Zombie Apocalypse Survival Kit Checklist

50+ survival gear items you need to survive the apocalypse. This list will help you survive any survival scenario and teach you how to build a Bug-Out-Bag survival kit for both short-term and long-term survival. You will need these emergency supplies and survival gear to survive a month or more during a short term survival scenario. A long term survival situation requires the same gear, plus some long term food supplies, tools and equipment for water storage and electricity. This includes seeds and dry goods, freeze dried foods, dehydrated foods, food storage systems, water filtration and purification system and storage.

Author’s Note: The Zombie Apocalypse is a metaphorical allegory that will help you prepare for ANY survival scenario you can imagine. This is emergency preparedness 101 kind of stuff, with some extra long term survival gear list items to help you survive no matter what happens. For further reading, read ouR article about 17 survival scenarios you are likely not prepared for

This is a real-world no BS emergency survival kit list compiled by an outdoorsman and survivalist with 40+ years of survival experience. This information will help keep you and your family alive. This information is not to cause panic or scare people. Survival is real! This is no joke. It’s a serious thing and people need to take it seriously.

Below is a long list of emergency supplies and survival gear items that you will need to survive the short term and the long term. This list will be updated as we have more information.

SHORT TERM APOCALYPSE SURVIVAL:

Emergency Preparedness Survival Kit Checklist!

This list is for you bug-out-bag. Yes! all these items can be carried in a well made tactical backpack.

BUG-OUT-BAG: Emergency Supplies Survival Kit Checklist!

• BackPack (ALICE Pack or Tactical Combat Pack with PALS webbing for MOLLE attachments)
• Guns & Ammo – Shotgun, rifle and handgun plus 100 rounds of ammo each.
• Knife – Bushcraft (fixed blade) –  A good quality survival knife and a pocket knife for every day carry (EDC).
• Pocket Knife – A good quality folding pocket knife made by a reputable manufacturer.
• MultiTool – Leatherman or Gerber multitool. Has valuable tools you need to carry on you at all times.
• Axe – A good 18-24″ camp axe
• Machete  – A machete for for cutting branches and small brush, clearing your camp of underbrush and blazing a trail.
• FireStarter – Ferro rod, lighter, matches, and know how to build a friction fire.
• Paracord – Military 550 cord. Cordage is an absolute necessity.
• LED Flashlight & Headlight – Rechargeable
• Backup Battery Lithium Ion With Mini USB –
• Portable Solar Panel – For charging your devices when the power goes out. Blackouts happen. Plan for it.
• Crossbow pistol – For hunting small game silently! And killing those pesky zombies.
• Fishing rod/reel combo – For catching fish for food.
• Fishing tackle – A simple fishing tackle box filled with popular lures, hooks, weights and extra fishing line.
• Tent (this is a luxury – family) – Get a medium sized tent that’s large enough for family, but small enough and light enough to carry.
• Sleeping bag (0 to 20 degree bag) – This will keep you warm in just about any climate.
• Wool blanket – Will keep you warm even when wet.
• Sleeping pad/Insulated – This is a necessity to insulate yourself from the ground. The ground will pull the heat form your body. Insulate yourself.
• Canteen – Get a good plastic canteen. A plastic water bottle will work short term, but ideally you will want a military style canteen or stainless steel water bottle.
• Duct tape – For fixing anything. Including holes in your tent or tarp. It can also be used in an emergency scenario as first aid tape.
• Candles – For lighting and heat. You’d be amazed at how much heat a small candle can put off in a small tent. Make sure your shelter is well ventilated though because there is risk of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide poisoning. Be smart. Keep the area well ventilated.
• Flashlight – Every survivor needs a good tactical RECHARGEABLE flashlight. NO BATTERIES. Extra batteries are dead weight and the portable solar panel will make up for the batteries and power your other devices.
• Extra Batteries – Carry this in your vehicle. Not on your person in your bug out bag unless you can help it.
• Battery Power Hand Crank Radio (weather radio) – You need a radio. AM/FM and/or weather radio to keep up with current events and plan for bad weather in case a storm rolls in. You need to be prepared. If something is going on that you don’t know about it could endanger yourself and your family/group you’re camping/traveling with.
• Maps – Internet might go out, cell phones may not work so you’ll need a way to navigate the land/city and area you’re in. Make a plan to get somewhere safe. That is usually where there are no other people. If you see a group of people, do not just approach them. Hang back, wait, get out of sight, and watch, listen and learn what they’re doing. Try to travel where it’s safest. This means avoiding areas with steep terrain if you’re in the wilderness, or if in the city it means avoiding highly populated areas. Look for trails, roadways, highways, interstates, and other easily traveled areas, but know that everyone else will be travelling through these areas as well. Be aware of your surroundings.
• M95 Surgical Mask – It’s always good to have a few of these in your pack for safety reasons.
• Gas Mask and extra filters – In case of nuclear, chemical or biological attack.

