Do You Know What to Pack in Your ATV Toolkit? Here's Our List...
Few things ruin a good day like a broken machine and a trailside repair you can’t complete. With space at a premium on an ATV, even with a sizable cargo box on a rack, packing the vitals can be the make-or-break-it between a fix or a flop. While it’s true that not every breakdown can be solved trailside—and not every ride ends in a mechanical failure—having the right tools on hand gives you options. More importantly, it gives you confidence.
A well-thought-out toolkit isn’t just about fixing flats or tightening loose bolts. It’s about being the kind of rider who’s ready, reliable, and even a little resourceful. Carrying the right gear helps you learn more about your machine, how it works, and how to get it home when the unexpected happens. It turns a potential disaster into a temporary delay—and makes you the rider others want in their group when things go sideways.
Whether you’re venturing far off-grid or just putting in a long day at the local trails, taking time to prep your toolkit is time well spent. It’s not about carrying a full garage—it’s about choosing wisely, packing smart, and being prepared to turn a wrench when it counts.
Basic Hand Tools: Screwdriver, Wrench, etc.
Nothing gets the job done quite like some good old-fashioned hand tools. Essential to every toolkit, a screwdriver, wrench, pliers, and other items are the basics every ATV'er should have on hand on a trail ride. Remember, even if you don’t know how to fix your broken machine, there’s a chance someone else will…but that’s never going to happen if you don't have the tools to do the job. The SuperATV Ultimate Tool Kit includes 67 trail-ready pieces stored in a compact roll-up pouch, making it easy to carry and store on your machine, and it’s easy enough to fill in the gaps based on your ride and repair needs.
Tire Repair Kit
The thing about tires is that they work best when they have air in them. Popping a hole in a tire on the trail? Yeah, that happens more than you'd think. That’s why it’s always a good idea to have a repair kit on hand. The CKAuto kit keeps it simple—it’s small enough to stash in your gear bag and just what you need to plug a hole and get rolling again.
Tire Compressor
A flat tire is never a good thing. So, you’ve plugged the hole that the rock you’ve cursed into oblivion caused, but now what? You need a way to inflate it. That’s where a compressor comes in. Some can be huge, but the V1 Motor Mini Air Compressor is all about saving space. This tiny compressor packs away easily, only weighs just over a pound, and can inflate up to 100 PSI. It’s small enough to toss in your gear bag without taking up space, and the power adapters let you use it on pretty much any ride.
First Aid Kit
It’s technically not a tool, but a First Aid Kit is perhaps the most important thing you carry. It’s as simple as that. Health and safety always come first, and in the event of an injury, you need the appropriate items to provide care whenever needed. A well-stocked kit might include bandages, antiseptic wipes, gauze pads, medical tape, tweezers, pain relievers, and even a basic CPR shield. A compact, waterproof kit like this one from SHBC is a good thing to always have on you when in the woods on an ATV. For those pushing the limits with more extreme riding, we also recommend adding a trauma kit to cover all your bases.
Elevated Work Gloves
Sure, it’s acceptable to wrench without gloves, but it’s nice to have them when things get muddy. Or greasy. Or dirty in any way, shape, or form. Gloves save your hands from sharp edges, scrapes, and cuts, and keep all that dirt off your skin, so you’re not stuck scrubbing your hands like a madman.
Prefer your work gloves in leather? Mechanix has those, too. These gloves are tough as nails, super comfy, and give you the grip you need to get the job done without slipping.
Spare Parts: Belt, Screws, etc.
If you’re like us, you employ the motto: “It’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.” For that reason, we tend to carry some spare parts for the machines we’re riding. On the bigger UTVs, that can mean tie rods and axles, but whether it’s an ATV or UTV, we recommend bringing a replacement CVT belt along. The CVT belt is clutch for your ride, and if it blows, you're completely stuck. Gates is a go-to name in the belt world. This brand is known for tough, high-performance CVT belts that are built to last. We've trusted them for both primary and backup belts on our rides.
