Here are a few suggestions on the contents that could be carried that could be useful for emergencies.
– Bandages (simple first aid or for alternative taping/binding)
– Alcohol prep pad (first aid or tinder for fire)
– Fresnel lens (a.k.a. wallet magnifier or solar fire starter)
– Credit card knife (as a cutting tool or for possible defense)
– Single edged razor blade (a very compact cutting tool)
– Multi-tool card (the one shown has 11 functions)
– Duct tape (wrapped around card – unlimited uses)
– Currency (backup funds or as wallet decoy in case of robbery)
– Gum wrapper foil (when cut in narrow hour-glass strips are used with AA or larger batteries to create flame)
Not shown
– Bobby pins (as clips, lock picks, or tweezers)
– Mirror (for signaling or covert observation)
– condom (water container)

As indicated above a second wallet has a potential benefit of being sacrificial in the event of a robbery. Submitting a wallet with exposed cash to an anxious robber might satisfy their demand without sacrificing your primary wallet that may contain larger amounts of currency, credit cards, and personal information. You just need to standardize which pockets each wallet is kept in to know which pocket to draw from.

It is important to remember to eliminate certain items in your EDC that might be prohibited by TSA or other safety check points when traveling by commercial airlines or when entering other restricted areas.

You may already carry some of these items in your own EDC but a second wallet may provide more options. Your suggestions for other items to include are welcome and can be entered in the comments section.

- Road Specific Tools -
Jumper Cables x 1, 9 Foot Tow Rope x 1, Tire Pressure Gauge x 1, Glassbreaker/Seatbelt Cutter Tool x 1, Reflective Warning Triangle x 1, Reflective Safety Vest x 1

- Other Tools -
Flashlight x 1, Fire Starter Flint x 1, Emergency Whistle x 1

- General Supplies -
Bungee Cords x 3, Cable Ties x 15, PVC Tape x 1, Gloves with grippers x 1, Rain Poncho x 1, Light Sticks x 2, Long Candle x 1

- First Aid Kit -
Gauze Pads x 4, Band-Aids x 20, Alcohol Prep Pad x 6, Tourniquet x 1, Antiseptic Wipes x 4, Scissors x 1, First-Aid Tape x 1, Metal Tweezers x 1, Mylar Blanket x 1, Elastic Bandage (small) x 1, Elastic Bandage (large) x 1, PVC Gloves x 1, Triangle Bandage x 1, Cotton Balls x 5, Safety Pins x 6

Here are some of my observations, opinions, and suggestions:
– Both zippered bags can be used as another resource for improvising.
– The roadside kit’s zippered bag has reflective tape on it’s sides and can be used at night time in conjunction with the Reflective Warning Triangle.
– The multi-tool is actually a knife that is similar to a Swiss Army Knife® with eleven different blades/tools, not to be confused with a Leatherman® or Gerber® multi-tool.
– Some items such as the towing strap can be stored in a seal-able plastic bag to keep contained and easily viewed for their use.
– As illustrated in the photo, the towing strap actually works… adequate for pulling a vehicle out of a slick mud spot or across the yard but perhaps not for more vigorous towing.

This kit is a huge resource for a variety of needs but I would like to suggest a few more items that could be added to the kit:
– Small roll of Duct tape, Notepad, Pencil/Pen, travelers tissues or toilet paper, flintwheel lighter, space blanket.

If you’ve ever tried to build an emergency kit or go-bag you probably noticed how expensive it is to buy it’s individual elements. In addition, finding an adequate container for it all can be a challenge and add to the expense. What amazes me is that all of the items listed above fits in such a compact package and for a very reasonable price. However I have wonderful news! At the time of this review, Survival Hax has offered for my readers an incredible discount of $25.00 off of your order!!

Normally my reviews are just for informational purposes but I consider this kit in conjunction with this discount offer to be an outstanding value. You may want to consider purchasing kits for all of your vehicles or as gifts for your loved-ones. This kit goes a long ways in helping you to be prepared for roadside or other unexpected emergencies.

