Are any off the shelf vehicle emergency kits from Amazon good quality?
Posted by NotDinahShore@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 19 comments
Son moved to KY and has a new job in which he works overnight shifts.
I want to buy him a pre-assembled vehicle emergency kit for his new car. I've been looking on Amazon but only finding cheap crap.
Are there any pre-assembled emergency kits available on Amazon or elsewhere that have lasting quality items? I don't care about price, just quality.
Thank you very much.
FlashyImprovement5@reddit
I live in Kentucky. I have a bag that lives behind my seat.
Extra phone cables (because they says break), a house phone charger (in case your phone is dead and you are somewhere not at home), wired ear-phones (for those emergencies so you aren't loud in waiting rooms).
Tire inflator/air-compressor. Mine is old school where it plugs into the cigarette lighter. I bought it around 2004? and just used it two days ago.
Tire gauge
Battery jump box. This gets charged either in the car while driving or taken into the house to recharge. The biggest issue with these is people forgetting to charge them.
Jumper cables, because the jump box could always fail.
Jack and tire tool for the lug nuts.
Tarp. This can be used to lay on to keep clothing clean, used to cover a broken window, closed in the door frame and staked out to make a lean-to at the side of the car. A large one can be used as a tent.
50ft Paracord. Mine is reflective so it can be seen at night.
Tow rope
Bic lighter. I don't smoke. This can be used to burn the ends of cordage and to start fires.
Folding knife/full camping cutlery set.
A wide brim hat that is rolled up.
A headlamp that takes normal batteries. I keep sealed batteries in a plastic bag. Rechargeable ones aren't recommended for keeping in cars.
A flashlight that has a magnet on the end in case I need to put it on the side of the car to change a tire. It can also be used as a regular flashlight. Again it takes standard batteries.
A yellow vest in case I need to work on the car at night. I had a friend killed because he couldn't be seen on the road.
A folding triangle sign to put behind the car at night if I'm on the side of the road. This came in an actual "emergency kit" I bought used.
A collapsible drinking water bottle. I also have a 3-liter collapsible water container.
I have a small tool kit, just a basic ratchet set. Pliers
Reflectix windshield cover.
Bug nets for the back windows.
Gloves, rubber gloves and work gloves
Duct tape
Emergency Dollar Tree poncho
First-aid kit and emergency blanket
Baby wipes in a gallon ziplock freezer bag
Industrial size garbage bags. Can be used as a flotation device, emergency sleeping bag, rain coat, to carry supplies. So very useful. I keep one under each seat.
Ziplock bags are always useful.
In the winter, I carry a small wool blanket, extra wool socks, wool gloves, wool hat and an extra large pair of sweat pants. These are large enough to pull over my clothing so I can have an extra layer of clothing.
NotDinahShore@reddit (OP)
Thanks!
WUMSDoc@reddit
Bridgestone makes an auto emergency kit that Costco sells for $49.95 that can be upgraded with a few simple items and is very good. Add a better quality flashlight, a good pair or work gloves, a fix-a-flat, and a few basic tools plus a multi-tool for the glove box, some basic first aid supplies, and a small shovel and it’s very useful.
616c@reddit
Breaker bar. Harbor Freight or HarryEpstein if you want old school WW2-era.
Set of thin-wall lug nut sockets that will fit most personal vehicles. $25-50 at Amazon. I got the Tekton set. There are cheaper.
Shovel. $40 at Amazon - Bully Tools 92712 14-Gauge Round Point Trunk Shovel
heatherjasper@reddit
Any kit that has good stuff in it will be vastly overpriced. It'll be cheaper to piece the stuff together yourself.
My recommendations:
-NOCO Boost
-Jumper cables (for the redundancy)
-Portable air compressor
-Empty gas can
-Breaker bar (It can takes the nuts off of the tires easier than one of those 4-way irons)
-Decent jack for tire changes (not to be used if you need to get under the vehicle or need to change multiple tires at once)
-Tire repair kit
-Fix-a-Flat (as a last resort. Mechanics hate dealing with it, and you will pay for the cleanup, but if everything else fails and it gets you off the road, it'll be worth it.)
-Digital signaling lights. (I would suggest these over road flares since they last a while and don't pose a fire hazard.)
-Hi-vis vest.
-Headlight.
-Ice scraper/snow brush.
Make sure he has a good, intact, inflated spare tire. Also make sure he has extra oil and coolant.
This is all for the car. I'm assuming you aren't talking about personal items like food and water for the son.
hunta666@reddit
Really good advice. The only thing id add is a folding entrenching tool. I've used mine more than id have thought over the years.
DocRichDaElder@reddit
People always say that. I'm genuinely curious, what have you had to use it on? What are some of your use cases?
hunta666@reddit
Well, in practical terms in the winter, to smash ice in the path of my car. The wheels were just spinning on it and couldn't gain momentum. Similarly with mud. There are other ways and means to do it, but it was there and worked. I've used it as an improvised pry bar because I needed one but didn't have one to hand. I've used it to bury a few family pets because it was to hand quicker than the shovel in their shed. I used it to assist a few other drivers who were also suck and needed a dig out. Same again with clearing debris off a rural road.
I could also see them being a viable vehicle rescue tool in the right circumstances but thankfully never had to go there.
Beyond that, if you want further use cases, have a look at why the military carry them and what they use them for.
DocRichDaElder@reddit
I appreciate your response. I know why the military uses them, I did for years. I was curious what the applications in a car are. Thanks.
hunta666@reddit
No problem 🙂 for me, there are so many uses, it's a bit of a jack of all trades when you need it and compact enough to throw in a backpack if you've got to walk to somewhere as a just in case. It could even be used to dig a snow shelter if caught in a blizzard if you were really stuck. Obviously, it's only as good as the person using it and having the mindset to see the use of it when you need it.
Kradget@reddit
There are also options for reflectors (less bright, but zero failure chance) and chemical lights (slightly different failure chance). Vehicle kits tend to sit a long time, so it's probably good to have a backup for marking the road in case your batteries crap out or something. Just a thought.
co-bg@reddit
The NOCO Boosts are awesome. I’ve never used mine for my own vehicle, but I’ve used it a handful of times for people stranded at the grocery store. I’ve charged mine twice in the 3 years I’ve owned it.
fost1692@reddit
I'd add a pair of waterproof disposable overalls.
NotDinahShore@reddit (OP)
Thank you!
DocRichDaElder@reddit
This is one of the few things I buy prepacked. I think, in MY experiences, I've always found those kits to have the items I need. I look for one with my main needs, and see what they build around it that I didn't think of.
Especially good if the person doesn't know everything they should need, like a teen or young college kid
OutlawCaliber@reddit
I'd build my own, then send it to him. I've actually made a little money doing that for folks who ask me to build them one.
instapoh@reddit
Gloves. Simple addition, but well worth the effort.
EnergyLantern@reddit
You should look under the category for overlanding.
Longjumping-Army-172@reddit
I'm gonna second the "build-it-yourself" route. This way you'll get more of what you actually need, less of what you don't...and you can customize it for your vehicle.
I'm going to add to the first list...fire extinguisher and a set of hand tools...and, as always, a Swiss Army Knife...