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Best Emergency Kits for Cars in 2022

Don't ruin the road trip: We review the best roadside emergency kits to help get going or to so you can wait comfortably until help arrives.

You never expect to be in a dire situation, but it's good to be prepared in case one occurs. Your  phone  is a great tool in case of an emergency, but don't rely on it -- after all, it can get wet, break or run out of battery. You could be setting yourself up for trouble if you don't have the right equipment to get yourself out of a bind. That's why roadside emergency kits are so important to have in any  car, SUV or truck .

A roadside emergency kit comes prepacked with tools and other things -- from jumper cables to traction strips to a first-aid kit to emergency blankets -- that will help you deal with all sorts of roadside problems. These kits range from $25 or $30 to upward of $150, and all have strengths and weaknesses for their respective prices.

Yes, you might get the absolute best car emergency kit if you built your own, with an eye on the specifics of when and where you travel, and we'll get back to that later. Yet building your own takes time, effort and possibly more cash. None of the prepackaged roadside emergency kits have everything you could possibly need, but all should have the most important, useful things. You can even mix and match less expensive kits to get something like the perfect one for you. 

To choose the best roadside emergency kits, we evaluated reports from testing labs and scanned user ratings at popular shopping sites. We also interviewed experts and applied personal experience. Before you click Confirm Order, look through our entire list of the best kits and think a bit about the kind of vehicle you drive and where you intend to drive it. Then read on for valuable tips on what makes a good road survival kit, how to minimize the chances of a roadside emergency situation in advance and what you need if you decide to assemble your own emergency road kit.

Lifeline AAA Excursion Road Kit 4388AAA

Best roadside car emergency kit overall.

The American Automobile Association, better known as AAA, rescues about 30 million stranded motorists a year. It knows something about roadside emergencies, and that makes this broad-coverage roadside car kit a fantastic place to start. It includes a good first-aid kit with a guide, good quality 8-gauge jumper cables, an aluminum LED flashlight (with batteries), cutting blades, bungee cords, zip ties, a roll of duct tape and a basic tool kit, a flare-replacing reflective triangle, work gloves and rain poncho. Yet one of the things that separates this auto emergency kit from most others is its compact, 12-volt-powered air compressor, which allows you to refill tires wherever you find yourself. There's even a fleece scarf, gloves and a winter hat to help keep you warm if you're waiting.

Given its generally broad coverage, two things stand out among those the Lifeline AAA Excursion car kit lacks. One is any sort of tire sealant or puncture repair, so you'd better have a spare tire that holds air, or add a bottle of tire sealant. The second is a Mylar emergency blanket. Sometimes called space blankets, these thin, foldable sheets measure 84 by 52 inches. They're windproof, waterproof and capable of reflecting 90% of your body heat. They can also be fashioned into emergency shelter. See them here .

Finally, if the thought of fixing flats and emergency shelter leaves you feeling a little unsettled, the AAA Excursion roadside emergency car kit offers one more valuable item: an Auto Club membership brochure with discount, so rescue will never be too far away.

Lianxin Roadside Assistance Emergency Kit

Best roadside car emergency kit for the money.

We like this roadside kit because it packs a lot in a compact soft case at a more modest price. The Lianxin Roadside Assistance Emergency Kit has all the emergency item essentials: 8-foot jumper cables, a tow strap with hooks, an emergency blanket, reflective wear, gloves, tape, a seatbelt cutter and window smashing safety hammer, a (very basic) first-aid kit with adhesive bandages and a flashlight -- in this case hand-cranked, so you don't have to worry about batteries. The tool kit has a metal hammer and solid snipping pliers, and there are a bunch of atypical safety kit extras here. Those include a range of 12-volt fuses, a plastic sweep/snow shovel and even a compass if your phone dies.

On the downside, the Lianxin emergency car kit lacks two hugely valuable items: an air compressor and tire-repairing potential. Yet for this price, you could buy a small 12-volt tire inflator and a bottle of Slime and still beat the cost of some more expensive car emergency kits. 

Haiphaik Emergency Roadside Toolkit

Best roadside car emergency kit for winter.

The Haiphaik Emergency Roadside Toolkit is a perennial top seller on Amazon, and it isn't difficult to see why. It has all the essentials, in decent quality, including 12-foot jumper cables and a 10,000-pound tow rope. The tool kit is above-grade, with a fully adjustable wrench, Allen wrenches and a tape measure. There are even a couple anti-COVID face masks. Yet what sets this emergency car kit apart is the under-tire traction strips and a real, compact, military-style spade shovel with saw-blade edge.

Oddly, for a winter kit, the Haiphaik Emergency Roadside Toolkit lacks something important: that emergency Mylar blanket. That can be handy if you're stuck on the South Dakota prairie in a driving snowstorm. You can add four of those here for about 15 bucks. 

Ready America Emergency Kit 70280

Best roadside car emergency kit if you're stranded or you plan to build your own.

This car emergency kit includes none of the things that might get you going again during a roadside emergency -- no jumper cables or flat tire repair, no tow rope, no utility tools, traction aids or flashlight. But in the worst case none of those tools will get you going anyway, and what actually is in the Ready America Emergency Kit could mean the difference between successfully waiting things out or... well, you get it.

Its contents? A decent first-aid kit, two emergency Mylar blankets, face masks and latex gloves, a loud whistle and two 12-hour glow sticks. Then there's enough food and water to sustain two hungry people for three days. The food is 4,800 calories of cholesterol-free nutrition bars. The water is packaged in multiple 125-milliliter pouches that fit nicely in the small, backpack-style carrying case. Both the food and water in this survival kit are packed in temperature-resistant plastic foil with a five-year shelf life.

As we said: The Ready America Emergency Kit is the best roadside emergency kit if you're stranded, and the perfect place to start if you plan to build your own roadside emergency kit. The typical car enthusiast likely has spare tools, jumper cables and even a tire inflator lying around the garage. The emergency blankets, first-aid kit and three days of nutrition with a long shelf life -- not so likely.

Top Gear Premium Roadside Assistance Kit

Best roadside car emergency kit from a tv car show.

This auto emergency kit has the essentials -- first aid kit items, decent jumper cables, reflective vest and triangle, a hand-cranked flashlight, Mylar blanket -- at a good price. It has some extras, too, including zip ties, a bungee cord, glow sticks and a whistle. There's no tow strap, nor tire repairing potential, but you can't go wrong with that Top Gear-branded carrying bag. Cosmic inspiration from Jeremy Clarkson and the Stig could have you going again in no time at all.

Swiss Safe 2-in-1 Emergency Roadside Car Assistance

Best roadside car emergency kit with a top-tier first-aid kit in a hard case.

The Swiss Safe 2-in-1 Emergency Roadside Car Assistance kit is about average when it comes to the broader range of potential roadside emergencies. It has essentials like jumper cables, some tools, a reflective vest, a rain poncho, a bungee, wool gloves and an emergency blanket. It offers no tire repair options or tow rope, and while it comes with glow sticks, it has no flashlight (though a lot of us will have one in the glovebox anyway).

This car emergency package balances mediocre roadside-emergency mitigation features with a first-aid kit suited for an emergency room physician, packed in a self-contained hard case. The first aid kit package includes trauma shears, tweezers, an instant ice pack, a vast array in size and types of bandages, gauze pads, medical tape, finger splints, a sling, tongue depressors, antiseptic cleaning pads and ointments, wound adhesive and a full first-aid guide. There's also a smaller, pull-out first aid kit pack you can bring on the trail to the scenic overlook.

It's the full-service first-aid kit that separates this roadside emergency kit from the pack. And there's enough room in the soft tool carrying case to throw in some extras, such as fuses, hose clamps and a bottle of Slime.

Secureguard Roadside Emergency Kit

Best roadside car emergency kit for electrical trouble (update: out of stock).

We could also call this the best emergency roadside kit for vintage British sports cars.

It starts with the essentials: jumper cables, tow-strap, basic first-aid kit, reflective necessities, a safety hammer, an emergency blanket, a multitool with blades and a flashlight. Then it adds something you don't see in many kits. That would be an electrical tester.

Given that the single biggest source of roadside emergencies is an electrical problem -- either a dead battery or an oft-related short -- the electrical tester could prove vital. This car emergency kit also includes a range of fuses and electrical connectors, with wire-stripping, needle-nose pliers. With a bit of knowledge and its electrical tester, this roadside kit could be the difference between waiting for hours somewhere west of Laramie and getting rolling again before the sun sets.

Slime Spair Flat Tire Repair Kit

Best roadside car emergency kit for a flat tire (update: out of stock).

This is not your typical roadside car emergency kit. It's intended for the very specific purpose of fixing a punctured tire or a flat spare tire and getting you headed toward civilization in short order. Slime says it will get you back on the road in 11 minutes or less. The sealant is safe for all tires, rims and pressure monitor systems, and there's enough for large truck tires. It's good for 125 miles of travel. The air compressor includes a 12-volt male lighter-socket plug and alligator clips for direct battery connection and it has a useful LED floodlight that casts a broad swath. The kit includes spare valve caps and cores and adapters for beach balls and other inflatables.

We restate: This auto emergency kit has a very specific job. For full coverage, it can be paired with another roadside emergency kit, such as our best for the money Lianxin Roadside Assistance Emergency Kit above . 

Comparison of the best roadside car emergency kits in 2022

You never know when trouble will strike on the road.

Roadside emergencies 101

The American Automobile Association knows a thing or two about roadside emergencies and how to address them. On the year 2020, AAA rescued 33 million stranded motorists. Over the last 15 years, as cars have become generally more reliable and mobile phones have been almost universally adapted, the number of stranded motorists has declined slightly on a per-capita basis. That means there are fewer roadside emergencies per 100,000 miles traveled, according to Cliff Ruud, managing director of automotive at AAA. Yet the overall volume of roadside rescues has continued to increase steadily. Roads across America are more heavily traveled each year.

Your phone alone will not save you. Mobile phones are as valuable as any tool in dealing with a roadside emergency, but they shouldn't be the only one. Aside from technical issues like signal strength and availability, phones can't jump start your car or fix a tire. They can't beam down trained help in minutes, and they can't keep you safe and comfortable if help is hours away. Mobile phones can create roadside emergencies as effectively as they can resolve them.

"Obviously cell phones and their apps are wonderful things," observes AAA's Ruud. "But from our viewpoint the downside is distracted driving. Some people have a hard time leaving their phone alone, and there are consequences. Always have your phone with you on the road, but use it properly. It's probably not a great idea to rely on it exclusively for your safety."

When cell phone coverage is spotty, you'll be glad to have an emergency car kit if you encounter any car issues.

AAA keeps data on the nature of its rescue calls, and that data provides a blueprint for what you need in your roadside emergency kit. Ruud says that the single largest source of rescue calls, by a long shot, is a dead battery. He notes that, while automotive batteries are generally stronger than ever before, and cars are equipped with more failsafe features to keep drivers from inadvertently draining them, the share of dead-battery rescues has actually increased over the last decade or so.

That might be because people need time to learn how the new-fangled, electrically powered systems on their cars work. Regardless, it definitely means that the first thing you want in your roadside emergency supply kit is a set of jumper cables, and virtually every general purpose kit has them.

Or maybe you want a compact portable jump-start battery. The two options -- conventional jumper cables, portable jump-start batteries -- have advantages and disadvantages, and if you're building your own roadside emergency kit or augmenting a prepackaged kit, you might want to consider a portable battery .

A good emergency car kit will usually include jumper cables, basic tools and gloves.

High-grade jumper cables are less expensive than a portable battery. They're always ready, and they should supply an endless stream of battery-to-battery jump starts. Yet the single, encompassing disadvantage of conventional jumper cables is that you always need a second functioning vehicle -- or at least a charged 12-volt battery -- to jump start your own car.

A decent compact, lithium jump starter is about the size of a paperback book. It weighs a couple of pounds, so it will easily fit in the same space as wound-up jumper cables like a spare tire compartment -- even with the battery clamps that come with virtually every portable jump starter. The typical portable is good for at least two or three jumps when it's fully charged, unless it's really, really cold. It just has to be fully charged. Most come with a 12-volt adapter for lighter sockets so they can charge as you're underway. And if it isn't obvious, the advantage over jumper cables is huge. You can jump start your car without a second vehicle or anyone else's help, wherever you find yourself at whatever time.

Portable jump-start batteries offer further advantages. Nearly all have a built-in light. Many somewhat larger ones have built-in tire inflators with a tire pressure gauge , and they're still compact enough to easily carry in a vehicle. They also provide a small, dense container of electrical energy to charge mobile phones and other electronic devices if you're stranded with a dead engine.

To battle tire trouble, the Slime Spair Flat Tire Repair Kit is tops.

However you choose to protect yourself, a bad or drained battery is the most likely cause of roadside trouble. The second most likely cause, again by a considerable margin over number three, according to AAA data, is tire trouble. It's often a repairable thread puncture, and sometimes a completely shredded tire, with possible damage to the rim. The first line of defense if you want to get going again, of course, is a functional spare, jack and lug wrench. Lug nuts installed with an air wrench can be difficult to remove manually, so it's never a bad idea to include some sort of breaker bar or mechanical leveraging device in your roadside emergency kit. After that, if you forgot to check the spare, or if you've installed it and want backup, the options get trickier.

Many roadside emergency kits come with a tire-tread puncture repair kit or sometimes a bottle of tire sealant like Slime, which either pours or blows into the tire through the air valve. Both can work for emergency repairs, but you'll be left with another problem. You have to re-inflate the tire. A relative few kits include a portable, 12-volt powered tire inflator, but if they do they cost substantially more. Sometimes the price increase matches or exceeds the cost of a separate portable tire inflator .

If you think a separate tire inflator is the better choice, check our best list here . Again, we note: Many portable jump start batteries have built-in inflators, without filling inordinately more space, and with those you can fill two jobs with one device.

Some portable jump-start batteries also double as tire inflators.

The third most common source of calls for roadside assistance is a catch-all category that might be labeled "needed a tow." It includes things like accidents, damage to parked vehicles, cars sliding off the road into ditches, engine problems, even lost keys or lockouts. Many of these towed vehicles were actually still drivable, and this category highlights the value of some of the other items found in the typical roadside emergency kit.

The tow strap, typically rated at 10,000 pounds, might easily get you out of snow-filled culvert or a stretch of mud, should a good Samaritan happen by. It might also get you off the right-of-way to a safe place if something in the drive system fails. Traction strips or ropes and a shovel might find you enough momentum to roll out of the deep snow. The cutting blades and duct tape can temporarily repair a coolant hose. The bungees and zip ties might secure a bent hood or a door that won't latch, and the whistle allows you to attract attention if for any reason you're obscured from view of the roadway. The safety hammer included in many kits can cut jammed seatbelts, and it makes it much easier to shatter automotive safety glass. Yet it has no value if the driver or a passenger can't reach it from his or her seat. If you plan to keep your emergency road kit in the trunk, pull the safety hammer and put it in the console or glove box.

The value of other items is probably obvious, but just in case, the headlamps or flashlights will be a blessing when you're under the hood in the dark. Many kits now come with small, hand-operated lights that generate their own electricity. That means you never have to worry about dead batteries, though the hand-cranked lights tend to generate less actual light than a conventional, battery-fed flashlight.

A reflective vest and glow sticks will help keep you and your disabled car visible on the side of the road.

The reflective safety vest, light sticks and road flare substitutes help keep you and your disabled vehicle visible to passing motorists. The emergency blankets could be just what you need if your wait turns into hours, and the work gloves... well, you get it.

Don't underestimate the value of a first-aid kit. If you slice a finger removing the tire jack, it's preferable not to bleed all over everything. Many of those packaged in roadside emergency kits are as basic as they get: a handful of bandages and a couple antiseptic wipes. Many add antiseptic ointment and adhesive tape. If you prefer a more elaborate first-aid kit, select your roadside emergency kit carefully. Or buy a more elaborate first-aid kit or build your own.

There are plenty of useful items that appear hit or miss in the typical car emergency kit -- it might have some, not others -- and many of them can easily fit in the bag the typical kit comes in. We're thinking fuses appropriate to your vehicle, wire nuts, electrical tape and electrical tabs, a couple of hose clamps, a can/bottle opener and a compass for those worst-case scenarios. A small fire extinguisher is a fine idea somewhere in your vehicle. Out-of-gas calls account for just 4% of AAA's rescue runs, and gas cans can be a bit bulky, but it never hurts to carry one -- even if it serves to port cooling water in a car emergency. The same applies to a portable syphon hose and pump.

Don't underestimate the importance of having a first aid kit as part of your emergency car gear.

