What would you choose?

[Icefalcon]

If you could only choose two items to start the zombie apocalypse with, what would they be? The rules are: it has to be only 2 items, it has to be items (not people or animals), and you can not choose "kits", and I am taking into account you have the proper clothes for the area and season.

I would have to say for me it would be a good knife and my best survival manual.

[MurderCityDisciple]

Ok my two items...an armored Winnebago full of food, fuel and weapons and a suit of armor made out of cheese graters.

[Icefalcon]

Ok my two items...an armored Winnebago full of food, fuel and weapons and a suit of armor made out of cheese graters.

That's five items or more considering each weapon is one item. The Winnebago would be one item. The food, fuel and each weapon would be one item in and of themselves.

[Michael Barakofsky]

My survival knife (its empty as far as extra stuff goes & the compass cracked and lost its lubricant) and a roll of duck tape

[flatline]

Rock hammer (http://www.amateurgeologist.com/rock-hammers-rock-picks/)
Quality multi-mode flashlight (http://www.hdssystems.com/?id=Edc&mType=Clicky or http://goinggear.com/sc80-220-lumen-aa-cr123a-flashlight.html)

Edit: Or a Halligan bar. Never actually held one so I'm not really familiar with how it's weighted. Size and weight seem to indicate that it would plenty useful as both a tool and a weapon.

--flatline

[MurderCityDisciple]

Ok my two items...an armored Winnebago full of food, fuel and weapons and a suit of armor made out of cheese graters.

That's five items or more considering each weapon is one item. The Winnebago would be one item. The food, fuel and each weapon would be one item in and of themselves.

I wasn't being completely serious....

For one I'll take one of THESE or THESE.

My second item would probably be a heavy leather jacket. Warmth, coolness and bite resistant.

[Icefalcon]

Ok my two items...an armored Winnebago full of food, fuel and weapons and a suit of armor made out of cheese graters.

That's five items or more considering each weapon is one item. The Winnebago would be one item. The food, fuel and each weapon would be one item in and of themselves.

I wasn't being completely serious....

For one I'll take one of THESE or THESE.

My second item would probably be a heavy leather jacket. Warmth, coolness and bite resistant.

The buster tool is nice. I like the look of it. Do you know how it is weighted and balanced?

[Icefalcon]

Rock hammer (http://www.amateurgeologist.com/rock-hammers-rock-picks/)
Quality multi-mode flashlight (http://www.hdssystems.com/?id=Edc&mType=Clicky or http://goinggear.com/sc80-220-lumen-aa-cr123a-flashlight.html)

Edit: Or a Halligan bar. Never actually held one so I'm not really familiar with how it's weighted. Size and weight seem to indicate that it would plenty useful as both a tool and a weapon.

--flatline

I like the versatility of the second flashlight. The ability to take two battery types makes it more useful.

[flatline]

Rock hammer (http://www.amateurgeologist.com/rock-hammers-rock-picks/)
Quality multi-mode flashlight (http://www.hdssystems.com/?id=Edc&mType=Clicky or http://goinggear.com/sc80-220-lumen-aa-cr123a-flashlight.html)

Edit: Or a Halligan bar. Never actually held one so I'm not really familiar with how it's weighted. Size and weight seem to indicate that it would plenty useful as both a tool and a weapon.

--flatline

I like the versatility of the second flashlight. The ability to take two battery types makes it more useful.

Both of these are lights that are programmable and have wonderful sub-lumen modes that will give you months and months of useful light from a single cell so I wouldn't worry too much about needing to scrounge cells to feed either of these lights. If you find a 2-pack of CR123A cells, you'll be good for at least a year with either light.

They're both quality lights, but the first far outclasses the second in build quality and ruggedness. I love them both, but the HDS would be my first choice even though it uses CR123A cells exclusively (although a 2AA battery tube is planned for it and you can rig it to use an AA or AAA cell at the expense of the high modes).

--flatline

[Neo]

Haligan tool and a Katana.

[filo_clarke]

I would choose a hatchet and a knife.
The LaGana VTAC Tomahawk or the Cold Steel Vietnam Tomahawk are good choices.
As for a knife, a Tom Brown Trackeris my go-to choice for utility, but the Fallkniven A1 or the Cold Steel CRK are also excellent options.

[Icefalcon]

Rock hammer (http://www.amateurgeologist.com/rock-hammers-rock-picks/)
Quality multi-mode flashlight (http://www.hdssystems.com/?id=Edc&mType=Clicky or http://goinggear.com/sc80-220-lumen-aa-cr123a-flashlight.html)

Edit: Or a Halligan bar. Never actually held one so I'm not really familiar with how it's weighted. Size and weight seem to indicate that it would plenty useful as both a tool and a weapon.

