What sort of vehicle recovery gear/ emergency gear do you keep in your car?

I currently keep an IFAK/First Aid Kit, Life Hammer, road map of my local area, headlamp, 30 foot snatch strap with 3 shackles, full size spare tire with jack and wrench, jumper cables, tire pressure gauge, space blanket, work gloves, D-ring receiver hitch, and a small fire starting kit. There is always water and protein bars in my vehicle.

So am I missing anything obvious? I don’t really off-road, but I do find myself on back country roads often so I try to keep some gear in my car.

(Mods if this is out of place sorry and please move)

Many of the same plus a gallon of water that gets rotated every year or so, a Glock 27 with two spare G22 magazines, a decent tool box with hammer, pliers, hacksaw, sockets and wrenches, a blanket and some MREs that are so old maybe the crackers are still edible.

Having a 12 volt compressor has saved my bacon several times.

I keep a list of all the stuff in my truck in a note, so that I can copy/paste into threads like this  

-Cab-
Leather gloves
Cotton gloves
Ironworking gloves
Boots
Coveralls
Shirt
Safety glasses
Shade #5 torch glasses
Ear plugs
Mini Frog Towel
Hand towel
Shop towels
China marker
Pencil
Notepad
Phone charger
Bic lighter
Flashlight
Boot brush
OEM jack, lug wrench
24” crowbar
24” limb loppers
36” bolt cutters
3/4” torque wrench
Screwdrivers (flat & phillips)
Stubby screwdrivers (flat & phillips)
Adjustable wrench
Ka-Bar
Clothespins
Automotive grease
Super glue
JB weld
RTV sealant
Duck tape
Electric tape
Tire gauge
Tire repair kit (plugs, patches, scuffers, valve cores, core removal tool)

-Toolbox-
Moving blanket
5x7 tarp
Feed sacks
Rags
3/8, 1/4 socket set
3/4 drive ratchet, misc adapters and sockets
Lug nut socket
Hammer
Pliers
4 funnels
550 cord
Various rope & wire
Bungee cords
Tie-down straps
2x4 blocks
6x6 blocks
12v compressor
Warning triangles
30 ton hydraulic jack
6 ton hydraulic jack
2 cheater pipes (2’, 3.5’)
Jumper cables
36” crowbar
30’ tow strap
8’ tree strap
3x 3/4” shackles
42” farm jack
12x12” baseplate
Pair of tire chains
Brake fluid
Power steering fluid
Coolant
Transmission fluid
15W40 diesel oil
2 gallons water

Plus I have some snacks in the console, and a gallon insulated jug that goes with me whenever I get in the truck.
ETA: full size spare in the bed, a couple mags for my EDC, and I have an IFAK that normally rides along too.
I know it’s overkill, but a lot of these items I have needed (or really wanted) in the past and didn’t have, so it is what it is

I have no room for all that gear, but hats off to you. I will see what all I can fit in my car from your list

@cccollin545
My truck is an F350 dually with a full toolbox

I’m grossing about 8K with just me and a full tank

If I need a tooth pulled I'll call you. Well done!

I’m in a Bronco Sport Badlands, and I’m trying to keep most of this gear out of sight, I keep a lot of this gear in the empty spaces around my spare.

I have a lot less space then you

Axe  ....

The general rule is you can go three hours without shelter, three days without water and three weeks without food. At the very least - You should carry the things that stop blood flow from severe injuries.

My overland rig has:
12K winch
Axe
Machete
Shovel
Folding saw
Recovery boards
30’ recovery strap
Come along
Farm jack
X Jack (air/exhaust operated)
Air compressor
Plug/patch kit
Tape: rescue, flex seal, duct, electrical & mounting
JB Weld
Zip ties- various sizes
Full size spare
Impact wrench & deep socket set
4 way lug wrench
Tool roll w/ common size wrenches, Allen keys, adjustable wrenches, screwdriver & torx bits, hacksaw, ratchet and extensions.
Jump pack
Jumper cables
Spare belts & fuses, batteries
Spare air, fuel & oil filters
Spare fluids: oil X 5 quarts, fuel X 5 gallons, brake, transmission, water X 2.5 gallons, antifreeze X 1 gallon
Gloves
Flashlight
Maps & dedicated GPS
Rino Handheld gps w/2 way radio
Handheld CB radio
Large FAK
Emergency bivy
Emergency rations
Lighters X 4
Tarp
Bungees

That’s all I remember atm

This^ has been used multiple times. Plus basic tools small chain and of course the winch.

Is there a certain brand of 12V air compressor that is good to go?

Throw a couple of snatch blocks in your kit.

Oh, and a fire extinguisher.


Edit:  I see you mentioned "car".  May not need the snatch blocks. But get the extinguisher.

