7 Things That Should Be in Your Car Right Now (But Probably Aren’t)

Because being unprepared isn’t a personality trait.

Picture this: you’re on your way somewhere important, you hit a nail, your tire goes flat, and the only thing in your trunk is a gym bag from three weeks ago and half a granola bar. Not a great situation to be in, right?

Or maybe your battery dies in a parking lot. Or you need to tighten a bolt on the side of the road and you’ve got nothing but your bare hands and regret.

The good news? Most of these situations are completely avoidable with a little prep work. We aren’t talking about turning your car into a survival bunker, just seven things that cost less than a night out and will quietly save your ass more than once.

Here’s the list.

1. A Portable Jump Starter (And Keep Jumper Cables Too)

Dead batteries don’t care about your schedule. They happen in parking lots, driveways, and always at the worst possible time.

A portable jump starter means you don’t need another car, a stranger, or a 45-minute wait for roadside assistance. You pull it out, clamp it on, and you’re back on the road in under five minutes.

Our pick: NOCO Boost Plus GB40 – compact, holds a charge for months, handles engines up to 6.0L, and has built-in reverse polarity protection so you can’t hook it up wrong. Around $100. If you’re driving a bigger truck or SUV, step up to the GB70 (~$200) for engines up to 8.0L gas and 6.0L Diesel Engines.

And even with a jump starter on hand, throw a set of heavy-duty jumper cables in the trunk too. They take up almost no space, they’ll last forever, and someday you’ll be the guy in the parking lot who actually has cables when someone else needs them. That’s a good feeling.

2. A Portable Tire Inflator (And a Tire Gauge)

Here’s something that most guys don’t realize: the majority of roadside tire situations aren’t from blowouts. They’re slow leaks. A nail. A bad valve stem. Tire pressure that dropped down overnight because it got cold.

A portable tire inflator handles all of that without a tow truck. Get the tire back up to pressure, drive to a shop, done. It’s also just useful day-to-day. When your tire pressure drops in cold weather, this is easier than hunting for a gas station with a working air pump and no lines.

Our pick: Fanttik X8 APEX portable tire inflator – cordless, auto-shutoff when it hits your target pressure, LED display, even a built-in flashlight. Fits in your center console or glove compartment. Around $70.

Pair it with a ETENWOLF T300 digital tire gauge. Simple, accurate from 3-200 PSI, and tells you exactly where your pressure is before you start inflating. Takes 30 seconds to use and saves you from both under- and over-inflating.

3. A Multi-Tool

A multi-tool is basically a pocket toolbox – pliers, multiple knife blades, screwdrivers, wire cutters, a file, scissors, and more, all folded into something that fits in your glove box. You’ll use it more than you expect: loose screws, stripped bolts, cutting zip ties, opening boxes, fixing things on the fly. The use cases are endless.

If you don’t own a multi-tool, you’re leaving a ridiculous amount of utility on the table.

Our pick: Leatherman Wave+. It’s the benchmark multi-tool for a reason. 18 tools, built in the USA, comes with a 25-year warranty. Around $130. It’s one of those things you buy once and still have in 20 years.

If you want something more budget-friendly, the Victorinox SwissChamp (~$90) packs 33 functions into a compact frame and has been reliable forever.

Either way, get one. Put it in the car. Stop borrowing things from people.

4. A First Aid Kit

This one sounds obvious, and yet most guys have either nothing in the car or a kit that’s been sitting there so long the bandages have basically mummified.

We’re not talking about a full trauma setup. We’re talking about the stuff that handles real life: a cut that needs more than a napkin, a blister that’s making you limp, a headache that hits when you’re an hour from home, a burn from a hot engine part, things like that. A decent kit in the car means you handle it on the spot and keep moving.

Our pick: My Medic MyFAK Standard – This first aid kit contains 115+ supplies, a soft-sided case with clear compartments, trauma shears, a CPR mask, gloves, and a solid range of wound care. It’s not exactly cheap, but when you really need it, you’ll be glad you sprung for it!

If you want something cheaper, the Johnson & Johnson All-Purpose First Aid Kit covers the basics, doesn’t take up much space, and is better than nothing by a wide margin.

Whatever you get, check it once a year and restock what’s been used.

5. Cash

Not flashy. Not a gadget. Just money.

Keep $40–60 in small bills somewhere in your car – your glove box, center console, wherever. It sounds old school until you hit an unexpected toll, need to pay for parking in cash only, or find yourself somewhere that cards aren’t an option.

It’s also just good to have some cash on hand if things goes sideways and the fastest solution is cash. You’ll use it more than you think.

6. An Emergency Change of Clothes

This one sounds unnecessary until the moment it isn’t.

If you end up needing to get under the car to change a tire or check something out, you don’t want to do it in your work clothes or anything you care about. A basic change of clothes (an old t-shirt, pair of shorts or worn-out jeans, and a cheap pair of gloves) stuffed into a bag in your trunk takes up almost no space and saves your good clothes from getting wrecked.

It’s also just useful in general. Unexpected situation comes up, weather changes, you manage to spill something on yourself – having a spare set of clothes in the trunk is one of those low-effort, high-reward moves you’ll be glad you made.

Keep it simple. Nothing precious. Just something you’re okay getting dirty.

7. A Tactical Flashlight

Your phone flashlight is fine. A real flashlight is better in every way that actually matters when you need it.

A decent tactical flashlight is small, stupid-bright, and built to take abuse. Changing a tire at night, checking under the hood, walking a dark parking lot, power goes out somewhere — the scenarios where a real light beats your phone are more common than you’d think.

Our pick: Streamlight 88040 ProTac 1L-1AA — runs on a CR123 lithium battery or a single AA battery, 350 lumens, built like a tank, and fits in your glove box or cup holder easily. ~$50. Streamlight makes genuinely excellent lights, and this one has been a go-to for years.

If you want something with a little more power, the Anker Bolder LC90 is rechargeable, puts out 900 lumens, and is a great value for the money.

Buy one, throw it in the car, and charge or swap the battery once a year. That’s the whole plan.

Your Shopping List

None of this is complicated. Most of it is cheap. All of it is the kind of stuff you’ll be genuinely glad you have if things go sideways on the road — and things will go sideways eventually.

So do yourself a favor and take 20-30 minutes this weekend to get everything you need loaded into your car, and order whatever you’re missing. Future you will appreciate it.