--flatline

I like the versatility of the second flashlight. The ability to take two battery types makes it more useful.

Both of these are lights that are programmable and have wonderful sub-lumen modes that will give you months and months of useful light from a single cell so I wouldn't worry too much about needing to scrounge cells to feed either of these lights. If you find a 2-pack of CR123A cells, you'll be good for at least a year with either light.

They're both quality lights, but the first far outclasses the second in build quality and ruggedness. I love them both, but the HDS would be my first choice even though it uses CR123A cells exclusively (although a 2AA battery tube is planned for it and you can rig it to use an AA or AAA cell at the expense of the high modes).

--flatline

Regardless, they were both great looking lights.

[Icefalcon]

I would choose a hatchet and a knife.
The LaGana VTAC Tomahawk or the Cold Steel Vietnam Tomahawk are good choices.
As for a knife, a Tom Brown Trackeris my go-to choice for utility, but the Fallkniven A1 or the Cold Steel CRK are also excellent options.

I have one of the Cold Steel CRK's and it is a very good knife.

[filo_clarke]

Sorry, that was a typeo, it should have said Cold Steel SRK (in San-Mai III steel, of course, or the ever elusive Carbon-V if you can get it).

[Icefalcon]

Sorry, that was a typeo, it should have said Cold Steel SRK (in San-Mai III steel, of course, or the ever elusive Carbon-V if you can get it).

Can't go wrong with the original Cold Steel Tanto either.

[azazel1024]

Survival knife plus a really good backpacking pack.

I am going to want something to carry things in and a knife can help me get a lot of that stuff.

[Icefalcon]

Survival knife plus a really good backpacking pack.

I am going to want something to carry things in and a knife can help me get a lot of that stuff.

I thought about the backpack myself but decided that I would need the survival manual more.

[azazel1024]

SAS survival guide would be really, really nice and I was thinking the same thing too, but on balance my ability to create something able to carry much, very far is not good, even with any of the basket weaving skills, etc shown in most survival manuals.

Of course I am also tending to look at it more from the perspective of being in complete wilderness and/or E&E to wilderness on foot promptly upon zombies showing up (excepting the whole "having a family" business and all that).

I'd probably starve to death without a manual, but realistically I'd have a pretty good chance of starving to death with one and I figure a good pack would give me an edge in case I was lucky enough to take down any animals or came across a great forage catch. Same thing with making at least some basics of fire starting or a shelter portable.

If I could expand it to 5 items I'd probably be set, but with two I think a good knife and a good pack win out.

[Torval]

I hope this isn't bending the rules because technically you could consider this more than two items but I think it should work.

I would choose a canteen or other lightweight, easily refillable water container. My other choice is a .22 rifle. A good, fixed blade knife could be used in a lot more situations; however, a .22 rifle will bag me wildlife and could potentially keep me safe from a distance without a massive report or muzzle flash. I think it would be much more believable that I could scrounge a good knife than a solid, trusty firearm. The reason that I said this might bend the rules is because I would want the .22 rifle to have ammunition already. I am not assuming that I have spare ammunition, just enough to fill the magazine and have one in the pipe.

That being said, I feel like there are a lot of good choices. It just depends on your personal preference and what you want to risk trying to scrounge.

[Icefalcon]

I hope this isn't bending the rules because technically you could consider this more than two items but I think it should work.

I would choose a canteen or other lightweight, easily refillable water container. My other choice is a .22 rifle. A good, fixed blade knife could be used in a lot more situations; however, a .22 rifle will bag me wildlife and could potentially keep me safe from a distance without a massive report or muzzle flash. I think it would be much more believable that I could scrounge a good knife than a solid, trusty firearm. The reason that I said this might bend the rules is because I would want the .22 rifle to have ammunition already. I am not assuming that I have spare ammunition, just enough to fill the magazine and have one in the pipe.

That being said, I feel like there are a lot of good choices. It just depends on your personal preference and what you want to risk trying to scrounge.

I would say that a gun could have ammo for it to count as one item. For the purpose of this thread, I would assume no more than one box of ammo (20-50 rounds depending on the size of the box, and yes I know that they make larger boxes of ammo but I am going on the premise that you were caught unaware hence the only two items rule).

[Icefalcon]

SAS survival guide would be really, really nice and I was thinking the same thing too, but on balance my ability to create something able to carry much, very far is not good, even with any of the basket weaving skills, etc shown in most survival manuals.

Of course I am also tending to look at it more from the perspective of being in complete wilderness and/or E&E to wilderness on foot promptly upon zombies showing up (excepting the whole "having a family" business and all that).

