Irritations + Allergies
• Medication
  • 3 Benadryl Allergies 25 mg x2
  • 5 Pepto-Bismol Upset Stomach Antacid
  • 5 Advil Pain + Fever + Inflammation 200 mg x2
  • 5 Tylenol Extra Strength Headache + Fever + Pain 500 mg x2
• Adventure & Survival Aid
  • 1 Rescue Whistle
  • 3 Survival Rescue Blanket
  • 3 Moleskin Blister Protection
• Specialty Items
  • 1 Pen Light
  • 2 Oval Eye Pad
  • 1 EMT Shears 7.25 in.
  • 1 Thermometer Digital
  • 1 Cold Pack 5 in. x 9 in.
  • 3 Nitrile Gloves Large
  • 1 Tweezers Stainless + Non-Magnetic
  • 1 Clear Surgical Tape 1 in. x 30 ft.
  • 1 Eye Wash 4 oz. Medi-First

MyFAK Contents

• MyFAK Pack
• Bleeding Aid
  • 2 Liquid Skin 5 g
  • 1 Dyna Stopper Bandage 9 in. x 5.5 in.
  • 1 Gauze Roll 3 in. x 12.3 ft.
  • 4 Gauze Pad 2 in. x 2 in.
  • 4 Gauze Pad 4 in. x 4 in.
  • 3 Secure Strips 0.25 in. x 3 in.
  • 2 Curad Performance Series Antibacterial Bandage 2 in.x 4 in.
  • 2 Curad Performance Series Antibacterial Knuckle Bandage 1.5 in. x 3 in.
  • 2 Curad Performance Series Antibacterial Fingertip Bandage 1.75 in. x 2 in.
  • 2 Curad Performance Series Antibacterial Knee/Elbow Bandage 3 in. x 3 in.
  • 4 Curad Performance Series Antibacterial Bandage 1 in. x 3.25 in.
• Burning Aid
  • 2 BurnShield 3.5 ml
• Airway Aid
  • 1 CPR Shield
• Sprain & Fracture Aid
  • 1 Acti-Splint Finger
  • 1 Triangular Bandage Woven
  • 1 Elastic Bandage Velcro 2 in. x 5 ft.
• Topical Aid
  • 1 Vaseline
  • 2 Sunscreen
  • 2 Lip Guard-Chapstick
  • 2 BZK Wipes Antiseptic
  • 2 Alcohol Prep Pads-Large
  • 2 Medicaine Sting + Bite Relief
  • 2 Oral Pain Relief-Generic Orajel
  • 2 P.A.W.S. Hand Sanitizing Wipes
  • 2 Triple Antibiotic Generic Neosporin
  • 2 Hydrocortisone Cream Skin Irritations + Allergies
  • 2 SALJET Bullet 30 ml Sterile Saline Topical Solution
• Medication
  • 2 Tylenol Extra Strength Headache + Fever + Pain 500 mg x2
  • 1 Benadryl Allergies 25 mg x2
  • 2 Pepto-Bismol Upset Stomach Antacid
  • 3 Advil Pain + Fever + Inflammation 200 mg x2
• Adventure & Survival Aid
  • 1 Survival Rescue Blanket
  • 1 Rescue Whistle
• Specialty Items
  • 1 Pen Light
  • 1 Thermometer Digital
  • 1 EMT Shears 7.25 in.
  • 2 Moleskin Blister Protection
  • 2 Nitrile Gloves Large
  • 1 Tweezers-Stainless + Non-Magnetic
  • 1 Waterproof Tape 1 in. x 2.5 yds

Hardware specs

Recon

• Pack Material: Nylon Cordura
• Height: 12.5 in.
• Width: 8.5 in.
• Depth: 7.25 in.
• Weight: 4.6-6.3 lbs
• People Covered: 4-6

MyFAK

• Pack Material: Nylon Cordura
• Height: 7.5 in.
• Width: 6.5 in.
• Depth: 5 in.
• Weight: 2.1-2.8 lbs
• People Covered: 1-2

Design and features

My Medic has done a great job of designing first aid kits that were made for use in high-stress situations. The design of both the Recon and MyFAK packs make intuitive sense, with pouches and compartments placed where you would instinctively reach for them. The large shoulder bag style of the Recon is sensible for a kit that can support 4-6 people and might be carried over terrain. The small trifold design of the MyFAK is ideal for a more compact kit that can be stashed in easy-to-access places. I go into more detail about the Recon and MyFAK design and features separately.

Recon

The Recon pack itself is the selling point of this kit for me. The pack comes in four colors and is made of heavy-duty nylon Cordura. This sturdy pack is covered in MOLLE straps, compartments, and attachment points.

MOLLE straps are a web attachment system currently used by the military that allows you to securely add more components to the outside of the bag.

The compartment zippers on the pack are oversized with large zipper pulls attached. There are seven compartments in total on the Recon.

In addition to the compartments, there are three pouches attached to the MOLLE straps on either side of the pack.

These pouches are perfect for adding extra items to the Recon allowing you to personalize it for your own needs. This kind of design feature is one reason why the Recon is worth the premium price.

On top of the Recon pack is a Velcro patch and an elastic adjustable daisy-chained cord that allows for further customization. There are also two heavyweight polymer D-rings that can be used to hang the pack from carabiners or similar attachments.

