7 "Survival" Items You Should NEVER Travel Without

I often travel around the United States, both to speak and to do research on topics that are important to us as preppers. Invariably, I will occasionally travel by air, and while my preference is to drive, there are some distances in which driving just doesn’t make a lot of sense. 

At the end of the day, I don’t like flying mainly because many of the tools I would like to have with me aboard an aircraft are simply too large to bring, impractical, or illegal. Most of what I carry inside my bugout bag wouldn’t make it past your average TSA screener, anyways.

When I arrive at my destination, I’ll usually rent a car, and as a prepper, this presents somewhat of a problem. First, I have to rely on the maintenance done by the rental car company, rather than my own two eyes like on my vehicle at home. 

Second, a Chevy Impala or Malibu, or even Ford Taurus isn’t really what I’d term a “bug out vehicle”. 

Unfortunately, sometimes travel is necessary, so we have to make due with what we have. I don’t want to get so fixated on survival that I don’t enjoy this great country of ours by not seeing it all.

I do, however, like to bring a few items with me for use inside the vehicle. It’s not really a car bugout kit; I couldn’t realistically bring all the items with me that would be in my car bugout kit at home – items such as jumper cables, extra food, and tow straps just don’t get packed in my luggage. 

Just because I don’t bring a full on bug out bag with me on the plane, doesn’t mean I am not prepared, however. Without fail, I always find myself bringing the same few items with me wherever I go, and they make a lot of sense to have with you. 

Here is what I pack:

• A Good Multitool : Notice I said a good multitool. Something like a Leatherman or Gerber that has the usual million functions. If it has a knife, it will need to go in your checked luggage, but I would rather bring a full featured multitool in my check luggage than a TSA compliant one in my carry on. The reason why is simple – it’s not for use on the plane – it’s for use in the car and general area where I will be staying.
• Paper maps of the area I am visiting: I love tech, don’t get me wrong. I have digital maps of the area I will travel to both on my phone and tablet, but paper maps have never failed me yet. They fold flat, take up little space inside your suitcase, and they never need batteries.
• A powerful yet small flashlight: I like the Fenix PD22 – it cranks out almost 200 lumens and is about the size of a roll of Lifesavers. Make sure and pack extra batteries!
• A mylar emergency blanket: Sometimes called a space blanket, these look like a giant piece of tin foil when unfolded. They can retain up to 90% of your body heat, meaning if your rental breaks down, you can avoid freezing to death. Oh, and they fold flat in a package about the size of your average cell phone.
• A real knife: You can’t bring knives on planes, so I don’t even try. I do, however, like to have a full-size folding pocket knife, preferably with glass breaker tip and seatbelt cutter in my checked luggage. Invaluable in countless situations.
• Paracord: On average, I carry about thirty to fifty feet of Paracord rolled up in my luggage. It doesn’t take up much space and is great for all sorts of improvised uses.
• A tourniquet: I carry an Army style CAT tourniquet with me. If I’m out and about in a area that’s new to me, I don’t want to bleed out after an accident because I don’t know where the local hospital is. A tourniquet buys me a little time should I get injured.

Lastly, after I pick up the rental, I try and hit a local convenience store and pick up a couple of energy bars and at least two gallon jugs of water to throw in the back. 

There’s no point in driving around a new area without at least a little food and a couple days worth of water in the rental. Sure, traveling puts you at somewhat of a tactical disadvantage, but you can still carry a few items with you that will ensure you are prepared.