An obvious winter priority in the event of being stranded is to be able to stay warm. To that end, I have in the car (Honda Element) a sleeping bag, boots, ski socks, long underwear, fleece hat/gaiter, mittens/gloves...

To be able to warm up from the inside I also have in there a Jetboil stove, Kelly Kettle and a few ways to start a fire.

For fire ignition, I have in the car (and in my backpack when hiking):

- matches (REI's "stormproof")
- lighter
- firesteel rods


For fire tender/fuel, I have in the car:

- magnesium rods
- vaselined cotton balls
- fatwood
- Diamond-brand Strike-a-Fire starters
- Duraflame log
- super-fine steel wool


Upon a recommendation in another ETS thread, I had bought from www.firesteel.com several different sizes of firesteel rods, their magnesium rod and "strikers."

Today I played with them in the rain. With surprising ease, the firesteel ignited a vaselined cotton ball in four strikes. With some magnesium scraped onto a vaselined cotton ball there was ignition in just two strikes of the firesteel rod.

I'm delighted by these www.firesteel.com fire-making tools. I have a few of the "Light My Fire" brand that REI sells but haven't used those much and can't say whether there is a difference, but many say there is.

So I highly recommend this combo from firesteel.com -- to be kept in the car and to be carried in a backpack or purse if some distance from home. Have decided that these will be central to a couple Hanukkah and Christmas gifts -- for my sister who drives up Mt. Hood frequently (Oregon) and a friend out here who has recently decided to keep some rudimentary survival stuff in her car (such as a blanket).

http://firesteel.com/products/FireSteel-Armageddon-with-Scraper-Lanyard-and-Magnesium.html

I also got one of the firesteel tube-compass devices they are now selling. Will post pics later. Firesteel, based in New Hampshire, got this stuff to me within a couple of days of ordering. Great product, great service.