View Full Version : Winter Car Kit
Matthew.Passmore
04-12-2010, 20:35
Oooo this is my first post for a long time :-D
With the winter hitting us hard already and with last year to go by; making roads unpassable and forcing many to sleep in cars or at work do you carry any supplies/equipment in your car should you or someone else become stranded or have difficulties?
If so what do you carry? i.e. shovel, grit, FAK, blanket, food, water.
Im going to put together some sort of pack for me and my family to carry in the car and am interested in you thoughts;
Cheers,
Matt.
I've added bits to my boot as the week's gone on, so far I'm up to ....
Muck Boots
WWII wool blanket
DIY meths burner and fuel
4L water container
3 x Galaxy drinking chocolate
3 x Snickers
Folding snow shovel
My usual commute is on major routes but if I did have to sit it our for a while then I can keep myself entertained.
Works kit, most of which I move over to the Car (except the chainsaw kit) when out with the family.
2 sleeping bags for others
Set of very warm outer wear, like a walk about sleeping bag for me so I can move about.
Wool blanket to top me up when sleeping.
Spare warm clothes, work gloves and warm gloves.
Food, water - defrosted !, full hot 1L Thermos type flask, brew kit , Stove, billy, meths (when the water runs out and theres snow)
FA kit
Tools, jump leads, winching/towing gear.
Chainsaw, PPE, sharpening kit, Climbing kit, fuel, Oil.
Shovel
A few other bit and bobs.
got all sorts of stuff in most of it always is in the car as im to lazy to take it out. jump leads. tool kit.first aid. sleeping bag.chainsaw+ my saw stuffs. blanket.coat. but been takeing my stoke out and a bit of snap + water and de-icer.shovel. tow rope and prob more just cant reamber
Shambling Shaman
04-12-2010, 21:00
I would Add a Hi Viz vest, If you out in the dark shoveling...good to be seen.
aye. i also have amber lights in my grill and a traffic director on the parcel shelf
This has been done really quite recently:
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=63242&pagenumber=
Just got one of these for a fiver from ebay - seem like a good bit of kit for the car in this weather:
http://www.turboflareusa.com/
Just got one of these for a fiver from ebay - seem like a good bit of kit for the car in this weather:
http://www.turboflareusa.com/
How visible is that at night Snozz?
demographic
05-12-2010, 01:01
Shovel, the same Hi Viz jacket that I wear when working outside and lives in the van anyway and a light right foot.
The light right foot helps me avoid getting stuck like a numpty in the first place.
[How visible is that at night Snozz?]
will let you know when it arrives!
Shovel, the same Hi Viz jacket that I wear when working outside and lives in the van anyway and a light right foot.
Ikea are good for cheap hi vis vests
forestwalker
05-12-2010, 05:33
A couple of wool blankets
A hi viz vest
Shovel
Axe
Old, worn but warm gloves (for changing tyres, etc)
Insulated overpants
Since I generally wear sensible clothes there is no real need for extra clothes (the overpants help), and I carry a SAK and a Petzl Zipka all the time, so no need for those either. Various version of thre FC sticks as key-fobs, so fire would be easy to manage. An old Swedish army cookpot (Swedish army "trangia", but without the "trangia" bits). There is usually some doggie treats in my pocket, so I have a nice liver flavoured snack should I get hungry... :-)
Luckily my only 4 wheeled vehicle is my camper van so in it is:
Sleeping Gear
Stove
Heater
Food (MREs)
Water
Snow shovel
Snow chains
FAK
Brew kit
Lamps and flashlighs
Fire extinguisher
Tow rope etc
Toolkit
Extra clothes
Phone.
Knife
Axe
I can be stuck for around a week or so before I'd need to move but the snow chains and shovel can get me out of most things.
We always carry a brew kit consisting of a Hexi stove, mess tins, plastic container of instant hot chocolate and 4 plastic beakers stacked inside each other. The kids have a tendency towards travel sickness so there is always a good sized container of water in the boot incase of needed to clean up and that can also be used for a brew. We also always have a thick blanket in the boot.
We carry these all year round. Since we live in the middle of snowdonia we tend to turn it into a day out whenever we go out shopping so they both come in handy for picnics.
I also always have a tow strop, jump leads, first aid kit, spare bulbs for the vehicle, emergency reflective triangle, torch and a couple of lighters.
