The dropping temperature is a good reminder that you may need to restock your cold weather car necessities. Everything in the winter is unexpected, from the storms to the road conditions. Making it even more important to be extra prepared for anything that might happen on the road, including getting stuck and/or stranded in your car. If you don’t have one already, it’s a good idea to start putting together a winter weather kit for your car – to keep you and your family safe this winter season!
Not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered! Here’s our round-up of winter products that have lots of practical applications and will give you much-needed peace of mind. With these tools, you’ll be prepared for nearly every winter season conflict, whether you’re just running quick errands or going on a long weekend road trip. Here’s Safe in the Seat’s top winter products:
43 Best Winter Products
Pocket Multi-Tool
Multi-tools in your car are just a good idea. No matter the weather, there are always reasons you need screwdrivers, pliers, and wrenches. (And, with kids, the nail file comes in handy too.) Anyway, this multi-tool holds 19 functions, and it’s super compact. Stick it in your first-aid kit, your glove box, or keep it in your purse.
Lantern Flashlight
If you end up on the side of the road at night, you’ll definitely need a good light. Not only will you likely be somewhere unfamiliar, but once the car runs out of gas or you turn off the engine, all the dash lights will go out as well. That’ll make diaper changes, snack times, and layering on warmer clothes really tough. For extra practicality, this light can be a flashlight or a lantern.
Snow Broom
Scrapers work great for getting snow off the car windshield, but the snow and ice on top of your car is a big danger too. If you just clean off the windshield, then the car behind you loses visibility. And as soon as you stop at the first red light, all that snow will fall back on your windshield, and YOU will lose visibility as well.
This car broom can help you pull that snow off the top of the car, regardless of your height or the height of your vehicle. And, guess what? It’s also a scraper!
Car Escape Tool
Here’s another tool that should live on your keychain rent-free, regardless of the season. This emergency escape tool allows you to cut seatbelts and break windows in a flash. If an accident ends with your car in the water, you need to get you and your family out fast. ESPECIALLY if it’s cold. The best way to do that is with this tool. Buy it now!
Flat Tire Puncture Repair Sealant
Flat tires suck, but if you’re without a spare and far from help, it can be even worse. This puncture repair sealant can really save your behind. A little of the slime through your valve stem will seal off your tires if there’s any small puncture and allow you to keep on driving! Now, if the pressure is low too, there’s a tool on here for that, but we’ll get to that in a bit.
Buckle Me Car Seat Coat
Wearing standard winter coats while riding in car seats is very dangerous. This is because those layers compress in an accident, leaving tons of space between your child’s precious body and the safety straps. If you want to know more about safely bundling up in the winter months, check out our post on it here.
But, if you live in really cold climates, you need to keep your kiddos warm in the car. Because of this, they have car seat coats specially designed for wear in a car seat. Unfortunately, not all of them are safe. If the car seat coat requires you to thread the coat through the straps, it’s not approved for use by the car seat manufacturer. Buckle Me is a safe option that will keep your children warm on those really frigid days!
Car Seat Poncho
If the Buckle Me is too complicated or pricey for you, don’t worry, there’s another option! A poncho works great with a car seat. Simply leave it in your car, and after you snugly strap your child in their car seat, slide the poncho overtop and it acts like a warm blanket for your rider.
Waterproof Winter Gloves
If you’re stranded or stuck, you might need to dig out some snow with your hands. No one wants to do that with gloves that’ll get soaked in three scoops. These waterproof gloves will make cleaning off your car or clearing a path for your tires a lot more pleasant.
Folding Snow Shovel
But, after all, who wants to dig with their hands? This folding snow shovel folds up really small, so it’ll easily stow away in a bin in your trunk. (Make sure it’s not just lying in the back of your car. That’s a big projectile risk.) If you need to dig yourself out of a pile, you can grab your shovel and get through much faster than if you were using your hands!
Extendable Ice Scraper
If you have a smaller car and no use for the long car broom, this extendable ice scraper will be sufficient for your needs. It breaks down into three parts, so if you only need the scraper, you don’t need to maneuver the long tool. However, if it is a big snow or freeze and you need the extender, it’s there when you need it.
Pure Protein Bars
If there’s a bad storm, you never know how long you might be stuck or stranded. Having protein bars handy will keep everyone’s tummies full. These are tasty protein bars too, ones your kids won’t whine about eating! Just remember to check the expiration date and put a reminder on your calendar to switch them out.
Lifeline First Aid Kit
Of course, you need a first aid kit. Every season needs a good kit that has bandages, scissors, tweezers, gauze, tape, gloves, and antiseptic. This kit is the perfect modestly sized kit for a car. It’s not too big and not too small. Plus, it comes with a handy carrying case!
