What's in Your Kit? What to Pack for a Storm Chase

Howdy folks! It's a mild December so far, which has me in a "ready for spring" mood.

What do you keep in your car for just-in-cases? There's a few items I would recommend people stash in their vehicles to be prepared for longer-distance trips. Some of the obvious things are a spare tire, tire iron and car jack, along with a good flashlight and a multitool with pliers and a knife blade. I also keep a couple of spare 2-liter bottles of water on hand. If you're traveling in winter weather, a couple of old blankets and a bag of kitty litter or sand are good to have, in case of traction issues or getting stuck in a snow drift. 

Mira's old Honda Civic Hybrid, the "Storm Stalker," from our central KS chase on April 14, 2012.
I'm a fan of economical chase vehicles.

For storm chasing, the car quickly fills up with gear. My chase partner Mira's little Honda Fit is surprisingly roomy inside, but we plan accordingly and pack light for maximized space. Typically we're chasing in Kansas or near Joplin, MO, so we're not going on multiple-day chases. This means I usually just shove as much as I can into my backpack. I bring my laptop and charger, as well as an additional phone charger. In my backpack full-time I keep a pocket knife, a headlamp, various USB charging cables and a couple of little Tylenol packs.

For a day-long chase, I'll pack an extra day's worth of clothes and a jacket of some sort. Even if it's mid-May and 80+ degrees, I bring a fleece hoodie or waterproof jacket for the rain and temperature swings. My typical storm chasing attire consists of a t-shirt, jeans and comfy shoes. A change in clothes comes in handy if you get drenched or muddy, or have to spend the night somewhere. Additionally, I now pack a pair of heavy-duty boots and work gloves, in case I have to help clear debris or assist in searches.

Between the two of us, Mira and I carry plenty of snacks and caffeine on storm chases. We try to avoid junk food at gas stations as much as possible, seeking the big bags of trail mix and beef jerky. I'll get a bottle or two of Coca-Cola for a sugar jolt, but we also have plenty of extra water on hand. She has emergency management/response experience, so she has many of the same items in her vehicle, as well as a first aid kit, books on how to handle specific types of emergencies, and a high-visibility vest. I need to get a high-visibility vest for my own vehicle as well. 

I also need to get some new safety glasses this coming year and a hardhat. Storm chasers in the past have been cut by broken glass from their windows being smashed by large hail or intense winds. Hail, even smaller stones, can seriously injure a person if they're struck in the head or face. Mira has hardhats in her chasing kit, but I should get one for my own vehicle. My hope would be to never need the safety glasses and helmet, but again, they are good things to have just in case.

For cameras, Mira and I just use our phones these days. She has a DLSR camera and associated equipment that may come out chasing again, but for the sake of minimalism our phones do everything that we need them to (as long as we have good data coverage). Photos and video, radar apps, Google Maps, social media -- our phones perform all those services now, which helps declutter our vehicle. A wireless hotspot is also recommended for low-coverage areas. Both of us would like to buy a couple of GoPro cameras to mount in different places around the car for different angles, or at least views front and rear.

For 2023 I will upgrade my tech. My phone and laptop both need refreshed sooner than later. Maybe for my birthday I can get myself a GoPro or similar small camera, but we'll see. My storm chasing setup is flexible depending on the needs of the day, and that's important to me.

What's in your storm chasing kit? What should I add to mine? Let me know!