REAL Guide to Zombie Survival
No tanks - No chainsaws and flamethrowers - Not what you saw in the movies

This is a survival guide for real people to use during a REAL zombie outbreak.

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So why is the Bandana such a good survival item? Here a few reasons: They are great for keeping your head warm in the cold or cool in the hot sun. It can be used as a emergency bandage or to wrap a sprained ankle. Can be soaked in cold water and wrapped around the neck to prevent heat exhaustion. Cleaning (use as a napkin, wash cloth or towel) Can be used as a pot holder for grabbing stuff off the campfire. Can be used to wrap gear in your backpack to prevent it from making noise. Use it as a Bum Bag to carry supplies Use to cover food. Use as a wrap for a handmade torch or lamp, or use as emergency tinder. Can be used as an emergency dust mask. Can be tucked into the back of a ball cap to protect your neck from the sun. Used as part of an emergency water filter. Bright colored Bandana can be tied to a stick and used as a signal flag.

So why is the Bandana such a good survival item? Here a few reasons:

  1. They are great for keeping your head warm in the cold or cool in the hot sun.
  2. It can be used as a emergency bandage or to wrap a sprained ankle.
  3. Can be soaked in cold water and wrapped around the neck to prevent heat exhaustion.
  4. Cleaning (use as a napkin, wash cloth or towel)
  5. Can be used as a pot holder for grabbing stuff off the campfire.
  6. Can be used to wrap gear in your backpack to prevent it from making noise.
  7. Use it as a Bum Bag to carry supplies
  8. Use to cover food.
  9. Use as a wrap for a handmade torch or lamp, or use as emergency tinder.
  10. Can be used as an emergency dust mask.
  11. Can be tucked into the back of a ball cap to protect your neck from the sun.
  12. Used as part of an emergency water filter.
  13. Bright colored Bandana can be tied to a stick and used as a signal flag.

7 Things You Should Consider Before Choosing Your Survival Knife

Taken from: survivalcache.com

A Survival Knife is probably the single most important tool in your survival gear. You can do a LOT to survive in the wilderness with nothing but a good knife. That said, here are 7 things you should consider when choosing a survival knife.

Knife Tang

X-ray image of a KJ Eriksson Mora Carbon Knife 711 showing the length of the tang.

1. Tang.

The Tang of a knife is the portion of the blade that extends down into the handle. The Tang and the blade are one solid piece of steel. A Full Tang, or tang that goes all the way to the base of the handle, is considered the best for a quality survival knife. The full tang gives the entire knife strength. On cheaper knives the blade is only connected to the top of the handle and can break off.

2. Handle

The handle on survival knives varies widely. Some are hard rubber, others polymer. Many are good and it is probably easiest to remember what you should avoid; Any knife that has a hollow handle for “storing things.”  While this sounds neat at first there are a couple of good reasons to avoid knives like this.

Mel Perry Knife

The Parry Blade Survival Knife

  1. If it has a hollow handle the knife certainly doesn’t have a full tang, which we mentioned earlier was important.
  2. If you are storing matches in your knife handle, and you lose the knife guess what else is gone…?

Another thing to avoid that is popular among novelty survival knives is a compass in the handle. Again, seems like a cool feature, but it could mess up your grip on the knife. Is it really worth having a 25 cent compass in the handle of one of your most important tools when there is a chance it will make the knife hard to work with or even injure you? In a survival situation that is unacceptable.

3.  Blade (Metal)

Carbon Blade

Carbon Blade on the Mora 711

Survival Knives generally come in two types of steel: Stainless or Carbon. Which is better is a huge debate and I won’t recommend which one you should choose but here are the main differences.

  • Stainless Steel is…well it’s stainless steel. Virtually indestructible, can take a beating and last a long time without rusting. However many people say stainless blades lose an edge faster than carbon.
  • Carbon Steel knives are usually known to hold a good edge longer than stainless steel, but will rust faster in the elements.

4.  Blade (Design)

Fallkniven F1, SOG Seal Pup Elite, and KJ Eriksson Mora Carbon Knife 711

Fallkniven F1, SOG Seal Pup Elite, and KJ Eriksson Mora Carbon Knife 711

Again this one comes down to a debate over which is better; straight blade or serrated. A straight blade knife will work better for chopping wood and is much easier to sharpen. A good smooth stone can even be used to sharpen a straight blade if you are without a whetstone, whereas a serrated edge almost always takes a special sharpener.

