This page is about the stuff that’s actually in my truck, my closet, and the junk drawer my wife keeps threatening to clean out.
Nothing here requires a bunker. Most of it fits in a backpack or a plastic tote. I’m a dad and a grandpa who spent years fixing heavy equipment, which mostly taught me that things break at the worst possible time and the person with a flashlight gets to feel smug.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra, and it keeps the lights on here, which is ironic given the subject matter.
Communications
When the power goes and the cell towers get cranky, you want a way to hear what’s happening and a way to reach the people in your house.
Midland ER310 Emergency Crank Weather Radio
Picks up NOAA weather alerts, charges off a hand crank or solar panel, and has a flashlight built in. Crank it for a few minutes and feel your forearm develop opinions.
Midland GXT1000 Two-Way Radios (pair)
For keeping track of family across a campground, a neighborhood, or a Walmart parking lot after a storm. Useful range is a lot shorter than the box claims. The box is optimistic. Some channels need an FCC GMRS license, which is cheap and requires no test.
Anker 20,000mAh Power Bank
Keeps a phone alive for a couple of days. Charge it now. A dead power bank is just a brick with a logo.
First Aid
Band-Aids handle scraped knees. This section is for the bad day. Buy the gear, then take a free Stop the Bleed class so you know what to do with it.
C-A-T Tourniquet (North American Rescue)
The one the military uses. Buy it only from the official North American Rescue storefront. Fakes are all over Amazon, and a tourniquet that snaps is worse than none.
Israeli Emergency Bandage
Pressure bandage you can put on with one hand. Vacuum sealed, so it’s flat enough to toss in a glovebox and forget about until you need it.
Adventure Medical Kits Mountain Series
A decent pre-built kit for the everyday stuff: cuts, blisters, splinters, the grandkid who found the one sharp thing in the yard.
Truck Kit
Indiana winters and a two-lane road at 11pm will teach you what belongs in a trunk.
OXILAM Jump Starter 6000A
Starts a dead battery without waiting for a stranger with cables and a questionable attitude. Charge it every few months, or it’ll be as dead as your battery.
12V Portable Tire Inflator
Plugs into the lighter socket and gets a soft tire to the next gas station. Cheaper than a tow and faster than waiting for one.
Wool Blanket
Stays warm when it’s wet, and a stuck car in January gets cold fast. Also good for kneeling in slush while you figure out what went wrong.