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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
