Most people wouldn’t consider their vehicle as a part of their EDC because EDC normally holds so close to the person. For those that need to drive often or have reasons to spend a while in their car, that viewpoint might be a bit different. Hell, if you just drive a beater, some of these items may really stand out. I know the times that I’ve been stranded 100 miles from home, car smoking on the side of the road, I’ve always been thankful I kept items in my car like a good flashlight, rain poncho, and toolset. In instances where you get to play hero, a good tire jack, tire repair solution or a jump pack really comes in handy. 

Thankfully, most of these items are rather compact and can fit into the trunk of your vehicle and most require very little maintenance. When it comes to items like this, I always implore you to not cheap out on items like them. In the majority of cases where you’ll need them, you’re already stuck in a strange and stressful situation and the last thing you want is for your tool to fail. 

Some items I recommend to be easy to access and some are more “optional”. These are items that may be a bit more niche or not truly needed in certain situations. Nonetheless, this list is definitely geared more towards the everyday use of a city goer and I’ll be omitting some things that would be considered a bit too much on the prepper side. Regardless, these are all items that would fit nicely into a G.H.B or Get Home Bag. 

The List(s)

• Critical Items
  • CarJack and Spare Tire
  • Tire Patch Kit
  • Battery Jump Pack
  • Power Bank
  • First Aid Kit
  • Flashlight
  • Knife 
  • Gloves
  • Tool Set
  • Multi-Tool
  • Thermal Blanket
  • Snow and Ice Remover
  • Extra Set of Clothes
  • Fire Extinguisher
  • Air Compressor
• Optional Items
  • Poncho
  • Backup Coolant
  • Windshield Washer Fluid
  • Engine Oil
  • Duct Tape
  • Bulbs

Critical Items

Car Jack and Spare Tire

Long gone are the days when these items would come standard. Chances are if you’ve purchased a new car in recent years, you’ll find a can of fix-a-flat instead of that donut-looking spare you use to see. Having the equipment and knowing how to repair your own tire is paramount. Whether it be swapping the tire for the spare or patching a small puncture in your tire and airing it back up. 

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Tire Patch Kit

Tire patch kits can be a great backup if your spare is out of commission. A backup to a backup, or for some, the primary. These kits are often rated only for small patch jobs for short-term distances but even I’m guilty of doing a roadside patch, then driving it for the next 4,000 miles until it was time to replace the tire. 

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Battery Jump Pack

No one wants to be stuck late to work because they forgot to turn their headlights off or left an interior light on. You hook this device up just as if you were jumping a car, power it on, and start the car. Some of these devices can act as an external battery bank or may feature a flashlight as well. Very handy to have on hand, just remember to keep it charged and you might be someone’s hero after their car’s battery died.

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Power Bank

If you’re stuck out and about, your car is refusing to start and your phone just dinged you with the 15% power notification. You’d feel a lot better with a backup power bank like the Anker PowerCore 10,000, which can hold at least a few full 0 to 100 percent charges of your phone or any other device that uses a USB cable to charge. 

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First Aid Kit

This is a must-have. This item could make or break a situation. Hopefully, not a life-threatening situation but if it arises, this item shines through. Ensure that you purchase a high-quality first aid kit and that you check on expiration dates on the various items over time. Ensure it’s stored in an easy-to-access spot. Accidents and disasters don’t care if you’re not prepared for them, don’t let that occur during a life-threatening one. 

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Flashlight

If you’re like me, you already have a flashlight in your pocket and a backup flashlight in your bag. Still doesn’t hurt to keep another one in your vehicle. A flashlight that features a hat clip like the Streamlight MicroStream comes in handy to allow you to perform tasks hands-free or you could get a headlamp with multiple modes and different features. Being able to see what your doing is imperative to working efficiently and safely. 

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Knife

Much like the flashlight, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that you had a knife in your pocket and a backup knife in your bag as well. Keeping one in your vehicle adds another net of safety. I really enjoy the Morakniv Companion to be perfect for this role since it’s inexpensive, sturdy, and comes with a sheath that will attach to your belt loop with ease. 

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Gloves

No matter what sort of repair situation you end up in on the side of the road, if you’re touching the inner workings of your car, it’ll end up getting dirty. I always recommend that you keep a set of gloves in your vehicle for that exact reason, on top of that you get the added grip and protection that a good set of gloves can net you, some may even feature reinforced areas and extra padding.

