Gear I keep in my vehicle

This is my primary vehicle. It's a ten year old GMC Canyon and I've found it to be great. This post outlines the gear I've accumulated that ends up living permanently inside the truck.

In the Cab

The passenger cabin isn't very packed, but there are a few essentials. – gallon jug of drinking water_ – I keep this only half full so it doesn't burst when it freezes solid in the winter – blankets – In addition to warmth, these protect the seats from my dog – The Maine Atlas & Gazetteer – Big, detailed road maps of the whole state, indispensable especially since I often don't have a mobile data connection – additional drinking water in bottles – first aid kit – Normally I avoid pre-assembled first aid kits, but this one is very robust and I've added some additional stuff – power inverter – This lets me plug normal household electronics into the truck's power. I've literally never used this but it still seems like a good idea. – flashlight – I think this one is USB rechargeable – window breaker/seat belt cutter tool – Someone was kind enough to give this to me and it seems like it could come in handy someday – notepad and pencil/sharpie – To leave a note, record information (e.g.insurance info after an accident), and so on – hand sani - – small umbrella – Very nice for unexpected rain – phone charger – USB C, iPhone (lightning), and micro USB. Plugs into cigarette lighter. – hands free phone cradle – – built-in jack and spare tire access tool – These are under the rear seats – tissues, spare eyeglasses – – Bluetooth speaker – My vehicle's stereo doesn't have Bluetooth or AUX input, so I use this. – work gloves – Useful for tons of stuff, from moving roadkill and debris to doing repairs – ice scraper and telescoping snow brush -

In the Bed

I keep a couple plastic totes in the truck bed.

Towing Kit

This container holds all of the gear I need for hauling/towing – ball hitch (6000lbs) – towing plug – tow strap (5000 lbs) – ratchet straps (1x 500lb 4x 1000lb) – rope and bungees (including a short brightly-colored rope for tying on end of long objects)

Breakdown Kit

Inside this tote is mostly tools for handling basic breakdowns, including if I need to help someone else. I'm often in rural areas without a nearby service station, having the basics on hand gives me some additional confidence. – Haynes repair manual – multi-size lug wrench – Pretty much every type of lug nut can be removed with this, and it's nice and big for good leverage – spare windshield wipers – A broken wiper can be a major safety issue – jumper cables – electric tire pump – This plugs into the cigarette lighter – USB power bank with jumper attachment – I've successfully jumped my own dead battery with this, and it can also charge your phone – socket set – ratcheting screwdriver set (with additional hex & socket drivers) – glow sticks & reflective triangles (3x) – To warn other drivers about hazards on the road – jack – I can't really explain why I have two jacks – dead-blow hammer – tire pressure gauge