Will get an extinguisher for sure! And ya it’s a Bronco Sport, I don’t have a winch……. Yet. If I get one I will get a snatch block

Thia is what I carry in my TJ ( when I go wheeling ) . On the street it all comes out .
Kinetic snatch rope
4 soft shackles
Snatch block
Winch controller
First aid kit
Gloves
On Board Air
Tire patch kit.
Fire Extinguisher
Tool roll .

I've had a cheap one by slim. It's lasted over ten years.

Thanks for the info, I was looking at a Viair 88P but I’ll look into the slime model!

Great kit.

Soft shackles are the best. I’m so over metal d ring shackles.

What brand of soft shackles are good to go? I currently only have metal D-ring shackles.

need a basic set of tools to do most of the generic stuff. channel lock pliers, crescent wrench, screw drivers (flat and phil), socket set, etc. I always include enough to change a spark plug, coil pack, brakes, interior work, coolant hoses and most engine bay surface work. I put it all in a spare toolbox and leave it in the back.

If I may... JM Rigging

I use these for when I'm off roading.

I use bubba rope gator jaws

Link

Nothing wrong with the metal d rings though, and imo you should still should have a few in the kit. But the soft shackles are so much quicker to use. Good to have a few of each for different situations

Got it, I’ll snag a few to keep my options open

I got mine from TRE.com . I started with one and kept a few metal d rings around . Since using a soft soft shackle I have no use for a metal D Ring anymore .

I've been using 3 soft tool bags to carry gear in. Usually carry the 3 tool bags and the recovery bag is carried when needed. There's pockets on the outside of the bags so ya don't have to dig for the small stuff.

Recovery bag  
- 100' steel cable for xtra reach if needed. I switched to a 125' Amsteel years ago and kept the steel line.
- snatch block
- d-block
- D ring connectors
- Extra winch hook with repair u-bolts for steel cable  
- snatch strap
- tree saver strap
- xtra hitch pins
- rock cover for synthetic line
- Towel to hang over winch line
- leather gloves
- eye pro
- long cable remote for winch

tool bag 1
- tool sets in both metric and std - wrenches in roll bags, sockets in separate cases
- flexible airline hoses and nozzles ( onboard air )

Tool bag 2
- screw drivers
- folding sets of allen head wrenches
- large & crescent wrenches that don't fit in roll
- electrical tape
- pipe thread tape/yellow gas sealant
- battery terminal cleaner tool
- forgot the other stuff


Tool bag 3
- jump suit
- hand cleaner
- blue roll of shop towels
- triflow lube
- 100 mile an hour tape
- multimeter
- road flares
- more shit I can't recall
- fire extinguisher

Truck
- onboard air Viair
- front and rear hitches
- portable 8k winch that fits front or rear of truck.
- 0/1 welder cabling for winch with HD switch under hood.
- 2x 1k lumen LED backup lights for rear, xenon conversion for headlight, brights and fog.
- flashlights
- DC/AC converter
- 2cd deep cell battery on isolation switch

When off road
- 2.5M candlepower portable light
- farm jack
- axe/shovel
- gas cans on rack - full
- off road tires w/FS spare (street tires usually)
- 150ft climbing rope

This and some tools and a $5 tire plug kit. A $1 bottle of kid's toy bubbles too. That stuff is super for finding even slow air leaks in tires. I've plugged tires without removing the wheel with this combo.

Recovery
12k winch
2 soft shackles
2 metal shackles
Hitch shackle
Snatch block
Recovery strap
Tree saver
Traction boards
Axe
Hachet
Shovel
Folding saw

Gear
Lightfighter single person tent
Tarp
Tool bag with all tools needed for a trail fix.
Ifak +2 TQ
Boo boo kit
Tire repair kit
Jumper cables
Air compressor
Jet boil
Camp burner
Camp pan
Camp kettle
Canteen cup
100mph tape
Big can of pepper spray
Surefire
Over the counter meds for headache, bodyache and stomachache.
550 cord.
Lacing wire

The Tacoma has a lot of storage everything is out of sight and I have a bed cover.
Attached File


I do need to get a few winch line dampeners though.

Basic hand tools
30ft snatch strap
2 shackles
Gloves
First aid
12V compressor
Tire plug kit
Cold Steel shovel
Duck tape and zip ties
Pair of old Crocs in case I get stuck in the mud

Instead of jumper cables I carry a jump starter box like this so I can start my truck if no one else is around . Takes up less space than cables too.


https://us.gooloo.com/products/gp2000-red

partial list:
wyeth scott come-along
two snatch blocks
three 30ft tow-straps
0.5inch long rope with loops on end (tow-straps useless inside a snatch block)
lots of loop-ended smaller-capacity rope.
six soft shackles
MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL:  EARTH AUGERS.
C-Channels that I ratchet-strap onto the tires (a lot faster than setting up the winch, when it works).
Oh, also have some of those ratchet-on tire-chains, but have yet to truly test them.....