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Winter car bag

Stormstaff

Stormstaff

Joined
Dec 14, 2007
Messages
1,918
Ok folks, since we're getting into cooler temps and such, I'd like some advice/suggestions.

I drive approx 40 miles one way to work. 99% of the time I have cell phone coverage but approx 2/3 of these miles are country roads but most areas have at least a couple of houses.

I'm looking for suggestions on what to put in a "car bag" for the winter without going overboard.

Thanks for you time and help!
 
here's what I'm looking at putting together for my car this winter

collapsible snow shovel
wool blanket
some of those hand warmer packs
a couple of cliff bars (granola, power bars, whatever)
extra hat and gloves
road flare
lock de-icer
windshield scraper/brush

alot of my driving is urban, and I've got a jeep wrangler, I would suggest adding some kitty litter for traction if you've got a regular car. if I was in the country I might even add a hatchet or folding saw.
 
I used to drive 53 miles each way to and from work. My commute now is much less, but those days really made me think. I used to drive almost all on highways, the majority on a major interstate so all I really was worried about was calling for help and staying non-Gregsickle until help arrived...

I put together a crate with water, some emergency-ration type energy bars, a big thick wool blanket, some mylar emergency blankets, a shovel, flashlight, whistle, lighter, some tea candles, spare socks, a SAK, a small fixed blade knife... maybe a couple of other little odds and ends. Oh when weather was bad I wore boots, but if you don't then pack a pair of boots.

My thought was mainly to be able to sit it out in the car if I needed to (say I broke down or got stuck in bad weather) until help arrived. Then added some stuff to be able to get attention if help didn't see me, some stuff to make shelter/fire if for some reason it wasn't viable to use the car as shelter, some stuff to try to unstick the car myself, etc.

Once in a bad storm I high-centered my car on a berm of frozen crap built by snowplows. In a driveway. Grrrrr. Rather than wait either for spring or a towtruck I dug out the underside of my car until I had traction.
 
- couple wool blankets or a good sleeping bag
- WATER, lots of it
- ramen
-esbit tabs and small pot or mug. (use outdoors only)
- snickers bars
- FAK
- LED flashlight with spare batteries
- candles
- flares
- spare clothes
- coveralls for working on the vehicle if need be
- toilet paper
- hygien kit, wet wipes etc
 
When I have to drive in winter, I always take a one liter thermos filled with hot tea with me. Mostly for the time spent in traffic jams than for anything else ...
other than that I have: wool blanket, and the thin foil blanket of the vehicles fak, gloves, ice scraper (de-icer for the locks in my pocket -not in the car) an extra scarf, swiss notkocher m71 - basically a can of sterno with a metal ring as pot stand, some water and some bouillon cubes.
 
great thread, every fall I prepare/go over the kit in the minivan for the wife and kids.
here's a listing of things I have in there if its of any help.

-Hot paws
-wool socks / mits /mit leather overalls / tuques
-3 wool blankets
-Water boots
-raincoat
-flares
-Flashlight w/ Strobe
-booster cables
-traction aid
-small shovel
-100' of heavy duty rope
-1 chain
-first aid kit
- 2 homemade MRE
- 24pack of Naya bottles

There's a few spare bottles of brake fluid, antifreeze and lots of windshield washer on hand, spare tire and necessary tools to make the change. I also have an extra set of bolts and wrench, because its happened to me before in winter where the bolt got stuck in the working end of the wrench and I had to call for help.

forgot to mention, its not so much a bag, I carry everything in a plastic milk crate, find it easier to find things and I have used it a number of times to sit on while changing a tire
 
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Great advice on here and similar to what I carry. I actually have a summer and winter kit, but the winter kit supplements the summer kit and is not meant to be used separately.

Off the top of my head the winter kit has a sleeping bag (to supplement the wool blankets and blanket pins in the summer kit), more fire building materials (lots more pjcb, sawdust and wax firestart brick, extra flare, more fatwood, another lighter, matches and a fat ferro rod), Snow Claw (to supplement the shovel and to aid in snow shelter building - hands down the best tool I've used for snow shelters), toilet paper heater (small coffee can with a roll of toilet paper in it and 2 bottles of alcohol), extra lithium batteries, more disposable chemical handwarmers and Heat Solution reusable handwarmers, axe (to supplement the hatchet and pocket chain saw), can of florescent spray upside down spray paint (for marking SOS in large letters on snow, although I haven't tested this out and I have a sneaking suspicion that I'll run out of paint with only one can), HEET, lock deicer, and a few other sundries I can't think of off hand. I'm also thinking of picking up a wood grenade-type splitting wedge to throw in there for a longer term survival situation.