Tow Strap, Snatch Block, Tree Saver
Getting stuck is a burden for some and the whole reason to ride for others, but either way, you look at it, a stuck machine needs to be recovered somehow. Tusk’s Heavy Duty Recovery Kit comes with the essentials to make getting unstuck a cinch, whether it’s on the end of a winch line or by extraction via another machine’s tow. It comes with a 20' x 2" heavy-duty tow strap with reinforced loops, a pair of beefy 5/8" D-ring shackles, and a vented carry bag to keep it all packed tight. The strap's rated for 20,000 lbs, so it can handle the heavy pulls without breaking a sweat. Whether climbing rocks or trudging through the mud, this kit has your back when it’s go time.
Toilet Paper & Wipes
Because, as we learned from Jurassic Park (the movie, not the book): “When you gotta go, you gotta go.” These Combat Wipes won’t help you go, but they’ll help you clean up after. They’re biodegradable, tough enough for trail life, and way better than grabbing whatever leaves are nearby.
Water, Water, Water!
You’re no good at anything if you’re not properly hydrated. Always (always) bring some extra water with you, especially on rides when the weather is particularly hot. Nalgene’s the go-to for hauling water because it’s eco-friendly, made from recycled material, BPA-free, and (theoretically) indestructible. The wide mouth makes it easy to fill, chug from, or slap on a water filter if you’re out deep.
Multitool with a Knife
A good multitool is something you can use for endless purposes when ATVing. We roll with the “buy once, cry once” mindset, and a high-quality tool like one from Leatherman will last decades, even if it takes some abuse and is not cared for particularly well. Yours truly has been rocking the same Leatherman Wave for over 15 years, and the new Wave+ only improves on the formula. It packs 18 tools, including pliers, replaceable wire cutters, knives, scissors, files, screwdrivers, and more.
Lightweight, Efficient Fire Extinguisher
In general, fire is not a good sign when it comes to ATV'ing. Carrying a traditional fire extinguisher can be tricky, as it’s a metal cylinder with compressed air and chemicals inside, and subjecting that to the abuse and motions undergone during an ATV ride gives us reason for pause. That’s why we’re fans of the Element E50 Fire Extinguisher Stick, which has a 50-second discharge, requires no maintenance, and is much less worrisome to carry with you on the trail. The Element E50 doesn’t mess with pressurized gas either, so it’s way less likely to blow up or leak when you're out riding hard. It’s non-toxic, leaves zero mess, and can handle anything from regular fires to electrical ones.
Proper Lighting: Headlamp, Lantern, Flashlight
A flashlight is good, but in our opinion, a headlamp is even better, allowing you to tackle repairs and the like without requiring an extra set of hands to hold a light for you. Sofirn is a go-to name in the headlamp game, and the HS21 is perhaps their most popular unit for good reason. It’s a 2200-lumen light that’s USB-C rechargeable, has adjustable light outputs (spotlight, floodlight, red light), and it’s IP66 waterproof, meaning it can handle being submerged in water up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes.
Weather-Resistant, High-Stick Tape
There’s a saying that goes, “If it’s stuck, and you need it to move, use WD40 or a hammer. If you need to hold it together, use duct tape.” The truth is, things have a natural tendency to come apart when ATV'ing; it’s just part of the deal when a machine is being jolted around over rocks and other rough terrain. We have used everything under the sun to hold broken parts together, but some old-fashioned duct tape is all you need sometimes. Duck Tape is the go-to, and it is ubiquitous enough that some even just call the stuff “Duck tape.”
Ross hosts The Hooniverse Podcast. He has been in the off-road world since he was a kid riding in the back of his dad’s YJ Wrangler. He works in marketing by day and in his free time contributes to Hooniverse, AutoGuide, and ATV.com, and in the past has contributed to UTV Driver, ATV Rider, and Everyday Driver. Ross drives a 2018 Lexus GX460 that is an ongoing build project featured on multiple websites and the podcast.
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