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NOCO Boost Plus GB40 1000A UltraSafe Portable Jump Starter
Lithium jump starter that fits in your glovebox and starts dead batteries in seconds.
$99.90Check It Out
May 1, 2026 · 5 min read
What to Keep in Your Truck for Emergencies: The Practical List
You don't think about emergency gear until you need it. A dead battery in a parking lot at night. A muddy two-track that ended your forward progress. A power outage while you're still on the road. These situations are manageable if you've got the right gear. Here's the practical list — no survival fantasy, just the stuff that actually comes up.
A jump starter — the one non-negotiable
Dead batteries happen to everyone eventually. The NOCO GB40 is a lithium jump starter the size of a thick paperback book that lives in the glovebox and starts gas engines up to 6 liters without a second car. Reverse polarity protection so you can't fry your electronics by connecting it wrong, and it doubles as a USB power bank. Charge it at home once and it holds the charge for months. This is the single most useful emergency tool you can have in a vehicle.
A tow strap — for getting out and getting others out
Mud, snow, soft ground — getting stuck happens to trucks that go off pavement. A 30-foot synthetic tow strap lets you recover yourself or pull someone else out. The Smittybilt 30-foot strap is rated for 30,000 lbs break strength with reinforced safety hooks at both ends. Synthetic straps stretch slightly under load to absorb the recovery shock — much safer than a chain, which transmits the full impact of a hard pull. Folds into a bag under the back seat and costs less than one tow truck call.
A fire starter kit — the one most people skip
Most people never think about fire starting until they're in a situation where they actually need one. If you camp, hunt, or spend real time outdoors — or if your truck is ever in a remote area — a fire starter kit earns its place. The ability to start a fire solves a lot of problems: cold, signaling, cooking, morale. A comprehensive survival fire starter kit with multiple methods and tinder means you can get a fire going in wet conditions when a cheap lighter would fail.
A compass — when your phone is dead or has no signal
A phone with maps is great until the battery dies or you're out of cell range. A lensatic military compass works with no battery, no signal, no apps. Compact, accurate, and reliable. It's a $15 item that earns its place in the truck bag or center console as permanent equipment. The ability to take a bearing and navigate on a paper map is a skill worth having — and the compass is what makes it possible.
A flashlight and paracord — round out the kit
A 1400-lumen USB-C rechargeable flashlight handles everything that happens in the dark — blown tire at night, power-out building, navigating without phone light. A paracord survival bracelet is the compact cordage option: 10+ feet of 550 paracord woven into something you can keep in a bag or clip to a strap, ready to come apart when you need to lash, secure, or improvise. Charge the flashlight when you charge the jump starter and keep both in the same bag.
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Smittybilt 97430 30ft x 3in Tow Strap with Safety Hooks
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Ultimate Fire Starter Survival Kit
Ferro rod, natural tinder, and a waterproof case. For when the lighter decides not to show up.
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Military lensatic compass. Works when your phone doesn't.
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550 Paracord Survival Bracelet Kit
100 feet of genuine 550 paracord. Make bracelets, fix gear, or use it when you actually need it.
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1400-Lumen Tactical EDC Flashlight
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