As for the $25 OFF discount code, Survival Hax has provided these instructions:
1. Go to Amazon.com
2. Search for “survival hax roadside kit”
3. Add the ‘Roadside Emergency Kit with Jumper Cables’ to your shopping cart and then checkout.
4. On the last screen where it says “enter a discount or promo code” use discount code OFROAD50

It goes without saying that you should always be careful around an open flame, observing precautions to keep flammable objects at a safe distance and the flame source in a stable position. In tight quarters be sure to have adequate ventilation. The following is a set-up that I have used successfully that you may find helpful. The objects needed are a metal coffee can, a tea-candle, matches or a lighter, and a blanket, sheet, poncho or other body cover.

In a sitting position I place a coffee can on the floor between the heels of my feet with the open end up. Then I place a tea-candle inside the can along the bottom edge. This position allows room for my hand to reach in with a match or lighter to light the candle. Once lit, I reposition the candle to the center of the can to provide even heat and a safety zone. Next, I place the blanket around my shoulders and over my lap which forms a tent-like covering. This captures the heat that rises from the candle and holds it around my body. The can enclosure shields both the flame from the wind, and adjacent clothing from the flame.

This heating set-up would be good to store in your vehicle on the occasion that you might get stranded during a Winter storm.

Now, when I see this, my eyes light up because I think “astragalus bones” that I use as sockets for my bow & spindle fire kits. When my wife sees this, she cringes because she knows what’s coming next. In this case, we agreed to postpone my harvesting task until after our breakfast. Good thing… when I arrived at the scene on our return trip, I could see that the deer was not exactly fresh, and definitely had an “air” about it. In fact, I decided to harvest only one of the bones. In the end, this adventure influenced our outing to proceed directly home. My wife recovered while I boiled the bone to preserve it and help remove excess remaining tissue. Men, I recommend this as a “guys-only” activity whenever possible.

In any case, if you decide to harvest astragalus bones in this way, cut along the front side of the rear leg joint. This opens the hide and severs all of the front ligaments. Then hyper-extend the joint forward by stepping behind the leg and placing your foot on the joint while using both hands to pull the upper and lower leg bones against your foot pressure. This is similar to breaking kindling wood. The astragalus bone should pop up where you can cut the side ligaments to release it.

You can learn more in my article “Astragalus Bones“

Duct Tape is one of the mainstays in each of my vehicle’s tool and supply box that I keep in the trunk. Inside our home we usually keep it in our “junk” drawer in the kitchen which tends to be too full anyway but because of it’s versatility it tends to travel throughout the household and is not always there. So, how can you carry Duct Tape with you for a quick fix and for emergencies?

Duct Tape is wound on a 3″ core which makes it easy to handle and can slip over the average hand and be worn like a braclet, thus allowing the use of both hands for performing repairs. However, Duct Tape packaged this way is not likely to fit in your pocket or purse. The answer is to repackage it on a smaller core and in a smaller amount.

There are two methods that I have found to be quite useful: 1) You can take a small cylinder like a pencil, pen or straw to use as a core and wind a length of your choosing around it, then cut the remaining exposed ends of the new core flush with the sides of your new mini roll. 2) You can save your expired credit card to use as a flat core to wrap the tape around the long dimension. A few wraps could be sufficient for use and still be kept in your wallet.

These smaller packages of tape can now be kept on your person or in portable kits that can travel with you or be kept close at hand. If you use a different method, please leave a comment and share it with our readers.

Scientific techniques have led industry to enhance the porosity of charcoal in a variety of ways using gases, chemicals, and extreme heat and/or steam to create “activated” charcoal. In terms of collective surface area, it is said that one gram of activated charcoal would be able to cover several football fields if it were rolled flat. Activated charcoal is used in hospitals worldwide for patients who ingest drugs or chemicals and have saved countless lives.

I recommend that you visit a local pharmacy and purchase some activated charcoal for your emergency kit or bug-out-bag (BOB). In lieu of activated charcoal, many military survival instructors teach soldiers to grind up the charcoal from their campfire and make a slurry with water to ingest. It works in both the stomach and the intestines while being eliminated through the digestive tract. Some home remedies also suggest burning your toast to create charcoal, then scraping into a small pile to grind. In the end, don’t be alarmed when your stool is dark, it just shows that the charcoal has finished it’s course, and be thankful for the task that it has accomplished.