Lifeline Premium Excursion Road Kit review

Selling for between $100 and $150, the Lifeline Premium Excursion Road Kit can be a big help with roadside emergencies. However it's just one of the six kits the company actually sells

A big help if you have a leaky tire, the Lifeline Premium Excursion Road Kit can pump it up and includes driving must-haves, like jumper cables and tools, but it falls short of a complete approach to roadside safety. But the kit still has enough to earn itself place on our list of the best automotive emergency car kits.

The Premium Excursion Road Kit’s tall red and black bag stands out with a pair of wrap-around zippers that, like the Justin Case bag, folds open to reveal four large sections for your gear. It does lack reflective stripes, however, although it does have the molded plastic logo of AAA. There aren’t any outer pockets for adding your own gear either.

At 12.2 x 9.5 x 5.2 inches and 6.6 pounds, the kit is middle ground for both size and weight. Sadly that isn't enough for it to fit under the typical car’s front seat.

Instead of the promised 76 items, the Lifeline Premium Excursion Road Kit included 13 major things — though they are well made and should last for years. The items range from warning triangles, gloves and a poncho to a whistle, bungee cord and an accident report form.

The kit has a nice small set of tools although it doesn’t have its own case. Instead the tools live in thoughtful pockets on the bag’s inside, and you'll find two screwdrivers, pliers and a knife. In addition to cable ties, there’s a roll of duct tape for quickie coolant hose repairs.

With 10-foot long cables, the jumpers should be able to rehabilitate a dead battery without too much hassle. The clips are marked in red or black, but lack any reference to positive or negative, which might end badly on a dark night.

The bundled flashlight is the best of this whole bunch. Powered by three AAA batteries (which are included), the lightweight aluminum light has 9 LED elements and is much brighter than those in other emergency kits.

There’s a real first aid kit packaged in a Ziplock bag that will help in a pinch. In addition to several adhesive bandages, gauze pads and antiseptic wipes, plus a roll of adhesive tape.

If you have a leaky tire, the kit’s mini air compressor can be a big help by the side of the road. With a power cord and air hose that totals 11-feet long, it’s good for the largest car, includes accessories for inflating sports gear and has a place to keep you from losing them. It has a built-in analog pressure gauge and took 1 minute and 45 seconds to pump my tire from 20 to 35 psi, nearly twice as long as the inflator from the Everlit emergency kit.

Be careful when buying the Lifeline kit, because it doesn’t come with AAA roadside service. While it does have a printed card that offers the AAA service at a discount, you'll have to pick up another kit, like the Justin Case, if you want it thrown in gratis.

Its air pump and included set of tools are good to get going, but the Premium Excursion Road Kit falls short of the mark by doing without safety must-haves. The kit could definitely have benefitted from the likes of a tow strap, fire extinguisher, shovel or even something as simple as a reflective vest.

Overall, it’s got the basis for creating your own safety kit but lacks the room for other gear and is among the most expensive kits in its class.