A Winter Car Survival Kit Will Keep You Warm in Emergency Situations

American Preppers Network ^ | 2/2/13 | Craig Caudill

[Kartographer]

When traveling in cold weather it is wise keep a winter survival kit in your car. The most obvious place to put this valuable kit is in your trunk, so unlike other survival kits, a car survival kit can be larger and more bulkier. The focus of a car survival kit is to help maintain your core body temperature to as close to 98.6 degrees as possible. There are a variety of ways this can be done but here is a list of items that should be in your car during the winter in cold climates. This winter kit will help you if your car is broke down, disabled, if the weather is unsafe to drive in and your best and safest option is to shelter-in-place.

[McGruff]

Isn't this covered under Obamacare?

*ducks*

[Celtic Conservative]

If you want to carry a shovel that doesn’t take up a lot of space is one of those army surplus entrenching tools, or “E-tool”. They’re not very expensive too.

CC

[Vendome]

I have the e-tool, Fiskars axe, bastard file, Swedish Saw, etc. Those are pack in my GOOD bag.

I carry the collapsible snow shovel for moving large amounts of materials.

I also carry collapsible snow shoes and ice cleats whenever I head into snow country.

After snowboarding for a day, I frequently have to walk quite distance across icy conditions, from my hotel to the casinos, where I end up eating and drinking.

I find it makes walking much safer and wayyyyyy easier to traverse ice covered roads and sidewalks, with little fear of gravity reminding me “Hey! Would have made walking in my tennis shoes so much easier”.

Here is the ice cleat I typically use:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Ye8c3bVCL._SY300_.jpg

[FBD]

Bump and bookmark.
Good information thanks!

[T-Bone Texan]

"...If you must resort to snow, scoop it into a cup, let it melt and drink the water.

You don't need to damage your throat on top of every thing else...

Years ago I got lost in the mountains and spent part of the night there until rescued. We ran out of water and resorted to melting snow in our mouths.

Bad idea: It gives you frostbite in your mouth (I could not taste anything for 2 weeks until new skin grew back on my tongue!), but also, a big mouthful of snow melts down into about only 3 tablespoons of water, it seemed.

[ansel12]

A mummy bag isn't better insulated, it warms better through it's design and shape.

My army bag (U.S.) is very generously cut and it is one reason that I like it, and the super high quality zipper down the center makes it ideal for sitting in the car while the mummy shaped shoulders still remain in place and the hood is still usable while sitting up, or for escaping it's confines when sleeping on the ground.

I have camped at 30 below zero using that bag with blankets in it and it is very comfortable, I have no interest in normal bags that have the cold air pouring in around your shoulders and your head exposed.

It is so perfect for sitting up in a car that I used it to drive cross country during the winter once, in a car with no driver's side window or heater in it. I bought a second one for any car passenger that I might travel with during the winter.

[windcliff]

ping

[T-Bone Texan]

"...What did I desperately need?
A pot to piss in. Really!
Don’t forget an empty container

Every human has the ability to make trucker's lemonade!

[wetphoenix]

~http://www.armynavysales.com/products/extreme-cold-weather-sleeping-bag-new/~

This one, ansel?

[goldstategop]

Traditional underwear should be layered with a nylon mesh shirt and leggings - you will sweat when walking or doing any kind of movement and allowing sweat to escape will keep you dry and warm. A thin expedition weight thermals is your second layer to keep in the warmth. A bodysuit constructed of midweight fabric will keep cold spots away. Love my Body Sock. Your final layer should be a down jacket and fleece-lined jeans. Toasty warm.

The most important extremity is your head and neck. When there is wind chill or extremely cold temperatures, a balaclava is the best thing you can wear to protect your face and neck from bitter cold. And a polyester watchcap will keep your head warm without adding weight. The balaclava can be ditched and you can wear only your watchcap when its not so cold but still cold enough you want to keep the head warm.

With your hands, I find you need both a liner glove and a sheepskin lined gloves. I find mylar space age liner gloves to be cheap in keeping the hands warm. Insulated gloves without liner gloves tend to get cold fast. With really low temperatures, add some cheap hand warmers that will ensure your gloves stay warm even when its freezing outside. When its below 35, gloves are mandatory.

Liner socks and wool socks are darn warm and comfortable. I find hiking boots work well for the winter. When there is snow and ice, lambskin-lined hiking boots with ice screws in the outer sole are heavenly and the ice screws keep a good grip on slushy and slippery terrain.

For sleeping, nothing beats a good down or lamilite sleeping bag. You can add a mylar space age blanket inside to really keep you comfortable when it gets freezing outside and of course if you wear your down jacket as well you won’t be complaining about shivering and you will find yourself drowsing off.

Winter doesn’t have to be the enemy with due preparation for the worst Mother Nature might dish out.

[ansel12]

Yep, that is my guest bag, but I am a larger guy and prefer the roomier non-arctic version that I kept when I left service in the 1980s, I use blankets inside for super cold weather, or a cotton sheet to moderate my temps during warmer weather.

It is a fantastic bag, but too heavy for backpacking of course, (except in the Army) that little hole to breath out of is nice and keeps your face warm while keeping moisture out of the bag and the zipper is without equal.

I have probably 10 various sleeping bags to choose from that I own, and that one is my favorite.

More bags should have the zipper down the center instead of on the side.

[wetphoenix]

I am officially impressed. Sleeping in an intermediate cold bag at -30F even with blankets is something.

[ansel12]

As long as I have had the inner additions that I need, no temp has caused me any problems, the great misery is when your bag and clothes are wet and trying to sleep in the rain at 40 or 50 degrees.

Something that is useful if you misjudge and get a chill during the night, is to be able to reach into your pocket and pull out a pocket warmer to activate inside your bag.

Do you carry a SERE kit that you spend countless hours perfecting and personalizing?

[Cold Heart]

Good plan. But I would still need to have the lifeboat rations. My grand kids would clean out your entire stock of peanut butter and honey oat bars at a single stop light:)

[wetphoenix]

In fact no. When I travel outside the city by car in winter I take a couple of army MREs, a bottle of brendy, a propane stove, sleeping bag and an arctic jumpsuit for emergency. I always have a big knife and mandated automotive first aid kit.

[ansel12]

The SERE kit is something for soldiers in certain units.

[wetphoenix]

Ah, I got what you mean, Ansel. Nope, I don’t carry one.

[rfreedom4u]

I notice the list says “other people.” I don’t believe I can fit a person in my kit, but if I could I’d choose any of the following (for warmth only of course):

Shania Twain
Faith Hill
Jennifer Aniston
Kimberly Guillfoyle

But we don’t really have a huge “cold” problem in the Houston area.

[ansel12]

Some of the guys in your unit that do field operations would know about them, it would be interesting to learn what they carry.

[CARDINALRULES]

Yeah, a container that can be closed is best.

For women that is a little more difficult but they sell a container that has a funnel like attachment. I was thinking of other containers the other day when talking with my sister for something a young girl could use. Empty coffee can, bucket with a seat ( with bags to keep it clean), a storage container like you keep cereal or pasta. I plan to look at the $ Tree next time.

If it has a lid and you keep it clean you can use the warmth it has for a few minutes. Then dump it out for next use.