Winter Travel - What Do You Carry in Your Vehicle in Case of Emergency

We determined we both have lock de-icer safely tucked away in our trucks' glove compartments.

'Lotta good that will do us.

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Yup, I see a slight problem in that logic

HEYYYY, a business idea! You could make a bigger magnetic "HIDE A KEY"...put de-icer in it & sell it to the public...just stick it under a bumper.

I've got nothing to add to what's been already suggested here, except for these two things:

I store the clothes, mittens, blankets etc. in a vacuum bag "bricks". It keeps them dry and clean, and that way they take less space, too.

I keep a spare serpentine belt and a tool for working the tensioner in the car. I also have a small but adequate starter power source. I can boost the car battery with it for starts or use it to keep the cellphone or some other important appliance powered up for days.

Broken serpentine belt was the reason why I was once stranded by the roadside in Finnish Lapland for 5 hours without arctic clothes, and I do not want to relive the experience.

Stay with older vehicles, the new ones are not easy to make repairs to on the roadside.

Thank you folks for some basics.

Anything "out of the ordinary" that could be useful?

1. Stay warm - A cheap $20 sleeping bag from walmart can save your life and saves 1000's of calories. No need for external heat. I also like the down Double Diamond camping blankets from Costco $25. They're cheap and really warm and pack down really small.

2. Stay dry - Rain coat and rain pants and $20 rubber slip on boots will keep you dry and dry is warmer. Costco has pack-able rain coats for $25 that work great. Cheap plastic rain pants from walmart will do to keep your legs dry/warm.

3. Communications - Cell phone with car charger - so you can call for help.

4. Tools - A collapsible shovel from Walmart and basic tools from Harbor Freight (4 in 1 screw driver, adjustable wrench, pliers/needle nose/vice grips)

5. Light - any flashlight will do, $5 walmart AA/AAA headlamps are better because they give you all the light you need and leave both hands free to work. They also are very energy conservative.

6. Body Fuel - Food = warmth. Walmart has $5 2400 calorie food blocks that keep for 5 years in the camping section. (Ultimate Survival Technologies 5-Year Emergency Food Ration Bar) If its raining snowing, you'll have water to drink, just have a plastic cup.

7. Medical - one ziplock bag with 1 box of Gauze square pads or a roll of gause from the Dollar store, and 1 roll of Athletic Tape. The Athletic tape is the sticky part to make any size band-aid that you need and it can be used to close large or small wounds and it doesn't come off easily. It can be used as binding for broken bones to splints and its also *the best* thing for blisters because it spreads the friction across a larger area of skin and its slippery so it slides against your shoe.

Winter is coming quickly.
And the chances of a freak snowstorm will be increasing exponentially.
What do YOU carry EXTRA in your vehicle that could potentially save your life?
------------------------EDIT TO ADD BELOW-------------------
Topic from last year started by Mental Case
Thread: Winter Preps in your Car
Here's a long related thread by Dr. Acura
Thread: Dr. Acula and Friends: Emergency Winter Prep Tips!!! (411)

Thank you folks for some basics.

Anything "out of the ordinary" that could be useful?

A 20mm mortar with incendiary salvos

Off topic posts will be deleted and the poster will be banned from my topics.

I don't play you folks bullshiite posts.



This topic is meant to educate folks who simply don't know what can happen.

Just a little levity to break up the monotony.