Some of what you want in your car emergency kit depends on what you're driving, and where your route will take you. The space in an SUV or pickup bed allows you to be more lavish. The value of a shovel knows no season, but if it's winter in the north some sort of traction aid gets more critical. Emergency Mylar blankets reflect heat in both directions, meaning they can be as useful for staying cool as for staying warm. It also matters whether you're crossing town or crossing the country. Emergency rations have saved more than a handful of stranded motorists. Basic nutrition kits like our best if you're stranded are relatively inexpensive and compact, with a long, stable shelf life. AAA's Ruud notes that he probably wouldn't drive anywhere in Arizona in the summer -- commuting or cross state -- without a minimum of potable water aboard.

Don't forget about the case, whether you're buying or building your own roadside emergency kit. Small matters more if you're driving a VW GTI full of luggage. Soft is better than hard, because soft allows tighter packing when it comes to both the bag's contents and its location in your vehicle, but soft can be a bigger challenge organizing efficiently. If something is crush-sensitive, account for it. And don't forget to keep the safety hammer within reach of the front seats, wherever you stash the case.

Finally, don't be taken by the kit supplier's boast -- 114! 196! 326! -- about the number of pieces in its kit. Almost universally, these piece counts include every zip tie and every swab, bandage and safety pin in the first-aid kit, so a good first-aid kit will multiply the pieces in the roadside emergency kit, whether a first-aid kit is your most important priority or not. There's no substitute for sorting through the contents to see what you're actually getting.

Before you buy, make sure to closely examine the contents of any emergency car kit.

Let's face it. Some of us will be enthused by the idea of buying or building an excellent roadside emergency kit -- and the rugged self-reliance associated with it. Others prefer not to be forced into playing MacGyver or feel comfortable with a mobile phone as the first line of defense. Whichever you are, a roadside assistance service like AAA is never a bad idea, assuming you can afford it.

Know your roadside assistance options. Most bought-new cars come with roadside assistance for at least a portion of the warranty period, even without a telematics service such as OnStar. Some third-party companies, like credit card or cellular service providers, offer variations of roadside assistance, and many auto insurance policies include it. If your policy doesn't have it, you can probably add roadside assistance. Always read the fine print and know that with some of these services you pay up front and get reimbursed later.

The easiest path might be a traditional roadside rescue plan from AAA or the Good Sam Club, and it usually doesn't matter who actually insures your car. Annual plans can start at around $100. One undervalued component of a roadside assistance plan is that it can help get you to the front of the line. It's probably easier reaching out to AAA than it is locating and then connecting with a towing shop that might be 50 or more miles away.

All of our best roadside emergency kits do at least one job very well, and most cover many potentialities. Yet every road trip should start by giving your machine a simple once-over. AAA's Ruud calls it "making a safe BET."

The Lifeline AAA Excursion Road Kit includes jumper cables, basic tools, a tire inflator, flashlight and reflective triangle.

BET stands for battery, engine and tires, or the things you want to check before you roll. Modern auto batteries tend to fail more abruptly than they did 10 or 20 years ago, or at least with less warning. If yours is more than a couple years old, or if you have any doubts, get it tested. Clean any corrosion from the battery posts and make sure the connectors are snug.

Check your oil, coolant and other engine fluid levels. Look for obvious drips underneath the car or under the hood. Air filters can be a source of all sorts of check-engine warnings, so look at your air filter and replace it as necessary. If there's a check-engine light in the dash, find out what it's telling you. Many auto parts chains will do it free, or you can use one of our best OBD2 scanners . It never hurts to have that OBD2 scanner along when you're on the road.

Visually inspect your tires for bulges, cracks or divots on the sidewalls and tread. Look for small dents around the edge of the rims. Check tread depth with a gauge or a penny. If you can see all of Lincoln's head when you insert the penny head first in a tread channel, you're probably asking for trouble on the road. Make sure you have a jack, lug wrench and spare, and make sure all five tires are properly inflated.

Find out exactly what an illuminated check-engine light is telling you with an OBD2 scanner.

For added measure, clean your windows, top up your washer fluid and check your wiper blades (or just replace them if it's been more than a year). Just a little bit of preparation substantially increases the odds that you'll never pull the roadside emergency kit from the trunk.

Finally, and most importantly, there's one more thing to bring when you hit the road. Patience.

"Patience might be the most valuable tool of all," says AAA's Ruud. "There's a lot of people on the road, and you don't want impatience or distraction or a bit of road rage to be the reason you have a roadside emergency to begin with."

Written by J.P. Vettraino for CNET Cars .

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The Best Emergency Roadside Kits To Keep In Your Car

By: Tim Huber Published: May 31, 2023

Road trips have been an American tradition since the completion of the first major highway systems — such as Route 66 — in the mid-1920s. And while there’s no shortage of obvious upsides to touring by car, the method of travel isn’t without its problems, and many of the issues that plagued drivers nearly a century ago are still pestering road-goers today such as flat tires, dead batteries, and getting stuck. Because drivers have been contending with these roadside challenges for just about as long as cars have existed, quite a few individuals have created tools and products specifically to remedy these situations.

Unfortunately, hazards out on the open road can be incredibly unpredictable, which is why it’s important to be prepared with the right gear should you have to address a flat tire or other roadside issues. And while you could individually select each necessary element and piece together your own roadside emergency kit, there are plenty of seasoned experts that have already gone through the trouble of doing the legwork for you and delivering pre-assembled kits containing everything needed to get you out of a jam. Because these kits can so widely vary in terms of both overall quality and the number of items and amenities they contain, we’ve scoured the available offerings to deliver this guide on the best emergency roadside car kits.

The Best Emergency Roadside Kits

Best Budget Kit

HAIPHAIK Emergency Roadside Toolkit

Best Car First Aid Kit

Popular Mechanics x MyMedic Auto Medic Stormproof FAK

Best Value Kit

First Secure Car Emergency Kit

Best Wait-For-Help Kit

Lifeline AAA Excursion Road Kit

Best Fix-It-Yourself Kit

Swiss Safe 2-In-1 Emergency Roadside Assistance Kit

Best Overland/Off-Road Kit

Overland Vehicle Systems Air Compressor & Tire Repair Kit

Literal lifesavers.

The Importance Of Emergency Roadside Kits

Roadside kits can be an absolute blessing, whether off-roading in the backcountry, traveling cross country, or simply when getting a flat during rush hour on your daily commute to work . These kits not only contain pretty much everything needed to remedy the vast majority of basic roadside jams but also often contain additional, potentially life-saving equipment such as rations and MREs, lighting and power banks, medical supplies, and other survival gear. These bundled packages also typically come with an included carry bag or case that houses the array of tools and gear that constitute each kit.

Like motorcycle helmets, prophylactics, or home defense weapons, emergency roadside kits are very much items that are exponentially better to have and not need than they are to need and not have. The reality is that in today’s age of smartphones and GPS systems , we’re seldom without the ability to reach out to AAA or a tow truck for help, though there are nonetheless still plenty of occasions in which a roadside kit can be a literal lifesaver. This can mean being in a remote era, where help is hours away, or being somewhere without phone reception at all where self-reliance is the only option.

What Comprises A Quality Car Kit

The Main Elements That Should Be Included In An Emergency Roadside Kit

Roadside kits can contain a myriad of different elements, though some of the most commonly found items include jumper cables, tire patch kits, and headlamps, though some companies also supplement these staples with items such as windshield ice scrapers, air compressors, spare fuses, road flares, shovels, tow ropes, survival gear, medical supplies, knives, hand-tools, multi-tools, gloves, and flashlights. Keeping some non-perishable food on hand is also highly recommended, with a good rule of thumb being to carry at least 72-hours worth of rations for each passenger. When traveling deep into remote territories with limited cell service and help that’s at best hours if not days away, it’s also advised to purchase an emergency beacon or satellite phone — whether these items are included in a kit or purchased supplementary to an existing kit. 

Planning For Problems

What To Look For When Buying An Emergency Roadside Kit

Though they’re all created to serve the same basic function, emergency roadside kits can vary in a number of key areas. Below, we’ll be delving into five of the most crucial areas to consider when shopping for an emergency roadside kit for your car or truck.

Kit Type: Emergency roadside kits come in many different forms, all aimed to address different roadside scenarios, from breakdowns to flat tires to dead batteries to collisions and wrecks. You’ll want to consider the locale in which you’ll be using the kit, and what potential hazards and emergencies are most common in that region. There are also more robust, generalized kits made to take on a wide variety of different scenarios. There are also particularly specialized kits that focus on specific areas, such as off-road tire change and repair kits. What’s more, there are also some kits that better lend themselves to situations in which drivers wait for a tow truck or AAA, while others are more conducive to having the user turn a wrench and fix the roadside problem or problems themselves. 

Quality: Alongside the items that comprise each car kit, the other main element that distinguishes some kits from others is quality. Because your life can literally depend on your kit properly functioning when you need it to, we’d argue that it’s worth opting to spend a bit more for the added peace of mind that comes with buying a more high-end kit.

Case Or Vessel: Rather than bouncing around in your trunk or making a mess of your glove compartment, the items that constitute emergency car kits almost always come sold in some type of carrying bag or a hard case that can accommodate the entire kit and be neatly stowed away when not being used. Just like with the tools and other items that make up the kits themselves, the bags or cases they come in can wildly vary in quality, with the more high-end offerings typically employing markedly more premium materials and construction techniques.

Value: Because many of the items included in them are often crafted from steel — which is a fairly inexpensive construction to use — basic emergency roadside kits can be purchased for relatively little money. With that said, this is a space in which spending more will undeniably get you more, as the pricier kits tend to boast far more additional bells and whistles than their more affordable alternatives.

Optional Add-Ons: Most emergency roadside kits are created by individuals that have thought long and hard about the types of hazards that can occur on the road and which items to include to help overcome these open road obstacles. However, in an effort to allow for a more customized kit, some companies offer optional upgrades and add-ons to supplement existing kits. These obviously come at a premium, though they undeniably add utility to each kit.

The Price Of Preparedness

Are Roadside Emergency Car Kits Worth It?

One of the most common questions asked about modern roadside emergency kits is whether or not they’re worth the investment and price. While the reality is that one could in theory buy all the individual components needed to make it kit, chances are you’ll not only spend more money, but you’ll also lose out on the convenience and time saved by purchasing a preassembled emergency kit.

It can also be tempting to opt for the cheaper kits on the market, however, it’s worth noting that these kits are intended to be used in emergency situations — I.e. the last time you want a piece of emergency gear to break or fail. For this reason, we recommend spending a little extra to get a better quality kit, as this will ensure better performance when it comes time to use the kit, plus will afford better peace of mind. This is especially true when it comes to items like battery jump boxes or mobile air compressors that often sit for extended periods without being used. 

Roadside Saviors

The Best Emergency Roadside Car Kits Currently On The Market

Now that you’re all caught up on why emergency roadside kits are so important and what to look for when shopping for one, let’s dive into our picks for the best kits currently available.

• Features host of basic roadside essentials in affordable bundle
• Comprised of more than 100 items
• Includes flashlight, jumper cables, tow ropes, tire patch kit, zip-ties, toolset, & gloves
• Low-quality tools
• Contains myriad of miscellaneous items unlikely to be helpful/used

Best Budget Kit: HAIPHAIK’s emergency roadside kit is a pretty incredible value at just under $50. Sold in a carrying case, this 124-piece kit includes a tow rope with gated steel hooks at both ends, a wallet multi-tool, a hand-crank flashlight, a tire patch kit, a set of spare fuses, a keychain flashlight , a pair of gloves, a folding shovel, an 11-piece tool set housed in a crush-resistant PE case, and an 11.8’ set of jumper cables.

• Made in America
• Easily fits in most glove compartments
• Backed by lifetime warranty/guarantee
• FAK housed in stormproof pouch
• Excellent quality items
• Expensive for a small first aid kit
• Only includes first aid kit elements & contains no automotive repair items

Best Car First Aid Kit: Unlike the lion’s share of kits on this list, which are designed to get you out of a roadside jam, the Popular Mechanics x MyMedic Auto Medic kit was the result of the FAK specialist setting out to deliver the ultimate automotive first aid kit . Unveiled in December of 2020, this kit is backed by a lifetime warranty, made in America, and features a vast array of medical supplies that all come housed in a waterproof pouch with welded seams and water-resistant zippers.

• Offers great value
• Robust 90-piece emergency kit
• Includes tire patch kit & portable air compressor
• Also features first aid kit & multi-tool
• Air compressor is fairly low quality & low-power

Best Value Kit: This kit appeared on several competitor’s guides (including being Motor1’s pick for best all-around First Secure’s emergency roadside kit offers very similar amenities to the first two kits, including a hook-equipped tow rope rated at up to 10,000lbs, a headlamp, gloves, a tire plug kit, 10’ jumper cables, and a 48-piece first aid kit, though it more than justifies its $10 bump over the previous item via the addition of a 12V 250PSI portable air compressor. Comprised of some 90 pieces, First Secure’s kit also boasts a multi-tool, a seat-belt-cutter and window-breaker tool, and a variety of other odds and ends.

• Roadside kit w/ included mobile air compressor
• Includes aluminum flashlight & full first aid kit
• Has zip-ties, duct tape, & bungee cords to MacGyver roadside problems
• Actual hand tools limited to only pliers & flathead and Phillips drivers

Best Wait-For-Help Kit: Alongside a 45-piece first aid kit, this 76-item ensemble from the American Automobile Association packs a digital air compressor with an integrated gauge, 10’ eight-gauge jumper cables, a collapsible emergency warning triangle, an LED flashlight with an aluminum housing (with batteries), a utility knife, cable ties, a poncho, a pair of shop clothes, pliers, gloves, duct tape, and both flat head and Phillips head screwdrivers.

• Comprised of approximately 350 items
• Includes robust roadside repair kit & first aid kit
• Both roadside kit & FAK come housed in carrying cases
• Also has high-visibility reflective safety vest & glow sticks
• Would benefit from a few additional hand tools

Best Fix-It-Yourself Kit: For just $10 more than the HAIPHAIK kit, we have this offering from Swiss Safe that bundles a fairly robust emergency roadside tool kit — which includes an ice scraper, a plethora of sockets and screwdriver bits, gloves, several drivers, a rain poncho , PVC electrical tape, a pair of glow-sticks, a tire pressure gauge, 12’ jumper cables — with a 348-piece first aid kit that comes housed in a weatherproof heavy-duty plastic case.

• High-quality off-road-specific tire repair & air compressor kit
• Includes digital tire deflator & robust 53-piece tire repair kit
• Also useful for regular flat tires when on-the-road
• Entire kit comprised of high-quality components & parts
• Expensive price

Best Overland/Off-Road Kit: Overland Vehicle Systems make rugged gear that can be trusted and depended on when far off the beaten path, and the overlanding outfit’s tire repair combo kit is far from an exception. Compatible with any vehicle with a 12V battery, the kit includes a 0.33HP, 120V, 120PSI compressor making 5.6CFM and the brand’s hardwearing tire patch/plug kit.

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Best roadside emergency car kit overall

Best roadside emergency car kit for winter, best roadside emergency car kit for frequent travelers, best budget roadside emergency car kit, best roadside emergency car kit for staying visible, what a paramedic recommends, check out our other emergency kit guides, we talked to a paramedic about the best roadside emergency kits to keep in your trunk. here are the 5 to consider..

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Let's face it, there's never a convenient time for your car to break down. But when it inevitably does, some of that stress can be alleviated with a properly equipped roadside emergency car kit.

These kits come with a number of useful items designed to keep you safe while parked alongside a busy highway. This includes things like a first aid kit , a flashlight , safety cones, flares, and others to help you stay visible to passing traffic. Some even include tools to assist with minor repairs.

While it's possible to piece together a kit on your own, collecting everything takes time and often costs more than buying one pre-assembled — and there are a ton of excellent pre-made kits to choose from. 

Below are five of the best roadside emergency car kits you can buy, many of which include items recommended by the National Safety Council ,  Ready , and the  American Automobile Association . Two of our picks even include a first-aid kit (one of our 14 essential car items ), and they also make excellent gifts for new drivers or for anyone who has a vehicle but doesn't yet own one.

Learn more about  how Insider Reviews tests and researches health products .

Here are the best roadside emergency car kits:

Best overall: Swiss Safe Ultimate Roadside Emergency Kit, - See at Amazon The Swiss Safe Ultimate Roadside Emergency Kit is stocked with plenty of essentials to help you survive an unexpected breakdown. Drop this kit in your trunk and you'll be prepared for virtually anything. 

Best for winter: Lifeline 4390 AAA Severe Weather Roadside Safety Kit - See at Amazon Thanks to the inclusion of some cold-weather-specific tools and gear, the Lifeline 4390 AAA Severe Weather Roadside Safety Kit is the one you'll want with you should your car break down during winter. 

Best for frequent travelers: Autodeco Car Roadside Emergency Kit - See at Amazon Frequent travelers will find a lot to love in the Autodeco Car Roadside Emergency Kit as it's packed with everything from an air compressor to a tow rope, proving that you can never be too prepared. 

