My apologies, I started reading then left to do some other stuff before I replied. I skimmed the thread but I did actually open and peruse your list, I just didn't remember what all was on it. Now that you mention it, I do recall you saying something about the hi-lift. I didn't catch the part about a second battery so my reference to that was that I've read too many posts from folks who have managed to kill their batteries off-roading. It happens for various reasons and I'll admit to having killed mine in the VW before (fell asleep with the radio on, there might have been a few tequila drinks involved). Winching, especially without the engine running as in a stalled out water crossing, is very hard on batteries. I noted that you live in NM and high temps can be hard on batteries just as cold temps are.
The air horns are definitely loud; one of my SAR instructors used one to call us back in at the end of exercises. I don't carry one simply because I have other tools such as the vehicle horn and a whistle. When I owned my power boat I did keep one aboard even though the boat had a loud horn and there were whistles attached to each life jacket and one on a lanyard on my dash.
The comments about securing your gear are spot on too. I harp on folks in the VW club I belong to about securing their camping gear. Getting hit in the head by a flying Coleman stove in the event of a collision would ruin your day. Besides, I hate having to toss folk's stuff out on the side of the road while I try to burrow my way in to get them out of their vehicle (I still work part time as a street paramedic). Nobody wakes up thinking they're going to be in an accident, if they did they'd stay home that day.
As for the PLB, I'm not opposed to them at all, in fact I keep meaning to get one but I'm in the States less than half the year so I haven't gotten around to it (there are some issues with the SPOTs too. See the reviews on REI for examples
http://www.rei.com/product/784892/spot-ii-satellite-gps-messenger). I think that they're a great accessory for those of us who travel, especially those of us who ride motorcycles. Run off the road in a mountain curve and unless someone saw you go off, it's not likely anyone is going to notice something small like a bike went through the rhododendron (reference to Blue Ridge Parkway for example). My comment about them was only to say that there are recorded instances of them failing for various reasons so we as explorers/adventurers/drivers/Boy Scouts etc ought to be prepared. As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and being prepared is usually much easier (and cheaper) than getting ourselves out of a problem. Just as you wouldn't stick an adjustable wrench and a hammer in your tool bag and call it complete, you shouldn't stick a PLB in your Jeep and expect it to cover all situations. Whether it's a socket set and impact gun, a signal mirror or a flare or a primitive skill like fire drills or Morse code, they're just tools in our tool box; they provide us with options to better solve whatever problem we may run into. Like I said before, with no pre-existing medical problems and barring any medical emergencies, there's no logical reason why you shouldn't be able to survive for a few days with a little forethought; you've obviously put that forethought into your vehicle so that it's dependable and you have extra fuel/water/etc. The fact that you're asking for us to review your list says to me that you are looking for possible deficits in your toolbox and honestly, I think that if you actually thought your PLB was the be all do all then you wouldn't have asked in the first place. Your profile list your job as electrical so you know that electrical things can fail, even with backups and fail safes in place- there's a reason why we have mandatory inspections and inspection dates on every piece of equipment on the oil rig I work on.
The key thing I took away from my SAR classes was that most folks are woefully unprepared, not just gearwise, but in mental attitude and skills. None of these skills are rocket science, our ancestors lived for centuries without rockets and most of us live today without them. A little prep goes a long way and that's why most of us are here, to increase our abilities. With all that in mind, that's why I carry most of the stuff I do. It's why I come to these forums, to see what others are doing and what's working or not working for them. What gear is worth having and what I should probably pass on or take a hard look at myself. I'll be the first to admit I've looked at what some people carry and wondered how in the world I'd been so dumb as to overlook something so seemingly simple. It happens, we're all here to learn from each other. :ylsmoke:
PS: No, my vehicle is nowhere near as prep'd as some of the ones on here and I'm not much of a mechanic when it comes to newer vehicles (I can tear a VW or Land Cruiser engine and carburetor down with no trouble but fuel injection systems befuddle me). Also, while I have a second battery in the VW, the one for the truck rides in the back when I'm traveling. I still need to do a dual battery mount under the hood, it's just not as big a deal on the east coast as it is out west where you can travel for much longer distances without seeing anyone else. My truck is my daily driver and most of the time it's fairly empty since I have no need for most of the gear and the threat of theft is much greater than the possible need. I still keep things like water, basic tools and appropriate cold weather/rain gear in it.
ETA I wasn't going to say anything about the overuse of PLB from a professional rescuer point of view but since Flounder brought it up I'll go ahead and say it- they are way overused. I'm not saying you are one of them or that you would use it inappropriately, but technology is not a substitute for skills and preparation. Looking at run reports, the majority of folks who use them, whether they be On-Star, Spot, etc are for non-life threatening events. Just as folks use 911 for all manner of BS, folks overuse PLBs. Keep in mind than any time you activate any form of emergency response you are putting others lives at risk. Most of us that work as professional rescuers do so because we want to help others and we accept the dangers, but it's all too often folks don't think or simply don't care, that their own actions can have far reaching consequences. Just think before you push the button.
