Road Trip Essentials

The time of the year for road tripping has finally arrived!

I love a good road trip in the less harsh seasons of the year. Spring and Fall are great for a road trip because of the lack of extreme temperatures. These are the seasons that offer the best likelihood for traveling without running in to extreme heat or extreme cold, which make them my desirable traveling seasons. Whether you are traveling during Spring, Fall, Winter or Summer, there are a few essential items I will ALWAYS carry along with me when I hit the road.

When I say essential I mean they are necessary to ensure safe travel. Traveling any distance outside of your comfort zone requires you do some planning and be prepared for things to go wrong. And they are likely to go wrong. So here is my list of ten essentials for any road trip.

1. Tire Change Kit

   One of the first things I ever learned to do when I started driving was to change a tire. I have only had to use this knowledge a couple of times over the last twenty years but when I did use it, it was a life saver. So the first item I am putting on this list is a tire change kit — which is actually three separate items but lists of 10 are better.

   The items you will need to carry are a tire iron, vehicle jack and a spare tire. With the last item, I would suggest you have an actual spare tire and not one of the spare donuts that you see other people driving around on. Unfortunately, donuts are really just a temporary measure to get you to the next stop so that you can purchase a new tire which is not ideal.

2. Jump Starter

   I prefer a good jump starter instead of a set of jumper cables. Mainly because of the lack of a need for an external user to jump the vehicle off. The jump starter allows you to hook the device to the car batter posts and jump start your vehicle. This is invaluable if you are driving anywhere but especially if you are driving through remote areas. I began carrying one of these after a trip to Colorado where the battery in my Jeep Wrangler lost power but I thought no one was around to give me a jump.

   Luckily, an older couple was in the area and they provided me with a quick jump using a NOCO jump starter. After that experience I made the purchase and have never left home without one.

3. Satellite GPS Communicator

   A GPS Communicator can be an absolute life saver if you plan to drive across the country. There are plenty of dead spots where you will get no cell service. GPS communicators are a great safety measure to ensure you can navigate without a cell signal or make emergency communications. I began carrying one of these last year, during a trip out to Big Bend in Texas near the border of Mexico. It is a great tool, especially if you plan to go through remote areas or national parks since you are likely to hit a few prolonged dead spots.

4. 5 Gallons of Water

   Water has various uses. I always keep a container with a large quantity of water with me. The obvious value of water is to keep you hydrated, especially if you are stranded on the road. It also is very helpful if your vehicle overheats. Water can work as a temporary replacement for coolant but you’ll want to make sure you get real coolant for the radiator if your vehicle is running dry or begins to overheat.

5. Cooler

   There are several reasons to keep a good cooler with you when you go on the road. I would like to emphasis good when I refer to coolers because a simple stylophone cooler simply will not suffice. If you plan to go out for multiple days, you will need to have a cooler that has thick siding, good latches and can hold ice for a long period of time. A cooler has been extremely valuable to me when I want to cut down on cost of purchasing from every gas station or just want to make your own lunch on the road.

   Just make sure you keep the lid close when you are not pulling out food.

6. Sleeping Bag

   You can switch this one out with a blanket but I find a sleeping bag to be a lot more versatile. Having a sleeping bag is very helpful when you need to keep yourself warm or just need to get a little rest. I find them to be better than a blanket since sleeping bags can serve multiple purposes.

7. Cold Hard Cash

   Cash is king when you are on the open road. Over the years, I have found myself in a number of locations where the business only accepted cash. It is rare but happens enough that I have learned to keep some cash on hand in the event I need to make a purchase in a remote area that is not set up to accept credit cards. It does not need to be much; maybe just $100 to cover expenses like gas or food if you are in a pinch.

8. Gas Container

   Certain stretches of roads within the United States can be bare on gas which is why I always carry a gas container. I like to keep one of these containers to fill up, especially if I know I will be doing any off-roading or will be driving through an area with very few gas services. A gas container comes in real handy as a precaution just in case you find yourself in need to fill up.

9. Power Inverter

   Last year was the first time I found out I needed a power inverter. A power inverter takes power from a source such as your cigarette lighter and allows you to use it as a full fledged power source that can charge an item such as a laptop. Typically, I find it useful if I have items that would require a wall charger and has no alternative charging method.

10. Fire Source

    You don’t want to get caught out on the road without having the ability to quickly and easily create fire.