WATER PURIFICATION FILTRATION & STORAGE:

• Water Purification Tablets, Bleach in a small dropper bottle – A few drops of chlorine bleach per gallon of water, let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour, then boil, and filter.
• Water Filter – Sawyer makes good portable water filters.
• Water Bottle – Stainless Steel – (Single walled! Don’t get the insulated kind; they are worthless for survival/emergency scenarios) – You need a good stainless steel water bottle for carrying and boiling water. Don’t get the double-walled insulated water bottle because you can’t put it in the fire to boil water. It’s vacuum sealed and insulated and poses a safety hazard if heated. Get a single-walled uninsulated stainless steel or titanium water bottle that holds at least 16-24 ounces of water. A 1 liter bottle is good!

SURVIVAL COOKING & HEAT:

• Stainless Steel or Titanium Pots/Pans & Utensils – They are lightweight and can easily be stowed in your bug-out-bag.

CLOTHING:
You’ll be wearing most of this all the time, but have an extra change or two of clothes for backup.

• Waterproof Boots – Protect your feet! Good insulated waterproof boots are an absolute necessity!
• Packable RainGear Outer Shell – This will go over your other jacket/coat if it rains.
• Poncho – This will double as a tent if you need an emergency shelter!
• Extra Nylon Tarp – For emergency shelter.
• Cold Weather Coat – Large heavyweight coat for extreme cold.
• Jacket – Medium/lightweight jacket or hoodie. Cotton is NOT good if it gets wet!
• Thermal Base Layer – A necessity in cold weather.
• T-shirt – Extra t-shirts for everyone in your family/group. (Each stowed in their own bug-out-bag)
• Underwear – Extra underwear for everyone.
• Gloves (cold weather and leather) – Have leather utility gloves for working and cold weather gloves for extreme cold if you’re in the northern hemisphere.
• Socks (extra pairs) – Dry feet are critical! Make sure you have plenty of extra wool or synthetic socks to prevent blisters and frostbite.

HEALTH & NUTRITION:

• Multi Vitamins – To supplement your diet.
• Vitamin C – Boost your immune system, especially in colder climates or if you’re lacking fresh fruits.
• Fish Oil Capsules – Helps with joint health and keeping your body functioning in harsh conditions.
• Medications – Prescriptions, supplements, etc.

First Aid Kit & Emergency Medical Supplies

First Aid Kit – Military Style Kit can be mounted to or put inside your Bug-out-Bag or carried inside your bug-out-vehicle. This is a smaller waist-size pack that can be mounted to your bug-out-bag with a MOLLE system. If you don’t know what that is here is Wikipedia’s definition:

“MOLLE is an acronym for Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment. It is used to define the current generation of load-bearing equipment and backpacks used by a number of NATO armed forces, especially the British Army and the United States Army.”

• Band-Aids – For minor cuts and scrapes.
• Bandages – For covering larger wounds.
• Sutures – For stitching deep wounds.
• Tourniquet – Stops life-threatening bleeding.
• Gauze pads – For dressing wounds and controlling bleeding.
• Cloth tape – Secures bandages and gauze pads.
• Wound dressing/bandage – For serious wounds.
• Nitrile Gloves – To protect from bloodborne pathogens.
• Medical Masks – For respiratory protection and infection control.
• EMT Shears – To cut bandages, clothing, etc.
• Trauma Pad – For serious bleeding or large wounds.
• Hemostats – Clamps for bleeding vessels.
• Forceps – For holding and grasping small items or tissue.
• Tweezers – For removing splinters or small debris from wounds.
• Scalpel – For making precise cuts.
• Small Syringe with Spare Needle – For administering medication or irrigating wounds.
• Alcohol Swabs – Sterilizing wounds or tools.
• Antibiotic Ointment/Neosporin – To prevent infection in cuts and wounds.
• Aspirin – For pain relief and to thin blood during a heart attack.
• Ibuprofen – Anti-inflammatory and pain relief.
• Allergy Meds – In case of allergic reactions.
• Mylar Space Blanket – Retains body heat and helps with hypothermia.
• Antihistamines – For allergic reactions and antihistamine-related conditions.
• Cold Medicine – Helps fight symptoms of cold or flu.
• Eye Drops – For eye irritation or dryness.
• Oral Rehydration Salts – For dehydration and maintaining electrolytes.
• Burn Cream – For treating burns and preventing infection.
• Sterile Water Packets – For cleaning wounds or rehydrating in emergencies.
• Activated Charcoal – Helps with poison ingestion cases.
• Electrolyte Tablets – For hydration during extreme conditions.
• Hydrogen Peroxide – For cleaning wounds or use as a disinfectant.
• Pain Relievers (Tylenol) – Additional pain relief options.
• Laxatives – In case of digestive issues or constipation.
• Diarrhea Medication (Imodium) – For treating diarrhea, which can be dangerous in survival situations.
• Snake Bite Kit – For areas with venomous snakes.
• Insect Repellent – To prevent bites from mosquitoes and other bugs.

