First-Aid Kits Travel Light

For on-the-go athletes, there are new mini-first-aid kits--small enough to tuck into a fanny pack or shorts pockets--designed for specific injuries. One line of such kits, manufactured by 3M, includes packets for scrapes, cuts, blisters and slivers. The scrape kit includes a cleansing pad, a nonstick pad and a bandage. Each pack is about $2, and they are sold at Big 5 sporting goods stores and other outlets.

“First-aid kits for athletes are a good idea,” says Susan Kalish of the American Running and Fitness Assn., a nonprofit organization based in Bethesda, Md., that promotes health and fitness. “But it might be easier and cheaper to make your own.” Plus, she adds, it’s difficult to predict which individual kit you might need.