"And being on a ship for 5.5 years, I can attest that the firehoses are insanely durable. We dragged those things across non-skid (which is exteremly rough, think 1/2 pieces of sand on 2 grit sand paper), around 'knife-edges' (sharp edges that waterproof doors seal against) and everything else you can imagine doing on a ship, and they last a long long time before even showing wear, let alone actually taking any damage. And, they're waterproof... Water inside stays in, and nothing outside can contaminate the inside, because we use them for potable (drinking) water as well, with no risk of contamination..."

What's the typical lifespan on them?

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And how long until they 'expire'? Is that because of a material/chemical breakdown, where they are no longer effective, like old brittle rubber?

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Gloves are a must. When I ride my bike, I always wear gloves -- and full-fingered gloves, not the fingerless kind. To me, they're second only to my helmet in importance, and keep my hands and fingers from getting sore and scratched, which is what happened before I started wearing them. If 20-30 minutes a day of riding my bike is enough to make my hands sore, then I can't imagine what several weeks or more of living in a survival situation will do to them. Not wearing gloves may mean that you'll have more feeling in your hands in the short term, but in the long term, the only thing you'll feel in them is pain from all the bruises, blisters and bites that you'll have received. Rule of thumb: in a survival situation, wear gloves in the same manner that you'd wear them on a freezing cold day; that is, only take them off if you really have to (like if you're getting something out of your pocket).

For this reason, I keep a pair of True Grip leather work gloves in my BOB. They're not that expensive; I picked mine up from the hardware section at Stop & Shop for about six or seven bucks. I have no problem holding and swinging blunt objects while wearing them, and they leave me with enough feeling in my hands for the important stuff (feeling my way around in the dark, etc.), while at the same time protecting my hands from anything that might bite or scratch them.

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i will be wearing this
shirt: a dark green buttoned up wool shirt
pants: loose fitting wool light tan pants
feet: wool tube socks, dark brown leather steel toed boots.
head: black bandanna.
armor: probably a steel cuirass, but i will have my customized steel baseball helmet it has a face shield for splatter protection.

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"a farraday cage will stop a zombie bite, and is light, as said above. just because something was meant for one purpose does not mean that they can't be used for another."

Yeah, but i cant really walk around wearing a farraday cage.

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Gloves rarely stand up for an extended period against a grinder, I put holes in them enough to know. That being said, just because something stands up to a grinder it doesn't mean it'd stand up to bites.

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His gear sounds like a good setup for you to use, but ONLY if it fits you snugly and properly. Also, you'll have to find something to protect your eyes and mouth from splatter infection (Blood or spit getting into your mouth or eyes or open wounds). I would suggest for cheap, swimming goggles, and a surgeon mask or something else. Just pick something that you find suitable to your setup once you try out your gear. You'll know what you need once you've worn what you already have.

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The other thing about gear. The more you wear around your head, the less aware of your surrounding you become unless you wear electronic enhancements to counter the artificial impairment.

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"MOPP4 may suck on a hot day... but if it's cold out, it's not to bad."

Anyone who has spent extended time in MOPP-4 knows it sucks. And I've never done it in the winter, no, we need to be somewhere hot and sandy where it is 110 in the shade without the heavy suit. So, yes, it can be done, but your performance is seriously degraded.

I suggest keeping several pairs of cheap safety goggles and surgical masks and wear them on a daily basis if contact with zombie is unlikely.

Keep the MOPP gear handy. Keep some extra filter canisters and bleach on hand. If the virus is airborne, you may want more than a surgical mask for protection.

Also, realize that military forces may respond to a general outbreak with chemical or nuclear weapons and the MOPP training will keep you alive long enough to get to a clean area. Read the Army Study Guide. This open source version is from 2005, so a few acronyms haven't been changed (NBC is now CBRNE, MOPP gear is now CPOG) but it will let you know how to react to biological, chemical or radiological threat and how to decon yourself and equipment. You should also know about clean and dirty routes to keep your compound from contamination.

http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/SMCT_CTT_Tasks/Skill_Levels_2_4/index.shtml

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GERMAN ARMY BOOTS

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