Best budget: Cyecttr Car Emergency Kit - See at Amazon The Cyecttr Car Emergency Kit provides everything most drivers need in a small, compact, and affordable package.

Best for staying visible: Hokena LED Road Flares Roadside Emergency Kit - See at Amazon The Hokena LED Road Flares Roadside Emergency Kit greatly enhances visibility in low light and poor weather conditions, keeping stranded drivers much safer in the process. 

The Swiss Safe Ultimate Roadside Emergency Kit is stocked with plenty of essentials to help you survive an unexpected breakdown. Drop this kit in your trunk and you'll be prepared for virtually anything. 

Pros: Has a 348-piece first aid kit, 12-foot jumper cables, an emergency rain poncho, and a variety of handy tools all in a water-resistant and rugged nylon bag

Cons: Doesn't come with a flashlight and is a bit pricier than other options

If you're looking to purchase a convenient emergency car kit that includes everything you could possibly need in single package, it's tough to top the Swiss Safe Ultimate Emergency Kit . This well-equipped option comes with so many handy tools that it's hard to list them all here. After all, what other kit comes with a bungee cord, electrical tape, zip ties, and a compressed towelette (to name only a few)? 

Other items included in the kit's water-resistant and surprisingly durable storage bag include 12-foot jumper cables, an emergency rain poncho, and a pair of work gloves. You'll also find a bright yellow safety vest and a set of glow sticks, both of which help increase visibility to passing drivers. The extra-loud emergency whistle could be a tremendous help in flagging down assistance during emergency situations, too. 

The kit also comes with some very handy tools, including a reversible screwdriver, a tire gauge, and an 18-piece socket set. A durable ice scraper is a nice item to have on frosty mornings, as well. These items won't replace a fully stocked tool kit of course, but they can handle some minor repairs without taking up too much space. 

Perhaps the best item found in this emergency roadside kit is its excellent first aid kit. With 348-pieces — ranging from a variety of bandages and first aid tape to gauze pads and antiseptic wipes — this kit-within-the-kit will likely prove to be highly useful even when your car hasn't broken down. That includes potentially rendering aid when another motorist has found themselves in an emergency situation. There's even a first aid guide that provides procedures and advice for dealing with a wide variety of injuries and ailments. 

This kit finds itself on the higher end of the price spectrum but considering everything that it delivers — in one convenient package, no less — it's easy to recommend to any motorists looking for additional insurance. The kit won't prevent your vehicle from breaking down, but it just might make sure that you get through such an experience in one piece.

Thanks to the inclusion of some cold-weather specific tools and gear, the Lifeline 4390 AAA Severe Weather Roadside Safety Kit is the one you'll want with you should your car breakdown during winter. 

Pros: Equipped with severe weather and winter-specific tools, includes shovel

Cons: Lacks some fundamental tools

When your car breaks down in the winter, the inclement weather and cold temperatures can add an additional level of stress and anxiety. Thankfully, the Lifeline 4390 AAA Severe Weather Roadside Safety Kit was designed specifically for those kinds of situations, packing in some additional gear designed to keep motorists warm and safe.

Endorsed by the American Automobile Association (better known as Triple-A or just AAA), this kit includes a set of hand warming packets, an emergency fire starter tool, and a fleece blanket and gloves. It even comes with a set of candles and bags of tea to brew up a warm drink. These accessories may not seem like much, but if you're stranded on the roadside in freezing temperatures, they'll be much appreciated. 

Other items include a folding shovel to help move snow, an ice scraper, an emergency whistle, and a survival blanket that provides added warmth when paired with its fleece counterpart. A 45-piece first aid kit and a battery-operated flashlight rounds out the package, which comes in a durable carrying pack that includes the AAA logo embossed on the outside. 

While the kit is nicely equipped for winter weather, I'd have liked to have seen a few additional basic items included. For instance, a reflective emergency vest and roadside triangle would be a good addition, as would a few simple tools such as a screwdriver or safety hammer. Curiously, a set of jumper cables are also not a part of the package, despite being an important accessory for use in cold conditions. 

Despite these omissions, this kit is great option for motorists who frequently find themselves on the road in cold weather conditions. You'll just want to be sure to augment the contents of the kit with a few additional tools to make up for some of the items it lacks.

Frequent travelers will find a lot to love in the Autodeco Car Roadside Emergency Kit as it's packed with everything from an air compressor to a tow rope, proving that you can never be too prepared. 

Pros: Comes standard with numerous items not found in other emergency car kits, and features a roadside triangle and yellow traffic vest for added visibility

Cons: First aid kit could be better stocked, included multitool is hard to use

Built for someone who prides themselves on always being prepared for disaster, the Autodeco Car Roadside Emergency Kit puts a surprising number of handy tools into one compact package. Its biggest strength is the line-up of unique items that simply aren't found in most other kits of this kind. 

This includes a tire repair kit that comes with a 12-volt compact air compressor for re-inflating a flat, as well as a multifunctional shovel and blade, a tow rope, and a hammer with a multitool in the handle. If that wasn't enough, there's also a car fuse kit, a reflecting roadside warning triangle, and a compass. 

Of course, this kit features plenty of the standard equipment you'd expect, too. For instance, it has a bright yellow emergency traffic vest, a rain poncho, and work gloves. The included jumper cables are also a very generous 13.5 feet in length and the inclusion of an emergency blanket, tire pressure gage, zip ties, and electrical tape are a nice touch, too. 

If there's one glaring weakness, it's with the included first aid kit. Considering all the other items that come in this package, the number and quality of the medical supplies seem woefully lacking. Yes, there are some bandages, gauze, a tweezer, and a few other items, but overall it feels like somewhat of an afterthought. This is easily rectified by adding a fully-stocked first kit — or even just some additional medical supplies — of your own. But this product could have earned "best overall" honors had it delivered more in this area.

That said, the sheer number of other truly useful items found in this kit make it an exceptionally good choice for those who spend a lot of time on the road.

The Cyecttr Car Emergency Kit provides everything most drivers need in a small, compact, and affordable package.

Pros: Budget-friendly price

Cons: No first aid kit, jumper cables could be longer

Motorists on a budget will find the Cyecttr Car Emergency Kit to be a great addition to any vehicle. The kit includes a well-rounded set of tools that may be lacking in quality but are still more than adequate enough to see them through an unexpected breakdown. 

The kit comes with some important basic tools, including a set of jumper cables, a reflective warning triangle, rain poncho, screwdriver, and an LED flashlight. You'll even find a 10-foot tow rope, reflective safety vest, a set of car fuses, and a tire pressure gauge are part of the package.

While I would have liked to have seen a few additional items included with the kit — most notably a first aid kit — a few corners were understandably cut to achieve a $25 price tag. My biggest gripe is that the included jumper cables are just 8 feet in length, which could be a bit short for use in some circumstances. 

Still, it's hard to be disappointed by a kit that delivers so much value in a such a compact package. If you're looking for a simple, well-equipped roadside emergency car kit that doesn't cost too much, it's hard to top this one.

The Hokena LED Road Flares Roadside Emergency Kit greatly enhances visibility in low light and poor weather conditions, keeping stranded drivers much safer in the process. 

Pros: Bright LED lights increases visibility and safety

Cons: Small selection of included tools, lights aren't rechargeable

Best when used in conjunction with any of the above car kits, the Hokena LED Road Flares Roadside Emergency Kit is designed to enhance safety by improving visibility. Getting stranded on the side of the road after dark or when the weather is particularly bad can bring a whole new level danger, but these bright LED lights can help mitigate those risks substantially. 

Designed to be set out on the ground around your vehicle or magnetically attached directly to it, these LED lights are bright and eye-catching. Much like traditional flares, they can be used to alert approaching traffic to your whereabouts, giving them plenty of time to slow down and move into another lane, providing a bubble of safety and security around your stranded car.

The lights themselves are rugged and waterproof, which makes them ideal for use in the outdoors and in inclement weather. They are also powered by AAA batteries and have nine different light modes — including a strobe setting — for attracting attention. The batteries come pre-installed and ready to use, which is useful in an emergency situation. That said, I'd have preferred that the flares were equipped with rechargeable power cells. Still, AAA batteries are very common, easy to find, and are often sold in roadside convenience stores. 

While the LED lights are the main focus of this safety kit, it does come with a few additional tools that prove highly useful. For instance, it features two mylar safety blankets, a keychain screwdriver and emergency whistle, and a 2-in-1 window breaker and seat belt cutter tool.

Beyond being used for roadside illumination, these LED lights can be used around the house, on a boat, or in a variety of other environments too, making this an emergency kit that's a versatile addition to your vehicle or home.

Roadside emergency kits can come with more than 50 items, half of which you may not know how to use. It's important to understand what to reach for first if you're in an emergency. But regardless of the tools at your disposal, the most important first step is to stay calm.

"As an emergency responder with 13 years of urban experience, the biggest barrier to responders is panicked victims," said Arthur Pliaconis, RN, NRP, a paramedic at Denver Health Paramedic Division and Coursera emergency medicine instructor . "While it's understandable you might be upset, emotional, or distressed, you must do your best to control your panic response." 

He advises reserving 911 and EMS calls for true emergencies where a person is injured or personal safety is compromised or endangered.

Once you've taken a few deep breaths, assessed your situation, and called for help if necessary, you can start to dig into your tool kit. Here's a comprehensive list of materials Pliaconis recommends to stow away in your trunk or under the car seat:

• Food: This includes non-perishable items, like ready-to-eat meals , and meal replacement or high-calorie protein bars .
• Bottled water: Keep at least a gallon in your vehicle.
• Mouth barrier device : This is good to have for performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation . Pliaconis also recommends printing out how-to guides on bystander CPR to reference and keep in your car for emergencies.
• Warming or instant heat packets: Having several of these in your kit can help prevent hypothermia when stranded in winter conditions. Pliaconis advises rationing them out in gloves for your hands and socks for your feet.
• Flashlight with a rechargeable, solar, or crank battery: This is best used as an emergency signal, especially if stranded in dense woods to help guide responders to you. He recommends a flashlight with a strobe pattern , as flashing lights are more easily seen than steady ones.
• Emergency lights: These can come in the form of flares , reflective triangles , or LED light pods and make you easily visible and reflective at night. They can be easily moved, don't burn out or require power, and remain upright. Pliaconis recommends using them as a barrier around you: place one about 100 steps from your vehicle, another walking back to the car about 30 to 40 steps, and then walk another 30 to 40 steps to place the last one. Most come in a set of three, and this allows some warning or oncoming traffic to slow down and begin to merge over. Pliaconis recommends not using hazard lights if your vehicle's engine or battery is disabled to prevent battery power consumption that could be used for more life-saving issues. And, never stand in front of your disabled vehicle while on the shoulder because you may be struck and killed by your own vehicle if it is impacted by oncoming traffic.
• A traction device: Tire chains or shovels work equally as well to help you get out of stuck earth or snow.
• Navigation tools: Carry a GPS device if you're going off-road or toward a rural area. This can be a smartwatch , cellphone, or GPS system that can provide coordinates to a medical professional for further assistance. And, for more remote areas, consider carrying an SOS beacon device .
• Essential medication: If you have prescriptions that are necessary to sustain your life, consider packing an emergency supply in the kit. This may include glucose tabs for people with diabetes .   
• Tourniquets: Bandages are convenient for small cuts, but tourniquets are best to control heavy bleeding and, according to Pliaconis can save lives. Tourniquets should be applied to armpits or groins to stop fatal arterial bleeding from arms and legs, which may occur if you've experienced a particularly bad crash. Tourniquets, once applied, should not be removed until emergency aid is obtained by medical professionals. Pliaconis referenced a 2015 study from the National Institutes of Health, which found the risk of death from bleeding largely outweighs complications from long-term use of a tourniquet. Other options include pressure bandage dressings and special dressings impregnated with blood-clotting agents ( hemostatic dressings ).

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AAA Excursion Road Kit - 76 Piece

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Description

The Excursion Road Kit contains 76 components to help keep you prepared for those unforeseeable roadside events ranging from finding your car with a flat tire or low on tire pressure, a dead battery, to being stranded on the side of the road needing a reflective triangle to alert oncoming traffic. It features a fabric, dual compartment carry case, 10 foot - 8 gauge booster cables for when you need a jump, 11.5” reflective triangle to alert oncoming traffic, phillips and flathead screwdriver with rubber handles, slip joint pliers and much more! This quality kit with its essential emergency supplies, is perfect to throw into your trunk or in the back of your vehicle so that you are prepared for when those minor unexpected roadside emergencies happen.

AAA QUALITY: Most trusted name in travel

76 PC AUTO EMERGENCY KIT: Includes first aid and emergency supplies

28 PCS OF EMERGENCY SUPPLIES: 11.5” Warning Triangle, Duct Tape, Bungee Cord, Screwdrivers and more

FLASHLIGHT: 9 LED Flashlight with batteries

BOOSTER CABLES: 10 foot 8 gauge booster cables

STURDY AND DURABLE: 12X5X7” Hard-Shell Foam Case that can easily fit in a vehicle's trunk or backseat

BE PREPARED: Ideal for Car, Truck, RV or anywhere that you need quick access to First Aid and Emergency supplies

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Roadside Emergency Car Kit with Jumper Cables - Car Essentials - Travel First Aid Kit, LED Flash Light, Rain Coat, Glow Stick, Safety Vest & More Ideal Emergency Kit for Car, Truck Or SUV (Small Kit)

Purchase options and add-ons, about this item.

• MUST-HAVE CAR ACCESSORY: This emergency car kit will prove invaluable should you ever get stranded or if your car, SUV or truck unexpectedly breaks down in the middle of the road. Above all, it’s a matter of staying safe and always being prepared wherever you are.
• EVERYTHING YOU MIGHT POSSIBLY NEED: This roadside assistance car kit includes a reflective warning triangle and safety vest, 2 gloves with gripping palms, a LED flash light, a rain coat, jumper cables, two Hand warmers, a glow stick, and an emergency blanket. Plus, you will get a fully equipped first aid kit.
• LIGHTWEIGHT, COMPACT EMERGENCY KIT: This car emergency kit comes in a small bag that can fit anywhere in your backseat, trunk or even in your spare tire compartment. It’s lightweight, compact and yet still holds everything you need for life’s unexpected events.
• USEFUL & THOUGHTFUL GIFT: Amazing gift for first-time car owners or anyone who owns a car, truck or RV and are not fully prepared for their road trips or daily commutes. Imagine how much they will appreciate you if you get them something that truly comes in handy in an emergency situation.
• 100% GUARANTEED SATISFACTION: Every single tool and accessory in this emergency kit is a safe, premium quality, regulated product and the entire auto package is covered by our unlimited satisfaction guarantee. Not entirely pleased with your purchase? Let us know and we will make it right.

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Product details

• Package Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 13 x 10 x 1.5 inches; 3.25 Pounds
• Batteries ‏ : ‎ 3 Product Specific batteries required. (included)
• Date First Available ‏ : ‎ February 28, 2019
• Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Emergency USA
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07P967KQ2
• #175 in Automotive Safety Kits

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Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

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Customers like the value, compactness, and items in the survival kit. They mention it's a good gift for the money, has great items, and is a perfect size emergency kit for the car. However, some disagree on quality.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers appreciate the value of the survival kit. They say it's a great gift for first-time drivers and new drivers, with lots of items for the price. Some customers also say the bag is better quality.

"...I was very impressed with these kits. Each kit came with more items than I had expected, all that could be very useful in an emergency situation...." Read more

"Very nicely put together. it is a good gift for the money " Read more

"... Great value ." Read more

"...aid kit was smaller than I thought it would be but still a good value for the price ." Read more

Customers find the survival kit very compact and cute to keep in the trunk. They also say it's the perfect size emergency kit for the car and fits great behind the back of truck seat.

"...Kit fit great behind back of truck seat but after first use no longer could so is stored under the seat and blocks the floor vent...." Read more

"This is a perfect size emergency kit for the car." Read more

"NICE AND COMPACT AND INCLUDED A FIRST AID KIT! GREAT TO HAVE FOR TRAVELING THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY!" Read more

" Cute size to keep in trunk " Read more

Customers find the items in the survival kit great and helpful for emergencies. They also say the bag is not sturdy or reusable. Overall, customers find the kit to be a good product for vehicles and valuable for emergencies, but some customers feel the screwdriver is not worth it.

" Comes in handy , the screw driver isn't worth it and I use it a lot" Read more

"It has everything I wanted and needed. Great items and plenty of extras, just wish the bag was better quality." Read more

" Nice product for your vehicle ." Read more

"A solid pack of helpful items for emergencies..." Read more

Customers are mixed about the quality of the survival kit. Some mention it's a great product with good strength and clear markings. However, others say that it'll do the job, but it'd be better to buy something else.

