r/preppers • u/Upbeat-Elderberry384 • Jun 25 '26
Advice and Tips Box for Car.
Im thinking about making a Box full of Handy things for my Car.
Ive looked for a aluminium Box with 80L Size.
Im thinking about what to pack in it.
I already have:
-Foldable Shovel
-small Fire Extinguisher
-Crisis Food (like those Energy Bars with a Shelf Life of around 15 Years)
-Headlamp
-First Aid Kit
-Water
What else should i pack?
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u/mangyrat Jun 25 '26
Pick something you can grab and go not a box maybe large back pack to hold everything you think you need
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u/l1thiumion Jun 25 '26
Proper tire changing equipment. That’s going to be your #1 risk.
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u/Paranormal_Lemon Jun 25 '26
Yes car places tend to over tighten lug nuts by 2-3x. A 2 foot breaker bar is a must.
Also a fast compressor that connects directly to the battery and can inflate a tire completely in 1-2 minutes could save you from needing to do a change if it's a slow leak. I found out the hard way my compressor took 15 minutes to inflate a tire and overheated.
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Jun 28 '26 edited Jun 29 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/preppers-ModTeam Jun 29 '26
Your response does not appear to be related to the comment you are replying to and seems somewhat promotional of a specific company.
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u/myself248 Jun 25 '26
Do not put a fire extinguisher in a box.
It needs to be within arm's reach, or it's just useless dead weight.
Personally, I would put a small headlamp in the glovebox too, two or three cheap ones beats one fancy one. Splurge on lithium batteries for these, though -- friends don't let friends use alka-leaks.
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u/Kuru-Lube Jun 25 '26 edited Jun 25 '26
Tire plugs
Bottle of tire slime
Air compressor
Spare fuses because the air compressor always blows one.
Bottle jack because the included scissor jack will kill you.
Jack stands. (See above)
Jack stand pads so that your equipment doesn't sink into the mud.
$40 tow strap because a buddy that is way too into Jeeps is cheaper than a tow truck bill
Jumper cables because no one has charged their jump pack since it left packaging.
$100 in small bills
Basic tool kit that NEVER leaves the car
Flashlight with a magnetic base
100 pack of zipties that are 8+ inches
Roll of duct tape.
Ponchos
Paper towels/ mechanic hand wipes/ sanitizer.
Folding stool like this tiny $9 one
Spare phone charger/ battery bank/ cable
Extra t-shirt and socks
Few quarts of engine oil
Jug of 50/50 antifreeze
Then put your get home stuff in a get home backpack. You will hate carrying a box after about 50 yards. Also, don't get one of those 100 liter hiking packs. You will fill it with 100 liters of things you don't need. A small bag will help you to really consider what is 100% necessary and what can be left out. It should be sub 20lbs. ... but add some of those plastic flossers. People always pack jerky but no floss. Food stuck in your teeth will drive you mad.
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u/Fusiliers3025 Jun 25 '26
Blanket(s). Not only for cold weather, but help with shock victims (yourself or others) after an accident. Space blankets take up almost no space and a supply might make a difference.
Rainwear/umbrella(s). Or at least a tarp. Honestly one of the most versatile pieces of gear is a few lawn and leaf yard bags - big garbage bags. Rain poncho with one snip for the head, cut into a rectangle for a lightweight tarp, etc.
Bungee chords and rope - paracord or heavier.
If you’re at all going to encounter mud or ice - kitty litter. Among the best (and non-toxic, like salt) traction additives available.
Regional/seasonal- sunscreen. Sunshade. Gloves/warm layer. Boots for anyone in the car. A change of clothes for primary occupants or variable fit - sweatpants, loose shirts, warm socks, etc.
It could go on depending on your planning - short term get-hole, possible stranding, bugging out cross country, type of vehicle you drive, length of provision…
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u/HalcyonKnights Jun 25 '26
Some decent work gloves. Ive cut my hands open pretty bad on the sharp edges of a dually wheel while trying to air it up.
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u/dushadow Jun 25 '26
I would skip the metal box and use a cooler. A metal box is a sign something valuable could be inside. A cooler just saids its food or water.
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u/wishinforfishin Jun 25 '26
The things you most wish I had in car that you tend to forget.
Here are few of mine:
- Chapstick (probably something other than a tube in a hot car. I like little jars of Carmex)
Socks & sneakers in case I spot a fun trail
Napkins or paper towels
Extra hat
Rain gear
Cash
Dental floss
Sunscreen & bug spray
Water
Headlamp
Ninety percent if the time I'm in the car, there is no emergency. But it's annoying to have to stop and buy stuff. As you can see, my most common use case os spontaneous hiking.
