What do you put in your winter survival kit?

[Chas'n Tail]

I'll start.

Blankets, jumper cables, flash light, gloves, hat, candy bar, and if its a ways away i'll throw in my carhartts extreme.

 

[LOV2HNT]

Fireball.
I like to keep at least a dozen hand warmers in the vehicle as well as most of the other stuff you listed.

 

[Rowdie]

Boots!! Coveralls, shovel, stocking cap or facemask, gloves. Used to have a big candle in a coffee can should still have one. If I'm in my truck I always have cables and tow strap. In the winter I just put my lantern in the cab with plenty of propane. Wife has cables and a little kit, not sure whats in it. If we are taking her car for a trip in the winter I make sure to bring whats needed.

 

[SDMF]

Coat (Primaloft puffy), hat, gloves in one of my small Cabelas waterproof roll-top bags for "Winter". Cables, 1st aide kit, triangles, flares, flashlight, safety vest for the "always" kit.

 

[Retired Educator]

Hate to admit this but in more than 50 years of driving I have never needed a survival kit. Knock on wood. I usually carry a shovel and a tow rope in my pickup. The shovel I carry because I might need it when fishing. Sometimes there is a left over jacket from a fishing trip, etc. Also have matches or a butane lighter as they are always in my pickup. Then again I guess I just about always have my fish-house heater in the pickup during the winter as well. Wife might have an extra jacket in her car as well. Add in the we both always have our phones with us as well as charging cords in each vehicle. Don't know if I know anyone who doesn't have a cell phone these days. Has to be some who don't, just don't know anyone who doesn't.

With today's vehicles and EFI it seems as though motor trouble is nearly nonexistent. Or maybe that's because I'm a GM guy. I hope I'm never in the situation where I need a kit but to this date I've never been in that type of a bind. Then again, if it's predicted to be that bad I usually won't go. Wish me luck.

 

[nybs]

Agree with everything - usually add shovel. I'm often traveling w/ kids, so I put winter gear in a bag for everyone if not already wearing it for longer trips (coat, snow pants, hat, gloves, boots); then have hand warmers, extra blankets, water/snacks, headlamp, couple glow-sticks, paper towels - doubles as tp if needed. Always hopeful with cell phone, and AAA that don't ever need to stay put too long, but even a couple hours in a car sub-zero temps you need to be prepared. MAKE SURE to check your stuff if you haven't in a while...I went through mine yesterday getting ready for Christmas travels and had a flashlight with low batteries, old hand warmers and some rock hard granola & candy bars that were all old.

 

[guywhofishes]

between cell phones and general improvement to major roadways a LOT of risk has been mitigated in recent decade or two

so I don't worry about it

ha ha ha

 

[cooter00]

I carry everything listed and some rescue 911 diesel treatment never know when the gas station messes up and you get shitty fuel that gels or you meet someone on the road with that said prob

 

[Bowhunter_24]

my flip over icehouse and my sunflower heater never leave the box of my pickup in the winter.

I could probably live in a blizzard for a week if i had to. lol

With the amount of Mcdonalds fries, graham crackers, fruit snacks, chicken nuggets and other various kid food behind and below my back seat i could probably survive all winter actually.

 

[fj40]

Lots of what mentioned above. If its going to be real cold, I throw in a buddy portable and an extra propane cylinder. Boost box with built in air compressor, light, and usb port. Handgun. Cell phones are cool but I figure if I get caught in a blizzard , get stuck and can't see, neither can the cops or wrecker so I don't count on them. Would have time to catch up with all the people I should have called lately.

 

[guywhofishes]

you'd be surprised what resources are available these days - tracked rigs, snowmobiles, etc.

I'm always surprised at the rigs I see involved in winter search/rescue news articles, etc.

http://www.kfyrtv.com/content/news/...es-search-and-rescue-equipment-408652395.html

It seems like a very long time since I last heard of someone succumbing to the cold in a vehicle in ND. The poor woman and her kid in SE ND the last Red River Flood is maybe the last I heard of? And they tried walking I think?

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and it seems like weather warnings are better too, and they have road blockades nowadays

really no reason for winter kits anymore when you think about it

I’m kidding mostly

 

[fj40]

I like being prepared guy, but you're mostly right. I don't want to put myself in a position where other folks and their fancy machines have to ruin their day looking for my dumb ass. I would like to see rules like some other states that when the powers that be declare no travel advised, anyone who leaves safety to go out in the crap gets charged with the rescue bill.

 

[guywhofishes]

agreed

plus I just stay home these days when it’s horrible

I used to get a thrill out of “trying to make it” back in the day - yeesh

 

[LBrandt]

Got real lucky once. Got a bull elk tag for the BOB in Montana in the mid 80. My dad told me to take his s10 4 wheel drive with topper. When packing up the truck there was our trolling battery setting right there and I thought what the hell and put it in the box way up front with some jumper cables. Put in the rest of the camping gear in and picked up a friend for the hunt. Well we left the truck at the trail head and packed in about 5 miles on foot. Came back to the truck 4 days later, never seen an elk. I got in and hit the key and click click click. My buddy never shut his door tight and the doom light was on, dead battery. The nearest yard light is like 10 miles away and I told my buddy to start walking. One road in and same road out. When he was out of sight I dug out the battery and cables and fired up the truck. Had thoughts of letting him walk farther than I did but I think he learned a lesson. He was pretty quiet until we hit the N Dak border. Some times you get lucky by over packing.

 

[johnr]

Full tank of fuel and a sack full of bean burritos. I’m golden

 

[fj40]

JuanR. Forgot the bumper dumper.

 

[Auggie]

Don't really have one. All vehicles have jumper cables, shovel, and tow strap. If it's winter and I leave town, boots, and bibs go in. I already will have on a good jacket, gloves,and cap.

 

[raider]

i'd add - always have kitty litter in all vehicles... works great in the 5 gallon fish house potties, and has enabled me to back right out of many slide offs...

 

[WormWiggler]

M&Ms and Beef Jerky, surprised with this bunch of scallywags that schnapps and condoms are not high on the list, must be the older crowd

 

[SLE]

I used to have a tote full of goods in each car/truck during the winter months. Everything from blankets, extra hat gloves, candles, matches, granola bars, flash light, yada, yada ya. This was in the days when I lived 35 miles from town. Now that we’re only a handful of miles from town, I honestly don’t carry much. If I’m headed out and it’s really nasty out or forecast is calling for it, I’ll through in the carharts, boots, shovel and so forth but with today’s cell coverage, not many places I go that I can’t get help within a hour or so. If I’m headed out into a different situation, I’ll prepare and pack a bit more. Now if we move the subject to what’s with me when we head out west with the sleds, that’s a different story. I try to be prepared that if I had to, I could spend a night on the mountain. Won’t be fun and don’t ever want to do it but when we leave town, i’d like to think if everything goes to hell, we’ll make it a night or more.

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FYI, the mountain pack has extra fuel, lots of water proof matches, a couple of small blue tarps, duct tape, some hand tools, hose clamps, gerber multi-tool, extra hat, gloves, socks, sweatshirt, more food than I need for one day, water & Gatorade, tow rope, tie straps, 10” saw, LED flash light, avalanche shovel on the sled and one in my backpack, probe, avalanche beacon, first aid kit, extra belt, ABS backpack, extra goggles, extra tether, BCA radios, Garmin Rino gps radio, cell phone even though coverage is non existent, go pro depending on day, shock air pump and other factory sled tools, toilet paper, ear plugs. I think that about covers it. I should have a 12v multi charger that fits all my electronics since all of the sleds now have a 12v accessory plug.