What Les Stroud Says You Should Pack In Your Car Survival Kit
As the star of the hit TV show "Surviorman," Les Stroud is no stranger to people asking him for advice. This is especially true because Stroud has built his fame around showcasing useful survival skills in a way that tries to teach viewers and avoids overdramatization. Furthermore, Stroud seems to enjoy reaching out to fellow survivalists and talking about the tips and tricks of the trade. In fact, in a YouTube video, Stroud answered questions from fans about survival skills and hit on the important topic of creating a specialized car survival kit instead of just a home and personal survival kit.
So, what does the Surviorman himself recommend everyone keeps in their car survival kit? According to him, there are three necessities — a method of starting a fire (like a lighter or matches), a way to cook and boil water, and some type of insulation to stay warm (like blankets or a sleeping bag). These three items can help you out if your car ever breaks down in the middle of nowhere and are also meant to be kept in your car in addition to other basic emergency items like a spare tire, tool kit, and jumper cables.
Why a car survival kit is important
Car survival kits are essential because you never know when something unexpected will happen while driving. However, they are even more important if you are planning to go on a road trip and cover long distances in remote areas, or while driving in the winter when road conditions can change quickly. In severe weather, it is sometimes safer to pull off the road and wait for the storm to pass instead of continuing through dangerous conditions. In these situations, it's good to have all your necessary survival tools like food, water, fire, and insulation to make sure you remain comfortable and safe.
Another good thing about car survival kits is that they are pretty hands-off. As Stroud puts it, all you have to do is simply collect all the necessary items, put them in a plastic bin in your trunk, and then forget about them until you need them. Even if you never have to use your car survival kit, you will get some peace of mind just knowing that it is there.
Other items to include in your survival kit
Besides the basic survival items mentioned by Stroud, there are a few other beneficial things you can keep in your car survival kit that may help you in a sticky situation. First of all, while Stroud recommended bringing a way to cook food and boil water, it might be easier to keep a small jug of clean water and some non-perishable snack items in your survival kit that will tide you over for a day or two until help arrives. You may also want to include a flashlight with backup batteries, a paper map, and a basic first aid kit.
If you will be driving in the winter, you can also add a couple of large candles to your survival kit. Candles are an essential winter car survival tool because they are small but can easily heat the interior of a vehicle and prevent illness or death from the cold. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Illinois state police officer Cliff Mann outlined the importance of candles, but also mentioned the necessity of lighting the candle inside an empty coffee tin to prevent a fire and cracking a window to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.