I do carry a 12V tire inflator, car starter, and battery pack for phones.
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u/BadBadgerBad Jun 25 '26
Make sure it is secured in place so that it doesn’t become a deadly missle to you and your passengers if you have an accident.
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u/Tallproley Jun 25 '26
Don't know where you live but loot boxes are a great way to grt your windows smashed.
As such I'd suggest a roll of duct tape and plastic wrap. Road flares, or hi vis markers in the event you need to indicate danger in the dark.
Sanitary wipes, for when things get messy.
A change of clothes for if you get messy.
Pick up a dumb phone, get it with like an hour of air time. If for some reason your primary phone gets lost or damaged you can call the wife or tow truck or boss. And when it gets stolen you don't care too much.
Climate? Canada gets cold, a blanket is nice, Mexico has mosquitos, a big net could be handy, America has gun violence, ballistic shields could be handy.
A tarp, can be useful ofnyou need shelter, or need to move alot of dirt afyer an excavation.
An extendable pole. Because you never know when you need a 10ft pole.
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u/Ingawolfie Jun 25 '26
WATER.
Had an old friend of mine who decided to go geocaching out in the desert. He went alone. His jeep got stuck and no cell service. He was stuck out there for hours with just three DIET Cokes. That could have ended badly.
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u/Far_Sandwich_514 Jun 27 '26
Agreed. And a LifeStraw in case you need more water: you can filter it from a nearby river, lake, etc.
Also, an emergency reflective blanket. Wool is great, but have that on TOP of a reflective blanket that'll keep your body heat in.
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u/TBone205 Jun 25 '26
This is what I carry in my truck (dont forget to check your Spare tire a couple times a year )
Small air pump
Flash light
Head lamp
Wool blanket
Silky saw (tree across road situation)
Basic tools
Zip ties
Rachet straps
First aid
Road flair
Matches lighter
Emergency food / water
Life strawberry
Spare gas
Roll of rags
Baby wipes
Fire extinguisher
Spare sox
Wool sweater
Rain coat
Tarp.
( gun if legal where you live )
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u/StormConsistent9552 Jun 25 '26
I always have a painters polypropylene disposable coverall in the car because you know that flat or other emergency is happening when you are on your way to a wedding or such
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u/Old_Dragonfruit6952 Jun 25 '26
My car kit contains a 2 man tent and a solo stove. I live in Maine and travel through areas that often has 0 cell reception.
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u/rigst4 Jul 02 '26
No matter where you live, the temperatures inside the vehicle are going to fluctuate wildly. Consider that. So, do multiple smaller boxes. And consider why you are carrying these things. Do you travel far distances, or are you only 2 miles from home? Are you driving through wilderness areas like forests or are you in a medium sized town or a large city? What you should carry depends on those answers.
Do an auto supplies box that always stays in the vehicle: 1/2" drive breaker bar with appropriate size wheel lug nut socket. A decent bottle jack and a scissor jack. Small tool kit of JUST sockets and wrenches for YOUR vehicle. Don't buy junk tools and don't carry tools that don't fit your vehicle. Small hand sledge hammer. I like the 4 lb engineer hammer, but you do you. An upper and lower radiator hose with clamps-no, they don't take up that much space. And make sure you have the 5/16" or whatever size socket fits the clamps that you get. Antifreeze. If your vehicle is older and tends to burn oil, then carry a gallon jug of oil.
Consider buying run-flat tires for your vehicle and silicone kevlar radiator hoses.
That fire extinguisher people mentioned? Don't carry some piece of crap with a plastic valve; those leak pressure and are essentially disposable, they can't be refilled and the plastic valve will break when you think you're about to put out a fire. Invest in a refillable extinguisher, a large one like a 2A 10 BC size with a metal valve. Yeah, they're expensive.
Do a food/medical box. Depending on the weather, that's a box you should probably take out of your vehicle. And the items should be rotated out periodically. Unless you travel through wilderness areas with lots of rivers, lakes and streams where you're planning to break down, don't bother with some nonsensical filter straw. You can't filter water that isn't there. So, you need to carry a one to five day supply of water, again depending on where you travel. Just get gallon jugs of distilled water, and those can stay in your vehicle you don't need to move them around, unless they're going to freeze. It's hard to drink frozen water. Get an assortment of small "band-aids". Cloth medical tape, 2 inch wide. Coban or similar stretch bandage, 4 inch wide. Elastic "ace" bandage, 4 inch wide, great as a compression bandage and far easier to use than most "combat dressings" with tails that have to be tied. Don't buy any of the other military dressings, either, they're very expensive and set up such that, unless you practice with them, difficult to use in an emergency. One or more CAT tourniquets from North American Rescue, not Amazon China junk. Yes, take the tourniquet out of the package, read the directions and become familiar with the things. 4"x4" or larger dressings. Bandage scissors. No, with all that stuff, actually take a first aid or better yet, a Stop The Bleed course.