"Product was perfect for my recently driving niece. Bag was a little flimsy , but overall a great buy." Read more

"...reciever has stated the jumping cables are a blessing. cables are strong and clamps are labeled both with color and a stamp that can be felt in low..." Read more

" Jumper cables are SUPER cheap and I would never use them for general jumping use - like super emergency only...." Read more

"...Allwithin were of good strength and clear marking for the understanding of the uses...." Read more

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The Best Gear for Your Road Trips

By Kit Dillon and Wirecutter Staff

A road trip is an adventure. It doesn’t matter how far you go. But all adventures require a little planning (and one or two backup plans, in case things go sideways).

We took our first testing road trip in an age far less complicated than these past few years, but the gear we tested and the advice we’ve gathered here should still help you navigate the roads safely and comfortably.

Our original trip, in 2016, included 60 hours of researching and testing gear to take on the open road. We packed all of our top contenders into a Honda Fit EX and headed out on a four-day jaunt to determine what’s nice to have, what’s great, and what’s absolutely essential for your next road trip.

In 2020 we added a few items to help you adhere to safe-travel guidelines, and those things will always come in handy during flu and cold season. We’ve also added several selections to take on challenging winter car trips.

After traveling for 1,500 miles, through four states and six national parks, we think we have a good grasp on what makes an excellent road trip. In addition to performing our own research and testing, we consulted with half a dozen engineers, mechanics, and other experts to bring you these picks. Our hope is that the recommendations in this guide will help you see more and explore farther down the road than you thought possible.

Below, you’ll find recommendations for cargo boxes , binoculars , coolers , emergency beacons , a first-aid kit , a folding blanket , an ice scraper , an instant camera , inverters for your electronics , a multi-tool , phone mounts , a portable jump starter , ratchets and tie-down straps , a road atlas , stain remover , a stowable daypack , sun shades , sunglasses , a tire-pressure gauge , a toolkit for cars , a travel game , a travel pillow , water jugs , windshield water repellent , wipes , and so much more. These items will help you have a successful road trip, regardless of region or weather.

However, even if you have the best gear in the world, it’s always best to address small problems before they become emergencies. That’s why we asked Christopher Smith , a veteran automotive journalist with a penchant for restoring fixer-uppers, to help us put together some advice on how to prepare your car for a trip . (And he lives in South Dakota, where things are spread out, so he’s always prepared.) We cover everything from checking your tires and dipsticks to knowing what you should do if your car starts smelling like rotten eggs for seemingly no reason.

This guide isn’t specifically geared toward families, though most of the picks would be useful to a family traveling by car. We do have guides to infant car seats , travel car seats , booster car seats , and water bottles for kids —all things that are of particular interest to families on the road.

The research

Stowing your gear, in the driver’s seat, health and cleaning supplies, staying comfortable, refreshments, entertainment, just in case, preparing for a road trip.

Being able to find what you need when you need it—whether it’s water, emergency lights, a change of clothes, or a granola bar—can make the difference between a short, easy stop that rejuvenates and a long, frustrating one that makes you question why you left home in the first place.

It all starts with packing. Don’t overthink it. We like to keep items grouped: emergency gear in the back right of the trunk, water in the back left, spare batteries in the glove compartment along with the power inverter, and so on. After a few days, double-checking that everything is where it should be before heading off becomes a comforting ritual, and it helps mitigate the worry that you left … something … in the motel last night.

And don’t overpack. As with a bag, a well-packed car is one that has less than you think you want to bring but everything that you truly need. You don’t have to bring everything—just the things that are essential. Remember, you want to enjoy the drive. Not having to worry about countless items that someone might lose or misplace is a big step toward that enjoyment.

Cargo boxes

Yakima SkyBox NX 18

The best cargo box.

This cargo box offers great aerodynamics, easy mounting and operation, and a lot of storage at a reasonable price.

Buying Options

A cargo box effectively allows you to double your trunk space by moving bulky items from your car’s interior or trunk to its roof. After gathering up as much intel as we could about rooftop cargo boxes from experts, retailers, manufacturers, customers, and outdoor-gear reviewers, we’ve concluded that of the 21 boxes we surveyed, the Yakima SkyBox NX 18 offers the best combination of features, build quality, and value pricing for most road trips.

The NX line replaces the Carbonite line of Yakima boxes, which included our previous cargo box pick, the SkyBox 16 Carbonite .

The cargo box’s low-drag aerodynamic design minimizes wind noise and reduces the impact on fuel economy. Its 18 cubic feet of space allows it to hold skis, duffle bags, backpacks, sleeping bags and other camping gear, or any random (though fairly lightweight) stuff, and it does so securely—both in solidly mounting to your roof rack and in resisting theft. If you don’t have a rack already, this REI car rack buying guide is a good place to start, but be sure to consult your car’s owner manual to see how much weight its roof can bear.

The SkyBox NX 18 is easy to use. Like most cargo boxes these days, it uses sliding brackets, rather than one or two fixed spots, for attachment to the crossbars, making perfect positioning a snap. To secure the brackets to the crossbars, you use a simple torque wrench (included) that will announce with an audible click—like a gas-tank cap—when you’ve tightened the four installation bolts down securely. The tool lives inside the cargo box, though out of the way of your gear, for safekeeping.

Once installed, the SkyBox NX 18 allows easy access from either side of the car, and its newly redesigned dimensions (a change from the previous model) make it less likely to interfere with a liftgate if you put it on a hatchback or station wagon.

If you need more space, Yakima’s older-generation 21-cubic-foot model (the company has not released an updated, NX 21 version so far) may still be available for purchase. Be aware, however, that this box weighs more and can encourage overloading past your car rack’s weight limit, which might be lower than you expect. It may also be too long in the back to clear some liftgates. As Ken Klaes, general manager of ReRack , a Portland, Oregon–based cargo-box retailer and rental company, explained to us: “A rack designed to carry 150 pounds doesn’t forget that the box is there; the weight of the box itself (often 50-ish pounds) needs to be subtracted from the weight rating to give you a real capacity for the box.”

Roof straps

Keeper Endless Loop Ratchet Tie-Down

The best ratcheting straps.

Easier to use than non-ratcheting straps, these straps ensure that your stuff stays put.

I spent many years working in rigging and rope access on offshore oil platforms, where I played with loads, angles, line pulls, and sheave-block friction percentages—in other words, I know a thing or two about strapping things down. You can find two common types of roof straps: ratchet straps, which have a mechanical lever and gear, and cam straps (sometimes called “lashing” or “loop” straps), which connect to themselves through a cam buckle . If I could choose only one type, I’d get ratchet straps because they’re easier to secure. More specifically, I’d get the Keeper Endless Loop Ratchet Tie-Down .

We spent several hours examining 22 strap options before landing on the Keeper version. Keeper is a reliable brand, and the ratchets are easy to tighten and loosen, thanks to their all-metal construction. ( Cheaper ratchets are hard to release and prone to sticking or breaking due to their reliance on plastic parts.) At 13 feet long, these 1-inch straps are long enough for all but the most strenuous loads on the largest of vehicles, and their nylon webbing’s 400-pound working load limit and 1,200-pound break strength put them right in line with similarly priced straps. You could get something that’s heavier-duty or longer, but you’d be paying more for strength or length you don’t need.

On our trip, driving in a car without a roof rack, we used the Keeper straps to great success. The straps held a full water jug to the roof of our Honda for a few dozen miles through the backroads of Arizona with no issues. Other Wirecutter staffers have owned Keeper straps for years and vouch for their overall strength and durability.

NRS 1″ HD Tie-Down Straps

The best cam straps.

Simpler and cheaper than ratchet straps, these straps have above-average strength ratings.

If you prefer the simplicity of a cam strap or don’t need the extra force that a ratchet strap provides, we like the NRS 1″ HD Tie-Down Straps , which come in a variety of lengths. They’re pricier than more popular options, but their webbing is rated to a 1,500-pound breaking strength (the cam itself has a 2,000-pound breaking strength) and a 500-pound working load, in contrast with the 600-pound breaking strength and 200-pound working load of this best-selling Keeper set . Equipment of this grade may seem like overkill, but Wirecutter’s Mark Smirniotis had several weaker cams fail on him when he was strapping loads to his Jeep. He noted in 2016 that of all the straps on Amazon with more than 25 customer reviews, the NRS straps were the only ones that had no reviews complaining of failed cams. NRS is primarily known as the premier kayaking- and rafting-accessory company, so the folks there probably know something about strapping awkwardly large loads onto cars.

Thule Quick Loop Strap 530

For smaller cars.

This strap offers a quick way to add load-stabilizing anchor points to a small car.

For owners of compact cars who want to move long or oversize loads, such as a kayak, we also like the Thule Quick Loop Strap . You secure these straps under the hood of your car (or the trunk, if you don’t have a hatchback) to create a set of forward anchor points to help stabilize the forward section of whatever it is you’re carrying. Judging from our testing, these straps are very quick to set up, and they can add a welcome level of versatility to tough packing situations.

• Always check the maximum load of your car’s anchor points, such as the roof rack. Ratchet straps can apply a lot of force beyond just the weight of your belongings, so knowing your maximum load will help you avoid over-tensioning the straps.
• If the straps vibrate against the roof while you drive, adding a few twists in them can sometimes stop them from slicing the air.
• Don’t put knots in your straps, especially if you’re applying tension. Knots can cut through nylon with surprisingly little force. A knot also significantly reduces the overall load that the strap can handle.
• Never use bungee cords to hold anything down. They’re fine for stabilizing items but not for securing heavy loads.

Driving can be fun, meditative, exhausting, and torturous. After five hours of driving through the desert, it can sometimes be all of those things at the same time.

A thousand little gadgets promise to make a long drive somehow easier. Most of them are useless and seemingly designed to distract you more than anything else. Try to avoid these items. The best gear is durable, unobtrusive, and easy to use—so you can keep your eyes (and your thoughts) on the road.

You will get bored—500 miles on cruise control with an automatic transmission can be a pretty dull time. Not always, of course, but sometimes it will be boring, and maybe that’s the point. In this frenetic age, that feeling is practically a luxury, and it’s essential to the trip. Revel in it.

It would be impossible for us to pick the best overall sunglasses, since your choice ultimately depends on your personal style. We have picks for cheap sunglasses in a separate guide. But driving sunglasses are different because they’re designed to help you perform a specific task: driving safely. In that regard, Maui Jim makes the best sunglasses around, though they are something of an investment.

The best sunglasses

These are the clearest driving sunglasses we’ve found, with no perceptible distortion.

We compared a Maui Jim pair with more than 20 types of sunglasses, driving or otherwise, and found this pair to be the best of the bunch. The Maui Jim sunglasses had the clearest lenses, with no perceptible distortion, on the lightest frames we tested (0.6 ounce, or about half the weight of a wooden pencil). I’ve never encountered sunglasses that I can wear for hours on end without somehow hurting my nose, ears, or both. But during my trip there were a few afternoons when I had completely forgotten I was even wearing the Maui Jim sunglasses—despite five-plus hours of driving with them on.

The clarity of the lenses was another surprise. The Maui Jim lenses are so clear that it’s borderline unsettling the first time you try on these sunglasses. Thanks to the lenses’ exceptional clarity and polarization, everything—including the scenery around you and the road ahead—looks sharper through them.

As far as specific model recommendations go, I suggest scanning the offerings on the Maui Jim website and reading the fit descriptions to find something that matches your aesthetic sensibilities. Unlike companies that go by lens size only, Maui Jim lists face shape as part of its fit guidelines. That means you’re more likely to find what’s most comfortable for you on your first try. Just keep in mind that bigger lenses tend to be better because they offer more coverage.

Maui Jim glasses come with a two-year warranty . After checking with the company, we confirmed that it fulfills warranties on its sunglasses no matter where you buy them. However, Maui Jim services only authentic lenses and frames that haven’t been modified in any way. You can tell whether the pair you have is genuine (and not a knockoff) by confirming that the Maui Jim logo is etched, not just painted onto the lens.

Smartphone mount

In an ideal world, people wouldn’t use a phone at all while driving, and if you have a copilot, you shouldn’t have to—you can delegate the phone-related tasks to them. But in reality, for many drivers, a phone is the source for navigation, information, messages, music, and (of course) phone calls. However, if you hold the phone in your hand as you drive—or look down at it in a cup holder or center-console bin—it can be a major distraction and safety risk. That’s why we recommend using a smartphone mount.

iOttie iTap Magnetic 2

The best dash- or windshield-mounted smartphone mount.

Whether it’s on a dashboard or windshield, this model is easy to set up, grips securely, and has a strong magnetic mount that supports most phones in any position.

iOttie iTap Magnetic 2 Air Vent Mount

The best vent-mounted smartphone mount.

This model is easy to set up and remove, and it has the same strong magnetic mount as the dash version. It securely held on to our cars’ vent slats.

iOttie iTap Magnetic 2 CD Slot Mount

The best cd-slot-mounted smartphone mount.

This mount attached quickly and firmly to our cars’ CD slots and has the same magnetic mount as the other iTap Magnetic 2 versions.

I enjoy the simplicity of my phone with no accessories, so I like that the iOttie iTap Magnetic 2 mounts offer an attractively easy way to mount and unmount my phone with one hand. In our tests , the magnets in all three versions— dash/windshield , vent , and CD slot —were strong, supporting most of our phones vertically and horizontally over even the roughest terrain. Only the large, 6.5-inch iPhone XS Max gave them some trouble when they held it horizontally; the mounts were solid with a 6-inch Google Pixel 2 XL.

To use the magnetic mount, you have to attach a small metal plate to the back of your phone or to the case. Doing so is safe for your phone, and we found this detail to be small, subtle, and attractive enough that we didn’t mind it. Often you can hide it entirely by attaching the plate to the inside of a phone’s case. But the plate could interfere with your ability to wirelessly charge your phone; if you want to be able to continue to use that function, consider the following options from our guide to wireless charging phone mounts .

iOttie Easy One Touch Wireless 2 Dash & Windshield Mount

Best mount for charging a smartphone on a dash or windshield.

This model delivered some of the quickest charging speeds and earned top results for stability. It lets you easily mount and unmount your phone, too.

iOttie Easy One Touch Wireless 2 Air Vent & CD Slot Mount

Best mount for charging a smartphone on a car’s air vent or cd slot.

This is the sturdiest vent-mounted model we tested, with fast charging speeds, a firm grip, and a quick way to attach and remove your phone.

The iOttie Easy One Touch Wireless 2—available as a dash and windshield mount or a vent and CD player mount —offers a convenient way to charge your phone in the car while also giving you easy access to audio controls, directions, messages, and more. In our tests , both models ranked among the quickest at charging our phones. Their spring-loaded tension arms made attaching or removing a phone of any size simple, and they held the phone steady while we drove. Both models offer a wide range of adjustability for positioning your phone where you can readily see it, regardless of the vehicle. iOttie also offers a magnetic mount (for vent use) that’s compatible with wireless charging.

Rain-repellent coatings

Rain and snow add stress to a road trip, and they decrease your visibility and your reaction time in an emergency. Along with wipers, rain-repellent windshield coatings can help keep your windshield clear. If you want the most effective rain repellent, pick up the classic Rain-X spray bottle and commit to applying it once a month. If you simply want to give your windshield a boost, Aquapel is almost as effective and can last six times longer between applications—but it is very expensive.

Rain-X Original Glass Water Repellent

Cheap but short-lived repellent.

This affordable hydrophobic spray offers effective protection, but it wears off after a couple of weeks.

Most auto-supply shops offer a huge variety of Rain-X products, including wiper blades, gels, and washer-fluid additives, but you should stick to the original Rain-X formula in the 16-ounce spray bottle because it has the most reliably positive reviews from buyers. Once applied, Rain-X forms a hydrophobic coating , which causes water to bead up and quickly slide off your windshield. Most people who have used Rain-X agree that maintaining its effectiveness requires reapplication about once a month. If your wiper blades start “chattering,” that probably means the coating is beginning to wear unevenly, and it’s time to reapply.

Aquapel Glass Treatment

Long-lasting but pricey repellent.

Aquapel bonds to your windshield for up to half a year, but it costs more than twice as much as Rain-X.

If you can’t commit to applying Rain-X once a month, consider Aquapel . Instead of coating your windshield, it bonds to the glass chemically , and it should last for three to six months before you need to pull out another one-time-use sponge and reapply. YouTube user jwardell posted a 30-day comparison video that shows how Rain-X is more effective initially, but after a month Aquapel still works even after the Rain-X has all but worn off.

For either repellent, proper application is the key to getting the maximum benefit. You need to start with an extremely clean windshield. Then clean it again just to be sure. Both of these repellents dry best in warm weather, out of direct sun. Even when perfectly applied, however, these substances have potential drawbacks. Some people who have used them complain that the repellents cause noticeable haziness at night. Others report that they had trouble getting windshield chips professionally filled after learning that the chemicals interfered with repair methods—though Aquapel’s site disputes such claims. Still, if you’re stuck in inclement weather on a road trip or a commute, either the original Rain-X spray or Aquapel can help increase visibility and decrease your stress levels.