I'd probably starve to death without a manual, but realistically I'd have a pretty good chance of starving to death with one and I figure a good pack would give me an edge in case I was lucky enough to take down any animals or came across a great forage catch. Same thing with making at least some basics of fire starting or a shelter portable.

If I could expand it to 5 items I'd probably be set, but with two I think a good knife and a good pack win out.

I agree with all of your logic. For myself, I came down to a choice between canteen, backpack or survival guide for my second choice. In the end, I opted for the guide because it would be difficult for me to remember all of that survival advice in a high stress zombie apocalypse.

One of the reasons I limited to 2 items was to intentionally make the choices difficult. It kind of shows peoples priorities and their chances of survival based on their choices. I also think I would be fine if I had a choice of 5 items. With 5 items you could insure finding anything else you need.

[robertbc73]

Ok my two items...an armored Winnebago full of food, fuel and weapons and a suit of armor made out of cheese graters.

That's five items or more considering each weapon is one item. The Winnebago would be one item. The food, fuel and each weapon would be one item in and of themselves.

I wasn't being completely serious....

For one I'll take one of THESE or THESE.

My second item would probably be a heavy leather jacket. Warmth, coolness and bite resistant.

Very nice items. Thank you for enlightening me to them. I shared with many zombie fans on facebook.

[G]

a heavy crossbow
a 32-36' bluewater sailboat.

You can sail around the world by yourself in the boat. It holds lots of supplies and upto about 6 people. Most Zombies don't swim.

Crossbows are silent and ammo is easy to come by.

If I got a third item it would be a crowbar as you need to get into places for supplies and defend yourself in melee.

[Icefalcon]

a heavy crossbow
a 32-36' bluewater sailboat.

You can sail around the world by yourself in the boat. It holds lots of supplies and upto about 6 people. Most Zombies don't swim.

Crossbows are silent and ammo is easy to come by.

If I got a third item it would be a crowbar as you need to get into places for supplies and defend yourself in melee.

I like the idea of the sailboat.

[azazel1024]

I'd have to personally consider a sail boat a lot more than one item however. Its kind of made of thousands of items (at the very least things like a motor, sails, rigging, bumpers, block and tackle, etc are really "seperate" items). However, a medium sized sail boat would be my ideal vehicle for surivival in a post apocalyptic world. Especially one filled with zombies.

Also, cross bow "ammo" is not super common. A heck of a lot less common than bullets, though arguably easer to make. Not super easy to make a high quality bolt/quarrel however.

[MurderCityDisciple]

JAWSAW
I saw an infomercial for this thing...if only it was gas operated. It's a mancatcher combined with a chainsaw...brilliant!!

[Icefalcon]

JAWSAW
I saw an infomercial for this thing...if only it was gas operated. It's a mancatcher combined with a chainsaw...brilliant!!

Interesting but unwieldy.

[Looonatic]

This and This.

[ZorValachan]

High quality Knife and Hammer.

[Icefalcon]

High quality Knife and Hammer.

Any particular type of hammer?

[filo_clarke]

High quality Knife and Hammer.

Any particular type of hammer?

Any particular type of knife?

[G]

Cocaine and a pepsi-

It's the end of the world (sort of) why not enjoy it!!!

I think you'd be better off with a truckload of alcohol & marijuana cigarettes...That way while smoking and drinking yourself to oblivion, you can also use some be a drunk driver hitting zombies and use the cigarette to light and throw the bottles of alcohol at zombies.

...while listening to Benny Hill music.

At the very least it would make a good background event while PCs go about doing whatever.

[ZorValachan]

On what type of hammer and knife.

If it was what I have: I would take my WWI bayonet (like a long knife/short sword) and my claw hammer. Both are good quality. Both because they can be as weapons and tools.

In whatever it can be: I would choose a large survival type knife that won't break the first time I try to do something with it other than cut paper/cloth. I would choose a blacksmith hammer. With those, any other tool/weapon could be eventually be made.

[Ravenwing]

For me its easy.

My AKMS, with its 30 Round mag, and a my Colt .357 Python, with just it's six rounds. I carry the Pistol at all times ( Thank you Concealed Weapon Permit!)
With those two weapons, and my general lack of morals and years of Army training, I'd be able to 'Acquire' anything else I might need.

[Icefalcon]

It is interesting to see that for most people, they want the two weapons to start. They think it will be easy to stay feed and alive as long as they have their weapons. Interesting enough, I see a lot of this attitude in the game as well. It amuses me when the people can't feed themselves because they don't know how and die of starvation. The main reason is they want their guns. Their reason? They can shoot all the animals they need. What is my response? "What are you going to skin it with? What are you going to use to start the fire? What are you going to use to hold water? What are you going to do about scurvy on an all meat diet?"

