Winter & Emergency Kit

What you want in the boot from October to March: lithium jump starters and smart battery chargers, ice scrapers and de-icer, snow socks and chains for the odd bad week, warning triangles, hi-vis vests, torches, first-aid kits, tow ropes and thermal blankets. British winters are less about deep snow than about cold, damp mornings that finish off a tired battery — which is why a jump starter is the single most-used item in this department.

What to look for: a jump starter with a peak-amp rating suited to your engine (roughly 800 A for petrol up to 3 litres, 1,500 A or more for larger diesels) and reverse-polarity protection; a battery charger with a maintenance mode for cars that sit; and snow socks in the size printed on your tyre sidewall. A triangle and hi-vis are legally required in much of Europe if you take the car across the Channel.

See our winter car kit checklist, then tyre accessories and lighting.