Stock Your Ride: Must-Haves to Prepare for Anything on the Road

By Cherie

Prepper lists are officially out of hand. Articles like “10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse” are fun to read, but escaping imminent death in a $1.5 million Bugatti Veyron is not a realistic option. Anyone who can spend seven figures on a car probably has a place in the billionaires bunker already.

There’s nothing wrong with preparing for all possible, even if improbable, scenarios. There are several reasons why a zombie apocalypse could never consume the earth, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t practical ways to prepare for all the worst case scenarios. Bugattis and UNICAT tank vehicles just aren’t the realistic answer.

You want to prepare for a real scenario with real gear? Let’s start the most important asset — your vehicle. We know it’s not a Bugatti Veyron (and even if it was, we recommend you go with something else). Here’s what you need most to stock up your SUV or off-road vehicle.

Cargo

Even the most spacious cars, trucks, and SUVs are short on room for cargo when there’s a full passenger load. Utilize every inch on your vehicle, especially the roof.

Companies like Thule make durable cargo boxes and racks for the roofs of nearly every sport vehicle that are easy to attach and hold a ton of gear. The boxes are waterproof and range from $500 – $1,000, depending on size and quality of material. If you want a cheaper option, there are also bags for $200 or less.

Pro tip: Keep one stocked like a bug-out bag, making it easy to attach and go in emergency situations.

Tires

There are some pretty epic tires on the market, but if they aren’t on your vehicles at all times, they won’t do much good when you need to leave within minutes. Quality, all purpose, all-terrain tires are what you should keep on your SUV. Nothing more, nothing less.

Popular brands like Bridgestone are a safe, affordable option for all-terrain tires and available on most online retailers. Keep you vehicle stocked, don’t let the tread get too low, and always keep a full-size spare on hand.

Communication

In an emergency situation, cell phone service or even standard AM/FM radio might not be the most reliable method to communicate or stay updated (if it’s available at all). CB radios are perfect because the signal is peer-to-peer, meaning it doesn’t rely on towers or satellites to bounce the signal. The size of the antenna will affect your range, but typical CB’s can extend many miles to other drivers on the speaking on the same channels.

Like your tires, CB radios can be purchased on online retailers across America. The Uniden Bearcat 680 is a good choice because it packs a quality range and features a digital interface, so you can stay locked in one the channel of your choice.

Protection

Even if you consistently conceal or open carry, you never know when you might find yourself in a situation where you need to protect yourself from the driver’s seat and are without your sidearm. An attachable holster for underneath your steering column in the perfect way to keep a gun with the vehicle and have a concealed weapon for any need in self defense.

via ModernSurvivalOnline.com http://ift.tt/1e1P8xl