There are many other questions I would ask in these situations. Some tell me that Army training will see them through. I ask them if they actually passed their survival training. Not everyone who was in the military is familiar with survival techniques without their manual handy. Some tell me that they are hunters or hikers or some other type of outdoorsman type. I ask them if they know how to farm. Why? How are you going to have bread or other grains? How are you going to feed cows or goats for milk?

In short, you can't use a gun to get you everything. First, you are going to run out of ammo eventually. Second, violence is not going to always get you something (you might be outnumbered, or outgunned, or simply out of ammo). Third, more than one weapon (in the context that you are only allowed two items to start) is not necessary (having one will get you others, maybe).

[Torval]

It is interesting to see that for most people, they want the two weapons to start. They think it will be easy to stay feed and alive as long as they have their weapons. Interesting enough, I see a lot of this attitude in the game as well. It amuses me when the people can't feed themselves because they don't know how and die of starvation. The main reason is they want their guns. Their reason? They can shoot all the animals they need. What is my response? "What are you going to skin it with? What are you going to use to start the fire? What are you going to use to hold water? What are you going to do about scurvy on an all meat diet?"

There are many other questions I would ask in these situations. Some tell me that Army training will see them through. I ask them if they actually passed their survival training. Not everyone who was in the military is familiar with survival techniques without their manual handy. Some tell me that they are hunters or hikers or some other type of outdoorsman type. I ask them if they know how to farm. Why? How are you going to have bread or other grains? How are you going to feed cows or goats for milk?

In short, you can't use a gun to get you everything. First, you are going to run out of ammo eventually. Second, violence is not going to always get you something (you might be outnumbered, or outgunned, or simply out of ammo). Third, more than one weapon (in the context that you are only allowed two items to start) is not necessary (having one will get you others, maybe).

You make some good points but with all of that said, I will stick with my selections. I chose them for a reason and only I am fully aware of my skills, knowledge and experience.

[Icefalcon]

You make some good points but with all of that said, I will stick with my selections. I chose them for a reason and only I am fully aware of my skills, knowledge and experience.

No argument here. I was not specifically indicating anyone. I was more stating an observation.

[Torval]

You make some good points but with all of that said, I will stick with my selections. I chose them for a reason and only I am fully aware of my skills, knowledge and experience.

No argument here. I was not specifically indicating anyone. I was more stating an observation.

I didn't feel targeted and I wasn't being defensive. I just thought you had made some good points and wanted to contribute to the conversation some more. I think your observations on this topic are spot on. I was hoping this thread would get a lot more participation than it has so far.

[Icefalcon]

You make some good points but with all of that said, I will stick with my selections. I chose them for a reason and only I am fully aware of my skills, knowledge and experience.

No argument here. I was not specifically indicating anyone. I was more stating an observation.

I didn't feel targeted and I wasn't being defensive. I just thought you had made some good points and wanted to contribute to the conversation some more. I think your observations on this topic are spot on. I was hoping this thread would get a lot more participation than it has so far.

I agree that I was hoping for more participation.

[Ravenwing]

lol. Actually I cheated.
Wanna know how?

AKMS: Is an updated version of the AK-47.( Circe 1962ish) Technically mine is an AKMS-107,chambered in 7.62 Nato.
Uses:
Spear:( It has an attached Bayonet) Despite DR's Weapon Expert ' Brick's advise,this thing will pierce your skull like a hot knife through butter.And the shape and length of the rifle make head 'shots' as a spear nearly the natural form of attack. Thrust, twist, return. Say it with me kids, Thrust, twist, return. Yeah Old School army Basic.

Club: Solid wooden stock, which can fold and lock into place, shortening or lengthening the weapon. Again,despite 'Bricks' advise, one of two hits with the stock to the head will cave your skull in. Not to mention I can knock window's out easily and climb inside to get what I need. Also given the length of the rifle,nearly every swing is for the head, Butt stroke to the head! Recover! Simple,uses little energy,and conserves motion.

Gunkit in stock: Remove the butt plate and tada. The Kalishnikov Series were made to take insane abuse, and need little to no cleaning, but they do need some maintenance from time to time.

Gun: Semi-automatic( I got the Civy version.) with decent mid to short range. No an AK isn't an accurate long ranged rifle, but most people who've seen combat can tell you that 'gunfights' don't happen at long ranges. 500 feet or so is about the longest distance you're going to be involved in. I'm accurate with my AK at ranges up to 500, or less.

