Do You Keep A Backup/Emergany Kit?

precision powder

Backwoods Explorer
I know this may not be the right after for this post but I figured of the people that may answer yes to this question, the people in this sub forum would be the people to say it.


I am curious to know if anyone else keeps a backup/emergency/survival kit in their vehicle. There are chances I may go on an impromptu trip to the woods without planning for it just to ride around the back roads, or be with friends to make a short day trip to see a local feature. Should something happen I like to keep enough to at least get me out of a situation should there be a call for it. This kit also doubles as a lifeline should severe weather hit and strand me somewhere (no really all that uncommon here for that to happen especially in winter), should I end up with some type of vehicle failure and am unable to get help that moment (due to time, location, or lack of phone service), or should I/others be on an trip and away from the campsite and something happens or should there be significant damage to the campsite.


I am the type of person that would rather be safe than sorry and a little bit of prep work can go a long way especially if you know how to use what you bring to the fullest extent of its abilities.


I packed all of this into a waterproof metal container that is in the cubby hole under the floor in the back of my JK.

Lifestraw and a Sawyer mini with the pouch
12 Water purification tablets that treat 1qt each
6 Hour Candle
3 Red chemlights
9x12 Blue tarp rolled up and secured with 2 bungie cords
9x12 Clear drop cloth
100 ft 550 cord
2 Bic lighters
2 Boxes of strike anywhere matches
1 Ferro rod
2 Knives (one folding one fixed)
Headlamp
Small nebo LED flashlight with SOS strobe feature
Fishing kit fit into a 1oz crush proof tube
Cotton balls covered in vaseline stuffed into a 1oz crush proof tube
3 Vacuum sealed bags of beef jerky
Vacuum sealed chocolate and hard candy
2 Bottles of water
25 Feet of reflective flagging tape
10 Feet electrical tape
20 Feet duct tape
Vacuum sealed first aid kit
1 Space blanket
2 Rolls of picture hanging wire (one light gauge one heavy)
Spare leatherman
$20 in various bills and coins
2 48 hour shipping heaters (used when shipping reptiles or other temp sensitive animals. I have a case of them from when I used to be in the business)
Compass and a Laminated map of the state


I think that is it but I could be missing fillers I stuffed away in there. People may think I am crazy for having this stuff in there all the time but should the need arise the crazy ones would be the ones without it. I have actually used part of the kit before when I spent the night in the woods while tracking an animal that would could not find. The listed items like I said are in their own area stored separate from the things I keep with me all the time anyway like tools, basic recovery gear, normal lights and knives I keep on hand, etc. I always have a Nalgene with me and normally I keep an empty one stuffed under my seat along with a full change of clothes and rain gear.


So who else has one and what do you keep in it?
 
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peneumbra

Explorer
Waterproof matches, a knife or two, para cord, a whole raft of ems stuff, bungees, duct tape, several led lights, a box of road flares, woolen blankets, about four gallons of water, a couple of tarps, and an autographed photo of Ted Williams...
 

1leglance

2007 Expedition Trophy Champion, Overland Certifie
Ditch Bag...
just like bush pilots, we have the need to jump out of a rig that might have caught fire (easy to do in dry brush country), bogged in a flash flood/beach/mud, off camber and tipping off a cliff...anything that means grab a bag and ditch the rig.

I have such a bag right behind the drivers seat with water, tarp, fire starting stuff, hand held ham, and a bit more...I have a SPOT on the dash that I would also grab.
Then if I can get to the rig safety with more time I have wool blankets, more water, and plenty more gear & dry food in case I have to hang out a while for rescue.
And please remember they almost always find the vehicle, not always the driver so please please stay with the rig if at all possible.
 

precision powder

Backwoods Explorer
Ditch Bag...
just like bush pilots, we have the need to jump out of a rig that might have caught fire (easy to do in dry brush country), bogged in a flash flood/beach/mud, off camber and tipping off a cliff...anything that means grab a bag and ditch the rig.

I have such a bag right behind the drivers seat with water, tarp, fire starting stuff, hand held ham, and a bit more...I have a SPOT on the dash that I would also grab.
Then if I can get to the rig safety with more time I have wool blankets, more water, and plenty more gear & dry food in case I have to hang out a while for rescue.
And please remember they almost always find the vehicle, not always the driver so please please stay with the rig if at all possible.

This is a statement I greatly agree with. There is a HUGE amount of useful items that can easily be had on a vehicle to aid in a safe recovery and it is shelter you know you have.