5. Blade (Length)

Mel Perry Knife SAS

The Parry Blade

Most Survival Knives fall within the range of 6 to 12 inches. Any less and it might not be big enough to do the things you will have to get done in a survival situation, like chopping wood. Sure, it would work a lot better with a hatchet or saw, but if you Bug Out, you might not have anything else.

However, start getting much bigger than 9 to 10 inches and you start getting Rambo syndrome. This is the point where the knife is getting too big to handle and carry effectively and might be more of hindrance than a tool.

6. Blade (Thickness)

Knife Blade Thickness

Huge Differences in Blade Thickness

This is a harder one for those of us who are not knife experts. A good general rule is about 3/16 -4/16 of an inch thickness is the best for survival knives. A knife of that thickness will be extremely solid and and able withstand the abuse of wood chopping and prying. You do not want a survival knife that has a lot of flex in the blade.

7. Sheath

Knife Sheath

The SOG here is probably best: Lower Attachment, Lanyard, and Lower Strap

If you aren’t familiar with serious survival knives the sheath of your knife can seem less than important, however the sheath will affect a lot about how you carry and draw your knife. There are really three things you want in your ideal sheath:

  1. Lower Attachment – Some type of hole or attachment piece at the tip end of the sheath used for strapping the knife to your leg when on the belt, or onto a backpack strap.
  2. Belt and Lanyard Attachment: Does the sheath come with a belt loop? Does the knife handle itself have a hole for a lanyard?
  3. Strap: How does the sheath close around the knife? A crossover strap right where the handle meets the sheath is best. Sheath’s with the strap at the base of the handle can allow the knife to slide out.

Keep These 7 Things in mind when you buy your next survival knife.

Will the person closest to you get you killed?

All of us have a zombie survival plan. We’ve went over it again and again, but (obviously) we’ve never put it into action to see how effective our plan was. We’re about to do that now with a simple exercise.

Just about all of us would agree that at the first sign of a zombie outbreak we’d somehow meet up with those that are closest to us. Of course we don’t want to see our loved ones dead or, even worse, a zombie themselves. Will that person themselves get you killed? Let’s find out.

A zombie outbreak occurs and you’re driving in a car. Your ZSK (Zombie Survival Kit) is in the trunk. Now pick THREE people to be in this car with you.


(Remember, you know these people personally. Really think about their behaviors and personalities as you continue to read.)


Okay… Now that you have your three, you’re ready to do other things like get food, water, shelter, weapons, etc. right? Wrong!

Each of these three people have loved ones that they don’t want to see end up dead or zombified either. It may be their parents, their children, a husband/wife. It could even be their dog. These three people start yelling at you telling you, “We can’t go anywhere until we get ______! We can’t let _______ die or get turned! Go back now! We can’t leave ________ behind!”

If each of the three people could only pick ONE person to save, you’re party would turn from 4 to 7 IF you were able to rescue them all, seven people won’t fit in this car. Seven people also require 57% more food, water, shelter, medicine, supplies, etc. than 4 people. During a zombie outbreak, can you really afford another 57% of EVERYTHING?! Probably not.

Remember, you’re in drivers seat with your ZSK in the trunk. You know what’s best for the survival of you and your group. You are the leader. Here comes a crucial decision for you to make. Do you or do you not help those closest to you rescue those who are also closest to them?

If you say yes, you risk death at any rescue mission. The more rescue missions you go on, the more likely you’re certain to die. Are these other people worth risking your life for? Newborn babies, elderly, obese, and handicapped people make it harder to survive during an outbreak. You are also making a commitment to supply these extra people with food and supplies if you survive the mission. You face transportation issues once you rescue them. But wait!….. For every person you rescue, they will want to rescue MORE PEOPLE! The cycle won’t end! Even if you decided to risk all of your lives to rescue someone, who will you rescue first? Why would you choose that person first? Would the others in the car understand? Would they demand that their loved ones are rescued first? Does this start a fight (eliminating teamwork and trust in the future)? 