This is a lot of crap but I'm in the mountains a lot and also drive from California to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and/or Montana during the winter to visit people. Of course, I'm constantly tweaking it. Last Christmas i actually left a lot of it behind due to lack of space while driving to Utah and Idaho, and just KNEW we would need it, but we didn't (which was a relief and also a disappointment).
 
I always add winter items to my truck kit. The are some items in it year round that will help in winter such as a folding shovel, a poncho and liner, a few cyalume light sticks, a candle or two, some food stuffs, my issue canteen-cup-and-stove system and fuel for it, and a can of sterno. In the winter I always add some things....more water, a few cans of soup or broth (much quicker to warm up than bullion cubes), a few packs of cocoa, a few of the large packets of "hot hands" hand warmers. I add a couple of pairs of socks. an extra pair of shoes, and a couple of pairs of gloves to avoid frost bite if some get wet. A tow rope is always good to have along as there are people out there who would pull you out of a ditch with their 4x4 but for not having one, same goes for booster cables. For $140.00 ($40.00 for the phone & $100.00 for the time) you can get a pre-pay Verizon cell phone and time that is good till one year later if not used at wal-mart that you could keep in a pelican case in your pack in case anything happens to your edc. If you have to use the time you can add more in small amounts and it's still good till that same year is up. De-icer is always good but always keep a fresh bic in your jacket pocket (where the button won't get inadvertently pushed and the fuel released) as you can use it and your key to thaw out a frozen lock.
 
As suggested by another member here one day, A candle lantern might be a good addition.
 
A spare fleece and some socks. Handheld cb. Flashlight. Powerbars and some water or gatorade/powerade. Obviously something to start a fire also.
 
mistwalker said:
my issue canteen-cup-and-stove system and fuel for it, and a can of sterno.
Click to expand...

Lots of great advice. I like this idea and would latch onto it as it is rarely stated. But having a GI-cup/mini stove (like the sterno ones) will let you melt snow into water and heat it up. Nothing warms you up like drinking hot liquids in addition to getting the warmth from the candle in your vehicle. Might as well throw in some tea bags, hot chocolate packet or instant soup mix to make it go down a bit better.

P.S. don't drink the yellow snow, also good idea to stay away from the road salt splatter.
 
If you were in West...By God ! Virginia I'd say 10 pints of Jack Black and a carton of Winston reds.
When more than 25 snowflakes used to hit the ground the boys would uncover their" Bigfeetz" and be everywhere.....snowmobiles in the back and praying for a blizzard.
 
Everyone will list their idea of good gear and the ideas are excellent. You might have already decided on a bag or whatever for the trunk. In case you have not, the Extra Large Fifth Generation Bail Out Bag from CountyComm is an awesome piece of gear. They also have the EOD Bag now in XL.
 
One of the easier items is a jar of Peanut Butter. Yes, the fat may be bad for your arteries but your body will appreciate the calories and keep you warm. Don't forget to check your tail pipe for snow clog if you are letting the car idle while waiting. One personal item I carry is a red nylon bag. Tie it to the antennae to attract attention.
Good Luck.
 
When I used to live up north and had to drive long distances on a rountine basis, my winter "car bag" consisted of:

  • Folding shovel
  • Insulated coveralls (Carhartt)
  • Wool hat
  • Insulated gloves
  • Wool socks
  • Poncho
  • Survival blanket
  • Cliff bars, candy, etc.
  • Water
  • First Aid Kit
  • Tow Strap
  • Flashlight w/extra batteries
  • Flares
  • 50# bag of sand
I'd keep all of that in a big dufflebag except the bag of sand. That went in the trunk or truck bed for some extra weight over the rear wheels, or to spread for extra traction if I got stuck somewhere.
 
mdauben said:
I'd keep all of that in a big dufflebag except the bag of sand. That went in the trunk or truck bed for some extra weight over the rear wheels, or to spread for extra traction if I got stuck somewhere.
Click to expand...

i keep something similar except i make a 75/25 mix of sand/salt and put it into a large bucket with a locking lid and a hand scoop inside.
 
I am putting together a winter car bag for my wife and kids. I am putting basics in it like extra clothes,hand and feet warmers and what not. When you are in Indiana you get used to the warm temperatures and then when the sudden temperature drops then I usually have to hurry and swap gear out, one of these days I will have a stationary winter gear bag always ready.
 
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