I have a foot operated tire pump in my car kit. Photo link is for illustration and not exactly the one I have. I prefer a manual tire pump instead of an electric one so as to not put undue strain on the battery which may be taxed out all ready.http://www.dhresource.com/260x260s/f2-al...tyling-foot.jpg. I also carry a can of inflate-a-flat fluid for emergencies since I don't know how to repair flat tires myself. The problem with this is that the aerosol cans tend not to work too well in very cold weather and they need to be warmed with body heat when it gets really cold outside.

I have heavy duty set of jumper cables that I got on a great deal on a number of years ago. They are 20' long, 2ga copper wiring with HD clamps. While they are great for me to help other people out with dead batteries, but the reality is that the type of person who comes to help me out would probably have their own cables otherwise why would they stop and help? While I currently have just the OEM battery in my 1-yr old vehicle, when it comes to replacing the battery I will be installing the largest and highest cold cranking amp (CCA) battery that will physically fit the tray. The OEM one has about 590 CCA, I would be looking at one in the 700-900 CCA range which would provide enough juice to turn over a cold engine in -40*C weather. Another option is to install a 75w battery blanket on the battery itself. (People in Canada and northern US states would know exactly what I am talking about, people from the southern states are probably scratching their heads trying to figure out what I am saying!)

If I needed to self rescue from a dead battery how would I accomplish this? Well, I was thinking of getting one of those small lithium battery units with clamps that may be able to provide enough juice to enable me to start my vehicle. I am skeptical that they can provide enough current for a really dead battery in the middle of winter but if all I need is just a little bit extra current this may be a solution.

The switch over to winter tire season will start next month. Since I have the OEM all season tires, this year I am going to get new steel rims with winter ice/snow tires. I will use the -1 size system i.e. currently 235/55-P17 all seasons will now be 225/65-P16 winter tires. The slightly narrower tires will make it easier to go through snow and have less hydro-planning effect. Also going to a -1 size will mean tires that are generally cheaper and a better selection of manufacturers - I prefer Blizzaks due to prior experience.