25 Essentials for Surviving a Zombie Apocalypse

Are you prepared in case a zombie apocalypse ever happens? Here are 25 essentials for survival.

The Zombie Apocalypse: they say it can never happen — that the undead will never walk the earth with a taste for brains and human flesh on their rotting tongues. But if you take a look at the world today, some stuff much worse than that is already happening.

So what’s the harm in preparing for some cataclysmic event?

Luckily for you, we’re here to hook you up with all the things that you’re going to need to not just survive the hypothetical Zombie Apocalypse, but carry the sigil for mankind.

What follows are the 25 non-negotiable items that are going to get you through the dawn of the dead. Let’s get started!

1. Hand to Hand Combat Tools

The tools:

• recon 1 from cold steel strong tip, can penetrate car hoods
• katana
• recon ak-47 cold steel
• hatchet
• cold steel ak47
• hatchet sag tomahawk has a pointed end to breach concrete cylinder blocks

Why you need them: Depending on which type of Walking Dead that you’re dealing with — traditional (slow, as seen in Dawn of the Dead) or super-fast (quick, 28 Days Later), you could end up fighting off a horde of brain-eaters at close range.

In that case, there is no time to reload an empty gun. You need something that’s going to do cranial damage quickly and effectively without forcing you to stop for air.

For these purposes, we insist that you go with something like the 27TLT Recon from ColdSteel, which is capable of cutting through a car hood, or an Undead Apocalypse Katana for slightly longer-range hand-to-hand. And while you’re at it, why not throw in a hatchet for good measure.

2. Long and Mid-Range Weaponry

Handguns and shotguns are both great for long and mid-range weaponry, and they can explode a zombie skull without getting you in the line of spatter, thus reducing your odds of infection. Since the head can be quite hard, we recommend avoiding a .22 and going instead with a .357 Magnum, .38 Special, or 12-guage shotgun.

On the latter, get the kind that holds eight. No point in having to reload multiple times. Zombies may be slow, but why take chances?

3. Gunsmithing Equipment

If you have an army of the undead coming at you, you don’t want to trust your safety and the safety of your companions to a shoddily maintained weapon. That’s why you’ll need to invest in some gunsmithing materials like rifle and pistol cleaning patches. These are relatively easy to find, no matter what size firearm you’re packing, and they are essential to gun cleaning as far as we’re concerned.

If you’re new to gunsmithing, make it easy on yourself and grab a kit like this one. That’s a cheap price to pay for avoiding a malfunction that could get you pulled apart limb-by-limb.

4. Protective Gear

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Ever known a police officer, who refused to wear his bulletproof vest because of the discomfort?

There’s a reason for that. Protective plates, vests, and armor, are far from relaxing, but when dealing with a monster hungry for gray matter — one that, we presume, would be highly infectious — any extra layer that can keep zombie blood and tissue away from your skin is a good thing.

Look into getting Kevlar chest protection and a good pair of full-fingered work gloves as well as some leg protection and steel-toed boots.

5. Signaling Items

The chances of survival are far greater if you travel in packs and look out for one another. But we’re talking about the Zombie Apocalypse here, so human beings are going to be a bit more scarce than they would in ordinary situations.

That’s why you need to prepare yourself with items like an orange bandana for daylight (or flashlight/flare gun for the nighttime). While you could attract pockets of zombies, it’s far more likely to catch the attention of functioning brain cells and place you in contact with the living.

6. Communication Items

Complementing No. 5’s efforts to draw attention, a good whistle, weather radio, or No products found. set can keep you and your group communicating as you seek out new pockets of resistance and/or food stockpiles and supply inventories.

They can also save lives if one or two of you get in a bad state and need backup. Just hope that you’ve aligned with people, who are willing to provide it. Remember, in these zombie scenarios, the humans can often be worse than the infected.

7. Travel Readiness

Staying in one place is a really bad idea if you’re caught in the Zombie Apocalypse because a) the zombies will eventually find you; and b) you will eventually attract still-living marauders interested in whatever it is that’s keeping you put (i.e. your food, supplies, structure, etc.). In other words, get moving!

