Your car NEEDS an emergency bag!

Bug out bag. Get home bag. SHTF bag. 

 Whatever you want to call it, the idea remains the same - a bag filled with essential supplies to help you no matter what type of emergency you might face. I make long road trips frequently, so the idea started with a cheap modest store bought roadside emergency kit. It had a basic assortment of items ranging from jumper cables, minor first aid products and a few tools. The more time I spent on the road the more time I had to reflect on what I might need to add to my bag. What started as a very basic emergency kit for my car has evolved into something bigger.

I started to ask myself, what if it's raining? So I added a poncho. What if it's dark? I added a flashlight. What if I need to make a repair? I added tools. The different scenarios I could possibly face were numerous. Accidents, severe weather, mechanical problems...maybe even zombies. OK, maybe not zombies but, you get the idea. In my attempt to prepare for almost anything, I was constantly adding supplies and constantly reevaluating my needs and what I might be facing on the open road, in a parking lot or even in my drive way. Before I knew it, I needed a bigger bag. And then a second bag.

My little roadside assistance bag was a good start, but I needed to cover more bases. When I'm traveling, first and foremost I need my car to work. Tools and items for repair are a must. Accidents happen, and I need to deal with that accordingly. So I expanded on my first aid a bit. What if my car breaks down? Not every thing I can fix, so I may have to plan for that as well. And...If I am stranded, possibly alone, I need the means to defend myself, if necessary. That means an extra gun or two.

With all these considerations, I think I've assembled a pretty good assortment of items that are stored away in my car's trunk. Let's take a look at what sits in my trunk in case of emergency.

Bag 1 (Auto Repair)
I've dedicated this bag specifically to car related items to cover most things short of a catastrophic failure.

• Stanley 72 pc tool set
• Misc wrenches and screwdrivers not found with the set 
• Gorilla Tape
• Electrical Tape
• Spare Fuse Set
• 2 quarts Mobil 5W40 oil
• Zip ties
• Jumer Cables
• Can of Fix-a-flat
• 12v mini air compressor
• 1 bottle brake fluid
• Bungee cords
• 1 pair Mechanix gloves
• Spyderco Bug knife
• Magnetic mechanic light
• 1 bottle antifreeze
• Rain poncho

Bag 2 (Emergency Gear)
This bag covers a variety of gear for travel emergencies.

• First Aid kit (containing bandages, gauze, OTC pain relievers, antibacterial ointment etc)
• ThruNite Archer 2A with 2 spare AA Energizer Lithium batteries
• Ka-Bar Dozier knife
• Lifestraw water filtration device
• 2 Clif bars
• 1 bag Trail Mix
• Smith & Wesson Shield 9mm with 2 magazines
• Emergency thermal blanket
• Magnesium fire starter
• Small spool of 550 paracord
• Compass
• Anker powercore mini 3350 mAh USB power bank
• Waterproof matches
• Off bug repellent wipes
• Victorinox Swiss Army Fieldmaster knife
• Misc sized rags
• Fiskars 14 inch hatchet 
• $50 cash

There's obviously lots of things to consider here, such as being stranded for an extended time in a desolate area. I could still expand on the possibility of having to set up an impromptu camp site, but for now what I have takes up a fair amount of trunk space in my average sedan. Having usable space left over is important as well. But for the long road ahead, I think I'm well covered.