Let’s see what happens when you say no… Would they feel as if you doomed their loved ones to death? Will they be understanding? Will they trust you and your decisions? Will they stay in the car? Will they become depressed about the fact that their loved ones are out there fighting for survival on their own? How will your decision affect their psychological mindset? Will they bring morale down within the group (which is very deadly)? Will they do something radical and dangerous in order to save their loved ones? Will they turn on you and make their own rescue party with the 3 people you’ve chosen to be with you?


These are the people you’re with and these are the problems you face already and the zombie apocalypse has been going on for LESS THAN ONE HOUR!!!
You have a strong connection to those closest to you. If their loved ones are left to die while you’re the leader, you run the risk of likely having your group infected with anger, distrust, contempt, depression, pity, worry, etc. Any of these will cause serious problems and make your group less likely to survive. Remember, when people get lost in the wilderness, the ones who live think, “Food. Water. Shelter.” The ones that die are mentally weak or unfocused. They think to themselves, “Why me? What did I do to deserve this? What could I have done to avoid this?”

So, imagine yourself with these people. Think about all that you know of them and how they handle problems and stress in their life. What will happen? How difficult will it be to survive with these people when the world is going to crap? Do they have the mental strength to do what needs to be done? Are they physically capable of surviving a z-outbreak? How effective was your plan now that you think about all these factors that you face during the first hour of an outbreak?
Let me ask this again…. Will the person closest to you get you killed? 

Anonymous asked: haw many zombies are alive right now

I’m no expert, but I don’t honestly believe that any zombie are “alive” right now. 

During a zombie outbreak, you can expect large power outages very soon and before long, there will be no electricity at all. When night falls, you find yourself in a lot of trouble if you’re unable to see. One of the most important things that you should carry in your zombie survival kit is a flashlight. I’m sure that you all know this, but I wanted to talk to you guys about WHICH flashlight you should bring. First things first, make sure it’s WATERPROOF. Anything less will only one day be the cause of your death. After you purchase your flashlight, turn it on and leave it COMPLETELY SUBMERGED underwater for at least 30 min. If you sense ANY kinds of trouble or leakage, return it immediately. Waterproof = survival! “SHAKE” FLASHLIGHTS vs BATTERY POWERED Emergency shake flashlights are not bad as a secondary flashlight. Most are inexpensive, completely waterproof, and even FLOAT in water which makes it very easy to recover if you ever lose it in water. They require just a few shakes before you’re able to use it. I don’t suggest you carry one as a main flashlight because they take time to generate enough energy to shine a bright light for a long time. On top of that, they’re noisy, too. Bad idea if you need to move through the dark while remaining silent. As I said before, they make great back-up flashlights, but don’t bet your life on them. BATTERY POWERED LED FLASHLIGHTSI suggest you carry a battery powered LED flashlights for many reasons.1. Most use AA or AAA batteries which are easy to pack and carry. They can be easy to find in urban areas2. LED bulbs last far longer than standard bulbs and shine much brighter3. LED bulbs require less energy than standard bulbs which means your batteries will last longer4. They come in various colors Why do you need colored LED bulbs?Having different colored bulbs utilizes your flashlight in brand new ways and can be the difference between life and death. WHITE - Shines brightly - Good for seeing long distances away - Can be used to blind people if conditions are right. BLUE - Medium range light - Blue light is the only light that will cut through fog. The blue light is not visible to night vision systems and, though not operating in the Ultra Violet spectrum, at 455nM it is very effective in revealing the presence of body fluids on carpets, upholstery, clothing etc which is why it’s used by search and rescue personnel searching for an injured person. RED - Designed for low-light use and preferred by some for night vision because it often provides for a greater contrast. Good for reserving night vision where you’re in the dark and need light for a brief moment, but don’t want to succumb to “light blindness” like you would when looking into the flash when you have your picture taken. GREEN - It does not attract insects the way a white light can. Green is often used in military operations because, unless viewed straight on, it is difficult to pick up with the human eye. Green is also useful in smoke-filled environments because it does not “wash out” the field of vision like white light does. Many flashlights come equipped with 3 and sometimes all 4 colors. I have the Coleman Multi-Colored LED Flashlight which I picked up at Wal-Mart for $25. It also came with a lanyard which is great for keeping up with it and not losing it. Okay… So, who learned something here today?

