Enjoying the great outdoors inevitably means hopping into a vehicle. In addition to running into trouble on the way to or from the trailhead (flat tires, dead batteries, etc.) you may also find yourself in trouble due to exceptional circumstances or just plain ol’ poor planning (running out of food or water, soaked to the bone, etc.). Over the years I’ve built up a vehicle preparedness kit to help alleviate some of these issues. Here’s what’s in it:

Digital Tire Gauge

A flat tire is obvious, a leaky or under-inflated tire less so. The first step towards diagnosing a tire pressure issue is being able to measure the tire pressure. A digital tire gauge makes this a cinch, and the Tekton one that I use includes handy lighting for use in the dark as well as a button to toggle through various units (although I’ve only needed PSI).

($9)

Fix-A-Flat

I’ve heard that nowadays passenger cars don’t even come with spare tires, instead they include a can or two of Fix-A-Flat. Attaching one of these will not only re-inflate your tire but it also coats the inside with some goop that will seal up the leak. The repair is good for up to 3 days or 100 miles. Make sure you get a can which is properly sized for your tires.

($15)

Portable Tire Inflator

On a trip to Steens Mountain in southeastern Oregon I ended up puncturing one of my tires on a service road leading down to the Alvord Desert. With 10 hours and 600 miles of driving to get home to Seattle, Fix-A-Flat wasn’t going to cut it. Fortunately I was also carrying a Kensun portable tire inflator (link is to a newer model). It has an adapter that allows it to run off of your cigarette lighter and it will (slowly) inflate your tires as long as your car’s battery isn’t dead. On this particular trip I ended up stopping and re-inflating my tire 3 times on the way home – but I still made it!

($70)

Portable Jump Starter

Gone are the bad old days of having to hook up your car’s battery to another’s in order to jump it. Now you just need a portable jump starter, essentially a power bank on steroids: I use the discontinued Brighttech Scorpion, Person B’s is a Nekteck. By merely attaching the two clamps to your car’s battery terminals and pushing a button you can bring your car back to life. They also double as actual power banks and typically have a wide range of power adapters and other doodads bundled with them. I’ve actually used the Scorpion on my brother’s car after his kids killed the battery by leaving the lights on so I can personally vouch for its effectiveness. Don’t forget to fully charge it before you put it in your kit.

($60)

Scissor Jack

On the off chance you actually need to change a tire you’ll need a jack in order to lift up your car. I use a Torin scissor jack to accomplish this. It’s heavy and bulky compared to everything else in the kit and kind of a pain in the ass to stow but you’ll be glad you have it should the time arise.

($25)

Lug Wrench

Once your car is off the ground you’ll need something to actually remove and then tighten the lug nuts that hold the wheel in place. A Gorilla telescoping lug wrench expands to give you a boost in leverage, making the job easier. Don’t forget the included sockets.

($25)

LED Road Flares

Even road flares have gone high-tech. Newer LED-based models are crush-proof, come in yellow or red, and turn on at the push of a button. They’re typically also magnetic so that they can attach to your car, potentially acting as an emergency replacement for a taillight. The discontinued First Alert flares (pictured) that I use can even toggle between blinking and solid modes. For a currently-available incarnation try Stonepoint LED Emergency Beacons. Don’t forget to add batteries before putting these in your kit.

($20 for a 3-pack)

Bottled Water

If you find yourself trapped inside your car for days on end – or if you’re just out of water on your hike out – you’ll appreciate having something to drink waiting for you. Personally I prefer a sports drink with electrolytes, they’re especially refreshing after a long day of hiking.

($0.09)

Snacks

Person B has a medical condition known as “hanger”. Also, sometimes I don’t pack enough food and feel like I’m starving when I get back to the trailhead. The solution to both problems is to keep a supply of treats stashed in the car. Bars, jerky, Snickers (maybe not if it’s super hot), what-have-you – it doesn’t really matter as long as it’s edible and not terribly perishable.

($1.30)

Toilet Paper

Sometimes toilets at trailheads don’t have any toilet paper. Don’t be a statistic: always bring your own. A couple wet wipes won’t hurt either.

($1.00)

Towel (and Dry Clothes)

It’s one thing to get back to the car sopping wet, it’s another to have to endure it even longer on the drive home. Always bring a towel and change of clothes. I believe mine is the REI Multi-Towel.

($20)

Paper Towels

Not so good for drying people but they’re a godsend for cleaning up the occasional spill or wiping something clean.

($2.00)

Bug Spray

If you find yourself hanging out outside the car for whatever reason, bug spray can make things less miserable during bug season.

Duct Tape

It has a million uses, there’s no reason not to have it in your kit. High-visibility orange for maximum preparedness.

($10)

Ice Scraper

If you’re a winter or shoulder-season hiker and a storm hits while you’re out – or if you’re just trying to get out of your driveway – you’ll need one of these. Any cheap-o one from a gas station will do, I use a Hopkins Subzero.

($6.25)

Bungee Cord

Last but not least we have the humble bungee cord. It’s the duct tape of the attachment and jerry-rigging world. I’ve used mine to secure bikes when my usual attachment system failed, among other things.

($2.67 for a two-pack)

The End

Oh, one more thing: as far as organizing all this stuff, a duffel bag or tool bag does the trick. I use a Black and Decker Matrix storage bag.