Not sure about anyone else but when I am heading into the woods I keep an AR7 with 3 loaded mags plus 1 or 2 boxes of ammo in sealed plastic bags with it. I keep that right next to my kit to grab quickly should the need be there. That is 25 rounds in the gun, plus another 50 to 100 more. Plus the .45 which is my daily carry with a spare mag and a box of 50 in my console. I do not include that in the list for my kit though because it is something that is on me all the time.
 

Geodoc

Adventurer
After getting stuck at a ski resort after the 2001 Nisqually quake, I vowed never to be unprepared again. So, every vehicle in our family has a 3 day emergency kit (mainly designed for 4 people). Let's see if I can remember what all is in them.

SOLAS food bars
Lifestraw
folding locking blade knife
hatchet
metal cup
space blankets (4x)
Bic lighters
ponchos (cheapo type)
first aid kit
bullion cubes
coffee (for me)
tea (for the wife)
cocoa (for the munchkins)
flashlight
heat tabs (the kind that work in an Esbit stove)
spoon/spork (don't remember which)
emergency tape (like duct tape, only better).
dental floss
disposable toothbrushes

All carried in a bag that fits over the shoulder (messenger bag/Boy Scout bag)
 

grogie

Like to Camp
My Jeep always has a tool bag and a winch supply bag. I only carry an emergency kit when I'm traveling out west in BFE. Where I live in the midwest, there are few places I've gone that I don't have a cell signal or otherwise to call AAA.
 

pugslyyy

Expedition Vehicle Engineer Guy
My recent additions to my bugout/hiking bag has been a DeLorme inReach with paid up SAR/MEDIVAC coverage + an epi-pen.

I'm waiting on the new H2Go purifier that I think is going to be really slick. Think of it as an improved/updated MSR MIOX.

When we are on the road in the camper I have a (larger) bag with 2 lightweight sleeping bags, backpacking tent, backpacking stove, etc. In a true emergency I don't need it, but it's there if I'm stranded somewhere for a few days (worst case = vehicle on side or similar).
 

Matt

Adventurer
The family and I got caught in a snow storm on a section of highway that didn't have any exits for miles in either direction a few years ago. Traffic came to a complete stop for an hour because of an accident. As we sat there I realized we would be screwed if we had to sit there for a long time. We had nothing to eat or drink and no way of staying warm if we ran out of gas.

After that I put together a bag for both vehicles. It contains the same stuff listed above so I wont bore you with another list.
 

precision powder

Backwoods Explorer
The family and I got caught in a snow storm on a section of highway that didn't have any exits for miles in either direction a few years ago. Traffic came to a complete stop for an hour because of an accident. As we sat there I realized we would be screwed if we had to sit there for a long time. We had nothing to eat or drink and no way of staying warm if we ran out of gas.

After that I put together a bag for both vehicles. It contains the same stuff listed above so I wont bore you with another list.


I'm glad you brought up winter. In winter I make a small addition to my gear that you may benefit from. Living where I do it can get very very cold in the winter and being without heat would certainly equal death. I added a homemade alcohol heater. I took a coffee can, roll of toilet paper, and 2 bottles of rubbing alcohol (I use this over other fuels for its first aid abilities). Clean the coffee can well, squish the TP roll til you can get the cardboard center out, put the roll in the can, and saturate the roll with the alcohol. You can light it and the paper acts just like a wick burning the alcohol as fuel. It puts off a decent amount of heat as well. When you are done just blow it out and put the cover on when it cools that also prevents the alcohol from evaporating. Once you see the paper charring or burning blow it out and add more alcohol. Don't forget to crack a window a bit. By putting a space blanket or something else over the windows you can really maximize the heat
 

Hilldweller

SE Expedition Society
$20, a chocolate bar, a pair of nylons, and a condom.


Oops; wrong forum.
I always have half of my camping gear in the Jeep. Water is the most essential.
Charged cel phone, cb, credit card, change of clothes. Around here you can walk to a McDonalds from just about any "wilderness" area in half a day anyhow...
When I venture farther I take more.
 

libarata

Expedition Leader
When I decide to venture into "remote" wilderness, I keep my SU-16a in the car with two 20rnd mags, otherwise I always have my 45. Other than that, I always have my hydropack with food bars, full water(with sawyer inline), tarp, 1k ft paracord, wide brimmed hat(one for summer and winter seasons), wool blanket. I have a waterproof plano box that is a dedicated medical kit(always expanding). When it comes to winter, I was raised properly, and know to check the WC, or just stay home. If I plan to go, I always have snowshoes(I hike in winter).
 

jdlobb

Adventurer
If I lived somewhere prone to snow, or if I were routinely driving in remote areas, I would definitely have a full survival kit.