Ice scraper and snow brush

Hopkins SubZero 80037

The best ice scraper and snow brush.

Efficient at clearing ice and sweeping snow, this scraper works on vehicles of all sizes.

The Hopkins SubZero 80037 tool combines a scraping blade and ice-crushing teeth to make quick work of thick or thin ice, and its plow-like bristle broom is the best we’ve tested —equally adept at shoveling snow off body panels and brushing it out from tight spots around mirrors and wipers. The Hopkins SubZero has a self-locking extension that’s easy to use when you want to fold the scraper away to make room in the trunk of your car. It’s of average size—39 inches folded up and 60 inches fully extended. But no other contender offers such a complete scraping-and-sweeping package with so few weaknesses.

Paper road atlas

Rand McNally Road Atlas

The best road atlas.

This atlas is large enough to use while you’re in motion, with a logical, straightforward layout.

With the advent of GPS units and smartphone navigation apps (both of which we recommend over the onboard navigation systems that might come with a car), the age of the paper road atlas would seem to be over. But don’t let anyone convince you of that. A road atlas is the heart of every road trip. It’s the inspiration.

Planning a road trip starts with imagining the places you could be next weekend, if you threw a few granola bars and some clothes into the backseat and left everything else behind. Of course, you could bring up Google Maps, look up the top 10 travel destinations near you, plan your exact route, and save a PDF to your digital device so you’d know exactly where to go and how to get there at each stage of your trip.

Or you could pull out a physical map and highlight a route. You might not know exactly what to expect when you get there, but you’ll definitely know that you can get there. And regardless of electronic-device failures, you will always have a map in hand.

For use in the car, we like the classic Rand McNally Road Atlas —just make sure to get an updated edition. Its oversize shape makes it simple to read and easy to spread out on the hood or in your lap, and the user-friendly design can’t be beat. This atlas’s arrangement of state and keyhole maps is the best for navigation.

As a test, we used the Rand McNally atlas to complete the first leg of our trip, from Ventura to Joshua Tree, California, with no phones and no GPS, on roads we had never driven before. The Rand McNally atlas was simple, functional, and easy to follow. Most important, it was fun to use.

We did read one complaint from somebody who began using that year’s map early: Some of the roads it listed as passable were still mid-construction at the time. If you’re buying a map in the middle of the year or later, you could play it safe and stick with the current year’s edition.

Garmin DriveSmart 55

The best car gps.

Best-in-class directions, driver alerts, points of interest, and free map updates—combined with the best screen we’ve seen on any GPS unit—set this model apart from the pack.

For most shorter trips, a smartphone can provide all the navigation assistance you need. But should your journey take you off the beaten path (and out of your coverage area), we suggest the Garmin DriveSmart 55 . Like the best GPS units, the DriveSmart 55 can also connect to a smartphone via Bluetooth, which lets you send destinations to the device, get incoming messages on screen, and receive extra trip and traffic info. The DriveSmart 55’s extensive points-of-interest database helps guide you to an area’s best sites and businesses through integrated Tripadvisor ratings, Foursquare listings, a database of sites from the History network, and US national park directories (something that other brands’ models don’t offer). Similar to a smartphone, the DriveSmart 55 allows multi-touch gestures, such as pinching or spreading for easier zooming on a map; this feature is a clear step up from the resistive displays of less-expensive units, which allow only single-finger gestures and require you to tap on the plus and minus buttons to zoom in or out.

The DriveSmart 55 also provides helpful traffic info in many metro areas. It responds to voice commands as effectively as the best GPS units, and like other top models it includes free lifetime map updates—in contrast with the pricey updates you need to buy for many cars’ built-in navigation systems.

Sea to Summit Wilderness Wipes

The best body wipes.

Not quite a shower but pretty darn close, these wipes are amazing after a sweaty day in the desert.

Road-trip and backpacking veterans know just how much better a shower can make an adventure after three days and a lot of smelly clothes. When taking a shower is not an option, or even if you just want to tidy up a bit after a long drive, body wipes can provide some much-needed relief.

We considered 22 brands and tested nine different body wipes, including some that were popular on Amazon and others that were recommended on the blogs of seasoned outdoorspeople.

Cheap, portable, and durable, the Sea to Summit Wilderness Wipes were the clear winners.

The wipes come in a resealable package, which helps keep them fresher for longer. You can find them in two sizes, XL (8 by 12 inches, in a pack of eight) and Compact (6 by 8 inches, in a pack of 12). On our trip, we preferred the XL wipes for their extra coverage and longer cleaning power. The fully compostable Wilderness Wipes were among the most lightly scented ones we tested, and their lack of alcohol left our skin feeling clean and moist.

Surface wipes

Clorox Disinfecting Wipes

The best disinfecting wipes.

Effective, EPA-approved, and (usually) easy to find, these pre-soaked wipes need only four minutes of contact time to neutralize the coronavirus—and they’ll kill other nasty bugs you might come across in your travels, too.

Most disinfecting wipes are the same. Although we recommend Clorox Disinfecting Wipes , we advise getting any pack of wipes you can find that contains a disinfectant on the EPA’s List N (most have a bleach or quaternary ammonium base). Clorox’s bleach-free wipes are usually sold in single canisters or in four-packs at a range of retailers. These wipes can eliminate the coronavirus and other pathogens on hard surfaces—countertops, door handles, and bathroom fixtures—in your home, vehicle, or motel room, but not on fabric or other soft materials.

Surface spray

Lysol Disinfectant Spray

The best disinfectant spray.

This aerosol works in 10 minutes and is fabric-safe, but it’s guaranteed to eliminate the coronavirus and other pathogens only on hard surfaces.

Instead of bleach, which can damage car interiors, Lysol Disinfectant Spray uses quaternary ammonium. It’s safe on hard surfaces and most fabrics, and it’s gentler on skin than bleach. It also produces fewer harsh fumes—which is good if you’re disinfecting the same space frequently. The spray eliminates the coronavirus, for instance, on hard surfaces in 10 minutes, but on soft surfaces it only sanitizes (kills most but not all pathogens).

One thing we’ve learned in the past few years is that face masks can be useful whenever you’re sick (with COVID-19, a cold, the flu, whatever) and don’t want to share your misery with fellow passengers, people at rest stops, or anyone else. Fortunately, compared with the situation in early 2020, medical-style N95 and KN95 masks (which many experts recommend as the best protection) are widely available these days. They’re easy to tuck into a bag, which we do now whenever we travel. You can find out where to buy these masks in our guide .

Stain remover

Shout Wipe & Go Instant Stain Remover Wipes

The best stain remover.

By keeping a pack of these in your glove box, you’ll remain tidy through multiple meals at drive-throughs.

In our testing, we’ve found that if you spend five hours a day in the car on a drive-through-fueled cannonball run, there’s no way you’ll get to your final destination without having some kind of condiments disaster. I met my own inevitable conclusion outside an In-N-Out Burger on the last leg of our trip.

When the unavoidable happens, you’ll need something more than a napkin and ice water to clean up the mess. We recommend Shout Wipe & Go Instant Stain Remover Wipes . We tested them against other instant spot removers and assorted DIY methods to see how they handled wine, coffee, lipstick, and mustard stains.

In our tests, the Shout wipes easily outperformed the popular Tide To Go pen , and the Shout option was the only stain remover that erased almost all traces of lipstick on the collar of a shirt. These wipes also did pretty well on the ketchup I spilled.

The single-use towelettes don’t occupy much space; you can throw a dozen into your glove compartment and barely notice they’re there. Plus, by using a single wipe per stain, you don’t risk depositing an old stain on another piece of clothing, as you might with reusable stain-remover sticks.

Hand lotion

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion

The best moisturizing lotion.

Once it’s rubbed in, this moisturizing lotion is lighter and drier-feeling than competitors. It’s better for people with normal to oily skin.

You might find yourself washing your hands a lot on the road, which can result in cracked and dry skin. Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion is thick enough to stay neat in your hand and thin enough to spread quickly and smoothly onto your skin. Unlike its competitors , this moisturizing lotion dries nicely without leaving a greasy film in its wake. And its neutral scent won’t follow you out of the bathroom or into your car.

Can a long road trip be comfortable? I didn’t think so: Long hours of sitting in one position, nights spent camping or sleeping in cheap motel beds, and breaks for indigestible fast food are a terrible combination. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

With a little planning and a few small luxuries, you can keep the enthusiasm of your trip alive. Skip the fast food and instead pack your own snacks and water. Keep off the main highways and pull over when the scenery strikes you (not when you’ve gone a certain number of miles). And stop for as long as you need. The cliché is unavoidable: It’s the journey that’s important, not the destination (though that should be good too!).

Folding blanket

Nemo Victory Picnic Blanket

Comfortable and easy to carry.

Our favorite picnic blanket travels easily, feels comfortable to sit on, and holds up to wear and tear.

There’s only so much time you can spend in a car without needing to pull over to pause, stretch your legs, and take in the scenery. We stopped dozens of times on our trip, and we were glad every time we were able to take a side road, pull out a blanket, and find a place to sit down and share some food.

In 2023, Nemo enlarged the Victory Blanket, which previously fit just two people, to fit four people. At roughly 95 by 95 inches, according to our measurements, the Nemo Victory Picnic Blanket is now bigger than most blankets we looked at; it’s well suited for larger groups of people or for two people who want room for more board games and snacks. For those who need even more space, the Victory Blanket is also available in a truly mammoth extra-large version (120 by 120 inches). Both sizes come with two adjustable, clasping straps that keep the blanket rolled up tight, and those clasps can perform double duty as bottle openers.

Travel pillow

Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow Cinch

The best travel pillow.

The redesigned-for-2022 Therm-A-Rest pillow remains a firm and supportive choice that packs down to 50% of its expanded size. It now has a sewn-in cable that you can cinch down to make the pillow firmer.

price may vary by color or size

A good travel pillow is hard to find. It shouldn’t take up much space, and it should be able to expand when it needs to. And, ideally, it should allow you to shape it for use as a shoulder or neck pillow when necessary, such as when you’re on a plane or in the passenger seat of a car.

We found that the foam-filled Therm-A-Rest Compressible Pillow Cinch fit all of those criteria exceedingly well. During the day, it can fold in on itself (a loop-and-toggle closure holds it tight), which makes it easy to stow in a backpack or to toss into the backseat. When it’s in this tightly packed configuration, you can also use it as a shoulder and lumbar pillow. The Therm-A-Rest pillow is a bit larger than your typical travel pillow when it’s packed down—about the size of a tissue box—but saving space is less of a priority when you’re driving instead of flying.

At night, the pillow unrolls and expands into a decent bed pillow, though side-sleepers with larger frames may say it has too little padding. But this is a travel pillow, of course, so it will never feel like your home pillow, which is all part of the fun somehow. I sleep on my side and back, and I found it exceptionally comfortable compared with camping pillows I’d used in the past, although I did have to supplement it with a flannel shirt when I wanted to sleep on my side. In spring 2022, Therm-A-Rest released a slightly redesigned version of the pillow. The “regular” version is roughly the same size and weight as the old “medium” version, but the integrated pocket is now larger (9 inches deep instead of 6), which we found makes the pillow easier to roll up. The pillow also has a cord sewn in a loop into its back; you can tighten the cord and cinch it securely to make the pillow firmer. One other change: A thin layer of polyfill backs the brushed polyester fabric on its face and softens the lumpiness of the foam filling.

The Therm-A-Rest pillow is well reviewed on Amazon and on REI’s site. It’s available in a variety of colors and sizes, but we prefer the regular/medium for its mix of portability and support.

Silk sleeper wrap

Sea to Summit Premium Silk Travel Liner

The best sleeping bag liner.

This liner is a lightweight, moisture-wicking, easy-packing fix for scratchy motel sheets.

Not all motels are created equal. Some are fantastic, with their bright neon signs truthfully advertising a cheap, clean, and convenient place to stay. But out there you can stumble across other motels—desperate, last-chance places you wouldn’t wish on anyone, and cursed by all of the bleary-eyed travelers who’ve been forced to stay in them for a night.

Sea to Summit’s Premium Silk Travel Liner is the best accessory to bring along for these situations. Inclement weather, unexpected traffic, or poor planning (my personal downfall) may at some point prevent you from reaching your expected destination for the night and force you to stay somewhere you wish you didn’t have to. We can’t help you accept your fate, but we can make that night just a little easier to tolerate.

Nidra Deep Rest Eye Mask

The best sleep mask.

Lightweight and contoured, this mask fits comfortably and blocks light well for a wide variety of face shapes (though it’s best for those who sleep on their back). And the mask’s deep eyecups allow your eyes to flutter during sleep.

Not every bedroom on the road is as dark as some people would like. That’s why we recommend the Nidra Deep Rest Eye Mask . Its contoured eyecups rest over your eyes, giving them space to move, which makes this mask comfortable to sleep in—even when you’re sitting upright (as you might in the passenger side of a car). Although the mask is adjustable, with Velcro straps, restless sleepers may want to consider other options in our full guide to sleep masks . If the Nidra mask fits you well, its weightless feel can make you forget you’re wearing a mask at all as you continue to sleep in bright cars or poorly shuttered hotel rooms.

Puffy blanket

Rumpl Down Puffy

The best outdoor blanket.

This blanket offers the greatest warmth and durability for the lowest relative weight, price, and size. It also stuffs away very well when not in use.

The Rumpl Down Puffy blanket, which has a soft yet durable nylon shell that’s stuffed with water-repellent and sustainably sourced down, wards off the cold better for the price than the competition. It helps you to stay warm longer, inside or outside. (A puffy blanket has come in handy for us especially on winter road trips in an EV, when we don’t have the heat of a combustion engine warming the interior of the vehicle.) So far in our testing , the Rumpl blanket has survived four rounds in the washing machine without a snag, and it dries within an hour. And it’s been notably stain resistant after encountering dirt, dew, and even coffee.

Van camping mattress

Hest Sleep System

The best vehicle camping mattress.

Predominantly for van camping or long-term car camping, this blowup mattress takes up a hefty amount of space when stowed away but provides the most comfort of any camping mattress we’ve tested.

Although the size of the Hest Sleep System limits its use to either vans or pickup trucks, we’re including it on this list because of its impressive night-over-night comfort. If your road trips tend to include lots of outdoor activities such as biking, hiking, or climbing, a good night’s sleep is fundamental to having the energy you need to enjoy your days. The Hest mattress takes up about the space of a small cot mattress (78 by 25 inches). Half consists of a dense foam layer, and the other half is a high-pressure inflatable base that needs a pump system to inflate. The Hest mattress is not a small piece of kit when rolled up: It weighs 26 pounds and packs up into a 28-by-16-inch bedroll, including the air pump. If two of you are camping, you can connect two Sleep Systems together, though Hest also makes the Dually two-person foam mattress, which we haven’t had a chance to test yet.

Tinkle Belle Female Urination Device

The best pee funnel.

Sturdy and accommodating yet packable, the Tinkle Belle funnel is easy to use and clean when you’re on the road or hiking a trail.

It’s not always easy to find a secluded spot on the side of the road or a clean-enough public restroom. The Tinkle Belle funnel has a stable, rigid base and a flexible spout, so it won’t collapse under you during use, as Wirecutter senior staff writer Nancy Redd learned while researching the topic. One of the longest and widest of all the single-piece reusable funnels Nancy tested , the Tinkle Belle funnel makes less mess and is easy to use, as the more coverage a funnel has, the lower the risk of leakage or spills. While you’re on the road, a simple rinse works fine for cleaning the funnel. Although the Tinkle Belle funnel is larger than most, it folds up for more-compact storage. You can also buy it with a matching case .

Windshield protector and sunshade

A1 210T Fabric Sunshade

The best windshield shade.

This shade provides effective sun protection and fits a wide variety of windshields. It’s easy to store, too.

If you’re traveling through a sunny area, a sunshade for your windshield is a worthwhile investment. We like the A1 Windshield Sun Shade , which we found to offer the best combination of low cost, decent coverage, and ease of setup. Its pop-up design made it much simpler to install and stow than the accordion-style shades we tested.

Recommending just one sunshade for all cars is difficult because vehicles vary so much in size. But A1 offers several sizing options ranging from 59 by 19 inches to 69 by 36 inches (when the shade is fully expanded). You can compress each of these size options down to fit into a circular carrying case, which you can easily store on the door or underneath the seat. When you take the A1 sunshade out of the case, the compressed plastic arcs inside the sunshade spring open to create a rectangular shape, which you can adjust to fit your car’s windshield. Amazon reviewers mention that the build quality is solid and that the metallic finish does a good job against the sun, particularly in hot Southern states like Florida and Texas. Several reviewers also recommend , however, that you buy a size smaller than you think you need to avoid excessive overhang.

