I'm putting together an emergency car kit for a new car. I'm thinking that I'd work off a commercial car kit and build from there. Do you have recommendations for a good kit?

I did a bit of online research. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places, but it looks like only AAA and maybe one or two other brands make car kits. I'm amazed that some includes an air compressor at such a low price -- often an compressor itself costs more than that. (I am irked by "use once" tools. They fail you when you really need them.)

Also, what's your favorite portable or collapsible snow shovel?

Thanks for your help!

Da Bing

Lots of recent car shovel discussion here and another older (and longer thread) here.

Also: "Winter Car Kits"

http://forums.equipped.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=212183#Post212183


Many good threads. I wouldn't start with a commercial car kit.

Hi, Bingley.

I have yet to see a commercial car kit that was worth a plugged nickel. Unfortunately, the ones I've seen are built on a "single use" principle, and that does not inspire confidence.

I think it's better to identify the situations you are likely to face, build a list that meets your needs, and start accumulating gear that does the job.

Get Yourself a Real Steelnosed Shovel,None of that razamataz crapola Plastic,Light as a feather,telescopic/folding Junk,& Go from There!

Its not a snow shovel, but the Gerber/Fiskars NATO folding shovel is pretty awesome. I've used it to dig the truck out more than once.

I'm currently debating between an alcohol stove vs solid fuel stove for the truck.

Doug has a good list here:
http://www.equipped.org/earthqk.htm#erthqkcarkt

I use that for hacking hard snow and ice, but moving large amounts of snow with such a small shovel is tedious, to say the least. For not too hard snow I use a light weight plastic collapsible shovel. Not very big - but at 1/3rd the weight, a good lengthy handle and 4 times the area of the folding shovel makes for much better ergonomics. With a little care I can also hack semi-hard snow with it, leaving that heavy lump of metal (folding shovel) packed safely away in the spare wheel drum until I really need it.

Ditto on dumping the commercial "one use" kits and tools. Go to the ETS Home Page, right here on this site, and check out the automobile kit recommendations under the heading "Survival Kits." That will get you started in good shape.

My kit is better for my needs and cost less than starting with a commercial car kit would have.

Also, I separate things that my car needs (spare tire, lug wrench, jack, jack handle, tow strap, jumper cables) from things that I need (first aid, shelter, water, food, signaling and so on). That works well for me.

Alright, no commercial kit for me. Now, the next question -- what would be your favorite bag for the kit?

Da Bing