The Survivorman episode where Les was in a car that broke down in the Norwegian mountains was an eye opening to just how completely screwed you can become and how must we take being in a car for granted. Plus, i'd rather not have to peel the headliner out of my Land Cruiser.
 

libarata

Expedition Leader
If I lived somewhere prone to snow, or if I were routinely driving in remote areas, I would definitely have a full survival kit.

The Survivorman episode where Les was in a car that broke down in the Norwegian mountains was an eye opening to just how completely screwed you can become and how must we take being in a car for granted. Plus, i'd rather not have to peel the headliner out of my Land Cruiser.

Living in northern areas, and being out-doorsy requires you to condition yourself. What is cold to me(raised in N.WI), is flipping absurdly deadly to the people in my area now. When it dipped to 0F here this past winter, people were losing their damn minds. I grabbed my pea coat, thermal undies, Stetson Explorer, and went for a hike. Wind, and sweat is your enemy, so wind blocker, and something that can absorb moisture, but retain heat values(wool, poly, wool/poly blends), calorie dense food, and a shyte load of water, or water making ability.

My survival kit for leaving civilization when I lived in WI contained everything I have now, plus kitty litter, and 2x4s with bolts in it.
 

precision powder

Backwoods Explorer
When I decide to venture into "remote" wilderness, I keep my SU-16a in the car with two 20rnd mags, otherwise I always have my 45. Other than that, I always have my hydropack with food bars, full water(with sawyer inline), tarp, 1k ft paracord, wide brimmed hat(one for summer and winter seasons), wool blanket. I have a waterproof plano box that is a dedicated medical kit(always expanding). When it comes to winter, I was raised properly, and know to check the WC, or just stay home. If I plan to go, I always have snowshoes(I hike in winter).



Unfortunately the option to just stay home is not available. For quite some time I had a job (overnight 4pm-6am, 7 days a week) where I was required to be there no matter what. Required to have to modes of transportation, and not coming in because of a storm was not an option. The only way I would have been able to not attend was if I was in the hospital or at a funeral. Did not matter if I was sick, still had to show. We had a full kitchen, bathroom, beds, etc. Many nights I would stay in the bunks because of the weather. Unfortunately the job was a 2 person team and by law/contract we had to have to people in the control room. Since we were the only two that worked each night we were also the only ones to handle our jobs. If weather got bad you drove through it, so having that stuff could save my life. To put things into perspective for every MINUTE we were down we were fined $1000.
 

libarata

Expedition Leader
Unfortunately the option to just stay home is not available. For quite some time I had a job (overnight 4pm-6am, 7 days a week) where I was required to be there no matter what. Required to have to modes of transportation, and not coming in because of a storm was not an option. The only way I would have been able to not attend was if I was in the hospital or at a funeral. Did not matter if I was sick, still had to show. We had a full kitchen, bathroom, beds, etc. Many nights I would stay in the bunks because of the weather. Unfortunately the job was a 2 person team and by law/contract we had to have to people in the control room. Since we were the only two that worked each night we were also the only ones to handle our jobs. If weather got bad you drove through it, so having that stuff could save my life. To put things into perspective for every MINUTE we were down we were fined $1000.


At my previous job, There were numerous time(close to 10 if I remember right), that I would drive to within a mile of work, and they would call to cancel because of snow.

I only mentioned the staying home portion, because many of the folks that end up stuck, were out joy riding, or just being mindless.

Being in Maine, I am somewhat assuming you would have roughly the same amount of snow, depending on if you are coastal, northern, southern, whatever. You receive that heavy wet shyte? I did forget to mention that I had tire-wires, and need to purchase another full set of wires before winter.

Another thing I always see folks screwing up on, is that in large vehicle(trucks and SUVs), folks put mudders on, and call it good in snow. WHoop! Unless you happen to be driving on feet of snow, you want to do your best to dig down to the improved surfaces with tall and skinny tires.

When I move back to the tundra, I am going to purchase a set of Nordic skis to keep in my car, cuz I am getting to the point in life where that would just be easier if the car is stucked.


Just a question, but why would your employers not have at least an extra person on standby?
 

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