My Emergency Car and Camp Checklist
I'm having fun assembling an emergency camping and road kit that will be kept in my SUV at all times. I'm aware that I can't keep medications or toiletries in a hot car, but what about a hiking air mattress and a crank lantern? Will these two items be destroyed if it gets too hot or cold? (I ordered a crank lantern because I read that you can't store batteries in the car, and most crank lanterns can also be charged with the car's cigarette port.) I welcome input from winter campers and people who live off grid. Let me know if I've forgotten anything or if I could have made better choices for certain items. Many of you camp year round. You are my heroes! I'm working my way up to being more like you.
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This car jump starter beat eight other brands in YouTuber's test
I'm so thankful to this super smart technical guy for testing eight brands and showing me which is best! I was lost, but now I'm found. The unit also includes a great emergency flashlight.
This hand crank solar lantern should work no matter what!
I included wearable blankets for my husband and I.
These giant sherpa lined hoodies are warmer than our best winter coats!
I must have these sherpa lined sweat pants for guys and gals!
I take space blankets to cover the windows.
These rain ponchos have grommets so you can use them as tarps!
I love the idea of a durable rain poncho with extra grommets. It can be used as an overhead rain tarp, picnic blanket and emergency shelter. With two ponchos and some cording, you can create a decent survival tent! I must confess I can't stop ordering copies of this wonderful product. I have one for each of our camping backpacks, two for the car and one for my motel vacation bag. That's how much I love this poncho!
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This giant golf umbrella can shelter three people!
In addition to a compact umbrella for light rain, I keep a giant golf umbrella behind the seat. If I ever get stuck walking to a gas station in in a bad storm, I'd be most likely to grab the larger umbrella. It can also serve as a walking stick or popup shelter if I have to huddle by the road. I'm about to order a special clamp that will allow me to attach this to my camp chair. Warning: Be careful when opening this thing indoors. It's absolutely huge! You could take out a lamp if you're not careful.
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I can't live without my rain boot covers.
If I ever got stranded, I would hate to ruin a perfectly good pair of shoes walking to the gas station! I would also hate to get my feet wet and suffer from hypothermia. These are the same boot covers I bring on camping vacations, and they've proven to be indispensable. I prefer longer boot covers to the shorter ones because they protect my pant legs from splashes, even if I'm just wearing them over sneakers.
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Sturdy tarp poles with heavy duty tarp
Extra heavy duty tarp
Where has this thermal insulated sleep pad been all my life?
When I'm caught out of town hosting late night events, I sometimes sleep in my SUV for a few hours before venturing home. It's important for me to have a nice hiking mattress that rolls up into a compact package when I'm not using it. My "real" camp mattress would take up far too much space to leave in the vehicle at all times. I've experimented with other compact hiking beds,and this one is absolutely the best! It's surprisingly thick and puffy. That means I don't wake up feeling cold!
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I actually love my cheap emergency tent!
I have an ultra expensive Alaskan Guide Model tent for planned adventures in the cold, but those larger tents are a big hassle to set up, and they require propane heaters if you want to be comfortable. A small tent holds heat much better, especially if you insulate the floor with a thick tarp and tape space blankets to the walls. I found my Coleman Sun Dome for $45 at Walmart in 2018. It never leaks or gives me problems. All in all, it's one of the best camp purchases I've ever made.
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My favorite hatchet is forged in one piece.
This is a great survival knife set for the price
The Schrade SCHF59 is consistently known as one of the top five survival knives, but the $30 price tag sets it apart from similar knives costing over $100. If I'm going to leave a knife in my emergency car kit, it won't be an expensive one. This knife will do just about anything I need it to do. I can skin salmon, make wood curls for tinder or split logs if I'm caught without an axe.
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A spill proof BPA free water container is a must.
If you're into storing water in cars, be sure the container is BPA free so that chemicals from the plastic won't leech into your water on a hot day. Obviously, you'd still want to change out the water frequently. Even if you don't change it, some water is better than no water if you're truly stranded with nothing to drink.
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Is it safe to keep a sawyer water filter in the car?
From the manufacturer, I have learned that UNUSED water filters won't expand or break if they freeze. If a water filter has been used, it must be stored close to the body so that it doesn't freeze. For this reason, I keep my newest Sawyer water filter in my emergency car bag. My used Sawyer filter goes in my backpack, which I store indoors.
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I love the size of this Stanley cook set.
This 1.58 quart cooking pot is bigger than those annoying mini sets made for hiking but smaller than the base camp set stored at home with my main camping equipment. It's big enough to cook a heaping bowl of stew for two people. This is the pot I carry in the emergency bag that stays in my vehicle at all times.
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I like a good compact stove that runs on twigs and scraps
The thought of carrying an emergency stove that requires fuel makes me a little nervous. In a true emergency situation, I would be unlikely to have a can of propane or a big bag of charcoal on hand. This miniature wood burning stove keeps me covered in all situations. I'll always be able to cook if I have this nifty contraption with me.
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A good backpacking grill grate is so easy to store!
Basic safety matches can be left in the car, but lighters can explode!
Survival Food: Here's where I need help!
I struggled to find something that I can just leave in the car at all times. I ended up with a giant can of freeze dried chicken (25 year shelf life) and a jar of bouillon cubes (3 year shelf life). Thoughts? Before I transfer this food to my car, I'd like to hear from year round campers and people who live off grid. I'm still waiting on a reply from the manufacturer.
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Auto fishing reels are great for emergencies.