It’s okay to settle in for a week or two, but try not to let yourself get overrun by the various threats. And when you do get moving, invest in a waterproof map of your travel area. Also, pack a compass — or better yet, wear one — for directional support. You can get a two-pack of compass bracelets here.

8. Visibility

Inevitably you will be in a situation where you have to travel at night, so that means getting the proper gear for visibility. Nothing works better in that regard than the color red, so keep that in mind while you’re in the market for things like glow sticks and headlamps.

Also, you will want to stay aware of the terrain ahead. For this, invest in some form of optic, preferably a monocular or some binoculars so you can check downrange to see what nasty surprises may be awaiting you.

9. Cooking Helpers

Sustenance is important if you’re going to be on the move and food sources are going to be as scarce as they likely will be. For that reason, you should keep in mind the necessities like a lighter for starting fires/cooking kills; a Lifestraw Personal Water Filter for getting some healthy liquids into your body; water purification tablets for same; hand-crank can openers for the non-perishables; fire tinder packets; and a stainless steel Klean Kanteen for drinking and boiling water.

10. Sanitation Knick Knacks

Staying clean may not be the first thing on your list of priorities when raving lunatics are trying to eat you, but it is vital to your long-term survival. For starters, staying clean can work wonders for your spirits and promote a sense of togetherness with your fellow travelers.

Anything you can do to decrease discomfort, basically, will keep you moving forward with the right outlook. That’s why we believe things like hand sanitizers, chapstick tubes, moleskin/band-aids, crazy glue, latex gloves, dust masks, combat tourniquets, tweezers, and field towels, are all essential for the supplies inventory. Also, don’t forget the bathroom needs (i.e. toothbrush, soaps, mouthwash, toilet paper, and sanitary napkins).

Yeah, we know. Lots to remember!

11. Element Battlers

The nomadic nature of surviving a Zombie Apocalypse means that you will find yourself in quite a few situations where you have to brave the elements. For starters, it’s not a great idea to be trapped in close quarters with an army of the undead surrounding you. Wide open spaces mean that you have more freedom to move and to get away.

The caveat: the elements aren’t always kind. Exceedingly low or high temperatures can put you in as much jeopardy as a brain-eater. Therefore, you need to travel wisely. Keep blankets, bivvys, tents, ponchos, etc., all on hand.

Furthermore, consider adding some multi-use items like 550 paracord, which can be great for hanging laundry.

12. Tools and Strategy Gadgets

You will survive a Zombie Apocalypse for much longer if you have the tools and strategy necessary for sustainability. This category of essentials can be anything from pencil/pen/marker and paper (for drawing up plans and sending messages to other survivors) to multitools, magnesium fire strikers, and work gloves for repairs and meal prep.

13. Ammo Inventory

If there is one thing you don’t want to run out of in a Zombie Apocalypse, it is ammunition. As you load up, keep in mind that you want a high performance bullet or slug on account of the zombie brain. Considering they lack water and it’s harder to get the penetration necessary for a kill shot, you want a projectile that will really reek havoc with the gray matter.

Make sure you pick up something like these R.I.P. Bullets with jagged tips. The R.I.P.s are aptly named, by the way, because they’re almost guaranteed killers due to the three- to four-inch diameter spread. (They’re called Radically Invasive Projectiles for a reason!)

14. Paracord

Paracord was already mentioned under No. 11 for its usefulness as a clothing line for laundering, but it deserves its own place because of all the various uses. Just how much can you do with paracord? Survival Life put together an impressive list of 80 functions.

Among them: tying tarps to trees, holding items in place for easy access (i.e. knife, keys, etc.), snares, bootlaces, suturing, and hanging a cooking pot over an open fire.

15. Food and Water

If you’re not eating enough for proper nourishment, you’re going to be susceptible to a number of health issues in addition to being a much easier target for zombies and nihilistic biker gangs. Therefore, try to make sure you always have canned goods, dehydrated foods, MREs, nutrition bars, and jerky, on-hand as well as plenty of drinking water. Also, a good fishing pole and fishing line doesn’t hurt if you want something fresh.

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16. First-Aid

First-Aid kits are a great place to start, but if you find yourself around any abandoned stores or hospitals, try to seek out extra tweezers, band-aids, and bug-off. Keep in mind that you’re not just fighting zombies, the elements, and other people here.

