Comments on: 12 Things You Need In Your Vehicle Emergency Kit

By: Ryan Barden

Ryan Barden — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:28:03 +0000

I have two mid size dufle bags i have tucked away under the back seats.
1st bag i have: jumper cables, 2″ x 24′ tow strap and road flares flash light and multi tool.
2nd bag i have: 2 M1A2 Bio Gasmasks. 2 fire proof snow jackets, medial wraps etc. Hand cuffs, boot knive and a Kbar. also have a set of lock picks and flip out baton, compass, and a couple of MREs’

Anyone have anymore ideas. hit me up!

By: Darryl

Darryl — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:04:47 +0000

I replaced my factory lug nut wrench with the four tipped “spinner” variety. The leverage needed to bust a nut (on the wheel) was inadequate with factory tool but no problem with the spinner. Also, if not mentioned previously, a strong lengthy rope has many uses.

By: Jeffrey C. Anthony

Jeffrey C. Anthony — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 21:02:26 +0000

MRE’s I left out since they tend to be a little more temperature sensitive over time. I keep Datrex 3600 packs which are far more space conservative. Also a box of Clif bars.
Shovel wise, i found a rather nice half sized shovel at a Black and Decker outlet store that fits in vehicles far better than a normal sized shovel, and is a little easier to use/handle than a folding option.
I also keep a small cheap prepaid cellphone, cost me $30 up front, $10 per 3 months to keep the minutes. I bought the one up from the cheapest because it also has a camera for a> location identification to others b> insurance purposes c> evidence situations.

By: chris

chris — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 18:39:57 +0000

Coming from colorado i would add rock salt and/or cat litter. Both of these are great for winter/ ice conditions.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 00:15:53 +0000

I think it’s a good idea to have pads–even if you’re a man. Those things are made for absorbing blood and, if you are bleeding heavily, you won’t care WHAT you’re putting on your wound–as long as it works.

By: TripWire

TripWire — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 17:00:35 +0000

Yes, you should have a good spare tire and jack, but a can of Fix-a-Flat is good in an emergency. In a bad neighborhood or in a SHTF situation, you may not have the 5 minutes to change out a flat, not to mention that if you are alone in the above situations there is no one to watch your back while you change the tire. Great article.

By: Christopher C.

Christopher C. — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 20:10:59 +0000

I like to carry hard knee pads for working on the road. There’s crap all over the shoulders and if you’re already stranded, there’s not need to be even more uncomfortable. Actually, that was when I had a truck, now I have a PT Cruiser and I’m still struggling to find a balance of need/versus space in the rear. Another good item to have is an AC charged compressor. Doesn’t sound important but if it’s easier and possible to temporarily air the tire to drive out of the way to change it, I see that as safer. It’s always better to change the tire in a parking lot than a shoulder of a highway or lane of a road. Right now I have in my car:

Leatherman Kick
Maglite 2 CELL with LED upgrade (spare batteries)
Cheap little LED Flashlight
Heavy Duty Jumper Cables (they were almost $100)
Craftsman auto tool kit…really small in size but big on tools
6 Craftsman Screwdrivers, 3 of each kind. (I chose craftsman because it’s lifetime warranty…end of story)
Vice Grips
2 Blankets (even in the summer)
First Aid Kit with Saline vials (for my dad and gf who are both sick and have medi ports)
-(also good for flushing out eyes)
Heatpacks
Aspirin/Tylenol/Advil (some people are allergic to one or two)
And a couple of ball caps.

The ballcaps are something I think is very important, something my grandmother always told me to have in the car, especially living in Texas where it’s hot…107 yesterday. In the winter, I add a few different things like beanie caps, heavy gloves, and an extra coat/jacket. GREAT article!

By: Jason Dellinger

Jason Dellinger — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 14:13:13 +0000

I agree that the kit should be tailored to the environment. If I traveled heavily wooded backroads, I would certainly have a compact bow saw or even a small chainsaw, especially in winter. If I traveled in the desert, I would have a lightweight tarp or some way to make an overhead shelter to block the sun.

I agree completely that the flashlight should be augmented by a high-quality headlamp. The flashlight is all but useless when working with your hands (changing tire, under-hood etc). I have a model from Mammut that has blinking red LED’s on the rear that adds visibility which is essential for roadside work. Also, I have a cheap reflective safety vest from a big-box hardware store that costs very little, weighs nothing, takes up no room, but increases my visibility exponentially (especially at night).

Flares don’t work for me. I’ve seen them fail (especially the cheap ones) and they have a tendency to tip over and be a general fire hazard, not only to your person, but to your vehicle and roadside as well. In other words, they’re more trouble than they’re worth. I like good old chem-lights and I have a few high intensity and a few long duration if I need to leave the vehicle overnight.

I always keep 50′ of high quality all purpose rope and a 100′ hank of 550 cord along with a bag of cotton rags and a bottle of waterless hand cleaner.

Finally, a collapsible 1 gallon water container is required for both vehicle and personal hydration.

By: Spencer@SW|Gerber Knives

Spencer@SW|Gerber Knives — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 22:59:56 +0000

Very great list indeed, I do see the need for more items, but cant argue with the pieces that you have selected. Good info and thanks for the help.

By: Aaron McDoomsday

Aaron McDoomsday — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 23:58:26 +0000

A “good” set of jumper cables will have heavy gauge crimp ends on the wire with a bolt/screw connection to the clamp, similar to that of the setup for a welder’s ground clamp.