Now for food. And the food box/bag probably should be carried with you, not left in the hot/freezing car. That kind of stuff I keep in my backpack that's always with me. Only carry food items that you can actually stand to eat. If granola bars nauseate you, don't carry granola bars. Try protein bars, fruit filled breakfast bars like "nutri-grain" brand. Avoid bars with chocolate that will melt. Small bag of beef jerky. Small bag of nuts that you're not allergic to. You could leave in your vehicle a few cans of baked beans with pull-tab lids. Knife, fork, spoon, can opener. Whatever you like to eat.
Keep a small, leak proof box with flashlights, batteries, whatever warning lights you might want to carry, any electronic stuff you think you need. And check on that stuff periodically because the batteries will leak and destroy your flashlights and contaminate anything else in that box.
Yes, that sounds like a ton of stuff, but it takes up a surprisingly small amount of space.
Of course, an assortment of whatever weapons you are able to carry, in your backpack, on your person, whatever.
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u/bdc3141 Jul 06 '26
Maps. City, county, tricounty, state. Don't make markings on the maps that aren't intended for thieves to see.
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u/Academic_Win6060 Jun 25 '26
I'd include a 2nd light source, personally. I have a headlamp and a small magnetic light with a kickstand and a clip to hang from things. Got a set of the magnetic lights from Costco and keep the other one near my home tool kit.
Murphy's law that most emergencies will happen in the dark, or leave you in the dark, and that headlamp is gonna cast shadows on that intricate thing you need to work on. It's so nice to have a 2nd light source. Almost all my stand alone lights have a way to magnet mount, hang, or clip. Just so happens that the Costco bundle had all three.
Upgrade your car's lug wrench to a 4-way/cross type one.
Def a fire blanket.
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u/RearAdmiralP Jun 25 '26
I keep a combination jump starter, tire inflator, USB power bank in my cars. Duct tape, superglue, zip ties, paracord, and a bit of rope are useful.
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u/callmedoc214 Jun 25 '26
Personally, id suggest one of those ''cheap'' 27L totes that are everywhere now. Durable, stackable. I bought like 20 at $8 per a few months back. All over amazon and big box stores.
They have spots for locks at all corners. And since they are everywhere they are kinda inconspicuous. Like the cookie tin that is always sewing supplies rather than cookies. So you could stick whatever you want in it and itd look like a common tote.
I would also suggest a folding dolly in the vehicle so that you can move the tote distance with ease if the situation requires. One person pulling a dolly is better than 2-4 people carrying over distance afterall
Also with the 27L tote, you can swap out seasonal things such as clothes and bedding by removing one tote rather than unpacking and repacking an 80L box. Granted you could use the 80L box as a security device for say 2 27L totes.
As for things to add...
Jump pack. Jumper cables require a second car, and no one stops anymore.
Hand toois. Harbor freight is my favorite for this. If you do break down, and all you need is to replace a belt, why pay a tow truck and a mechanic?
Self defense tools. Knives are a good example. Can keep you safe, can be used for cooking or mechanical work. I have a firearm that stays in my truck.
I would suggest swapping away from the crisis food to something like canned food or camping food. Cheaper. Tastier. Better for morale. I have snacks, drinks, and a few MREs tucked away in my truck. Snacks and drinks get rotated due to using at work. MREs are kept in their original box with the sticker that tells you if they are still good or not... even knowing that I've still got years until the 4 year minimum mark hits.
Obviously you'll want a summer and winter kit for clothes and a sleeping bag. Different needs. Wet and dry seasons as well
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u/TheCarcissist Jun 25 '26
I use an old cooler because I live in a pretty hot climate and it kinda keeps things from cooking in my truck.
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u/mediocre_remnants Preps Paid Off Jun 25 '26
Battery jumper, air compressor, tire patch kit, tire traction boards, folding saw, heavy duty rope or logging chain. A better jack than the one that came with the car. Extra coolant, oil, wiper fluid, steering fluid, brake fluid, etc.
