Tires are definitely better. Roads seem to be worse. I went ten years without ever needing to change a tire and then I had four go in one year (two in the same incident).

I guess just because I've carried them with less reliable autos... a hand air pump (I know the compressors are faster) 4 sided lug nut wrench, and tire plug kit (I have a AAA card)... take off serpentine belt, bottle of brake fluid and power steering fluid...spare fuse kit and puller...good heavy duty jumper cables... assortment of hand tools ...roll of TP in baggie

Welcome RNewcomb!

One thing that caught my eye because I'm in the process of choosing another phone is a car charger for your smartphone or some other means of recharging your phone.

In terms of general everyday preparedness, I feel like we--as a group--are going backwards in terms of communications because of how quickly many/most smartphones run down their batteries. I feel sorry for folks who need to recharge their smartphones twice a day. Before smartphones, and especially before big, bright color screens became popular, most cell phones seemed to last many, many days on a charge--and that was before energy dense lithium ion batteries became common.

Some thoughts and observations



Six pints isn't a lot of water, especially if you have passengers. I'd suggest a minimum of 1 gallon plus containers and a purification filter to produce more.



I've found that using a hand axe to clear obstructions or cut firewood takes a lot of time and effort. Instead, I carry a 21" folding Sven Saw that can easily cut through green or dry wood 12" diameter or more.

Make sure your entrenching tool is a good quality design. I've seen cheap ones fold or break when trying to dig out soil. In the winter time I'd add a collapsible aluminum avalanche shove to more quickly remove snow.

Check the quality of your jumper cables. The kind that come in most vehicle emergency kits use thin gauge wire and cheap clamps that don't transfer enough current to reliably start a vehicle. Buy a heavy-duty set of jumpers to make sure you can get the job done. Also consider a portable, rechargeable self-jump-start battery pack.

Instead of a tow rope I suggest a recovery strap. A tow rope is a static line, so the recovery vehicle needs to overcome the weight of your vehicle plus whatever resistance is holding you in place to get you free. Often this is difficult to make work if there is no solid ground to get traction. A recovery strap stretches to take advantage of kinetic energy and "jerk" your vehicle free, without the sudden jarring force that would occur from a static line. The strap should be rated minimum 3X the maximum weight of your vehicle and have no metal hooks or rings attached, as these might become deadly, high-speed missiles if something goes wrong. Instead, use 3/4" D-rings with the pins oriented into the strap or perpendicular to the strap so if they fail the least amount of mass will be launched. Also make sure you know where the recovery hard points are on your vehicle, as attempting to do a recovery with the strap attached to drivetrain or suspension components will usually cause more damage than good.

Test your air compressor to make sure it can completely refill your tire in a reasonable amount of time. Most inexpensive compressors cannot readily refill larger SUV tires.

Consider adding a basic tool set with screwdrivers, pliers, needle-nose pliers, wire cutters/strippers and electrical crimpers and whatever sockets or wrenches are needed to replace a hose, belt, spark plug or thermostat on your engine. Also include electrical tape, spare fuses, a couple of spare spark plugs, spare serpentine belt, Rescue Tape or similar high-pressure silicon tape to repair hoses, crimp-on electrical connectors and but-splices, and some small rolls of 12, 14 and 16 AWG wire. Most disabling failures are cooling-system and electrical problems. Bigger failures require a much larger selection of heavier-duty tools and often access to spare parts that aren't usually worth carrying on road trips.

I wouldn't recommend fix-a-flat, instead I carry a good tire plug kit with at least 24 plugs, 4 spare valve cores and 2 spare valve stems.



My preference would be a Trangia stove & cookset with 20-32oz of denatured alcohol instead of gel burners. I agree with the cheap, disposable lighter idea mentioned. The Dyno flashlights I've tested don't work effectively to recharge cell phones, I'd bring something like the GoalZero Guide 10 battery charger that will recharge any cell-phone that has a USB charging cable off of 4x AA batteries, and just carry a supply of Lithium AA primary batteries.

I'd add an LED headlamp and good quality LED flashlight, again with extra Lithium batteries.

The best option I've found for blankets is to buy 60" wide microfleece material from a store that sells sewing material. Also, alapaca-wool blankets offer the most warmth in the least bulk and weight.



I am a firm believer that nobody's life is ever threatened by a wound that can be covered by a band-aid, at least not in the short-term. So I would suggest more first aid supplies to deal with traumatic injuries, such as:

Quik-Clot or Celox bandages
Israeli field dressings
Several gauze pads in sizes 3x3 through 5x9
Non-Stick gauze pads in 2x3 and 3x4 size
Several rolls of gauze in 3" and 4" widths
Wound closure adhesive strips
Duct tape
SAM splint
Elastic bandage rolls, 3" and 4"
Instant cold packs
Saline eye/wound wash
CPR facemask with filtered check valve
Nitrile exam gloves

I'd also include ibuprofen for fever and pain, loperamide hcl for diarrhea, and diphenhydramine hcl for allergic reactions and motion sickness. All are OTC meds.



A hitch-mounted winch is better than no winch, but the big problem we've experienced is that sometimes the back of the vehicle is in a snow bank or up against an obstacle and you can't get to or mount the winch. Careful consideration also needs to be given to mounting such a heavy object when not in use, lest it become a deadly missile during an accident or roll-over.

Baby wipes are thicker, stronger and less expensive than wet naps.

Radiation badges and iodine tabs? Perhaps a good idea but a bit out of the scope of vehicle preparedness and more suitable to a bug-out bag, or even EDC bag if you feel the risk warrants.

Some other things to consider:

Nitrile shop gloves: these will help keep your hands clean while performing vehicle repairs and also provide an infection barrier when rendering first aid to strangers.

Warm jacket, hat and gloves for yourself and each passenger.

Extra socks.

Disposable rain ponchos and at least one set of rain pants.

Get an external, magnetic-mount antenna for the CB radio for vastly-improved range.

I second (third, fourth, whatever) the suggestion to add an LED headlight. In my experience, vehicle breakdowns very often happen when it's least convenient. Trying to fix something in the dark is much easier hands-free.

So many awesome ideas's here.. thanks for all the advice!

Fix-a-flat doesn't ruin a tire. Just make sure you tell the tire repair person to get it cleaned out otherwise it will likely gunk up the tire pressure indicator. Fix-a-flat doesn't propel in very cold conditions so you will have to warm it with body heat prior to using. I have a foot pump in the car which won't help much on a quick leak but on a slow leak it might get you to the nearest repair shop.

Personally I despise the mini-tires that come with most vehicles. Sure they are lighter and smaller but not very useful if you have to change the tire when you away from urban sprawl and you are out in the boonines.

+1 on the TP. Trust me.

Actually, my plastic camp shovel has a removable cap where I can store enough for at least use. Comes in handy when you are away on an isolated gravel road or meet a roadside bathroom without any.

Nowadays, you're lucky if you get any kind of spare tires on cars. A lot of companies are getting rid of the spare tire to save weight.