The Weather outside is frightful...[Winter Car Equipment Thread]

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ExigeEvan

ExigeEvan

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So, for many of us soft Northern Hemisphere dwellers the cold winters are approaching, and for some they've already struck surprisingly early!

We all know the threads "RWD v FWD", "Fitting winter tyres" and "@$@^~ I just skidded into a ditch!!!" but for some reason I couldn't find a thread on winter weather equipment in general.

So, what do you carry in your car through winter?

In the past I've only carried a heavier coat in the boot, de-icer and a scraper in addition to my usual breakdown kit. But after last year was quite severe in the UK so (though I made it to work regardless) I'm looking to expand. So here's what I have/planning to acquire for this winter.

Currently have: -
  • Heavy Winter Coat (From my work experience for a Canadian company, it's very warm).
  • Wellington boots.
  • Spare top and tracksuit bottoms.
  • Wind-up torch and head torch.
  • 1.5 ltr water, tin of backed beans, pack of scotch finger biscuits.

    Normally have anyway...
    [*] Foot pump, warning triangle, petrol can, head torch, battery charger.

And I've been considering buying: -
  • Folding military shovel.
  • Snow socks (for the car...)

Any opinions on the snow socks especially would be welcome.
 
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I carry Chuck Norris.

I kid, I kid. Everyone knows that Chuck Norris doesn't allow Winter near him.

Last year I carried a few off-cuts of carpet should I ever need a bit of extra traction, a shovel, a few coats and some water. On a couple of longer journeys I took some snacks too. Then the usual stuff - de-icer, ice scraper and my mad skillz.
 
I normally have my scraper that is a scraper/squeegee/brush and it extends to around 4 feet. I also usually carry a warm sleeping bag, and I have rubber floormants that I swap in when the weather starts getting bad.
 
In the Tahoe I carry jumper cables, portable tool kit, extra fluids and gloves.

In the MINI I carry an ice scraper & brush. That's it. Winter Tires + LSD + Seat Heaters > Tahoe 4x4.
 
SpartanG
I 🤬 love heated seats. I can even do without air heat if I have these.
Click to expand...

Hehe, than don't ride with me. The driver's seat heater in my car works but not the passenger's - I always enjoy the looks on people faces upon them finding that out for the first time! :lol: The climate control only likes to work if it feels like it, but it seems to heat a lot better than it cools...

But my winter preparations consist are no different than my summer ones since the snow brush lives in my trunk 12 months of the year. I've got that, my first aid kit, roadside emergency blanket, and jumper cables. But I never leave town during my commute so I can pack light.

Oh yeah, snow tires, but that might go without saying...
 
I wear what I wear, and I make sure the gas tank stays near full. That's about it. An ice scraper is my only tool.
 
When I was in a area where I dealt with the winter elements, I would carry a scraper, usually only one between the two cars. I always seemed to lose it too resulting in trying to use a plastic cd case as a scraper or sometimes a piece of cardboard from a shoe box or something. Once it's gets wet it's worthless.
 
Damn we are lucky. Still 75 degrees in November? I get a bad feeling we are about to be in for it.
 
Wish I could carry a push broom with me in my adventures, but I never realized there's an art and science to removing 6" of snow off your rental car until you have to use a meager little scraper to get the job done...trying not to dump half the cold stuff onto your jacket and boots at the same time.

Why don't they cover these things in the Florida Driver's Manual? :dunce:
 
So no one really seems massively equipped. Is that because most people feel quite safe in their day-to-day driving?

I probably carry more prepared stuff as I drive the 30 miles or so to Cardiff fairly regularly where the Welsh weather can change quite quickly, and I dread being one of those people stuck in their car on the news!!
 
My winter is going to suck.
I have a brush/scraper that extends. Sand and a shovel. I just bought some winter wipers. And winter tires with 1 wheel drive.:nervous:
 

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