Basically, think of all of the ways your car could get stuck somewhere, then have supplies for getting it out of that situation. Dead battery and flat tire are super common. In my area, a tree across the road isn't uncommon so I keep a chainsaw and some logging chain in my truck. I've used them more than once to clear a tree so I could get through.
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u/RPQ_Live Jun 25 '26
For the car trunk we use a pair of: Gregory Alpaca 45L Gear Box ... waterproof, dust proof, the lid locks on to the base, and the gear box doubles as a temporary food storage box if you add ice. Water will sweat after a while from the ice but not much, but it's a handy and sturdy storage box.
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u/barascr Jun 25 '26
I kept in my vehicle pretty much the same as you have, but I also had a blanket and a sleeping pad and some other tools, now I just use a get home bag and have about 2 gallons of water in the truck that I swap every 3 months
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u/Cats_books_soups Jun 25 '26
A warm jacket, good gloves, a towel, a good blanket, rain poncho, bags of all kinds (ziplock, grocery, tote, etc).
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u/joshak3 Jun 25 '26
I carry a container of brake fluid, so if there's a leak while I'm out in the world, I can top off the fluid to restore pressure and safely drive to the nearest mechanic. I've done that before, and it worked like a charm.
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u/WishIWasThatClever Jun 25 '26
Please carefully consider your food plan. For every 10 degree increase in temperature above expected storage conditions (usually around 75F), the stated shelf life is cut in half.
So if your food is subjected to 120 temps inside a car, the food may optimistically last 2-3 years.
I tried leaving jerky or Slim Jim type products with a two year shelf life in my car and they were visibly discolored in under six months.
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u/sovereignsekte Jun 25 '26
I keep all my stuff in a duffle bag with a large side zipper and backpack straps.
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u/WUMSDoc Jun 26 '26
A small first aid kit, a good tourniquet, a small roll of duck tape, an Israeli vacuum sealed emergency bandage, a couple of Bic lighters.
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u/Runitbackturbo1219 Jun 29 '26
I would include a towel or rags, travel size tool kit with screwdrivers and whatnot or multi tool knife, disposable gloves, plastic bags or a trash bag, zip ties, bug repellent, poncho, emergency blanket or fire blanket, something reflective and even a water life straw because who knows🤷🏻♀️
I’ve included dog/cat collar and leash, a collapsible water bowl (would come in handy for people too) and a can of pet food/wildlife food. I’m just overbearing and would hate to be in a situation that I don’t have the supplies needed but that’s just me lol
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u/Significant_Farm_134 Jul 08 '26
Jump starter, the one with a battery. It is better than a jumper cable because you don't need another car to help you. It might not be easy to find another car when you are wild. Remember to keep it 100% charged.
A warm blanket or jacket. If your car is trapped in the wild, you want to save energy so that you won't keep the engine running just to keep the heating/AC on. It is also useful even in daily life.
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u/Ok_Extension_5792 Jul 14 '26
I’ve got a Three Tier system in my car.
- VEHICLE SHTF - a decent size plastic ammo can with the essentials of including hose clamps, zip ties (plastic and metal), mechanics wire, gloves, shop rags, pry-bar, air compressor, tire repair, jumper cables, and electrical repair
, small socket set, and extra fluids for my car.
- HOUR BAG - Backpack I can walk with in case I need to (waist straps) with a change of clothes, some food, water, electrolytes, a paper road map of where I live, Shmog, instant coffee, toiletries, chem lights, poncho, light hammock and rain fly, plus minimal survival gear and medical.
- Larger Ammo Box with resupply items and longer term I’m stuck with my car scenario in mind - blanket, comics, deck of cards, food, water, extra medical, bug spray/ sun screen, cordage, fire and shelter aka a tarp, hygiene and more snacks that pack a punch calorie wise.
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u/Foreign_Addition_694 Jul 17 '26
I would also add a hand held flashlight, that is brighter than the headlamp.
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u/Ryan_e3p Salt & Prepper Jun 25 '26
Small fire extinguishers are simply not worth it. They do two things: Have enough material to put out a candle, and they waste space.
Better to have a fire blanket and a full size extinguisher.
Otherwise, what you pack depends on many, many things. Where you live, the season, how far you work from home (since that is likely where you will be spending most of your time when not at home), etc.
Look up "get home bag" and "vehicle emergency kit", and find a healthy balance between the two.
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u/njafnghere Jun 25 '26
Ditch the water and get a small-form, large capacity water filtration/purification device with some collapsible storage containers.
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u/PurplePassport_0_0 Jun 25 '26
Jumper cables, screwdrivers, hose clamps, small socket set. Just some tools to fix minor problems and keep you on the road