Winter is coming

"Just Jeepin'" (macintux) 10/12/2018 at 16:50 • Filed to: None

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On the heels of !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , it occurs to me it’s probably time to find out what everyone thinks we should be carrying around for safety in the cold weather that looms.

I imagine there are at least a dozen previous posts of similar intent , but I’m too lazy to try searching for them. Never look back, dahling. I t dist racts from the now.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Despite having a fairly healthy-sized vehicle, I don’t have much secure storage space, and for almost half the year whatever’s in it needs to be water-resistant at least, so I don’t have as robust an emergency kit as I’d like. Winter is a little easier, since my top stays on and the water stays out (which reminds me, it’s time to put the floor plugs back in to save on heat and make sure the water really does stay out).

Gear I’ll have this winter:

Snow shovel

Real shovel

Mallet

Axe

Multi-tool and a few other miscellaneous wrenches/pliers/etc

DC e lectric blanket

Tire repair kit

Gloves

Jumpstarter battery

Jumper cables

Mobile CB & GMRS radios (maybe my handheld ham if a storm is brewing)

Flashlights (including a big magnetic red flasher that I just realized I need to make sure hasn’t vanished during my months of topless parking)

First aid kit

Spare clothes

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Just Jeepin' 10/12/2018 at 16:54

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My kit is a sandbag, a set of those boards with tread on both sides for slipping tires, and a small shovel. RWD lyfe, yo.

facw > Just Jeepin' 10/12/2018 at 16:56

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I normally add a small collapsible snow shovel, a jacket I don’t like, and some gloves I don’t like. I’m not really so far out of the way as to need a full winter survival kit. I probably should have some first aid stuff and a triangle, regardless of the season.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Just Jeepin' 10/12/2018 at 16:56

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Good lord man do you live in Siberia or something?

Montana Winter Kit:

1. .357 and 12 rounds, because bears man, they are everywhere

2. Three 1/2 used cans of winter green chew

3. 2 empty mountain dew bottles for spittle.

4. A couple of bags of sunflower seeds.

5. 2 day old cold cup of gas station coffee.

6. About 12 feet of rusty chain.

7. one old broken in half shovel.

8. Non running husky chainsaw, need to take in for a new carb

9. Dozens of scratch off lotto tickets littering the floor of cab

10. half burnt Cabellas base ball cap.

Just Jeepin' > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 10/12/2018 at 16:57

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I used to keep kitty litter with me, might throw it in again this year. Fortunately, despite frequent differential failures (sigh) my transfer case has been pretty reliable.

Just Jeepin' > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 10/12/2018 at 16:59

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I do like to make runs into the Hoosier National Forest when we get a significant snowfall, but mainly I just want to be prepared to help someone out. I effectively  don’t use half my Jeep for most of the winter, might as well keep emergency supplies in there.

lone_liberal > Just Jeepin' 10/12/2018 at 17:01

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I have a kit that has most of that stuff in it that I always keep in the car, and I have a hand-cranked flashlight in the glove compartment . I don’t usually carry implements of destruction these days because I don’t live out in the boonies anymore but I do need to throw my folding shovel and some warm gloves in there before snow flies.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > Just Jeepin' 10/12/2018 at 17:07

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gear ill have this winter

#1 wait.. are we having a winter this year?

#2 you sure?

#3 pinpass

#4 mobile phone

#5 cigarettes

im good

Just Jeepin' > farscythe - makin da cawfee! 10/12/2018 at 17:09

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Four days ago I still had my top off and windshield down, and I wasn’t sure we would in fact have one.

Today there was apparently snow in Peoria, so yeah, it’ll come. 

