The TEN things you have probably left out of your zombie survival kit

By Cryst

We’ve been flooded by people asking, begging and in some cases even threatening us to put more content about zombies up!

Normally I would tell those people to go put their own damn content up! But there is something about the collective love of zombies that warms my heart

So for all you zombie lovers out there I have once again combined our most popular segment (The TEN) with our most popular topic (zombies). Now I just need to figure out how I’m going to top this one…

The biggest problem with a zombie plan is that there are probably tons of other people who have the same (or at least similar) idea. Take for example the ‘escape to the mall’ cliche…
Because of some of the most iconic zombie movies, most people will be rushing to their nearest mall to find safety. Now I don’t need to explain why this is a problem, but I do need to explain why this like mindedness is a bigger problem than just a crowded safe house…

Common sense/survival instincts will cause people to loot any and all shops that contain items that can be used for survival purposes. Basically like the rush for a mall safehouse, there will be a rush for the best supplies! So if you don’t get to it quickly all the obvious items will be gone! (That includes tinned and fresh food; water; batteries etc.)

But never fear we have put together a list of things that you can scavenge from any convenient store to help you survive the shambling horde, and the best part is that most of these items will have been left behind by less imaginative looters survivors…

1. Cat food - pet section

Although I do like the image of a lone wonder traversing a near future wasteland with only his animal companion as company (think ‘I am Legend’), that’s not actually what the cat food is for. When I say cat food I’m referring to the tinned and foil sealed variety. Like tinned food destined for humans, pet food will also be able to last for a very long period of time. But with one major difference… It’s pet food. ‘Why is this important’ you ask? Basically, because it’s pet food, looters will overlook it when searching for more appetising alternatives (like tinned fruit, corned meat, baked beans etc.), and that means when you eventually leave your shelter to go scavenging for supplies there will be an almost untouched supply of food waiting for you!

And yes it is safe for humans (just ask most old people), but I would still stick to the more boring options like tuna. (I’ll skip dog food altogether btw.)

2. Vitamins - health section

This is because I’m secretly a nutritionist trying to trick the Internets into taking vitamins…

Actually it’s because I foresee a long battle against the horde on the horizon, a battle that will be won by people eating bamboo; eggs; and cat food (I’ll explain in my zombie survival plan). Although it is sound from a survival stand point, nutritionally it’s terrible! Apart from not having a spring in your step and you hair lacking shine, there is a more dangerous side effect, and that is scurvy! The least fun part of pirate life and the biggest problem in the wasteland (not including the undead), simply because it can get to any one regardless of how fortified your hideout is or what a crack shot you are. Caused by a deficiency of vitamin C, scurvy is fatal for the unprepared but can easily be prevented by simply visiting the health section when looting for supplies.

And not only will it help fend of scurvy and other ailments caused by a lack of nutrients, but when you enter the post apocalyptic dating scene your shiny hair and boundless energy will make you a hit with the ladies!

3. Seeds – pet section

The greatest tool for human survival lies in the bird (particularly parrot) food you find in your grocery store. The fact that it is not overly nutritious is fine, because we are not going to eat it… We are going to use it for many other things!!

Firstly there’s their use as a food source for birds it allows you to keep a supply of birds in your safehouse (because my zombie plan involves chickens). Secondly seeing that it is bird feed you can use it as bait when you are hunting birds for food. Thirdly because you can use some of the seeds to grow your own crops for you and the rest of humanity once the zombies have been defeated (I actually grew edible crops from the corn you would use for making popcorn). And finally because it gives you something to snack on.

4. Duck tape - hardware

Because duck tape is awesome!

But if that isn’t enough for you (even though it should be), because you can use duck tape to repair; patch; attach; support your gear. You can also use it to magically fuse two objects together, like ‘fusing’ a stick and a knife to make a spear; or taping rolls of newspaper to you as a form of improvised armour.

But apart from it’s traditional uses you can also use it as a makeshift band-aid (putting some cloth under it would help), this is not only to help stop bleeding but also to keep the wound protected so you don’t get infected through your exposed cuts and scrapes.

5. Vinegar – cooking section

Not all food you find will be tinned or dried, and then there is also the chance of you hunting and having leftovers. So to prevent food wasting when it goes bad you can use vinegar (and a little salt) to pickle things, helping you keep them edible for longer! For meat I would recommend turning it into biltong (soak it in brine and hang it up to dry).

I know these methods take time, but if you are planning on out lasting the horde you are going to need a long term food source (that’s if your crops fail).

Additional uses for vinegar can be fire extinguishers; weak explosives; and crude hydraulic systems (when combined with bicarbonate of soda and hardware)

6. Fire lighters – where ever they keep the charcoal

Lighters and matches are a given in a survival situation, but not everybody gets around to thinking about what they are going to light! Broken furniture will burn but it will take a while to catch on fire, add to that the fact that kindling will be scarce in a urban environment and you have yourself a bad situation!

That’s where fire lighters come in handy! Capable of burning for 15 minutes fire lighters are a far superior alternative to regular kindling, they are easy to light and their strong paraffin smell should help mask the scent of your supplies from wild animals.

7. Deodorant cans – toiletries

The obvious benefit is smelling good for any female survivors you encounter, but the more pragmatic uses are because of the deodorant’s flammable nature. Combined with an open flame you have a makeshift flame thrower; thrown into a heat source you have an explosive (more for distraction than for attack); with PVC piping and potatoes you have a weapon; with a spark you have a replacement for matches; and then you could always use its contents as a cleaning liquid (think polishing reflective surfaces to use as signaling apparatus)

8. Black bags - cleaning supplies (ours is in the same aisle as toilet paper)

With all the supplies we will be carrying and finding on our travels we are going to need a way to carry them, and with the use of garbage bags and duck tape that won’t be a problem. Now although that is reason enough to include them into your kit, there are even better reasons for their inclusion.

Firstly you can use them to make yourself waterproof protection from the elements, be it clothing; shelter; or just keeping your supplies dry. Then secondly, and more importantly, you can use them to make solar stillsgiving you a convenient and sustainable water supply as well as a water purification system!!

9. Flour - baking section

Able to stay ‘fresh’ for between 8 months to a couple of years (depending on storage), you will be able to find tons of flour at every grocery store and even the shops at some petrol stations! Why this is important is because flour is an incredibly useful substance.

When you add water to it you can make a basic adhesive (think paper mache), and you can even use it to put out fires, but the reason it is in your survival kit is because of its applications as a food source. Combined with water, and a little bit of oil, you can make dough. With this dough you can bake “bread” if you have the facilities or if you only have a flat surface to cook on (a heated rock will do) you can flatten the dough and make yourself tortillas! Although not the most nutritious food out there they are still filling and will do in a pinch, but they also make your tinned/pickled/freshly caught food a lot more appetising!

10. Can opener - home-ware and utensils

Probably the most important and the most overlooked item on any survivors list is the can opener! Quite simply because in a future where most food comes from tins, how are you planning on opening those tins without a can opener? Add to that the fact that a lot of beverages come in capped bottles and the can opener (normally with an attached bottle opener) is an ideal choice for any survival kit.

A ‘Swiss army knife’ is probably the better choice, but if you don’t have access to one then a bottle opener will make a good second choice.

Writing this list I came across tons of other awesome supplies that most people overlook, but those I’m keeping to myself! Alls fair in love and zombie survival right? Hope you enjoyed my list, would love to see yours.

Until then… have fun.