Everyday Carry

10 Survival Essentials to EDC in a Zombie Apocalypse

…or to prepare for the return of The Walking Dead

Authored by:
Ed Jelley
Reviewed by:
Bernard Capulong
Founder and Editor-in-Chief
14+ Years Reviewing EDC Products
10 Survival Essentials to EDC in a Zombie Apocalypse

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In the event of a zombie apocalypse, what would you carry? The hypothetical question comes up here and there in the EDC world. It’s always a fun conversation, but it can be enlightening too. When preparing for the worst, you’re bound to pick up some useful survival tips from the discussion. With help from fellow EDCers in our forums and some inspiration by the upcoming television return of The Walking Dead, we've assembled a list of gear (with some picks straight from the show) designed to get you through even the worst of zombie-infested survival situations.

EDC Knives in The Walking Dead and More

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Stanley Fubar

Suggested by many in our forums, the Stanley FUBAR is an excellent upgrade to the standard crow bar. Able to pry, demolish, split boards, and—of course—strike, the FUBAR adds some utility to an already useful tool.

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Spyderco Endura

Fans of the show might remember this capable folder as part of Lori’s EDC in season two. The Spyderco Endura makes for a great EDC knife, zombies or not. The lightweight handle, sturdy lockback, and four-way pocket clip result in a knife that’s easy to carry and use.

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Gerber DMF

If you’re after the knife Rick Grimes carries as his go-to for most of the show, this is it. The Gerber DMF makes several appearances on the show thanks to its versatility. There's a heavy-duty handle for grip, a metal pommel for striking, a serrated tanto blade for piercing and slicing, and minimal moving parts for increased reliability.

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Paracord

Whether you're tying up a tarp for some shelter or securing gear to a vehicle, cordage always comes in handy. It's easier to use and lighter to carry than regular rope, and it's just as strong. In the event of a zombie outbreak, you can fashion a makeshift alarm by surrounding your camp with strung up cans to get a heads-up when walkers trip them. But for everyday purposes, there’s always these 5 handy uses for paracord.

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LifeStraw Personal Water Filter

The last thing you want to be doing is drinking from a water source with a few dead walkers up stream. The LifeStraw is the easiest way to ensure you'll have clean drinking water as fast as possible. Its simplicity and portability make it an easy add-on to your outdoors or survival kit too.

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Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Bottle

It's always good to have some water on hand, as you may not know when the next safe time to get some will be. This Klean Kanteen is optimal for survival situations because of its single walled stainless steel construction. While insulated bottles are great for keeping things hot or cold, they can't be placed in a fire to boil water!

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Solar Powered Flashlight

No, really. Irony aside, the only thing worse than worrying about battery life in a zombie apocalypse is getting stuck in the dark. These 100% waterproof flashlights charge up via sunlight and will stay charged for up to three full years.

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Casio GW7900B-1 G-Shock Solar Watch

There are several scenes throughout the series that revolve around watches. Knowing what time it is and how many days have passed is a way that the survivors keep in touch with their humanity. Instead of the hand-wound mechanical watches seen in the show, something like the solar powered G-Shock would do much better in a survival situation.

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LightMyFire Swedish FireKnife Firestarter

Ditch the makeshift battery and gum wrapper “fire starter” Eugene uses in season 5 and opt for something a bit more reliable. This fire starter is built into the handle of a knife made by respected bushcraft brand Morakniv, killing two birds with one stone.

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Multifunction Tarp Shelter

Most of The Walking Dead is people looking for a place to settle down. Sure, they found a farmhouse, a prison, and even what seemed like the perfect little zombie-free town, but there were a lot of nights roughing it in the woods in between. This lightweight tarp is easy to carry, waterproof, and makes an excellent layer of protection between you and the elements.

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Did the cast of The Walking Dead forget anything crucial? Let us know in the comments below what your go-to gear would be in the event of a zombie apocalypse! Hypothetically speaking, of course.

Bernard Capulong

Founder and Editor-in-Chief


About the Reviewer
Bernard Capulong is an everyday carry (EDC) gear expert, entrepreneur, all-around nerd, and the founder and editor-in-chief of EverydayCarry.com—the largest online community for EDC gear enthusiasts. Since founding Everyday Carry in 2009, he’s built over a decade of experience in the industry, reviewing and highlighting brands and products, including pocket knives, flashlights, wallets, watches, bags, pens, and much more.

Bernard is known for bringing everyday carry out of obscurity and into the mainstream, having been published or featured in various publications such as GQ, TIME Magazine, The New York Times, VICE, HYPEBEAST, Outside, and many others. He has also played a part in curating, designing, and developing digital and physical products, resulting in successful crowdfunding projects or limited edition collaboration products with established softgoods brands. He stays on the pulse of the EDC industry by attending trade shows, participating in online interest communities, and actively engaging with fellow gear enthusiasts on social media.

In addition to being the editor-in-chief and main social media personality for EverydayCarry.com, Bernard is an avid gearhead and collector in general. His personal collections span technical bags, fountain pens, digital cameras, retro gaming hardware, personal hi-fi audio gear, and mechanical wristwatches, to name a few. Bernard Capulong is a prominent figure and trusted authority in the everyday carry industry with a career dedicated to helping people discover this hobby and stay prepared with quality gear.

Discussion (9 total)

Don't watch the show but "Lori in Season Two" needs to put that knife on the inside of her pant's pocket.
Michael Mutant ·
Does not comply with corporate protocol. Will not fly.
The aforementioned kit seems to have covered most zombie contingencies, but a Glock 19 with a 30 round mag would be a fine addition.
racquetman ·
Why don't we ever get articles on how to survive a dinosaur resurgence or a vampire epidemic? Both are just as plausible as a zombie issue. :-)
Cole Turner ·
The episode was PHENOMENAL. Always been a fan of the comics, and this episode hit a strong note to staying true to the storyline. Can't wait for the rest of the season.
Ripley A ·
No está mal la selección. Sin embargo, creo que solo necesitaría dos cosas: mi Tomahawk, y mi Casio Solar Radiocontrolado AWGM100-1A. En cualquier caso, habría que recordar que los solares no son la panacea, puesto que el acumulador también se agota.
1 more comments