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Tool Set

You don’t need to pack an entire workshop into your car but keeping even a small tool set is essential. You don’t become reliant on others or completely stranded if a simple part broke that would be easy to replace or if you need to replace a headlight bulb after it burnt out. Even assisting a friend to swap their battery. 

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Multi-Tool

Although multitools feature a lot of the same tools that you’d find full-sized on this list, the ability to have them all packed into your pocket is unrivaled. Add in the pliers and cutter that most multitools have, they can quickly become a part of your EDC. Having an extra one in your vehicle adds in another backup of all of those tools as well. 

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Thermal Blanket

Most people deal with some form of cold weather and there have always been horror stories of people traveling, veering off the road and into a snowbank where they’re stranded until someone comes by. Having an item like a thermal blanket pays for itself if you’re attempting to conserve fuel or it’s unsafe to continue to run your vehicle. Allowing you to maintain body heat or keep someone else warm if they were in an incident. 

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Snow and Ice Remover

These should just come with cars. Ensure that you purchase one that is suitable for your vehicle as you should always clear as much snow as possible off of your windows and roof. Being able to reach those spots is a situation that’s on you, so look into getting ones that have extended portions to make it easier to reach them. 

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Extra Set(s) of Clothes

You never know when you might be stuck away from home on a trip or you end up at a friend’s house and your clothes get ruined. Keeping an extra set of clothes could also mean the difference between being caught in the rain, and being stuck in wet clothes in a survival situation. Packing extra thermal layers and a set for different types of weather is important as well. Consider keeping an extra pair of shoes as well. 

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Fire Extinguisher 

A severely under-utilized item in most situations. Keeping an up-to-date fire extinguisher in your vehicle can mean the difference between replacing the entire car or a portion of the wire harness. While other countries require one in your vehicle, the United States doesn’t but it’s something that every commuter should consider having.

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Air Compressor

A sudden cold snap or airing up your tire after using a tire patch kit, the ability to get it back to a good operating PSI is just as critical. A lifesaver in the case of a slow leak as well as having one of these will allow you to limp along until you can get it repaired. Air Compressors may come bundled with other items like jump packs in one package. I always keep a cigarette lighter powered one in my trunk as well.

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Optional Items

Poncho

Some people really hate getting wet and would consider this a critical item. I tend to consider it more of an optional one because it won’t make or break a bad situation. It will help you stay warm and dry though if you’re stuck changing a tire in the downpour. Accompany this with a change of clothes and you’re going to be just fine. 

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Coolant

I can’t think of a single situation in which you’d want your temperature gauge to veer toward the red. This situation though is often accompanied by a leaking coolant tank and a white smoked engine. Keeping extra coolant for your car (even water) will at least allow you to limp along until a repair is possible. 

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Windshield Washer Fluid

Always a nice addition but never considered a critical choice. For me, it’s always come in handy to have some extra especially when I’m traveling and my windshield is covered in bugs and guts. I’ve always enjoyed using the 2 Seasons in 1 from Rainx as a general use. Works well enough to break through the ice and get splattered bugs off of my windshield. 

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Engine Oil

Keeping a bit of engine oil in your vehicle isn’t a necessity but it can be helpful if you find that your vehicle burns oil or in the instance that you develop a small leak. This choice is based purely on your vehicle and the type of oil that it requires.

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Duct Tape

Arguably a critical item. Duct tape is a thing that has been used for years to great effect. I’ve personally used it to stick my bumped back together for the drive home after being rear-ended and it did great at stopping it from dragging on the ground. Remember this is a temporary solution, not a permanent one.

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Bulbs

Never a bad idea to have these on hand. Newer cars will feature LED bulbs that burn out far less but if you’re still driving one with standard bulbs, there’s a good chance you’ll worry about them burning out at some point. Keeping a set on hand for your indicators and headlights can be the difference in possibly being pulled over and getting a fix-it ticket before you can make it to a local auto shop. 

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Everything above on the Critical list should be highly considered to end up in your SHTF bag or Get Home Bag. Some of these items can be the difference between life and death, unfortunately. The others are highly considered because of the self-sufficiency that they create. Being able to repair your vehicle and make it home that same night or helping your friend/stranger after their car died from a dead battery comes in clutch in most situations. You’ll thank yourself once you run into a bad situation and you have all the tools and items needed to get yourself out of it.