You’re also fighting infection, and since becoming a zombie is highly contagious, you could be one enterprising mosquito away from chowing down on your traveling companions.

17. Restraining Materials

When dealing with so much unpredictable human behavior, you never know when you or someone else will need to be restrained for the good of everyone. That’s why it may be a good idea to stock up on restraints like zip-ties, handcuffs, and, to a lesser degree, ropes. Careful, though. You don’t want anything an infected person is just going to chew through.

18. Energy Sources

Keep in mind that just because it is the Zombie Apocalypse, that does not mean that the world is without the means of producing power. If Thomas Edison can pull it off, then so can a group of survivors raised on iPhones and Internet. Human knowledge is at an all-time high, so expect electricity to go on even after the fall of civilization.

For this reason, you may wish to stock up on whatever power sources that you can find — generators, chargers, solar paneling, etc.

19. Spiritual Guidebooks

No matter what you believe in, you have to believe there is something bigger than yourself in order to make the most of your survival efforts.

Christians have the Bible. Muslims have the Koran. Buddhists and Hindus have various spiritual guides. The average person, believer or non-believer, has all of these books and a wealth of scientific knowledge available to them via the Internet.

We all seek knowledge to improve and build upon our lives. The Zombie Apocalypse won’t change that need, so it’s best to embrace it.

20. Survival Books

When the world goes to hell, we may still be able to get sporadic pockets of electricity, but we probably won’t have any kind of sustained effort to keep the Internet going. Therefore, it will help to have some prepper and survivalist guides on hand to study and hone your craft. Should you need help building your library, check out Outdoor Life’s 15 best survival books ever written.

21. Entertainment

Killing zombies, defending your stockpiles against other humans, and sleeping outside (a lot), is stressful. To stay sharp, you need downtime, and that downtime should include things to occupy your mind and have a little fun.

In the absence of Netflix, take a moment to reacquaint yourself with a deck of playing cards and/or dice as well as a stack of your favorite comic books and novels.

22. Warm Clothing

Considering that the human body can be in danger of freezing to death at temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s important to have the proper supplies for extended periods outside. In addition to stocking up with hand and foot warmers, you definitely need to have some warm clothing in tow.

This is especially true as you head to colder locations — a good idea since the zombies will have to brave the elements as well, and depending on the movie they attack you from, they won’t have the mental capacity to take the proper precautions. With warm clothing, you can actually use the cold to your advantage in your fight against the undead.

23. Odor Repellent

With the majority of the world’s population rotting corpses and your ability to practice daily hygiene somewhat curtailed, there are going to be some atrocious aromas coming at you. Odor repellents, such as lye and bleach will become welcome additions to your inventory.

24. Scientific Research Equipment

The only real way to survive a Zombie Apocalypse is to find a cure. The longer the infection goes unchecked and the farther it spreads, the greater the reality that you will become one of the next victims. That’s why you need scientific research equipment like the kind provided in the robust Z.E.R.O. Kit from OpticsPlanet.

Z.E.R.O. includes Qorpak Beakers, Labnet Pipettes and a Celestron Professional Stereo Microscope Zoom Lens Halogen Lamp, “so you can take samples and study the innermost workings of zombies,” the site notes, adding that “the destructive nature of their cells might lead you to a better understanding of their life expectancy or how to possibly treat their symptoms so they no longer hunger for human flesh.”

At this point, it’s just conjecture, but then, the zombie outbreak doesn’t even exist. Yet. Seeking a cure is something you should keep in mind from the very beginning to the bitter end because their cure is your survival.

25. Transports and Multiples of (Almost) Everything

Going to your destinations on foot is like painting a huge target on your back. That said, we know that there will be times when boots-on-the-ground make the most sense and other times when a car or truck or all-terrain vehicle is the answer.

However you get there, make sure that you have doubles of everything mentioned above within reach. In the meantime, check out Best B.O.B. for tips on how to build the ultimate Zombie Apocalypse backpack.

So there you have it, readers. The Zombie Apocalypse, whether it comes or not, doesn’t have to leave you worrying about the future. By preparing ahead of time and getting your supplies in order — and your mental readiness on call — you will have everything that you need to keep humanity moving forward.