Winter truck gear

D

dbessey

Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
187
This has probably been covered here in detail before but this week's big storm made me think: What do you keep in your vehicle for those times when you can't get where you want to go (stuck in the snow, etc.)?
 
I keep a basic BOB and extra Jacket,gloves,cap,beanie and regular tool kit,small shovel,tow straps,jumper cables,cell phone charger,I-pod charger,wool blanket & large beach towel as well,laying on the Texas Ground in the summer changing a tire taught me to carry a towel w/ me as ground cover.
 
Well for me it means adding a couple of blankets to the gear in each car, especially my wife's Outback. She travels with kids more then I do, and she also gets out of work at 1am, and it is an hour drive home in good weather. And I mean real blankets, not just survival/space blankets. I add easy to eat snacks, extra socks, and a sweater for each kids, plus adult into the "snow kit". Of course there is the standard cold weather gear in the kit. And a decent Etool, plus a real shovel.

Pretty typical now that I think about it.

EDIT: THe towel idea is a great one TTD, I hadn't thought of that.
 
Great thread! I don’t want to hear from anyone from the south about having to put a long sleeve t-shirt in their truck for cold weather gear! Anyway, I’ve always tried to keep something in the vehicle, but since coming to this forum, I’ve reevaluated my kits.

I took my bug out bag and essentially removed most of the warm weather exclusive stuff and put it in bags to keep it all together for when winter is over. There is some stuff in there that I most likely won’t need during the commute to work, but a lot of it is multipurpose, so I keep it in there. I would say I have a pretty standard Get Home Bag, but things I make sure I have in it for winter are:

Change of clothes – pants, socks, t-shirt, sweatshirt, pair of underwear
Cold weather clothing – waterproof gloves, stocking cap, face mask, insulated bibs
Long burning candle for heat if I get stuck in the car and for some reason the heat doesn’t work
Couple of blankets
Extra water
Need to add some extra food

For the wife, we’re good about letting the other know where we are. I really don’t want her out in a blizzard digging her vehicle out by herself so her kit is quite different. More of a “wait for me until we get there” kit.

Cold weather clothes
Blankets/ Sleeping Bag
Long burning candle
Hand warmers
Other odds and ends

I’m sure I forgot to mention some stuff. I need to lay out all my gear some time and let the kit gurus critique it for me.
 
I also keep a roll of those blue paper shop towels and some gojo.
a 6 pack of bottle water(used as needed,washing,drinking)
RC5 in my driver door pocket.
Poncho & a Streamlight rechargeable flashlight.
 
The RC-5 would be a great tool for keeping in the car ... unfortunately I can only legally carry up to 5.7'' (12cm) blade length.
 
I carry a large brimmed hat (to keep the winter sun off my head), water at least a gallon,sun tan lotion, long sleeve shirt in case it gets cold. I also have a flash light too.
 
A wool blanket is a must in that situation. I'll also have at least a knife and a fire starter with me.
 
I keep in the truck:

axe
machete
shovel
tire plug and patch kit
small tool bag with work gloves
electric compressor
tow straps
emergency roadside kit
umbrella
EDC day pack
spare jacket
spare scarf
spare belt (you never know. I've actually had a belt give up the ghost while on a trip and I was glad I had a spare)
big flashlight
I think that's about it.

Edit: I forgot about the beach towel. My wife left it in there one day and I thought it was pretty handy so i left it in there. Also have a roll of paper towels jammed up under the back seat.
 
Great stuff - I hadn't thought about tow straps. I have jumper cables, a couple of old sleeping bags, shovel, small compressor, some food and a gallon of water (it's a Suburban so I have some room....) and my BOB always goes along. Going to add from this thread - thanks!
 
The tow straps are more for other people. My insurance includes all roadside stuff and tow service so I never have to pay for a tow out of a ditch or anything. I love to drive around and tow people out of crap in horrible weather. My father used to take me with him to do it when I was a kid. We would just drive around looking for people to tow out. I have no idea why i enjoy it, but I do. It's fun. That's why I have the tow straps. You could also use them for a million other things, so they're very handy to have.
 
