Your Car is Your Shelter
In a weather emergency, your vehicle is often your best protection. This kit is designed around the most common car emergency scenarios: breakdown in bad weather, flat tire, being stranded overnight, or getting stuck off-road.
Tire & Roadside (6 items)
Portable tire inflator (12V)
Plugs into cigarette lighter. Fixes low tires without a compressor. TireMate or similar.
Slime tire sealant or plug kit
Emergency flat repair. Buy the type with the insertion tool included.
Heavy-duty jumper cables (20 ft, 4-gauge)
Not cheap cables — get 4-gauge minimum. The cheap 16-gauge stuff doesn't carry enough current to start a dead battery in cold weather.
Jump starter pack (LiPo 20000mAh)
Jump your car without another vehicle. Also charges phones. Keep charged in trunk.
Basic wrench set (socket + combination)
For tire changes and battery terminal access. Keep in original case.
Flashlight + headlamp (both with spare batteries)
Work on your car at night hands-free. Headlamp for primary use, flashlight as backup.
Warmth & Shelter (5 items)
Thermal blanket (2 per car)
Space blanket or similar. Keep you alive in a cold-night scenario. Wrap around your body, not over your head.
Wool blanket or heavy fleece
Real insulation for extended cold weather. Wool retains heat when wet. Keep in trunk — doesn't take up much space.
Hand warmers (6 pairs)
Air-activated. Drop into gloves, pockets. Essential in winter. Keep a sealed bag so they stay fresh.
Rain ponchos (2 per car)
Waterproof, windproof, double as ground cover. Folded size of a paperback book.
Warm hat + gloves
Dedicated car gloves. Not your work gloves — separate pair that lives in the kit. Wool or synthetic.
Food & Water (4 items)
Bottled water (6 one-liter bottles)
Rotate every 6 months. Keep sealed. Two liters per person per day minimum in a stranded scenario.
Emergency food bars (6 bars)
320-calorie bars. No cooking required. 6 bars = 1,920 calories. 5-year shelf life.
Protein bars (4)
Clif or equivalent. Good for active situations. Replace annually.
Instant coffee or tea (5 packets)
Small morale boost. Caffeinated in the morning when stranded can be the difference between clear thinking and poor decisions.
Safety & Signaling (6 items)
Road flares (3)
Place 200+ feet behind your vehicle. Visible at 1,000+ feet. Essential for night breakdowns. Replace every 2 years.
Reflective triangles (3)
Fold flat, set up in seconds. Visible in headlights from far away. Don't trigger the flare alarm in your car every time.
Signal mirror
Visible from 10+ miles in clear conditions. Standard signaling tool in aviation and maritime protocols. Keep in glove box.
Whistle (loud, 3 blasts = distress)
Keep one clipped to the visor. Audible 1-2 miles. Won't run out of batteries.
Hand-crank radio with flashlight
NOAA weather, AM/FM, phone charger. Self-powered. Keep in the trunk, not the cabin — it stays charged.
First aid kit (vehicle-rated)
Include: pressure bandages, tourniquet, antiseptic, gloves, triangle bandage, SAM splint. Vehicle kits need to handle lacerations from metal and glass.
Tools (4 items)
Knife — quality folding blade
Spyderco Delica or Benchmade Bugout. Not a tool knife — a dedicated cutting tool. Keeps sharp.
Multi-tool
Leatherman Wingman or similar. Pliers for battery access, screwdrivers for panels.
Duct tape (mini roll)
Wrap around water bottle or flashlight for compact storage. Gear repair, hose clamp workaround, emergency bandaging.
Window breaker + seatbelt cutter
Small tool on keychain. Spring-loaded glass punch shatters side windows. Seatbelt cutter on opposite end. Keep in glove box.
Communication (3 items)
Charged power bank (20,000mAh)
Charge multiple phones. Keep at 100% — this is your lifeline to emergency services. Check monthly.
Backup car charger (12V dual USB)
Keep in the glove box as a spare. Always have a way to charge.
Paper map of your region
Even if you use GPS, a paper map doesn't lose signal or run out of battery. Get a local regional map.
Get the Printable PDF
Print this checklist and keep it in your glove box. Check your kit annually — batteries die, food expires. $9.99.
Get Car Emergency Kit PDF — $9.99