During a zombie outbreak, you can expect large power outages very soon and before long, there will be no electricity at all. When night falls, you find yourself in a lot of trouble if you’re unable to see. One of the most important things that you should carry in your zombie survival kit is a flashlight. I’m sure that you all know this, but I wanted to talk to you guys about WHICH flashlight you should bring.

First things first, make sure it’s WATERPROOF. Anything less will only one day be the cause of your death. After you purchase your flashlight, turn it on and leave it COMPLETELY SUBMERGED underwater for at least 30 min. If you sense ANY kinds of trouble or leakage, return it immediately. Waterproof = survival!

“SHAKE” FLASHLIGHTS vs BATTERY POWERED 
Emergency shake flashlights are not bad as a secondary flashlight. Most are inexpensive, completely waterproof, and even FLOAT in water which makes it very easy to recover if you ever lose it in water. They require just a few shakes before you’re able to use it. I don’t suggest you carry one as a main flashlight because they take time to generate enough energy to shine a bright light for a long time. On top of that, they’re noisy, too. Bad idea if you need to move through the dark while remaining silent. As I said before, they make great back-up flashlights, but don’t bet your life on them.

Shake flashlight

BATTERY POWERED LED FLASHLIGHTS
I suggest you carry a battery powered LED flashlights for many reasons.
1. Most use AA or AAA batteries which are easy to pack and carry. They can be easy to find in urban areas
2. LED bulbs last far longer than standard bulbs and shine much brighter
3. LED bulbs require less energy than standard bulbs which means your batteries will last longer
4. They come in various colors

Why do you need colored LED bulbs?
Having different colored bulbs utilizes your flashlight in brand new ways and can be the difference between life and death.

WHITE - Shines brightly - Good for seeing long distances away - Can be used to blind people if conditions are right.

BLUE - Medium range light - Blue light is the only light that will cut through fog. The blue light is not visible to night vision systems and, though not operating in the Ultra Violet spectrum, at 455nM it is very effective in revealing the presence of body fluids on carpets, upholstery, clothing etc which is why it’s used by search and rescue personnel searching for an injured person.

RED - Designed for low-light use and preferred by some for night vision because it often provides for a greater contrast. Good for reserving night vision where you’re in the dark and need light for a brief moment, but don’t want to succumb to “light blindness” like you would when looking into the flash when you have your picture taken.

GREEN - It does not attract insects the way a white light can. Green is often used in military operations because, unless viewed straight on, it is difficult to pick up with the human eye. Green is also useful in smoke-filled environments because it does not “wash out” the field of vision like white light does.

Many flashlights come equipped with 3 and sometimes all 4 colors. I have the Coleman Multi-Colored LED Flashlight which I picked up at Wal-Mart for $25. It also came with a lanyard which is great for keeping up with it and not losing it.

Okay… So, who learned something here today?


WE’RE ALIVE Season 3 How many zombie movies have we seen? How many zombie shows? Books? Video games? Honestly, there are way too many to count. Next question… How many shows have you listened to? Probably none. We’re Alive is a throwback series; much like the ones your grandparents listened to before TV was invented. IS IT WORTH YOUR TIME?Believe me when I say that NO movie or book puts you in the lives of the character like this series does. Actually…. DON’T belive me. I want you guys to see for yourself. The link is here. Click to enter then click LISTEN at the top. Scroll down and start with Part 1 of Chapter 1. Once you’re done, come back to this post. Soooooo…… What did you think of it?????

WE’RE ALIVE Season 3

How many zombie movies have we seen? How many zombie shows? Books? Video games? Honestly, there are way too many to count. Next question… How many shows have you listened to? Probably none.

We’re Alive is a throwback series; much like the ones your grandparents listened to before TV was invented.

IS IT WORTH YOUR TIME?
Believe me when I say that NO movie or book puts you in the lives of the character like this series does. Actually…. DON’T belive me. I want you guys to see for yourself. The link is here. Click to enter then click LISTEN at the top. Scroll down and start with Part 1 of Chapter 1. Once you’re done, come back to this post.

Soooooo…… What did you think of it?????

OMG! Season 3!!!