A good mini bait kit is worth its weight in gold.
Individually wrapped toilet paper rolls are great for camping!
I've learned that it's safe to keep hand sanitizer in the car.
I've learned that a car would need to heat up to around 700 degrees Fahrenheit before a container of hand sanitizer would explode or burn on its own. Nobody's car gets that hot inside! On the downside, hand sanitizer can become less potent when left in a hot car. You won't really know how well you're killing the germs you intend to destroy, but it's better to have some sanitizer on hand than none at all.
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What type of shampoo is safe to store in cars?
Feel free to weigh in on this topic! I've learned that shampoo will probably remain stable no matter what the temperature, as long as it's free of conditioning oils and nutritional ingredients derived from food.Clarifying shampoo formulas are less apt to contain unnecessary oils and waxes. Conditioners and lotions will easily go rancid when stored in hot vehicles, but they'll be fine in the cold. For this reason, it's best to keep conditioners and lotions stored in a side bag that stays in the house.
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Can you store a bar of soap in the car?
Bar soap is much more stable than liquid soap. I keep a cheap bar of soap stashed in the car kit for emergencies. I never really intended to use my emergency soap bar, but it came in handy the last time a daytime trip to the river turned into an all nighter. All of my miniature liquid bottles are stored in my purse, which stays in the house most of the time.
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Bandage materials can be stored in the car. Neosporin can't!
Coconut oil retains antibacterial properties at very high temps!
Coconut oil is the perfect wound dressing to use in place of Neosporin. Yes, coconut oil will turn to liquid in a hot car, but it won't go rancid. In fact, the lauric acid in coconut oil retains its medicinal properties at extremely high temperatures, including temperatures used to cook food. This makes it perfect for car storage, provided you use the right jar. I store my coconut oil in a BPA free leak proof water bottle made for hiking. I keep that bottle inside a small drink cooler to insulate it from surrounding car temperatures.This will contain any destructive leaks that could happen when it melts.
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Ginger tea treats diarrhea and food poisoning!
Ace bandages are a must for strains and sprains!
Don't get caught without a way to immobilize a broken bone.
Complete Contents of My Emergency Car Bag
Left Front Zip Pouch: Thick Insulated Work Gloves with Grip, Thin Rubber Work Gloves,Thermal Socks, 2 Pairs of Regular Socks, Ski Mask, Gator Style Face Warmer, Scissors, Big Comb.
Right Front Zip Pouch: Compact Umbrella, Rain Ponchos, 2 Pairs of Reusable Rain Shoe Covers, 2 Pairs of Disposable Rain Shoe Covers.
Side Zip Pouch: Duct Tape, Survival Knife, Safety Matches, 2 Auto Fishing Reels, Bait Kit.
Interior of Bag: Rain Fly Tarp with Support Poles, 2 Compact Air Bed Rolls, Cinch Bag with Sherpa Lined Hoodies, Cinch Bag with Quilted Shirt Coat,Thigh High Leg Warmers, Spare T-Shirt for Me, Spare T-Shirt for Tom, Extra Hat, 3 Emergency Fire Masks in White Snap Box, Water Purification Tabs, 4 Bungee Cords, Bundle of Cording, Scissors, Hatchet, 2 Ziplock Bags Stuffed with Toilet Paper and Napkins. (No baby wipes because they'll develop mold in the heat. Baby wipes are stored in camp bags that remain indoors).
Back Side Zip Pouch: 3 Bandage Rolls, 12 Large Band-Aids, 6 Regular Strip Band-Aids. No Neosporin or medications because they'll go bad in the heat.These are stored in the first aid kid that remains in the house.
Laid Behind Car Seats: 2 Camp Chairs, Large Golf Umbrella, Tarp Poles
Compartment Under Floorboard: Car Starter with Emergency Flashlight, Heavy Duty Tarp
Items Removed from Camp Cart to Add to this Bag: 2 Toothbrushes, Hatchet, Smaller Bed Rolls.
Right Front Zip Pouch: Compact Umbrella, Rain Ponchos, 2 Pairs of Reusable Rain Shoe Covers, 2 Pairs of Disposable Rain Shoe Covers.
Side Zip Pouch: Duct Tape, Survival Knife, Safety Matches, 2 Auto Fishing Reels, Bait Kit.
Interior of Bag: Rain Fly Tarp with Support Poles, 2 Compact Air Bed Rolls, Cinch Bag with Sherpa Lined Hoodies, Cinch Bag with Quilted Shirt Coat,Thigh High Leg Warmers, Spare T-Shirt for Me, Spare T-Shirt for Tom, Extra Hat, 3 Emergency Fire Masks in White Snap Box, Water Purification Tabs, 4 Bungee Cords, Bundle of Cording, Scissors, Hatchet, 2 Ziplock Bags Stuffed with Toilet Paper and Napkins. (No baby wipes because they'll develop mold in the heat. Baby wipes are stored in camp bags that remain indoors).
Back Side Zip Pouch: 3 Bandage Rolls, 12 Large Band-Aids, 6 Regular Strip Band-Aids. No Neosporin or medications because they'll go bad in the heat.These are stored in the first aid kid that remains in the house.
Laid Behind Car Seats: 2 Camp Chairs, Large Golf Umbrella, Tarp Poles
Compartment Under Floorboard: Car Starter with Emergency Flashlight, Heavy Duty Tarp
Items Removed from Camp Cart to Add to this Bag: 2 Toothbrushes, Hatchet, Smaller Bed Rolls.