What’s in your zombie apocalypse survival bag?
The end is nigh! Not the end of the world of course, I’m talking about the end of October, which is obviously everyone’s favourite spooky season, Halloween. On the 31st of October we’ll see millions flood to the streets in costume enjoying the celebrations one way or another. But what if that wasn’t the case and it actually was the end of the world, and all those excited heads ready to party were actually mindless zombies??
Are you prepared? What’s your plan? What’s in your ‘survival kit’ should the worst happen? What would you do if the dead roamed the earth?
Whether you’re a fan of zombies or not, there is a big obsession with them in the world and pop culture today. Just look at the success of The Walking Dead and the recent Army of the Dead. This obsession even stretches so far that the Pentagon actually has a zombie survival plan. Zombies may be a work of fiction, but the fear of the undead is a very real thing.
As experts in the outdoors here at GO Outdoors, survival is something we know a little something about, so we’ve put together a list of items to you’ll need if the dead suddenly rise.
Zombie Survival Bag
Fans of the outdoors will know, preparation is key to survival, Here’s just a few of the go-to items that we think should be in your zombie survival kit.
- Bivvi Bag – A cross between a tent and a sleeping bag, bivvi bags are popular among survivalists and wild campers. They’re small, lightweight and will attach to your pack. Ideal for when you need to set up camp, and pull down camp quickly.
- First Aid Kit – Seems obvious right?
- Head Torch – All the light of a torch, but hands free. This means you can scavenge for supplies more efficiently whilst always being ready for any impending attacks
- Rope – Incredibly useful bit of kit for any survivalist, zombies or not
- Map & Compass – Your GPS device or phone will eventually die, and it’s important to be able to get around, find places to hide, camp etc. Pick up an OS Map of your local and surrounding areas to get from A to B
- Camping Food – Boil in the bag food is packed full of energy, it’s also much more lightweight than carrying tins. Less weight, means easier movement. You don’t want to get caught too slow in a horde because of a can of Heinz.
- Flint & Steel – Survival 101, fire = warmth.
- Compact Survival Kit – A small tin with survival basics such as whistle, wire saw, rudimentary fishing equipment etc.
- Water purification bottle – I can’t vouch for the purity of drinking water in the zombie apocalypse, but something like the Water2Go bottle that turns bad water into drinkable water seems like a no brainer.
- Multi-Tool – Multiple tools, one compact unit. Making the most of the space and weight you have available is of the utmost importance. Tools like blades, screwdrivers, wire cutters etc are all part of a good multi-tool.
- Spare socks – Walkers will tell you, if you’re out on your feet for long periods of time, then foot care is incredibly important. Spare, dry socks are a blessing when the socks you are wearing get damp.
- Binoculars – You will need to be aware of your surroundings.
Clothing to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse
Taking what we know about surviving in the mountains and in varying weather on board, here’s what we at GO Outdoors would recommend having available to you if the worst happens; and the outdoor layering system is absolutely key to that.
The outdoor layering system is the process of layering up in the correct way to regulate your body temperature and tackle differing weather conditions. This is a fundemental part of survival. It’s much easier to layer up and layer down if you get too hot/too cold than it is if you’re just wearing thick layers for example.
So how does it work?
Baselayer
Lightweight wicking materials work best. These materials move moisture away from your body to keep your body temperature in check. This means that when you’re running around and sweating, your baselayer will move that sweat outwards. It’s important to avoid cotton as a baselayer, because cotton does not manage your sweat in this way, moisture will gather and cool down and even if you’re sweating, it will make you feel quite cold.
Midlayer
Your midlayer is often your insulation layer in colder conditions. Whether that be a fleece, or a down jacket in extreme cold. This layer is designed to keep you warm.
Outer Layer
The protective shell for whatever weather you’re tackling. More often than not a waterproof layer to keep the rain out, but in dry, cold conditions this may be a down jacket as well.
What else should you consider?
Footwear
If you’re on the run from the undead, you’d probably be forgiven for thinking running shoes may be the best choice of footwear, but we’re here to state the case for walking boots or army boots. Rugged soles for navigating varying terrain, secure ankle to stop you rolling your ankle and slowing down, tough exterior that could come in useful for kicking down doors of potential hiding places.
Headwear
Get a helmet. Zombies like brains, if a zombie can’t get to your brain, then you’re in with a better chance of survival.
As you can see, there’s a lot to think about when constructing your zombie survival plan, so sit down, get out your notepad and start making plans now. While your friends are running to the local supermarket for the last few loaves of bread, you’ll be heading to the one-stop zombie survival shop.
Hopefully you won’t have to fend off the dead this Halloween but at least you’re prepared if they are! Whatever your plans are this Halloween this year, we hope you make the most of it and have a blast!