I know this is a survival blog, but I can’t let you guys go on living your lives without telling you about the BEST zombie “show” in the world (and no, I’m not talking about Walking Dead). Season 3 of this “show” is going to be starting in less than 12 hours! The main characters include Micheal, Angel, and Saul to name a few. Any of my followers know what “show” I’m talking about?

While at Dollar Tree today, I came across this nifty little gadget and bought it for $1.07 exactly. You place these light-weight devices on doors and windows and when the door/window is opened, it sets off a loud alarm. I must admit that I’m thoroughly impressed by it. It’s definitely loud enough to wake me up. I’ll be posting a video of it soon so you so guys will be able to see and hear it action. With a few of them and a little string, you should be able to set up a very solid warning system if you find yourself bunkered in for the night somewhere hiding from zombies. Also, if zombies are attracted to loud noises, you can always set it and throw it as a distraction.

While at Dollar Tree today, I came across this nifty little gadget and bought it for $1.07 exactly. You place these light-weight devices on doors and windows and when the door/window is opened, it sets off a loud alarm. I must admit that I’m thoroughly impressed by it. It’s definitely loud enough to wake me up. I’ll be posting a video of it soon so you so guys will be able to see and hear it action. With a few of them and a little string, you should be able to set up a very solid warning system if you find yourself bunkered in for the night somewhere hiding from zombies. Also, if zombies are attracted to loud noises, you can always set it and throw it as a distraction.

Sackboy is helping me show off these 2-pack hand warmers I bought for my zombie survival kit. They last up to 10 hours each and they were only $1 each at Target. Remember to adjust your survival kit every so often to prepare for the seasons.

Sackboy is helping me show off these 2-pack hand warmers I bought for my zombie survival kit. They last up to 10 hours each and they were only $1 each at Target. Remember to adjust your survival kit every so often to prepare for the seasons.

chiryokuokami asked: More on your camping trip. I don't know where you are from or are going but it is important to think of climate and what type of natural food will be available. It can be quite difficult to catch/kill your own food if you don't know what you are doing. And field dressing animals can be dangerous if you don't know what you are doing and accidentally rupture the intestines or stomach and poison the meat. Sorry if this is old news to you. I just wanted to give you a heads up. Research is important.

We live just outside of Atlanta and we’ll be going somewhere that has a lot of pine trees and small animals with the possibility of deer.  This is old news for me, but I’m VERY happy that you shared it with in case I didn’t know. You are absolutely right when you said, “Research is important”. That’s rule #1 for any survival guide of any kind. 

Survival trip…

My friends and I got together on Christmas and did what we do best. DRINK BEER. After drinking, we starting talking about normal “guy stuff”. Call of Duty: MW3, Battlefield 3, Skyrim, guns, memories, and zombies. Then we had a great idea! We want to get 4-6 of our guy friends to go out in the woods for 3-4 days and survive. This is NOT going to be a fun camping trip with tents, alcohol, and packed lunches. No, instead we thought it’d be cool to be dropped off in a place that none of us have ever been before and have to travel 20 miles to our destination. Here’s a list of our preliminary rules….

1. Can’t bring food
2. No technology (one cell phone will be kept with the group in case of an emergency)
3. Can bring a maximum of 4 items (other than the clothes we’re wearing)

My friends asked me what 4 items will I be bringing. Since I was the first one to make a list, I chose the to bring, what I believe to be, the essentials of survival. Here’s my list…

1. A lighter
2. A machete
3. Water purification system (either a straw or tablets)
4. Rope (50ft of 550 paracord)

What do you guys think of the idea of a survival trip? What rules do you think should be added or changed? What 4 items would you bring?

This is Neverwet in action as I promised from my last entry about how useful Neverwet can be during a zombie outbreak.