Nom De Plume > Just Jeepin' 10/12/2018 at 17:10

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From experience I can tell you that having a reliable vehicle and being a decent human being means carrying enough warm weather gear for the other guy. That means at least two sets of thick gloves, two stocking caps, a spare Winter jacket, and a dry pair of boots stuffed with a few pair of thick socks.  Oh yeah, and a real blanket.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > Just Jeepin' 10/12/2018 at 17:14

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didnt get here till about april last time... and even then it was just cold for a couple weeks... no precipitation

but even if we get a winter from hell with meters of snow and stuff... there really isnt anywhere in this country where you cant just walk yourself to safety in under an hour

Just Jeepin' > Nom De Plume 10/12/2018 at 17:15

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Good points.

AestheticsInMotion > Just Jeepin' 10/12/2018 at 17:18

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Y’all have some large trunks. I reccomended trying to stuff a Miata back there for when the going gets rough

Seriously though, extra pair of mountaneering-level wool socks, compressible down jacket, fur-lined hat... I want to be able to sleep in my car in the middle of a blizzard with the least amount of gear possible. Just in case something goes wrong

Matt Nichelson > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 10/12/2018 at 17:19

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Change the bear to deer and the hat to a Real Tree or Browning and that's basically your typical pickup driver down here in Mississippi. 

AestheticsInMotion > Just Jeepin' 10/12/2018 at 17:19

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This is a good point. I feel like half the fun of prepping and going out in the snow is helping others who get stuck. You do a good deed, and feel like some sort of action hero

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > AestheticsInMotion 10/12/2018 at 17:23

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I pulled an Eagle 4wd out of a snow bank with my Datsun 510. Couldn’t figure out how Eagle driver went off of the road, it wasn’t that bad.

Pickup_man > Just Jeepin' 10/12/2018 at 17:28

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South Dakota winter:

I should probably get an ice scraper for my car.

The truck has a tow rope and a small piece of chain for helping others, and an ice scraper. These are in the truck year round along with a variety of ratchet straps, and the most basic set of tools.

Edit: last year I bought one of those big hook things that goes into the receiver because it was super cheap and it looks cool.

Deal Killer - Powered by Focus > Just Jeepin' 10/12/2018 at 17:33

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My usual is an old aluminum shovel, a container of sand/kitty litter, an old pair of boots with a pair of wool socks stuffed in them, pair of mechanics gloves, stocking hat, blanket and some granola bars. I don’t get too far out into the rural areas of N/W Ohio, but I have buried my car in a few snow piles I had to dig my way out of.

Just Jeepin' > Pickup_man 10/12/2018 at 17:34

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I’d expect South Dakota to have hellish winters.

Just Jeepin' > Deal Killer - Powered by Focus 10/12/2018 at 17:35

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Boots + socks is a recurring theme, and a really good idea. I’ve been careless about that in the past.

wafflesnfalafel > Just Jeepin' 10/12/2018 at 17:38

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fire extinguisher and a blanket - if you got yourself stuck, here’s a blanket . If you are on fire, I will put you out. (also, tire gauge, hand air pump, gloves, dirty jacket, cheap umbrella, flares, a bunch of spare change, flashlight, jumper cables, several empty McDonalds coffee cups, leftover paper napkins, hiking boots, bottle of water.)  I probably should get one of those back up cell phone batteries and was thinking about a battery powered LED flasher unit (probably better and longer lasting than flares...)

Just Jeepin' > wafflesnfalafel 10/12/2018 at 17:40

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My battery jumpstarter includes a USB port, I’ve used it once or twice.

And I didn’t think to mention fire extinguishers, but I keep two at all times: a traditional chemical and a halon. Someone else’s car will get the traditional one, I want the halon to protect my electronics.

Pickup_man > Just Jeepin' 10/12/2018 at 18:01

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We do, but most of us are so used to it that we don’t really prepare much, it’s just business as usual. 

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Just Jeepin' 10/12/2018 at 19:14

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The sandbags serve dual purpose. Dump it out for traction, but also leave a full sandbag or two in the trunk/bed over the rear axle and it vastly improves rear wheel grip, especially on icy hillstarts.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Just Jeepin' 10/13/2018 at 07:10

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nothing?