Tool set always with me
Tow straps/glock shovel
First aid kit
Cell phone/charger, Police scanner
Some snacks and bottles of water
Wool blanket
Set of warm weather gear
Fenix TK40
Ruger 10/22, always in the truck with me.
Random survival gear in a kit that is always with me
 
Dylside said:
The tow straps are more for other people. My insurance includes all roadside stuff and tow service so I never have to pay for a tow out of a ditch or anything. I love to drive around and tow people out of crap in horrible weather. My father used to take me with him to do it when I was a kid. We would just drive around looking for people to tow out. I have no idea why i enjoy it, but I do. It's fun. That's why I have the tow straps. You could also use them for a million other things, so they're very handy to have.
Click to expand...

It is rewarding isn’t Dylside? Last year on my commute I met a guy and thought “you’re going to fast”. As soon as that thought hit my head, I saw his headlights start spinning in circles. He ditched it doing about 55. I turned around and pulled his BMW out for him. He was fine. I gave him the hook and said “Here you hook it up. I’d put it right there….” I wasn’t about to have him blaming me for ripping the front off his Beamer!
 
adaman04 said:
It is rewarding isn’t Dylside? Last year on my commute I met a guy and thought “you’re going to fast”. As soon as that thought hit my head, I saw his headlights start spinning in circles. He ditched it doing about 55. I turned around and pulled his BMW out for him. He was fine. I gave him the hook and said “Here you hook it up. I’d put it right there….” I wasn’t about to have him blaming me for ripping the front off his Beamer!
Click to expand...

That is one thing I always do. I always make the person put their end of the strap on their own car. I'll give a suggestion of where I would put it, but I always make them do it. That way, if it does rip their bumper off or something like that (never happened before but you never know) it's their fault and not mine. They can't get pissed at me about it. I was just helping out.
 
Winter items in my truck (most stored in the tool box in bed of my truck)
A few things I only carry in the winter:
Portable compressor
Craftsman tool set
12,000lb. tow strap
Hi-Lift Jack
Jumper cables
Spade headed shovel
Anti-freeze
Window washer fluid
Bug Out Bag
2 military wool blankets
Carhartt articquilt coat and flannel lined pants
Extra pair of boots/socks
Gloves
4 MRE's
2.5 gallons water
Jet Beam RRT-0 flashlight
RC-5 in driverside door
4 Flares
First aid kit
 
Some folks mentioned candles, but I have a half dozen hand warmers still in the package I can use for heat. With those you can drop one (or more) in pockets while you're outside shoveling/repairing/walking. I could also drop one or two into my canteen pouch, then drop the frozen canteen in there with them to melt it for use.

Those are about the only thing I've added to my truck specifically for winter.
 
DH1 said:
Some folks mentioned candles, but I have a half dozen hand warmers still in the package I can use for heat. With those you can drop one (or more) in pockets while you're outside shoveling/repairing/walking. I could also drop one or two into my canteen pouch, then drop the frozen canteen in there with them to melt it for use.

Those are about the only thing I've added to my truck specifically for winter.
Click to expand...

Handwarmers are great for warming specific parts of the body i.e. hands or whatever, but once they're activated, there's no turning them off with the exception of a few styles of warmer.

Candles offer light and warmth. These are a big plus, especially for morale. Not that you will be stranded for a long time most likely, but even a few hours in the car can drive you nuts.

Candles also help heat the space inside your vehicle, which handwarmers don't. Also, with a candle in a small tomato paste can, you can make a small lantern where you can warm your hands and feel the heat on your face. Handwarmers have their place, but there is no substitue for realy fire IMO.
 
Hmm tomato paste lantern...sounds like a project:thumbup:

Did you poke a bunch of holes in one and add a wire handle?
 
Learned a trick a few years back-take a roll of toilet paper with the cardboard center out-put it in a coffee can (same size as roll)-fill with Isopropyl alcohol-put can top back on for storage. You now have an emergency heater if your stuck in your vehicle-crack window for ventilation. You have to be careful about the actual flame as you can barely see it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top