Although we prefer the A1 shade’s pop-up design, it’s not completely foolproof. Even with the choice in sizes, you still might have difficulty arranging the two plastic circles (which provide rigidity) within the A1 shade into a shape that hugs both edges of the front window and balances off the rearview mirror. Gaps, loose corners, or overhangs are almost unavoidable. In the end, what you gain in compactness and decent price, you lose in rigidity and reflective power. If you’re uncertain, measure before buying, or look into a custom shade like the WeatherTech shade described below, which is guaranteed to fit.

WeatherTech SunShade

A custom-fitted, maximum-protection shade.

This custom-fitted shade will ensure that no sun gets in, even in the sunniest climates.

If maximum temperature reduction is your goal, invest in a custom-fitted WeatherTech SunShade . Thicker than the A1 shade, WeatherTech’s shade completely blacks out the windshield when you install it. This shade is also notably bulky—about the size of a yoga mat when rolled up—and difficult to store discreetly. But if you frequent sunny climates, it’s well worth the cost, which at this writing starts at $55.

Passenger window UV protector and shade

Britax EZ-Cling Window Shades

The best passenger shade.

This shade sticks easily to car windows and provides great sun protection for passengers.

We researched 14 shade models and tested two finalists before determining that the Britax EZ-Cling Window Sun Shade is the best around. Available in a pack of two, it’s dead simple to install, and it’s effective. The Mylar on the back provides some protection against UV rays, and it acts like a large sheet of cling film that seems drawn to your windows once you pull the shades out of the box; the black mesh on the inner surface blocks a good amount of sunlight while still allowing you to see through the shade. We like the EZ-Cling shade better than film-only shades because the EZ-Cling design has a support ring of firmer material around its perimeter that makes it easier to install without prompting wrinkles and bubbles. I have way more fun than I rightly should when I’m putting these things onto car windows.

Unlike similar models with suction cups, the EZ-Cling shade doesn’t have any secondary or removable parts. Wirecutter’s Dan Frakes tried four other shades of various types and was dissatisfied with all of them, so he brought two EZ-Cling pairs for testing on a four-day road trip with his family. “They clung to the windows well,” Dan said. “They were a lot easier to install than both the suction-cup models and the flimsy film ones we’ve tried. We also removed them and reapplied them many times as our position relative to the sun changed, and it was easy to do so. Our only real complaint is that they’re small—they don’t cover an entire backseat window.” That kind of half-coverage can’t keep the sun off young children for too long, especially when the sun is low on the horizon.

Quick tip: Be sure to wipe your EZ-Cling shades with water when you first get them. A thin film protects the Mylar sheets during production, and it can leave a waxy residue on your car’s windows if you use the shades right out of the box without first wiping them down.

Portable extending shade

Shade extension

This extending shade attaches to a variety of vehicles, whether you have a roof rack or not, and whether you attach it to metal or a composite material such as a pickup-truck bed cover.

Although the MoonShade works best on SUVs and trucks, it’s lightweight and adaptable enough to work with smaller vehicles. When deployed, the MoonShade covers 9 by 7 feet, and its height adjusts from 78 inches to 96 inches. The shade mounts in three ways: directly to a roof rack, with very strong magnets, or with surprisingly robust suction cups for composite materials. We found that all three methods are secure enough for most situations, though as you might imagine, the suction cups are somewhat less stable than a direct mount on a rack. The MoonShade weighs 8 pounds and stows away into a carrying case that measures 28 by 6 inches, which is small enough to fit in the trunk of most cars. The MoonShade is great if you like to pull over in the middle of the day and set up a lunch, or if you tend to do activities outdoors in predominantly shadeless areas, as in the Southwest.

You could cross America with no plan at all and survive solely on fast food as your nourishment, without ever having to leave your car. But we don’t recommend that. Packing your own snacks and bringing your own water is not only healthier but also safer—you never know when you might be stranded somewhere along the way.

We got stranded on our second day of driving, somewhere east of Joshua Tree, California, when we pulled off the side of the road onto a soft, sandy shoulder (we were new in this part of the country). The car’s dash thermometer read 105 degrees Fahrenheit. As we waited, I was thankful that we had full water bottles, more water in the trunk, and plenty of food.

A highway patrol officer drove up, gave us a little lesson about sand, and pushed us out with no trouble. So things turned out fine. The beauty of a road trip is in the unexpected moments. You can be prepared for most of them by having a little food and water on hand.

RTIC Soft Pack Cooler 20 Can

Best soft cooler.

This simple lunch-box-style cooler is insulated with thick closed-cell foam and made from a durable coated nylon.

Capable of carrying everything from healthy snacks to emergency ice packs, a cooler is one of those items that can make long trips a lot more enjoyable. After several 500-mile days on the road, having a chilled container filled with cold drinks and body wipes is a gift. We recommend bringing along our favorite soft cooler , the RTIC Soft Pack Cooler 20 Can .

The lid of the RTIC cooler is capped by more than 2 inches of closed-cell insulation , and its walls are a touch thicker than those of the far more expensive Yeti Hopper Flip. When we tested them head-to-head, all that extra insulation seemed to give the RTIC cooler an insulating edge. The exterior of the RTIC cooler is made of a durable, thickly coated nylon—waterproof and tough—and the zippers are waterproof, as well. Still, don’t leave the cooler out in the sun, as the light and heat can degrade the material and slowly wear it out.

When the RTIC cooler is open, it stands erect like a grocery bag, providing easy access for loading and unloading.

Coleman 70-Quart Xtreme 5 Marine Hard Ice Chest Cooler

Our hard-cooler pick.

Better insulated and less expensive than the competition, this cooler keeps ice for a week. And its well-designed drain port makes it easier to clean.

If you need extra insulation for longer hauls and don’t mind sacrificing a little extra space, we recommend the Coleman 70-Quart Xtreme 5 Marine Hard Ice Chest Cooler . Our testing shows that a hard cooler will almost always outperform a soft cooler in insulating ability (five-plus days, versus a soft cooler’s two-day average) and durability. So the hard cooler is a great pick for RVs, trailers, or boats. But hard coolers are huge, so you might not have room for one if you’re carrying a bunch of other equipment.

Water bottles

CamelBak Eddy+ (25 ounces)

Great for the car.

A bottle with a straw is the easiest way to quaff water and keep your focus on the road since you don’t have to tilt your head back while drinking.

The 25-ounce CamelBak Eddy+ is the most reliable, most versatile water bottle for road trips that we found. This bottle has an integrated straw in the lid that features a plastic bite valve to keep it sealed (something that anyone who has owned a CamelBak hydration pack will be familiar with). Just bite down to open the straw, and release to seal it shut. That leak-free lid makes this bottle an ideal driving companion—it fits in a cup holder and is easy to sip from while you’re keeping your eyes on the road. The straw lid twists off to reveal a wide mouth that makes adding ice to your drink easy, which is handy if you like to keep your water cold. However, this is a plastic bottle, so adding ice could also make it sweaty; if you want to avoid that, the insulated version should prevent moisture from accumulating on the outside of the bottle.

Contigo Autoseal Transit Mug

The best mug for road trips.

Contigo’s Autoseal Transit is a wider mug that may fit better in cup holders than our top travel-mug pick. It doesn’t retain heat as well as our top pick, but some people may find its flat lid easier to drink from and to clean.

The Contigo Autoseal Transit Mug is a very different mug from the Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug—our top pick for travel mugs —but it offers several features we like for road trips. The lid has fewer parts, is easier to clean, and prevents spills with its Autoseal button, which you have to hold down to keep the sipping port open. Plus, the flat lid won’t bump your nose or get in your line of sight while you’re drinking, as can happen with the Zojirushi model’s flip-top lid. Although this Contigo mug doesn’t keep drinks nearly as hot as the Zojirushi mug over a long period of time, some people might prefer that (we’ve heard complaints of the Zojirushi model keeping drinks too hot in the past). In addition, the Transit is a little wider than the Zojirushi mug, which is good if you want your mug to fit more snugly in a car cup holder or if you use a device such as an AeroPress, a pour-over dripper, or a tea steeper directly with your mug.

Edward Abbey wrote an entire book about being alone in the desert , long before portable screens, streaming music, and the best and worst of what instant entertainment can bring. He saw incredible things. But then again, Abbey wrote that book before he had kids.

Being in close proximity on a road trip can bond families and friends. Of course, a packed car could also become a pressure cooker. Some games, toys, and electronics can provide welcome relief.

Even more important, on our trip, every 100 miles the scenery around us changed drastically, and being able to charge our cameras allowed us to capture some wonderful personal moments.

Bestek 300W Power Inverter

The best inverter for simple devices.

More-sensitive gadgets may not function correctly while using this DC-to-AC converter, but a smoother converter costs $100-plus.

Lots of newer cars have USB ports capable of charging plenty of smaller gadgets. But to plug in bigger items, such as a computer, or certain items that have larger batteries, you need an inverter to transform your car’s round-plug, 12-volt direct current (12 V DC) outlet into a three-prong outlet with the same 120-volt alternating current (120 V AC) you have in your home. After sending our three favorites, culled from a list of 18 top-rated inverters, to physicist Jim Shapiro for testing, we recommend the Bestek 300W Power Inverter for simple devices such as water boilers. Not all inverters are equal, however, and you need to know what you’ll want to plug in before deciding which one to buy.

The Bestek unit—like every inverter that sells for less than $100—creates AC power, but in what’s called a “modified” sine wave. Shapiro examined this phenomenon using an oscilloscope. “Although the Bestek and similar units produce voltage at the same 60-hertz frequency as house voltage, the waveform has sharp corners, unlike the smooth, curvy sine-wave signal from your local power company,” Shapiro explained. “Those sharp corners give rise to higher frequency harmonics that are not friendly to electronic devices.”

However, because many electronics, including laptop computers, use power supplies to convert AC back into DC before delivering the power to your device, a higher-quality power supply can make the arrangement work—as owner reviews attest. Shapiro was able to charge an iPad without any problems via the AC outlets on the inexpensive Bestek inverter. Charging a Dell Chromebook, on the other hand, caused some problems: “The screen flickered, and I noted that when I asked the computer to display the charging time left, it oscillated between giving that time and ‘calculating,’ indicating that the software was having problems.”

While we were on the road, we realized that the Bestek inverter’s dual USB ports and dual outlets offered a nice benefit, particularly for people traveling in an older car that didn’t have USB ports built in everywhere. You shouldn’t have issues charging USB devices because they charge on DC voltage anyway. And though you can’t see the inverter’s safety features, such as over-voltage and low-voltage shutdown, they’re included as well.

For powering a TV (for tailgating) or any other demanding piece of electronics during a road trip, we used to recommend the Go Power GP-SW150-12 Pure Sine Wave Inverter. It now appears to be out of stock almost everywhere (or discontinued). As an alternative, we recommend looking into a portable power station , which is basically a large battery in a protective box, with AC outlets and other ports built in. They tend to be expensive, so for road-trip purposes we recommend our budget pick, the Jackery Explorer 300 . If you need to power only a laptop during your trip, we have several recommendations for portable laptop chargers . Note that portable power stations and laptop chargers both charge on wall outlets and can’t draw power from a car outlet.

Nekteck PD 45W Type-C Car Charger

The best car charger.

This model can charge phones, tablets, and computers from its USB-C port, plus it has a second port for charging USB-A devices. It adheres to USB-C fast-charging standards and includes a quality cable.

May be out of stock

If your electronic gear doesn’t require AC—for instance, you’re charging smartphones or Bluetooth speakers more than laptops or portable TVs—you can save a few bucks and a lot of space by getting a car charger . Compared with the familiar USB-A port, the smaller USB-C port can charge most modern phones faster (if you’re using the right cable) and can even charge tablets and laptops. And the Nekteck PD 45W Type-C Car Charger provides the best of both worlds. When you’re using a USB-C–to–Lightning cable , the charger’s USB-C port can charge an iPhone about three times faster (at 18 watts) than the USB-A wall charger that comes in the box from Apple; your phone can charge from empty to roughly 50% in just half an hour. This Nekteck charger’s 45-watt output and included USB-C–to–C cable also support the maximum charge rate on Android phones (such as the Samsung Galaxy S10), the 2020 iPad Pro, and even many laptops. And you can use the 12-watt USB-A port at the same time to charge a second phone or other device with any USB cable you already have.

Bluetooth kit

Besign BK01 Bluetooth Car Kit

Best bluetooth adapter for cars with an aux-in jack.

The Besign BK01 kit offers great sound quality for music and good sound quality for phone calls. It also lets you pair two phones and access your voice assistant with the press of an easy-to-find button.

If your car lacks Bluetooth support—which you may want for wirelessly listening to music or connecting your phone calls over the car’s stereo system—and you aren’t willing to swap out the stereo for a new one that has such a feature, your best option is a Bluetooth kit. The best and easiest way to add Bluetooth to cars with a line-in jack is to get an aux kit. The Besign BK01 Bluetooth Car Kit provides good sound quality for music, clear-sounding voice audio for hands-free calls, and access to Siri or Google Assistant at the press of a button. It also allows you to connect two phones at once, so you and your passengers don’t have to duke it out for the aux cord.

iPad headrest mount

Depending on the length of your trip and the temperament of your passengers, you may need to find a way to keep folks occupied. Providing their favorite movies or TV shows on a tablet is an option. After testing six top tablet-mount contenders, we determined that Arkon’s Center Extension Car Headrest Tablet Mount is a great pick for viewing by multiple backseat passengers.

Arkon Center Extension Car Headrest Tablet Mount

For multiple viewers.

This model positions a tablet solidly between the front seats for easy viewing by all backseat passengers.

The Arkon mount anchors with a pair of adjustable clamps that tighten around the metal rods that support a front seat’s headrest; the tablet holster is located on the end of an extendable pole that you can move to a position between the front seats, where all three passengers in the backseat can view it.

We had recommended the LilGadgets CarBuddy Universal Headrest Tablet Mount for people who preferred a mount that’s best for just one backseat passenger. It appears to have been discontinued, but it’s a good find if you can get your hands on one.

Instant camera

Fujifilm Instax Mini 12

The best instant camera.

Fun and simple to use, this camera takes good-looking wallet-sized photos for 60¢ per print.

Fujifilm Instax Mini Film (Twin Pack)

Instax mini film.

Buying Instax Mini film in twin packs helps you get the best price.

With a smartphone, showing a photo to hundreds of followers is as easy as pressing the share button. But if you want to create something tangible, an instant-film camera can add a fun and welcome dose of analog charm to your digital world. Our pick is the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 , which provides high-quality, retro-cool prints at a reasonable price.

Also, when your phone is serving as a radio, a map, a restaurant guide, and whatever else, you’ll appreciate having a dedicated tool that does one thing: take instant shots that look great.

After doing extensive research , we found the Instax Mini 12 to be the best instant-film camera. Its compact body feels durable, and thanks to its minimal controls, anyone can easily learn how to use it. The 3.4-by-2.1-inch prints cost only about 60¢ apiece , so documenting your trip won’t break the bank. Its photos aren’t perfectly sharp, but they are pleasingly colorful and creamy, with a classic look that we love.

Travel game

Chat Pack: Fun Questions to Spark Conversations

The best silence-breaker.

The questions are not always the most thought-provoking, but they sure can spark a conversation.

You can find countless travel games for all ages, from magnetic chess boards to Adult Mad Libs , and we’re not about to review them all here. (You know what kinds of games you like to play.) So instead we’ll tell you about the game we chose, Chat Pack: Fun Questions to Spark Conversations .

I am, as a rule, generally wary of anything designed to prompt conversation. But by day three of our trip, with 1,100 miles behind us and 400 miles ahead, my then girlfriend (now wife) reached for Chat Pack and told me it was time.

It’s hit or miss with Chat Pack. Some of the questions are oddly inspiring, if clunkily written: “What is one item you own that has virtually no monetary value but has such sentimental value that you would not sell it for $1,000?” So, what item do I have that has no value but remains precious? My grandmother’s wire glove stretchers. And that became an hour-long conversation.

Some of the questions were abrupt duds: “If rain could fall in any scent, what scent would you want it to be?” “Like rain,” we both answered. Who doesn’t love the smell of fresh rain? The feeling of camaraderie in the car was strong; we agreed that it was a dumb question. We were a young couple on an open road in full accordance with each other, and that’s not a moment you take lightly.

So get a Chat Pack. Your mileage may vary. But this pack helped us pass the time, and it takes up barely any space.

Make time in your trip for the detours. If there’s one bit of non-gear-related advice we can give, it’s that the complicated route always proves to be more interesting. There will be times in the car when a sort of tunnel vision can set in, and the destination becomes all-consuming. At my worst, as I pressed down on the accelerator, I found myself mentally calculating the time saved for every increase in miles per hour—as if the scenery I was flying past wasn’t what I’d come to see in the first place.