There’s another large D-ring on the back of the pack that snaps closed over the compartment where a cushioned shoulder strap is stored.

The shoulder strap is perfect if you have to carry the kit over a distance and while wearing it you’re still able to access all of the compartments.

The strap’s compartment can also be used to store additional supplies if needed.

The Recon has a main compartment that’s cavernous for the pack’s size. Plenty of room in there for extra preparedness items.

The top and bottom of the pack have quick access compartments for items you might need to grab quickly.

Underneath the pack there are more MOLLE straps and a few drain/air holes.

The rear of the Recon has a soft cushioned pad that provides comfort when being carried or could double as a headrest in a pinch.

I’m all about Morale Patches and I love that My Medic includes one with the Recon and gives you space to personalize the pack further with your own patches.

My Medic has not only gone above and beyond on the outside of the pack, they also didn’t skimp at all on what goes into the pack.

With most budget pre-loaded first aid kits, the quality of the supplies is where they fall short. Often these are low-quality items that you should never rely on in an emergency.

Where My Medic shines is their use of brand-name items in the Recon along with high-quality tools, like the included EMT shears. Even the My Medic branded items are higher quality than you’d find in most first aid kits.

Aside from the quality of the first aid items My Medic has done a really good job of including items to cover a variety of emergency situations. Included in the Recon are finger splints, cold packs, sting relief, and smelling salts to name a few, all items you might not think to add if you were building your own kit from scratch.

Keep in mind though that even the best supplies need to frequently be checked for expiration dates. Inspecting the pack’s contents every few months is vital to its effectiveness.

MyFAK

The MyFAK, which stands for My First Aid Kit, is kind of the little brother to the Recon. This is a smaller more compact first aid kit with a tri-fold design perfect for supporting 1-2 people.

The MyFAK pack is just as strong and durable as the Recon with plenty of attachment points, Velcro patches, and MOLLE straps. The MyFAK comes in six different colors, I like the red for this kit because it is easily identifiable by anyone as a first aid kit.

The front of the pack is one whole Velcro section which is perfect for affixing Morale Patches or securing other supplies.

The back of the MyFAK has two large MOLLE straps for attaching to any compatible connection. What’s great about these MOLLE straps is that the panel they are on tears completely away thanks to a large Velcro pad.

This allows you to secure the MyFAK to something like the back of a car’s headrest and when needed you can just pop the latch and pull the whole pack away from the Velcro pad quickly.

The convenient carry handle sewn into the top of the MyFAK is perfect for those quick grabs in an emergency.

Like the Recon, the zippers on the MyFAK are huge with extra-large zipper pulls.

The stitching on the seams of the pack and the zipper is doubled up and I appreciate this attention to detail.

The tri-fold design of the MyFAK allows you to spread the whole pack open for easy access to the supplies

Strong elastic bands sewn into the pack keep all the supplies secure and organized.

The mesh compartment on the end of the MyFAK can be removed easily and used as a smaller on-the-go first aid kit.

Again, the thought that went into designing the MyFAK in such a way increases its versatility further justifying the higher price point.

As with the Recon, I emptied the whole kit and repacked it to my liking. It’s also good practice to cycle through the contents of a first aid kit to make sure everything is secure, preventing a failure during an emergency.

The MyFAK doesn’t have as much extra room for your own additions as the Recon, but there are still plenty of compartments to fill.

The My Medic Morale Patch on the front of the MyFAK pulls double duty by keeping the buckle and strap securely in place.

The contents of the MyFAK closely mirror those of the Recon, just in a smaller quantity.

You’ll still find high-quality tools like the EMT shears, thermometer, and penlight along with plenty of aid items.

For as small as the MyFAK pack is, I was impressed with how many items were included in the kit. The Recon had space to spare, but every inch of the MyFAK is put to good use.

Performance

The thing with first aid kits is that you hope you’ll never have to use them, but you need them to be ready in case you do. Luckily, I didn’t have to respond to an emergency using either pack but in a few run-throughs I was able to quickly access everything I might have needed in a typical first response situation. This was after I repacked the bags in a way that made sense for me. The other option is to practice using the kits as they come until you can easily remember where things are located. What’s great about the My Medic kits is that when you do reach for them in an emergency you know they most likely will have everything you need.

What I like

• Well thought out design
• Quality name brand contents
• Ability to customize

What needs to be improved

• Expensive
• Should include a contents card and a basic First Aid Manual
• Kits are a bit bulky

Final thoughts

There’s no doubt that you could build your own first aid kits cheaper than the My Medic Recon and MyFAK. The question is, how effective would those self-made kits be in a real emergency. The My Medic kits have items I most likely would not have thought to include, and in an emergency that can make all the difference. At $249.95 for the Recon Standard kit and $119.95 for the MyFAK Standard, you’re paying a premium for the My Medic kits, but they’re worth it especially since someone’s life could literally depend on them. Of course, all the gear in the world isn’t useful if you don’t know how to properly use it, so it’s important to get as much training as possible. There are plenty of first aid online courses and videos, the Red Cross is a good place to start.

Price: Recon Standard: $249.95 MyFAK Standard: $119.95
Where to buy: Amazon or My Medic.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by My Medic.