LONG TERM APOCALYPSE SURVIVAL:

This is a list of things you’ll need at your home, bug-out location, or basecamp. These things will be carried in your bug out vehicle if you’re mobile, or stored in a crate or crates on your property, that are easily moved into your bug out vehicle in case you have to abandon the location for safety reasons.

SURVIVAL FOOD:
Buy in bulk! Save money.

• MREs, Dehydrated Foods, Freeze-Dried Food!
• Flour – Staple for baking bread and other food.
• Sugar – Sweetener for food and energy.
• Rice – Bulk rice for long-term carbs.
• Beans – Protein source and goes well with rice.
• Pasta – Cheap, easy, long-lasting carbs.
• Tea – For warmth and hydration.
• Coffee – Critical for morale and caffeine boost.
• Dehydrated Powdered Milk – Calcium and protein when fresh milk isn’t an option.
• Powdered Eggs – Long-lasting protein source.
• Chicken Bullion – Flavor and nourishment for soups and stews.
• Beef Bullion – Same as chicken, but for beef flavor.
• Salt, Pepper, Garlic – Seasonings are essential for palatability and health.

COOKING AND HEATING:

• Wood Stove/Camp Stove – Portable lightweight wood stove (with exhaust vent) for heating and cooking inside the tent/tipi. VENTILATE YOUR TENT! Keep good ventilation so you don’t kill yourself with carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Propane Heater/Stove – A propane stove or heater is for short-term survival because fuel is a finite source of energy, but it will do in an emergency survival situation. Don’t depend on it for long-term survival!
• Extra Blankets, Quilts, and Sleeping Bags – This is more long-term, but it’s good to have an extra blanket or two for your kids or other group members.
• MREs, Dehydrated Foods, Freeze-Dried Food!
• Seeds! – For planting long-term survival food. You can grow your own food in your home in planters and in your garage. In the event the food supply dries up or the supply chain breaks, you will need a plan for long-term survival food! Growing your own food sounds silly, but long-term survival requires it. Long-term means anything longer than 3 months. It takes 2-3 months for food to grow before harvesting. Growing indoors allows you to control the climate. Grow lights speed up the process.
• LED Grow Lights – Get UV and full-spectrum white LED lighting.
• Solar Panels – For long-term, renewable energy.
• Wind Turbine – Supplement solar with wind energy for consistent power.
• Battery Backup Energy Storage – So you have power at night! A good battery backup when rationed can last days or even weeks!
• Food Dehydrator – Preserve food for long-term storage.
• Vacuum Sealer – Remove air to extend the shelf life of food.
• Freeze Dryer (if you can afford it) – The best way to preserve food for years.
• 5-gallon buckets with lids – For food storage and transport. They stack well and will keep your food fresh longer, especially when the food is vacuum sealed in Mylar and plastic bags.
• Mylar bags – For airtight food storage.
• Plastic Bags – Useful for organizing and storing smaller items.
• Desiccant – Absorbs moisture to prevent mold and spoilage.
• Mason Jars – For canning and storing food long-term.
• Pressure Cooker – Essential for canning food safely.
• Large Aluminum or Stainless Steel Pots – For cooking large bulk meals to freeze-dry or dehydrate!

COMMUNICATIONS:

• Smart Phone – Personal communication and for emergencies, news and information.
• Computer – Email and Messenger, Facebook, Twitter, News and information (only if the internet is still up and running; it’s likely not going to be working during an apocalypse, but a minor event, rioting, maybe even some kind of military conflict, it should still be working unless there’s a major war/conflict that has knocked out communications)
• CB Radio/Short Wave  – For your home/basecamp
• HAM Radio  – If you’re HAM radio certified good for you. Teach your family and friends.

The smaller items go in your Bug out bag!

We’ll be updating this list of supplies often so bookmark this page and share with your family and friends!

Thanks for reading!

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If you can think of anything we’ve missed please let us know in the comments. Thanks!