The first time we pulled over without a plan was on some Bureau of Land Management stretch east of Zion National Park in Utah. We were alone, on an outcropping overlooking a shallow canyon. Someone had built an impromptu fire pit. But somehow it wasn’t until we finished lunch that we realized there was no point in going any farther.

You can find many ways to plan a trip. But once in a while, take a risk and make a left when all the maps and devices are telling you to go right. You won’t know where you’ll end up—and that’s the whole point.

Athlon Optics Midas ED

The best binoculars for nearly everyone.

Amazingly affordable with great optics, these binoculars offer performance comparable to that of many models costing thousands more.

Binoculars might not be a necessity. But when you’re standing on the edge of a trail in Zion National Park and looking for nesting peregrine falcons or lying at the edge of your campsite in Joshua Tree watching a pack of coyotes move under a full moon, will a good pair of binoculars come in handy? Yes. Yes it will.

The waterproof and lightweight Athlon Optics Midas ED binoculars boast a rugged shock-absorbing exterior. And this pair’s optical clarity and extra-wide field of view allow you to see more of the scene, more clearly and accurately. In fact, the professional ornithologist who tested binoculars for us said that things looked every bit as good through the Athlon binoculars as they looked through his $2,500 Leica Ultravid pair.

And the optics of the Midas ED pair aren’t the only strong suit: These are exceptionally durable binoculars that easily withstood the humid, dusty, and hostile environment of the Mexican rain forest and the harsh sun of the Californian desert. Also, their focus dial adjusts reliably and smoothly across a wide range of depths, making it easy for you to focus on what you’re trying to see, no matter where it is.

Stowable tote or daypack

It’s always a good idea to have a bag on hand for spontaneous off-the-road excursions. But anything that will take up space on a trip needs to be functional enough to hold cameras, snacks, jackets, maps, and souvenirs. And it needs to be durable enough to survive beach trips, sightseeing excursions, picnics, and museum tours.

Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Travel Day Pack

A pack that won’t crowd your trunk.

Toss this lightweight, phone-sized packable bag into your trunk or under your seat, and you’ll never get caught without a spare bag again. If you need something to carry every day, though, you’ll probably prefer one of our more-structured picks.

After researching dozens of packable daypacks across a spectrum of portability, features, and prices, and then packing, unpacking, loading, wearing, and drenching the top-rated finalists during multiple rounds of testing, we’ve found that the Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Travel Day Pack is the smallest and lightest packable backpack of the bunch. Packed up, it is very discreet, nearly the size of a keychain accessory. The bag itself is a no-frills sack made from a paper-thin siliconized Cordura nylon, so it’s very light and water resistant. The Ultra-Sil bag also has reinforced stitching at stress points, which allows it to carry more weight than you might expect. That said, since this pack is made of such thin, light material, carrying large or awkwardly shaped loads is somewhat uncomfortable, especially in comparison with our more structured picks.

If lightness, waterproofing, comfort, and organization are more important to you, check out the alternative picks in our review of packable daypacks for travel .

Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+

An easy-to-spread physical sunscreen.

This physical sunscreen lotion absorbs easily and is free of added fragrance. Though this water-resistant formula can feel greasy, like most physical sunscreens, and leave behind a white cast (especially on darker skin), we’ve found its dependable coverage to be worth the trade-off.

On most road trips you’ll be exposed to the sun, whether it’s your arm out the window or your legs and neck during a pit stop, so we recommend bringing our favorite sunscreens along for everyone to apply. (The one exception: your youngest passengers. Do not put sunscreen on an infant. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends keeping children who are younger than 6 months out of the sun entirely.) Although most sunscreens containing only physical UV blockers are notoriously harder to spread and more visible on skin than sunscreens with chemical UV filters, Blue Lizard’s Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ formula spreads relatively quickly and easily, and it absorbs nicely. Formulated with both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, this sunscreen provides broad-spectrum protection, from both UVA and UVB rays. Blue Lizard says this formulation, which contains no added fragrance, is sweat resistant and water resistant for 80 minutes (the highest such claim allowed by the FDA). It comes in bottles that uniquely change color, from white to blue, in the presence of harmful UV light.

Banana Boat Light As Air Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+

A lightweight, oxybenzone-free chemical sunscreen.

Although it contains added fragrance, this easy-to-apply chemical sunscreen lotion doesn’t have an overpowering sunscreen-y scent. It rubs in nearly transparently and appears colorless on most skin tones.

Banana Boat Light As Air Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+ is our favorite chemical sunscreen that doesn’t contain oxybenzone. Fairly runny and lightweight, it blends seamlessly into a variety of skin tones. Although it contains added fragrance, it’s not strongly scented. It’s water resistant for up to the maximum-allowable claim (per FDA guidelines) of 80 minutes, and it costs far less per ounce than our physical-sunscreen pick.

Having an emergency kit in your car is a great idea for day-to-day driving, but it’s pretty much a necessity for long-distance road trips. Although it’s tempting to buy a preassembled kit and be done with it, we haven’t found a great one yet. Even the most promising options suffer from having jumper cables that are too short, too thin, or both. Basically, if you want a good kit, you have to make it yourself, and we’re here to help.

We spent hours researching and testing each of these essentials to confirm that they’ll be useful in case of an emergency, whether it’s your own or someone else’s.

On a desolate stretch of two-lane highway in northern Arizona, we were driving behind a rental camper van just as it had a rear-tire blowout after hitting a rumble strip. The couple driving the van couldn’t find their jack, didn’t know where the spare tire was, and had come to a stop just past a low dip in the road. It wasn’t a good scene. But it couldn’t have happened at a better time (for them, at least), and it gave us a great opportunity to put our emergency gear to the test.

It’s also wise to get a membership to a roadside assistance program. We don’t have a single best recommendation for everyone, since your options and needs vary depending on what car you have, how you use it, and where you live, but here’s a good guide by Popular Mechanics on what to look for in choosing a plan. Basically, make sure your plan fits your needs. For example, if you live in a city, 3 miles of free towing may be enough. But if you’re going on a road trip across the desert, paying for more range is worthwhile.

First-aid kit

First Aid Only 298 Piece All-Purpose First Aid Kit (FAO-442)

All the basics.

This kit is chock-full of bandages and cleaning supplies that are suitable for minor incidents.

On the road, a first-aid kit is useful for keeping someone comfortable until people with real medical expertise can help. It’s much more important to have a basic kit with you—and to be sure that the bandages haven’t degraded and the disinfectants haven’t expired—than to have a 432-item, war-zone-worthy kit sitting at home.

We like the First Aid Only 298 Piece All-Purpose First Aid Kit . It lacks some of the higher-quality tools that we recommend for a wilderness first-aid kit , but it comes with plenty of bandages, alcohol prep pads, pain relievers, and equipment to treat up to four people’s minor cuts and scrapes on a weekend trip. (For an extensive list and comparison chart, see our full guide .)

Snow shovel

Voilé Telepro Mini Avalanche Shovel

The best car shovel.

This small shovel slices through icy snow and can be disassembled for car storage. It isn’t cheap, but it’s what we’d want to have in a roadside emergency.

After spending two years researching car shovels and testing five contenders, we found that the best one to keep in the trunk for an emergency is the Voilé Telepro Mini Avalanche Shovel .

The tool, popular with ski patrols and people clearing backcountry trails, has a solid metal scoop and a two-piece handle that clicks together to form a sturdy shovel. Our tester keeps the Voilé shovel in her truck every winter, and it has come in handy more times than she can count. Though the Voilé shovel is too short to be a primary shovel, it’s perfect for any kind of fast shoveling. When you aren’t using it, you can tuck its three pieces neatly under a car seat or in the back.

Accu-Gage RRA60X

The best tire gauge we’ve found.

This is the favored tire gauge of all the professionals we interviewed.

Checking your car’s tire pressure (including that of the spare tire) is like flossing: It’s something that everyone should do but many people don’t do. Proper inflation is vital . Too much, and you’ll feel every bump and have more difficulty stopping your car; too little, and your tires will wear faster. Worse, they’ll also overheat, which can separate the treads and blow the tires, something we saw happen right in front of us in the middle of nowhere in Arizona. Don’t let that happen to you.

When we asked three different San Francisco Bay Area tire shops which gauge they used, they all pointed to the Accu-Gage 60 PSI gauge with shock protector . After our testing, which included road-tripping with the tool ourselves, the Accu-Gage model has emerged as our favorite tire gauge for several years running. It’s accurate and durable, and unlike a digital gauge, it has no battery to wear out. The Accu-Gage model is available in several different configurations , but the performance is largely the same. We prefer a version with a hose attached and a straight chuck, because that design makes it easier to hold the gauge and check the tire pressure at the same time. The version we tested even comes with a removable rubber bumper in case you drop it.

Portable jump starter

A portable jump starter is essentially a lightweight battery attached to two jumper cables that you use to jump-start your car. It’s easier, safer, and less intimidating than old-fashioned jumper cables that you attach to another car—and it’s something that you can use if you’re alone, instead of waiting for roadside service/a kind stranger/a friend/a relative to show up and bail you out.

Weego Jump Starter 44s

Staff-favorite jump starter.

This jump starter has the right safety features and contains enough juice in a small package to start most cars and SUVs.

Wirecutter has recommended Weego gear since we first published our guide to portable jump starters in 2017. Guide writer Mark Smirniotis researched 40 lithium-ion jump starters and tested 12. Two Weego portable jump starters (both of which are now discontinued) became picks: the Weego 22s (the top pick; about $60) and the Weego 44 (the upgrade pick; about $150). Though we no longer maintain that full guide, many of us at Wirecutter still keep a Weego jump starter in our cars . But now, in many cases, it’s an updated version, namely the affordable Weego 44s , which hovers around the same price as the 22s model, its less powerful predecessor.

Measuring 5.62 by 3.44 by 1.04 inches (LWD), the Weego 44s jump starter is about the same size as a cell phone in length and width. It also weighs less than a pound (around 12 ounces, according to my kitchen scale) and has safety features that help prevent you from hurting your car or yourself: If you incorrectly attach the jump starter to your battery (which can potentially damage the battery or your car’s electrical system), the unit’s reverse-polarity protection feature activates, issuing a red light and an alarm alerting you not to proceed.

The Weego 44s is rated to work with a wide range of vehicles, including gas engines up to 7 liters and diesel engines up to 3.5 liters. It can jump-start pretty much any gas- or diesel-powered passenger-vehicle engine—anything from a Mini Cooper (2 liters or less) to a Dodge Ram (as much as 6.7 liters)—and it fits that power into a package that’s small enough for most glove boxes.

The Weego 44s comes partially charged out of the box and takes about 2.5 hours to charge from zero. A USB-A–to–Micro-USB charging cord is included, but it doesn’t come with a charging cube, so you need to plug the USB-A end into your own USB phone charger that works in regular household outlets or use an outlet with a USB-A port . According to the company, the unit can stay charged for more than a year in storage, though you should make sure to top it off every three to six months. With regular use, it’s rated to last for about three to five years or up to 1,000 recharge cycles. Plus, it can provide multiple jumps before it needs a recharge itself (five lights on the side of the unit indicate its remaining battery life).

The Weego 44s has checks and balances to ensure that you safely jump-start a car, but its lithium-ion polymer battery comes with certain caveats. Though the manufacturer indicates that the unit will operate in temps of -4 °F to 140 °F, leaving it in a car in extremely hot or cold conditions is not a great idea. “Most devices that contain a lithium-ion battery, whether it’s your smartphone or a portable jump starter, should not spend long periods of time in extreme temperatures since it can cause permanent damage to the battery,” says Wirecutter senior staff writer and battery expert Sarah Witman. “You should also keep in mind that car engines need more power to get started in freezing temperatures, so it’s especially important to keep your jump starter fully charged when driving in cold climates.”

Jumper cables

If you’re a die-hard jumper-cable partisan, make sure that the cables you get are long enough for most scenarios and thick enough to carry sufficient current to jump most vehicles.

Lifeline AAA Heavy Duty 16-foot 6 Gauge Booster Cables

The best cable option.

This cable is long and durable enough for any situation, with a current rating that can handle SUVs.

After scrutinizing the specs of dozens of jumper-cable options and having an electrical engineer analyze three top-rated models, we recommend Lifeline’s AAA Heavy Duty 16-foot 6 Gauge Booster Cables . As this image illustrates, these cables are long and thick enough for most situations, and their 400-amp current rating means they can handle most vehicles, even trucks and SUVs. They also come with a surprisingly sturdy and convenient mesh storage bag.

One thing that sets these Lifeline cables apart from other cables we found on Amazon is that the 6-gauge description is accurate. For example, Capri sells a 4-gauge, 20-foot cable that reviewers say is closer to 8-gauge. That’s no good, because thinner cables can fail to deliver sufficient current to start trucks, SUVs, and other larger vehicles.

If you’re unfamiliar with how to use jumper cables, familiarize yourself . But lest you forget, Lifeline includes a handy diagram in the bag. The important thing to keep in mind: Do not attach the black clamp to the black post of the dead battery. Instead, clamp it to an unpainted metal surface under the hood. Also, don’t touch the exposed parts of the clamps together while the cables are hooked up to a battery; they will spark.

Decked x BoxoUSA Tool Bag with Tool Roll

For the at-home mechanic.

This tool roll is designed for off-road emergencies. The handy roll and its mix-and-match tool configurations offer almost everything necessary to keep a vehicle on the road.

If you don’t own any tools for car maintenance, this kit is a great start. With 65 individual tools, the Decked x BoxoUSA Tool Bag with Tool Roll has nearly every tool that a home mechanic (especially those who own a truck) might need to keep their vehicle on the road. As the kit was designed originally for off-roading, bringing the whole thing and all its contents would be overkill for most people (the entire kit weighs 31 pounds). But selecting the necessities—the ratchet and wrench set, for instance—depending on the kind of journey you’re planning is easy and efficient due to the built-in compartmentalization. Included within the kit are combination wrenches, sockets, impact sockets, hex and torx keys, breaker bars, and a family of hammers, pliers, and screwdrivers. The heavy-duty Cordura nylon bag is built to last, too. If you’re at all interested in doing some of your own car maintenance, or if you want to be prepared in case of emergency, this toolkit offers a solid foundation.

Petzl Actik Core

A rechargeable headlamp.

This headlamp emits bright light with the highest beam quality. And it stays charged for days, whether you charge it via USB or use AAA batteries. It’s the perfect headlamp for backpacking trips.

We’ve been testing headlamps since 2012, including our latest round of research and testing in 2022. For a road trip, we like the Petzl Actik Core because it’s rechargeable, so you won’t ever get caught with a dead battery, as long as you have a USB car charger on hand. Its 450-lumen light ranks among the brightest of all our picks. (As of early 2023, the Actik Core was updated and now has a 600-lumen beam ; we’re currently testing the new version.)

Twice during our trip we pulled into our camping site late, and our headlamp was the first thing we reached for. Knowing that it was always charged meant that we didn’t have to hunt for batteries or use our car lights and disturb neighboring campers.

Right out of the box, the Actik Core was easy to use. It has just one button and three brightness options: low (6 lumens), medium (100 lumens), and high (450 lumens). If you hold down the button for several seconds, the color turns to red; double-pressing lets you access the strobe setting. Compared with some other rechargeable headlamps, which require complicated button-press configurations to reach the desired setting, we found this one to be simpler, though we lamented its lack of a flood beam. We also liked the double-button setup of the Black Diamond Spot 400 and the Vitchelo V800 a bit better than the Actik Core’s single button.

Flare alternative

StonePoint LED Emergency Beacon

The best emergency beacon.

Crushproof and waterproof, this set of three beacons comes with magnets for car mounting. And these are much safer than traditional flares.

To keep yourself safe while your car is parked on the side of the road, we suggest StonePoint LED Emergency Beacon flare alternatives.

We like the StonePoint set because, for the price of one high-intensity model like the PowerFlare device, you get three separate lights that are all crushproof to 20,000 pounds, waterproof, magnetic, and easy to set up and turn on. The magnets are important because they let you mount the beacons on your car, which adds height; having a flare anywhere above the surface of the road greatly increases your visibility. By putting one on the road (preferably elevated on something and located about 100 feet before your car), another on the trunk, and another on the hood, you create a very visible early warning for drivers.

Traditional magnesium flares will almost always be brighter and more visible. But their hazards—both to your health and to the environment around you—are substantial. (Read the health and environmental hazards section in this report [PDF] for a breakdown of the risks and the potentially harmful chemicals involved.) Combine that with the fact that you can mitigate any differences in visibility simply by elevating an electric flare, and you end up with a compelling argument against using traditional flares.

Of the three beacon models we tested, we couldn’t figure out how to open or turn on the Wagan model. And the Smittybilt U.F.O. safety light, though tough, wasn’t especially effective during the day and came only one to a package. Only the StonePoint beacons were easy to fill with batteries and place on the road exactly when we needed them. They also happened to be the brightest flare alternatives we had with us.

