We road trip in all seasons and all regions of the country. Over many thousands of miles and hundreds of road trips, here are a few road trip essentials we always have packed somewhere in the car.
LED Headlamp
LED headlamps are better than flashlights for two reasons: 1. You don’t have to carry extra batteries or worry about your batteries losing their charge in colder weather. 2. Headlamps are hands-free, allowing you to do other things, like signal for help or work under the hood of your car. We like this one from Black Diamond and also use it while camping and trick-or-treating with the kids:
Black Diamond Spot Headlamp, Matte Black
Collapsible Utility Shovel
Utility shovels obviously come in handy if you need to dig out of a snowbank. Last summer I saw a minivan get stuck on the beach as high tide was rolling in. I have never seen so much sand pail action in my entire life; a snow shovel would have gotten the job done with a lot less back strain. You don’t need anything fancy, this aluminum model will get the job done:
AAA 4005 Blue Aluminum Sport Utility Shovel
Road Flares
Like the flashlight, old school road flares are now powered by LED technology (but still keep a butane lighter or pack of matches in your glove box). You never know when you’ll break down at night or on a hairpin turn and road flares can easily save lives. These guys cost less than $10 and come with their own storage case:
Life Gear LED Emergency Road Flare 3-pack with Magnetic Bases
First Aid Kit
With three kids, I’m always digging into the first aid kit in our car. Obviously, replenish the band aids as you use them up. I recommend a kit with scissors and saline solution, as I have used both of these items more than once. Coleman is a reputable brand; keep this one handy for camping trips, soccer games, etc.:
Coleman Expedition First Aid Kit (205-Piece), Red
Automobile Fire Extinguisher
We’ve all seen enough Hollywood movies to understand cars are flammable objects. A compact automobile fire extinguisher is never a bad idea, especially on isolated roads or conditions where forest fires are potentially environmentally devastating. Kiddie is a great brand:
KID21006287 – Kidde FX511 Automobile Fire Extinguisher
Safe travels!
