Car Kits

You never know when you might find yourself stranded in your car. Where you live greatly determines what you want to have in your emergency supply kit. For this reason, car kits are very specific to YOU and YOUR family. Chances are, if you ever break down, there will probably be many people passing by that will be more than happy to help you out with whatever you need. But, prepare for your situation. If you spend a lot of time driving rural country roads with sparce traffic during the winter months, then you are going to want to prepare a little differently than the person who spends the bulk of their on busy interstates during the daylight hours. For this reason, car kits aren't a one-for-all item. So you need to consider which items pertain to you and your driving habits and supply your vehicle based on that. Quick example: I wouldn't ever leave without a tow strap, a tree strap, a snatch block (most won't even know what this is), an air compressor, and a satellite based communications device. Does this mean you need these items? Absolutely not. These reside in my jeep and are there for off-road purposes. I spend alot of time out on trails where the chances of me getting stuck are very high. I actually look forward to getting stuck and being able to use this equipment on occasion. But most of you will never need any of this. So with this, let's continue.

The below items may or may not pertain to you. To help you with ideas, I've come up with a list of items that may be very useful, depending on your situation. I have prioritized these items in order of importance, from the most to the least. Again, consider each item and determine if it applies to you. Don't just buy something because I said so. Concentrate on the priority 1 items first and then move on to the priority 2 items. Add additional items as you feel necessary. And over time, work on getting a kit for each car you own.

Some of these items may or may not ever get used, but for the price, it's worth it to me to have them. I look at them the same way I look at insurance. I pay for it, and hope I never have to use it (especially when it comes to life insurance). But if you do ever need it, you'll be glad you had it. Most of these items are just a few dollars, which equates to totally cheap insurance. Invest in it now and move on.

Priority 1 Items:

I keep these items in a container in the trunk. Home Depot, lowes, and Harbor Freight have great such containers.

  • Jumper Cables or Jumper battery- Don’t rely on someone else having cables to give you a jump. I use mine more to give others a jump.

  • Glow sticks- Have several on hand.

  • Flashlight- Always have a flashlight in your vehicles, preferably in the glove compartment. I store the batteries outside the flashlight for longer storage life. I prefer a flashlight with a magnet or hook, incase you need it to work under the hood. I love this one: Amazon Link

  • Electrical tape- Many uses.

  • Tie down straps- At least a couple. These come more in handy for every day use, but always good to have on hand. I love the ratchet type straps.

  • Gloves- Always protect your hands. Never know when you’re going to be digging out or working on your vehicles.

  • Blankets- I always keep a couple in each vehicle. My wife and kids use these all the time, summer, winter, doesn't matter. They are a must in my vehicles.

  • Tire plug kit- Very simple to use and will fix most tire leaks. These may be temporary fixes, but they will get you to a place that can fix it. I've had to use them before.

  • First Aid Kit- A must. Do your own research and get something. I like the kits from www.mymedic.com. I have the "MyFAK" model in each of my vehicles, but "The Solo" would work as well.

  • Several trash bags- Many uses such as, well, a garbage bag. Larger trashbags work as a makeshift poncho.

  • Energy bars or high-energy snacks- Stores easy. Rotate periodically.

  • Energy drink mix- These come in powder form and store easy. I use Emergen-C.

  • Water- I always have a couple of gallons on hand. I've never had to use this during an emergency, but I’ve pulled them out many times when the kids were thirsty and we weren’t near water.

  • Extra roll of toilet paper- Never know. Remove the cardboard roll, flatten, and store in a Ziploc bag.

  • Diapers and wipes- A must if you have young children.

  • Pen and Paper- If you have to leave a message for someone.

  • Spare cash and change- As necessary.

  • Ice Scraper (depending on if you live in snowville)- Always good to have a spare hand held ice scraper. I’ve used mine more than once when I took mine primary scraper out for the summer and got caught off guard with an early snow. And those spare gloves came in handy in this situation as well.

Priority 2 Items:

Include as you feel necessary.

  • Tire Gauge- These are cheap. Throw one in.

  • Foldable Shovel- Dig out of the snow.

  • Portable Compressor- Maybe if you spend more time on less traveled roads.

  • Tow rope- Maybe if you have a vehicle capable of towing.

  • Headlamp- Keeps your hands free. Again, I store the batteries outside the flashlight for longer storage life.

  • Spare fuses- Blown fuses can leave you stranded. You can get a small container of spare fuses at any gas station. Maybe not as necessary for newer cars, but older cars blow fuses frequently.

  • Zip ties- Comes in handy.

  • Gorilla tape- Comes in handy.

  • Utility knife- Sharper than a pocket knife.

  • Small umbrella- Comes in handy more than you think.

  • Water filter- Straw form. This is a 'Just in Case' item. They are cheap and small, so why not. You never know.

  • Small Hand Towel- Clean your hands after changing that spare tire.

  • Hand Sanitizer or baby wipes- A must if you have kids.

  • Bottle of Ibuprofen or equivalent- Keep with First Aid Kit.

Cab items:

While I know I have my car kit in the trunk, there are a few items I make sure I keep in my center console or in the glove compartment, and these all come from experience. These all fall under Priority 1 items.

  • Pocket knife- I use this all the time.

  • Wipes- Again, all the time.

  • Kleenex- Yet again, all the time.

  • A few bandaids- While the first aid kit is nearby, it's very convenient to have a few bandaids handy, especially if you have kids.

  • Flashlight- And again, all the time. I love this one: Amazon Link as well as this one: Amazon Link.

  • A couple of Small garbage bags- Always good to have a garbage bag handy.

  • Gallon ziploc bags- I just learned the value of these the other day. AKA sick sacks. For me, these are now a must.

  • Seatbelt cutter/Glass breaker- I have one of these strapped to my visor. It's a must if you offroad, and now it's just a carry over that I still like to have. You never know. Amazon Link

Page updated: 12/9/2021