I should take a moment here and repeat what the responding officer told us when he arrived on the scene. Regardless of what safety beacons you have laid out behind you, “Stay off the road, and when in doubt stay in your car.”

Leatherman Skeletool CX

The best multi-tool.

This light, slim multi-tool is easy to carry and built to last.

No emergency kit is complete without a multi-tool. Most minor situations—such as a loose Phillips-head screw or a need to create a rag for checking your oil—are easily fixed as long as you have the right tool. Multi-tools are small enough to carry in a jeans pocket or to attach to a belt, so you can take a set of useful tools almost anywhere. Our choice is the Leatherman Skeletool CX , which comes with pliers, a bit driver, a pocket clip, and a carabiner/bottle opener, in addition to a high-quality, 2.6-inch 154CM carbon-fiber stainless steel blade. The Skeletool CX stood out from the other 22 multi-tools we tested because it focuses on the functionality, ergonomics, and solid construction of a few essential tools, instead of cramming dozens of different tools into a single bulky body that makes it difficult to use. That means it’s easy to carry but still has just about everything you could possibly need (short of a hammer and a socket set) to make an emergency repair in the field and on the road.

Duck Brand Max Strength Duct Tape

The best duct tape.

This tape is super strong and sticky, flexible enough to wrap around corners, and easy to tear in a clean, straight line.

If you can’t duct it, fuhgeddaboudit . We tested the heck out of 11 rolls of duct tape and chose Duck Max Strength tape above the competition for its perfect blend of attributes, namely high material strength, a strong adhesive, and superior overall flexibility for easy wrapping around odd shapes and curved surfaces. Is it an absolute necessity on the road? No. But the moment you need to fix a ripped tent wall or to keep unruly motel shades shut, you’ll be glad you packed some duct tape. It can even handle first-aid duties when the right materials for the job are unavailable. Duct tape is, as any MacGyver fan will tell you, a very useful tool.

Reliance 4-Gallon Aqua-Tainer

The best water jug.

This water jug holds enough water for two people for two days, and it has a spill-proof screw-on vent cap.

The general rule for water in an emergency is that one person needs one gallon of water for one day. But four to five gallons is a good amount to throw into your trunk—enough to get you through being stranded, even with a passenger. You should increase that estimate if you plan to go out in the middle of nowhere, or if your travels take you to a desert region or some other dry place. We found on our trip through the Southwest that we were refilling our water bottles a lot more than we were stopping for gas.

After researching 16 different types of water jugs, we recommend the Reliance 4-Gallon Aqua-Tainer for most situations. The Reliance jug has two standout features: a screw-on vent cap and a spigot cap that reverses in on itself when not in use. These features work together to prevent major spills. The screw-on vent cap doesn’t come undone, unlike the pull-top vents on some competitors, which tend to pop open and spill water as soon as you hit anything other than the smoothest roadways. Spigot caps can be a weakness for some jugs, too. In contrast, when not in use, the Reliance jug’s spigot unscrews and drops into the jug itself, sealing up the whole canister nice and tight. On our road trip, we used the 4-Gallon Aqua-Tainer, which can provide water for two people for two days; for more people, consider the 7-Gallon Aqua-Tainer .

The Reliance Aqua-Tainer jug is made from BPA-free molded plastic. It’s easy to pack around in the trunk of a car—certainly easier than large, bladder-type jugs (like the MSR Dromedary Bag ), which, though excellent for camp showers and good for a backpack, are too difficult to pack around in a trunk because of their non-rigid shape. The Aqua-Tainer’s hard sides also make it easier to use for dispensing water from, say, the roof of your car. But be sure to throw a shirt or towel under the Aqua-Tainer before setting it atop your car like this: We learned the hard way that the molded plastic edge can scratch your car’s paint job if you’re not careful.

Before investing in a jug, you should know that water kept in plastic bottles won’t harm you, even if left in a hot car . A 24-pack of Poland Spring is not environmentally kind, but it is safe for a brief trip. Avoid gallon jugs, since they’re typically made out of HDPE plastic, which punctures easily. (Such jugs also have caps that pop off easily.) We wouldn’t buy collapsible jugs, either, since they are prone to leaks and are unruly when pouring.

It takes only a few minutes to get your vehicle checked out for a proper road trip. When in doubt, or when preparing for an especially long trip, see a mechanic first. There are plenty of potential mechanical troubles that a professional can identify—and that you’d rather learn about in their shop than on the side of a highway. Use these tips to determine where to go for help, based on the age of your car and what you need done.

• Dealership service departments: newer vehicles covered by factory warranty, or when specialized service is required
• Independent mechanics: general maintenance items such as brakes, steering, suspension, exhaust, and fluid changes
• Quick oil/lube centers: oil changes only

Getting word-of-mouth advice from family and friends remains a very good way to find reputable mechanics. Sites such as RepairPal and Yelp are also helpful. And don’t forget to check local Facebook community groups.

The vehicle inspection: Six key areas

• Under the hood: Check the engine oil, transmission fluid, engine coolant, windshield wipers, washer fluid, and brake fluid.

• Tires: Check for proper inflation and good tread that doesn’t show uneven wear. For inflation, consult your owner’s manual to find your tires’ recommended PSI; don’t go by what’s printed on the side of your tire, which is the maximum PSI. For tread wear, stick a penny into the center (not the edge) of each tire’s treads, with Lincoln’s head facing down—if you can still see the top of Lincoln’s head, the tire is worn out. Also, if you have a spare tire, check it and make sure that a jack and a lug-nut wrench still accompany it. If you don’t have a spare, consider getting one from a dealer or a salvage yard. Or invest in an emergency roadside repair and inflation kit—like the Slime 50107 Smart Spair Emergency Tire Repair Kit —which includes sealant for small punctures as well as a small air compressor for reinflating tires. At the very least, bring along a portable sealer kit like Fix-A-Flat , but be aware that these options work only on very small punctures in the tread and could ultimately require you to replace your whole tire. So it’s really better to have a spare, if possible.

• Lights: Check all the bulbs, including the turn signals, headlights (high and low beam), brake lights, parking lamps, reverse lights, and license-plate lights.
• Smell test: You can sniff out potential problems in your car by paying attention to its odors.
• Sulfur/rotten-egg smell: You have trouble with your exhaust or emission system that could be dangerous. Get your car to a mechanic immediately.
• Sweet smell: This scent indicates an engine coolant leak; the smell could be strong when you’re using the heater, and accompanied by fogged-up glass. The coolant is toxic, and when it runs out, your engine will overheat.
• Burning carpet/paper smell: Your brakes are hot. Smelling this after you’ve used your brakes hard (such as after coming down a mountain) is not unusual. But if you smell this while you’re driving around normally, it means your brakes might be stuck, which is a serious problem.
• Musty/mildew smell: This odor is generally attributable to water getting stuck in the ductwork for your heating and air conditioning. It usually indicates that a drain plug is blocked, which you sometimes can fix just by running your fan on high for a few minutes.
• Burning rubber smell: Unless you’re doing burnouts, this smell can be caused by slipping engine belts or a tire rubbing. In these cases, the smell is usually accompanied by a noise, namely squealing (with belts) or grinding (with a tire rubbing).
• Noise test: Cars make lots of noises, and the following are some that should get your undivided attention.
• Clunking or rattling over bumps: This sound can indicate a variety of problems with the steering or suspension, but it often points to worn plastic or rubber bushings that allow contact between metal components. In extreme cases, these components can fail, causing major damage or even loss of control if the vehicle is moving.
• Clicking or groaning sounds when turning: Clicking is a sign of imminent axle shaft failure on front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive vehicles, so get to a mechanic immediately if you hear this sound. Groaning noises are less serious and occur because of a lack of lubrication in steering components or bushings.
• Loud humming that increases steadily with speed: This sound almost always points to a bad wheel bearing, especially if the noise gets louder or quieter when the car is turning.
• Grinding, squeaking, or squealing when stopping: Squeaking and squealing happen when the brake pads are worn and need replacing. Grinding means the pads are already gone, and you’re pushing metal against metal when you stop.
• Feel test: The following are a few situations that should warrant a visit to the shop.
• Soft or spongy brake pedal: Brakes should be firm; a soft pedal means something is wrong. Either you have a mechanical problem or the brake fluid is leaking.
• Shimmies or vibrations: These sensations usually indicate that a rim is bent or that a tire is out of balance, but they can also be signs of loose steering or suspension parts.

Pre-trip planning

Before heading out, check these commonly taken-for-granted aspects of road-tripping.

• Update your GPS system. Factory-installed GPS devices generally receive updates once a year and require CDs, SD cards, or USB thumb drives purchased from the manufacturer for installation through a dealership. Mobile third-party GPS units get updates throughout the year, and you can install the updates via most home PCs through a simple download from the GPS manufacturer’s website.
• Make sure that you have maps or a paper atlas. Sometimes technology fails. Having a current map for backup is always a good idea.
• Make sure you’re covered by a roadside assistance program. Auto-club programs are the most common source of roadside assistance plans, with companies such as AAA and Good Sam offering coverage to members regardless of what vehicle they drive or its age. Most new cars, however, come with complimentary roadside assistance that lasts a certain number of miles or a certain number of years, whichever happens first. So check your owner’s manual (and read the fine print, since these plans can be very limited). Many auto insurance companies also provide vehicle-specific roadside assistance, usually for a monthly fee. Some credit card companies offer a mix of complimentary and basic fee services, and even cell phone companies are now offering basic services to customers. Verizon’s roadside assistance plan costs $5 per month and covers any vehicle, as long as the phone is present. Most of these plans have limitations and plenty of fine print to study, so carefully review your coverage before hitting the road.

This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan.

Meet your guides

Kit Dillon is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter. He was previously an app developer, oil derrick inspector, public-radio archivist, and sandwich shop owner. He has written for Popular Science, The Awl, and the New York Observer, among others. When called on, he can still make a mean sandwich.

Wirecutter Staff

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Further reading

Road-Trip Essentials

by Eve O'Neill

We spend a lot of time driving each year, and this is our list of essential road-trip gear to include in your packing list.

Traveling With Little Kids Can Be Tough. The Right Gear Can Help.

by Kerry Davis McGuinness

From compact car seats and cribs to portable blackout shades and white noise machines, the right tools for travel can lead to less fuss—and more fun.

The Gadgets We Bring on Every Trip

by Haley Perry

You don't have to be a digital nomad to travel like one. Here are a few gadgets and accessories to make travel as painless as possible.

The Best Gear for Travel

by Wirecutter Staff

We put in another year and tens of thousands more miles of travel to test the best travel gear—and we stand by last year’s choices alongside a few new picks.

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What To Pack In Your Medical Travel Kit

H aving a travel medical kit at hand when you are on a road trip or some other adventure can be life saving, so let's talk about What To Pack In Your Medical Travel Kit . Accidents can happen anytime, so having the tools available to deal with injury before making it to a hospital is essential. 

If you don’t have a travel medical kit or don’t know how to start putting one together, here are a few tips and essentials that should be in it. 

This post may contain affiliate links which means we receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my disclosure for more information.

What to Remember 

There are some things you should remember to add to a kit that may not seem obvious. If you take chronic medication, have allergies, or simply have a prescription for nicotine vaping , have copies of the paperwork relating to these things in the kit as a reminder, and to hand them to medical professionals if needed. 

The first thing to consider is the size of the kit and where you will store it. It should be no bigger than a backpack and shouldn’t take up too much space as you don’t want to feel like you should take it to make room for other things. 

Essentials Only 

A travel medical kit shouldn’t be a pharmacy or hospital in your bag. Don’t fill it with every possible thing you may need; instead, choose the essentials and items that are multipurpose. A good example is headache tablets, which can double as pain relievers.

Don’t Forget Non-Medical Items

There are also a few non-medical things you should include, such as a small torch, a lighter, a mini sewing kit, and a multi-tool. You never know where you may be when you need this kit, so ensure that you have other tools that will make treatment easier or more effective. 

Keep Going First Aid Kit

First aid on-the-go! The handy, compact  Keep Going First Aid Kit has 130 pieces of essential first aid supplies, from burn relief to bandages, so your child will be ready for anything! TSA approved, the lightweight kit is packaged in an organized, stylish water & stain-resistant case for school days, after school sports & activities.

Created by a mom of four, the Keep Going First Aid Kit is an essential for the entire family. Four kits are available, including the SuperKit (270 pieces), GoKit (130 pieces), Loaded MiniKit (60 pieces) and KidsKit (44 pieces).

• Travel in Style – Most first aid kits look so clinical—upgrade your small first aid kit for travel to a fashionable one. Your cute first aid kit fits into a suitcase, diaper bag, purse, or backpack.
• All You Need – Good things come in small packages! Your compact first aid kit has 130 pieces of essential first aid supplies for every ouchie. From burn relief to bandages, you’ll be ready for anything.
• For Your Family – The average med kit is designed just for adults, but your KEEP GOING kit works perfectly as a baby first aid kit and beyond. Bandage their boo-boos and put smiles back on their faces!
• Quality Materials – Give your family the care they deserve. Your home and car first aid kit features premium products protected inside a stain- and water-resistant case with a helpful first aid guide.
• KEEP GOING – Your HSA- and FSA-eligible first aid kit for home and travel is made by a mom for moms. KEEP GOING First Aid is a small, family-owned business passionate about helping families keep the fun going.

The KidsKit can be clipped directly on backpacks, too! A variety of stylish, trendy patterns and colors are available. The kits can be found on Amazon.com . There is a full sized option as well as a mini travel size!

Specialized Kit

If you have a problem needing specialized medication or equipment, make sure that is the first thing you pack. This can range from extra batteries for a hearing aid or an EpiPen if you have diabetes. 

Click here to find out how to get an Emergency Antibiotics Kit without seeing a doctor!

Plasters/Bandages

The first thing you need is a selection of plasters and a couple of rolls of bandages. The bandage length doesn’t matter as you can cut it but have a decent variation in plaster sizes; also, ensure the plasters are waterproof.  

Anti-Bacterial Wipes/Gloves

Anti-bacterial wipes are perfect for cleaning injuries and lowering the chances of infection in the instance of a bite or graze. Combine these with gloves, as you don’t want to touch open wounds with your bare hands. 

You might also want to throw in some Handzies soap and water wipes!

Individually packaged and perfect for packing in your travel bag,  Handzies Soap + Water Wipes  give everyone fresh, clean hands using only natural castile soap, water and essential oils. Say goodbye to harsh hand sanitizers, as Handzies do not contain alcohol, BZK, triclosan, artificial perfumes or dyes. Get them here !

Headache Tablets

Headaches are common and can ruin a day very quickly. Headache tablets not only deal with this but they can also be used as a pain reliever in a pinch. Before using them or giving them to someone, make sure they aren’t allergic to paracetamol.

Travel size medicine packets don't take up a lot of space, but save you time and money when a headache strikes during a trip!

Medication for Stomach Issues

Another common problem would be stomach issues. This can range from acid reflux to constipation and diarrhea. Include a small number of antacids, as well as anti-diarrhea and laxatives, in your kit.

For instance, I always pack a package of Imodium travel size tablets .

Motion Sickness Tablets

People can get motion sickness in a car, on a plane, or on a boat, and therefore it is essential to have motion sickness tablets. While there are tablets for each of these, at the very least, have a generic motion sickness medication at hand. 

In the instance of needing to use bandages, plasters, or tape, you will need a pair of medical scissors. While regular ones will do the job, specialized bandage scissors are designed to make quick and clean cuts without destroying the bandage. 

Medical Tape

Medical tape has a multitude of uses, but the most important ones are that it will keep bandages secure and in place, and it can be used to waterproof injuries. Having a good size roll will ensure you always have enough for the job, and in case you need to redo or replace dressings. 

Antiseptic Spray/Wipes/Gel

Antiseptic spray or wipes should be a no-brainer in your kit. If you get bitten by an insect or animal or get a scrape or an abrasion, the first thing you should apply is antiseptic. This will clean the wound and prevent any bacteria from getting into it. 

Burn Bandages/Gel

In the event of a burn, a regular bandage or cream just won’t do the job. There are specialized bandages that are designed for burns, as well as multiple gels that can be applied to relieve the pain and slow down any damage the burn could cause. 

Allergy Medication

Allergy flare-ups are one of the worst things to deal with, especially when you don’t have any tablets or sprays that can help. Having a sheet of antihistamines or a nasal spray available can offer quick relief. Make sure to keep your travel size otc medication  where you can easily find it if you have an allergy flare up!

Plastic Bags

Plastic bags can be multifunctional, especially in a pinch. If you need to get rid of use bandages or plasters, you can throw them away safely, but bags also have a great secondary function. 

If you need to keep a dressing dry or out of the rain, you can cut a bag, wrap the dressing, and tape it to make it waterproof. 

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