Radix lecti
05-12-2010, 22:51
In the back of my van seperate from my tools ;
First aid kit
2 qrt water container
Swedish army trangia
Brew kit
Chocolate bars
Sleeping bag
Hi vis work coat
Navy Gore-tex Jacket
Banjo
Small axe
SAK
Maglite
Except for the Banjo and the Hi-vis,the kit is all in a medium Alice pack
Jump leads and tow strap behind seats
I did have a kit in my car for winter, but it was all stolen last week... just before all the snow came lol
Now i have to make another one.. but going smaller that i can carry in my work bag and not have it stolen again. thankfully they didnt take my blanket which remains in my car.
thinking of hiding bits in the tyre well.
I have for the winter:
Winter tyres
Some extra clothing
Folding snow shovel
Water, food
Tealights, matches
A fully loaded battery in my cell phone
Things I always have in my car:
First aid kit
Emergency reflective triangle
High visibility vest
Torch
Tools
Umbrella
A plank (nice to have a car jack, but it won't work when the underground is soft)
[How visible is that at night Snozz?]
will let you know when it arrives!
Well ... It arrived and is an excellent piece of kit. For a fiver, a great safety device that now has a permanent place in the car. Tests in the (unlit) road are very positive. Very bright and clear. Run off 4 AA batteries.
Snozz
British Red
16-12-2010, 02:03
My kit is probably all of the above +
I'll talk about the + parts
I carry an emergency phone charger (AA based) and another that works of the 12V socket. If you get stranded, you will want to be checking on loved ones and them on you.
A book and a battery lantern. B&Q did LED ones that take 4 AAs and are fine for reading by you aren't going to sleep much so be entertained
A battery radio (2AAs). Radio 4 etc. is great - or take your MP3 player and a AA buddy pack. Not worried about draining your car abttery this way. You might need that to start the car to run the heater
A slab of AA batteries
A full sized snow shovel (aluminium). Keep that exhaust clear!
A big brew kit - heavy on the teabags, powdered milk and sugar plus a few plastic cups. Making drinks for others who are stranded feels good.
A few tins of Big breakfast supplemented by cheap "beans and sausage" if the weather turns (see above)
Big wool blankets - much easier to huddle under than a sleeping bag
Red
A tip I picked up on another thread.
If you are storing food and drink in the vehicle, keep it in a cool box so it is not frozen when you need it.
Mesquite
16-12-2010, 09:06
A tip I picked up on another thread.
If you are storing food and drink in the vehicle, keep it in a cool box so it is not frozen when you need it.
That was what I was wondering about... how do you keep the water etc from freezing. Such a simple and obvious solution
Nice one Gary :)
Geordie9
17-12-2010, 08:30
If you are storing food and drink in the vehicle, keep it in a cool box so it is not frozen when you need it.[/QUOTE]
After reading this I checked the storage compartment in the boot where I keep a bottle of water only to find it 1/2 full and the pool of ice on the compartment floor where the bottle had split :(
Top of the shopping list this weekend is a cool box or bag so this doesn't happen again.
Another thing to consider is topping the fuel up when you get to 1/2 full. Winter is not the best time to be playing 'Fuel light bingo'
Unfortunately neither if my vehicles are suitable for heavy snow (MR2 Mk1 & XL600V Transalp).
But for the car I have a 2nd set of wheels with winter tyres fitted which unfortunately only arrived this year AFTER the snow had melted.
I tend to not use the bike if it’s snowed since 400lbs of bike is a PITA to keep picking up.
I have now developed a family emergency food kit - which always goes in the car if I'm making a long trip. I'll be glad of it this winter. It consists of:
4 x Bagels - Aldi specials with long expiry sealed in heavy duty plastic
6 x Cereal Bars
4 x Packet Cous Cous ready meal type sachets
2 x Packets Tuna in foil packs
1 Mattessons Smoked pork Sausage
Peanut Butter in plastic jar
Salt/Pepper combined thingamajig
Tea
Coffee
Whitener
Hot Chocolate sachets for kids
Tomato Soup sachets
4 x Sporks
1 x Tin 58 pat mug
2 x melamine cups
Swedish army mess kit and alcohol stove
Spare fuel
Fire stick
Swan Vestas
Pan Grip
Lock knife
Water Filter + Suplies
This all packs into a 10 litre PLCE side pouch and should be enough to keep a family of 4 going comfortably for at least a day, although I haven't calculated total calories yet.