AS PROMISED….. Here is something you won’t find on any other zombie survival blog!Introducing….. NEVERWET!!!  Neverwet is a spray (also available in paint) that creates a super hydrophobic coating on ANYTHING it’s applied to. What does that mean for zombie survival? It means that after you spray your clothes down with it, you’ll never have to worry about being infected by zombie blood if it comes into contact with your clothing (I’ll be posting a video of this in action)! Since the zombie virus can be spread by blood and saliva, once it gets on your clothes, the safest thing for you to do is to remove the clothing and discard it immediately. Imagine trying to convince yourself to do this in the dead of winter. It probably won’t happen since you’d like to stay warm. Now the last thing you want is to have zombie blood on your sleeve then accidentally get a scratch on your arm and become infected with the virus itself. With Neverwet, you won’t have to worry about that as much anymore. Not only that, but it repels ALL liquids like rainwater (duh). This make having a poncho or raincoat less necessary. That’s one less thing to carry and one less thing to worry about if it begins to rain. Remember, if you’re wet, your body temperature drops and this causes your physical reactions and abilities to become sluggish. Being cold and wet also has negative effects on your mental awareness making it harder to focus on important tasks at hand since you will be worried about getting warm and dry. Another good thing about Neverwet is that it keeps your electronics safer from water damage making water-proof bags less essential. This comes in handy if you have 2-way radios or an am/fm radio (*all flashlights your carry should be waterproof no matter what). Neverwet will be available to the public to buy by mid 2012. No price has been set. What other uses for Neverwet can you think of that will aid in zombie survival?

AS PROMISED…..

Here is something you won’t find on any other zombie survival blog!
Introducing….. NEVERWET!!! 

Neverwet is a spray (also available in paint) that creates a super hydrophobic coating on ANYTHING it’s applied to. What does that mean for zombie survival?

It means that after you spray your clothes down with it, you’ll never have to worry about being infected by zombie blood if it comes into contact with your clothing (I’ll be posting a video of this in action)! Since the zombie virus can be spread by blood and saliva, once it gets on your clothes, the safest thing for you to do is to remove the clothing and discard it immediately. Imagine trying to convince yourself to do this in the dead of winter. It probably won’t happen since you’d like to stay warm. Now the last thing you want is to have zombie blood on your sleeve then accidentally get a scratch on your arm and become infected with the virus itself. With Neverwet, you won’t have to worry about that as much anymore. Not only that, but it repels ALL liquids like rainwater (duh). This make having a poncho or raincoat less necessary. That’s one less thing to carry and one less thing to worry about if it begins to rain. Remember, if you’re wet, your body temperature drops and this causes your physical reactions and abilities to become sluggish. Being cold and wet also has negative effects on your mental awareness making it harder to focus on important tasks at hand since you will be worried about getting warm and dry.

Another good thing about Neverwet is that it keeps your electronics safer from water damage making water-proof bags less essential. This comes in handy if you have 2-way radios or an am/fm radio (*all flashlights your carry should be waterproof no matter what).

Neverwet will be available to the public to buy by mid 2012. No price has been set.

What other uses for Neverwet can you think of that will aid in zombie survival?

DEAR FOLLOWERS….

Dear followers (all 45 of you as of Dec 15, 2011), later this week (hopefully tomorrow) I will be posting an entry about a new and truly revolutionary product that will greatly aid in your survival against zombies.

I personally guarantee that NO other blog has EVER mentioned this!
This is why you subscribed to this blog to begin with… To get a truly realistic idea of what zombie survival is all about and this product will solve a two major problems you will encounter in a way never seen before.

As with every entry I post, I will first have to do some more research to ensure that you guys know everything there is to know about a product. I’m truly excited about this! Who else is excited?

PS. What do you think about this blog so far? Any suggestions or things you want to see more of?

FIGHT or FLIGHT

Recently, I’ve put some serious thought into this and, to be honest, I’m not sure what my reaction will be. Countless times in our lives we find ourselves in the “fight or flight” situation. Most times, it’s not a matter of life or death. It can be any number of situations. 3 examples include…

- You encounter a bully at school or drunk guy at a bar ready to fight
- A friend jumps out of a closet to scare you as a prank  
- You’re home alone and hear a loud sound from the other room

In the heat of the moment, how will you react? I’m sure we’re thought about what we’d do in a Z-apocalypse, but when you’re faced with a LIFE OR DEATH situation, can you really keep your cool from the very first millisecond? It’s terrifies me to death to admit that I’m actually unsure. I’m not sure that any amount of preparation or zombie daydreaming can prepare someone to train themselves to for the time(s) that choice will need to be made since every situation will be different from the last.

Does anyone know of any techniques or exercises to help prepare?
Do you think you would be more of a “Fighter” or “Flighter”?
What are your thoughts on the subject?