Hello All, first post here. I'm just starting into prep planning. First thing I'm building is a kit for my car that I can stash in one of the floor compartments and forget about until needed. Got lots of ideas for items from the posts here. Thanks. My Question: Is Heat a problem for items in a car kit? I'm thinking specifically: - OTC medicines like asprin and tylenol. What about the ones with easy swallow coatings for the kids? - bar soaps - knife sharpening lube - energy bars - powdered drink mixes - rubber in things like water filters - magnets in compasses - iodine tabs - parachute cord - matches, flares and other things that are deliberately flammable. - etc. Any thoughts? Thanks.
That depends on how hot your car will get, but the only thing I see a potential issue with is the rubber, and probably not then unless you are in a really hot place. Some coatings on medication don't like temperature either, but the medicine alone (tylenol, ibuprofen, etc) will be fine; its nearly indestructible. Also, if you store extra gas, cycle it or use it after several (3 to 6) months - it goes bad quickly in heat.
They should be fine in a floor compartment, it should be far away enough not to get too hot. I know you don't want to keep lip balm or other vaseline type things around in a hot car... that was a pain to clean up! If you are really worried about something leaking, put it in a ziplock baggy before putting it in the kit.
You don't describe the vehicle that you have - but - I would be worried about two things. #1 - Heat degrading the usefullness of the items #2 - Moisture degrading the usefullness of the items In a floor-storage compartment I would be more concerned with heat rising from the exhaust than sun baking the inside of the vehicle. I would also be concerned with moisture making its way to the items. I drive Jeeps. As such, I purchased "saddle bags" to hold my gear in place .. Seat "back-pack" It is good to keep moisture out, it isn't near the high-heat of the exhaust - I only need to worry about extreme cold / heat of nature. In my bags I keep as many "non-perishable" items as possible. Winter weather protection (gloves, toques, catalytic warmers), summer weather protection (rain poncho, bug-spray, sun-block, floppy hat), emergency rations (granola bars, juice-boxes, hard candies), comfort-supplies (nail-clippers, fire-sticks, lighters, matches, electric candles, wax candles, mechanics gloves, pocket-cleansers). My supplies are checked regularly and rotated out as required. Long-shelf-life foods (like power bars, granola bars, juice-boxes, candies) are usually changed out every 6 months. I will date the items with a felt-marker to make sure that I don't go too long before changing them out. The old foods / juices are then left at work to be used as part of my lunch / snack suppiles. Wax-candles are checked in the fall (late September) and spring (late April) to see if they have cracked because of cold or melted because of heat - replaced as necessary. Matches and lighters are checked for damage / usability at the same time. Flash-lights / electric candles have their batteries / lights / lenses checked for usability. I also have a roll-bar attachment that holds bicycle water-bottles. I will use those holders for fresh-water as required. I don't leave the plastic bottles in the Jeep due to environmental damages that occur - and - I don't like the plastic taste or the ability of the plastics to leach into the water. I don't carry pre-bottled water for that very reason as well. I haven't considered bringing my powder'd Gatoraid with me - just wasn't something that I thought of. I might just give it a try and hope that moisture does not cause it to clump.
Meds are the most important to consider. Most of the products you mention will actually have guidelines such as "store at temperatures below 110F." Follow those and you wont have much to worry about. My car kit has Mainstay food bars, Datrex water pouches and a can of fix a flat. That sits out in the CA sun all day.
I keep my BOB in a 55 quart Colemen ice chest in my van. Chocolate candy not melted at 116 degrees. Water not frozen at 5 degrees below zero. I have a kit in there but toss in snacks and Diet Coke from time to time. Never any problems with items in the Ice Chest jebrown
I live in a desert area and drive a black car, it get's hot in the car to say the least. I keep a survival kit in the trunk wrapped in a survival blanket. For what it's worth I have never had anything spoil in the kit due to the heat. I probably wouldn't keep the kit in the trunk if I couldn't access the trunk through the back seat. You never know if your trunk will open in an emergency or if you will be able to get out of your car.