My Python likewise is a multi-use tool. although in it's case, it's just as a gun or a club.

How would I get food? Water? and otherwise survive?
Simple I'd take it.

I live in a small town, but a town none the less. within ten minutes and assuming I couldn't get to one of the bugout bags I have around my property ( One in my bedroom closet, one in the hallway closet, one in the garage, one in the watershed, and one in my truck.) I could lay my hands on a survival knife, duct tape, zipties, canned and dried food, bottles of water, ALICE PACKs, Tools, more ammo, more guns, a Compound Bow and Arrows, Several ATV's Gas, Smokes, Beer, Hard Liquor, medical kits, first aide kits, Rope, flashlights, and a whole host of other things needed to make a full kit, including condoms(lol).

That combined with my survival training would keep me alive and well.

[Icefalcon]

I see a lot of people talk about "bug out bags" or "go bags". Thinking that you would always have access to that bag is a bit of a cop out. Take for example travel overseas. You would not have access to any of those bags. Heck, you most likely would not have access to much considering the list of stuff they will not allow on flights these days. The only way to have access to one of those bags on a long trip is if you have driven to your destination (much as some of us did at the Open House).

As I stated in the original post, the two items you choose are the only items you have access to any time for the foreseeable future.

[flatline]

As I stated in the original post, the two items you choose are the only items you have access to any time for the foreseeable future.

Wait, we're not allowed to use our items to procure more items? Then I guess I'd better start with food and water.

--flatline

[Ravenwing]

As I stated in the original post, the two items you choose are the only items you have access to any time for the foreseeable future.

Wait, we're not allowed to use our items to procure more items? Then I guess I'd better start with food and water.

--flatline

That pretty much means we're dead. Unless you subscribe to the idea that the 'Foreseeable future' is whats going on immediately in your line of sight.

[Icefalcon]

Foreseeable future would be two to four days, at least in my estimate. Trying to plan for too much longer than that during a zombie apocalypse is near impossible.

The main point I was trying to get across was that people need to stop assuming they are near their "bug-out" bag or other gear they may have at home. The whole purpose of the question of two items in the first place was to assess what people would value most at that time. Making your choice based on the fact that all you need is those two items to reach your other gear messes with the data. Probably the best way to put it is to say everything you own is gone for some reason and all you have left is those two items.

[flatline]

Foreseeable future would be two to four days, at least in my estimate. Trying to plan for too much longer than that during a zombie apocalypse is near impossible.

The main point I was trying to get across was that people need to stop assuming they are near their "bug-out" bag or other gear they may have at home. The whole purpose of the question of two items in the first place was to assess what people would value most at that time. Making your choice based on the fact that all you need is those two items to reach your other gear messes with the data. Probably the best way to put it is to say everything you own is gone for some reason and all you have left is those two items.

Then I'll stick with my original choices. A rock pick allows me relatively easy entrance into buildings and vehicles (both passenger compartments and trunks), plus it makes an excellent weapon and can serve any purpose that a regular hammer would (minus the nail pulling). And I can use it to dig or climb surfaces that might otherwise be unclimbable. And it only weighs 22oz. I would fashion a stout lanyard as soon as I find suitable material (shoelaces might do in a pinch).

The flashlight lets me function in the absence of natural light (important at night and during the day if I'm inside a large building with few outside windows) and multiple modes lets me get the most out of each battery. By limiting the output to "just enough", I also lessen the risk of giving my position away.

But make no mistake, I do not plan to depend solely on these tools for any length of time. Once my immediate survival is secure, I'll be hunting for resources to help ensure my long term survival. I would use these tools to gain access to other resources that I'll be wanting like a good knife, food, clothing, shelter, etc. I would expect that within the first hour or two, I'd already have a backpack or similar item for holding other items, a cutting edge, a backup weapon, some way of starting a fire, and some food.

--flatline

[Icefalcon]

I agree that in the first few hours, I would have added to these first two items. I don't dispute anybody's ability to do so. Just finding a backpack is very easy to do. On top of that, many simple items that are necessary to survive the first few days are fairly easy to come by in today's society.

[King Newt]

simply put a shotgun with enough ammo to get me and my family out of town

[Mech-Viper Prime]

Alot of Toilet paper and a pair of high quality boots, I can loot as I go

[Icefalcon]

Alot of Toilet paper and a pair of high quality boots, I can loot as I go

Toilet paper is an interesting choice. Why would you choose that?

[calto40k]

Machete and my trusty K-Bar knife, afterwards I have my first places to hit up to acquire more weapons and supplies after stealing a bike and some little zombie kids backpack