Portable Tire Inflator
Remember when we talked about the sealant? Well, if that tire pressure is low after your patch, this portable inflator can pump you back up. It simply plugs into your cigarette lighter and gets you where you need to go. This item also comes with a compact carrying case.
Thermal Emergency Blankets
These thermal emergency blankets don’t take a lot of space, but they’ll keep you warm with the power of your own body heat. They’re definitely not blankets you cuddle up with, but if you’re in a survival situation, they prevent dangerous hypothermia by trapping 90% of your body’s radiated heat. Another must-have item.
Traction Cleats
Chances are, you weren’t planning on getting stuck or stranded in this emergency scenario. That means your shoes may not be equipped for ice and snow. Luckily, these traction cleats can clip to any type of tennis shoe or boot. Slipping on the ice can cause severe injuries, so use these cleats if you’re leaving your vehicle on a dangerously icy or snowy day.
Fire Starter with Compass
Here’s a classic survival tool! If you find yourself away from your vehicle, this fire starter with an included paracord and compass can save your life. It’s an inexpensive tool that takes up just a little space. There’s no reason it can’t be included in your emergency kit!
Red Glow Sticks
If you’re stuck late at night and potentially off-road, these glow sticks can help first responders and others locate you! This is a ten pack, and each stick has 12 hours of light. That’s 120 hours of bright red light for your car to make sure others can find you and help you to safety.
Merino Wool Socks
Whether it’s a cool or dry winter, merino wool socks are ideal. They regulate temperature and wick away moisture, so your feet will stay warm and dry even as you’re trudging through the snow. Keeping a few pairs of these in your emergency kit will give you confidence your whole family will be safe from the cold.
Portable Battery Charger
If your car battery dies, you’ll need a jump. Unfortunately, that normally requires another vehicle, and you never know when help can reach you. With this smart charger, you can jump your car on your own! You simply charge it before you put it in your car and it’s there if you need a jump.
Hand Warmers
Even with gloves and wool socks, your hands and feet will get cold in low enough temperatures. In an emergency situation, staying warm is one of the most important things! This 40 pack of hand warmers are activated simply by opening the package, and the warmth can linger for up to 10 hours! With a pack this size, that adds up to a lot of hours of warm fingers and toes.
Windshield De-Icer
Sometimes that ice on your windshield can get really thick and hard. Hacking away at it with an ice scraper isn’t always enough, and waiting for your car to defrost is tedious. This windshield de-icer melts away ice layers in minutes. It’s a great emergency tool when you need to get going fast.
Portable Phone Power Bank
If you’re stuck in place for a while in a snowstorm or other emergency situation, you likely won’t be able to keep your vehicle running. When your car isn’t on, you have no place to charge your phone. This handy portable charger can hold over two full charges. No power to the vehicle? No problem. Grab your portable charger from your emergency kit and get it juiced up!
Portable LED Lantern
This four pack of battery operated lanterns will keep your path lit, but won’t take up too much space in your car. They collapse small, so they’re easy to store and take with you. Since four come in a pack, put one in each vehicle, and put some in the house too. The power could go out after dark in frigid temperatures, so having one handy is always a good call.
Fleece Bunting Bodysuit
This fleece-lined bunting bodysuit is not only super cute, but it’ll keep your infant super warm. There are hand and feet covers—plus an adorable fuzzy hood. The best thing about this winter essential is that the fleece is thin enough you could totally have your little one wear this in the car seat. It’s also thin enough that it rolls up to easily be stored in your car in the event of an emergency or unexpected weather.
Bunting Stroller Cover
If you need to use a stroller in the winter, you’ve got to adapt it a little bit. It obviously isn’t made for the cold! These bunting stroller covers keep your baby snug like they’re in a sleeping bag. It fits on all sorts of strollers, in a variety of ways. So, don’t think it can’t work for your rig. In fact, it works for most conventional strollers!
Noggle
The Noggle comes highly recommended by moms to blast cool air to the back of your car in the heat of summer. But luckily, it works the same for the winter! If you have a car that doesn’t have much airflow to the back, the Noggle can make sure your kiddos get warm air directly from the heater.
Winter Baby Carrier Cover
Babywearing this holiday season? Chances are, a wrap or buckle carrier won’t be warm enough to protect your baby from the elements. This cover wraps around your carrier and gives your baby an extra layer of protection and warmth. There’s even a little hood that provides extra protection from the harsh winter winds.
Insulated Infant Car Seat Cover
Let us start by saying not every infant car seat cover is safe. Like car seat coats, manufacturers don’t allow for anything to be threaded through the straps. Luckily, this one uses elastic to create a great universal fit! This is a thick cover that keeps the chill off, even on really cold days.
Backseat Organizer
Some of the items on this list could be dangerous projectiles in a crash, and thus should be stored with care. If you don’t have room for a tote or large bag, this organizer is perfect! You can clip it to the back of the headrests, and you’ll have plenty of room for your emergency kit items. Since this one is off the floor, you won’t compromise all your trunk space either.
Silicone Travel Mug
Many of us enjoy hot coffee in the morning to wake (and warm) us up on those frigid days. But, most travel mugs are hard-sided and therefore a projectile risk. This travel mug will keep your liquids warm, but it’s made of silicone! If it bounces around your car in a collision, it won’t be hurting anyone!
Formula Container
If you have a formula-fed baby, you should be keeping formula in the car for emergencies. You never want to be caught without an adequate formula. It’ll keep your child safe, well-fed, and hopefully calm! These sanitary formula containers can hold pre-measured formula to make the process as simple as possible!
Wool Blanket
This thick wool blanket is huge at 64 x 88 inches and it’s great for survival situations! It’ll keep you warm, even when it’s wet. So, you could lay it on the ground to sit on or wrap it around yourself. It’s machine washable, comes in a bunch of colors, and versatile for all sorts of winter emergencies.
Pet Safe Ice Melter
Ice melt is a great product to keep in your car. It can give traction to a slick area if you’re stranded or stuck. (Imagine walking to a gas station with a sheet of ice over the road!) This one is pet safe, so you don’t need to worry about using or storing a potentially toxic material around your furry family members.
Emergency Crank Weather Radio and Charging Station
A crank radio is the ultimate emergency tool for any season. If the power goes out, this option offers a battery, solar, or a crank option! So, there’s always a way to power this little machine. The radio is a weather radio, a phone charger, and flashlight as well!
Collapsible Water Bottle
Storing water in winter is hard. You can’t just leave the bottles in the car, because they’ll be completely frozen by morning. So, to keep water in your car, you’ll need to bring it on each trip and dump it when you get back.
Assuming you do bring a good amount of water, you might not want to lug around the big jug. This collapsible water bottle doesn’t take up much space, and has a convenient lid and spout. Worse case scenario, you could gather snow in it!
Snow Chains
If it gets really icy and scary, snow chains can work wonders. They fit on almost every tire, and the kit comes with application! They’re easy to install, and will provide necessary traction on slippery surfaces.
Snow Suit Set
Though your child can’t wear puffy ski suits like this in the car seat, they may need them for an emergency situation. Pack these up and store them in the back before you head out on a trip. That way, you always have the warmest cold weather clothes nearby.
Wet Bags
Wet bags are so versatile! If you’re stuck somewhere, you may need to exit the vehicle. When you do this, socks, pants, and gloves could get totally soaked. A wet bag will help you store damp items without risking leakage. You could also use wet bags to store other dirty clothes, diapers, or anything else you want out of sight and out of mind!
Cloth Diapers
Speaking of diapers: keeping a few simple cloth diapers (all-in-ones or pockets) is a really good idea. This is because they adjust in size. So, if you put them in the back of the car and leave them, they’ll fit your kiddo from about 8lbs – 40 lbs. No need to cycle out diapers as your fast-growing kiddo sizes out. The cloth diapers are a great back-up that don’t require restocking!
Light Belt Sash
If you find yourself off the main road or walking late at night, these light belt sashes will keep you visible. They’ll alert drivers you’re on the side of the road. And, they’ll help emergency responders find you quickly if you’re in need of assistance!
Touchscreen Thermal Gloves
You’ve gotta have those good gloves, and these ones are both practical and warm. They go great underneath fingerless gloves or mittens, because they’re a soft fleece with useful touchscreen pads. Go ahead and scroll your phone with these guys!
Headlamp Beanie
A headlamp is great for changing tires, looking under the hood, or walking for help! The beanie will keep you warm while the light guides your path. Honestly, it’s also really useful for navigating in the car when the overhead lights are off. This tool is so useful, you just might make it a wardrobe staple.
Having an emergency kit in your car could be the difference between peace and chaos!
Packing an emergency kit isn’t paranoid or crazy. In fact, assembling an emergency kit could save your life! Pack the items above that would be useful for your family, and prioritize items based on your climate. Then, get on the road! (Weather permitting, of course).
We hope you found this article helpful as you prepare for the winter season. And if you’re looking for more information on car safety, such as car seat safe winter coats for toddlers, head over to our newest Amazon Live on all things Winter Safety in the car. Our goal is to create a safe ride for everyone in your family, every time!
In this YouTube Video, I’ll walk through my recommended products to keep the outside, inside and riders of your vehicle safe.
After you watch, head over to our YouTube Channel to subscribe and turn on notifications so you don’t miss a thing – we’re dropping videos weekly!
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