What kinds of weapons would you use?

Handheld:

• Hatchet/Tomahawk: A useful weapon for close encounters, provided one dosen't attempt anything flashy or foolish. Don't expect any skull breakers with this, or to actually sever a neck on your first swing. Axes as a whole aren't meant for ONE swing.. They're ment to CHOP. That means be prepared to take another swing or three at the zombies neck! Do not, do not, *DO NOT EVER* bank on killing it in the first swing! However, one could actually circumvent severing the head proper if they go for the back of the neck. Even if your sole purpose is to kill the zombie(s), as opposed to escape, it is a simple matter involving your foot and gravity once the spinal column is severed. But, do remember, this is a close ranged weapon.. Very close. So if one can avoid engaging the zombie at all, do so.
• Smaller crowbar: A well weighted, generally useful tool, doubly so in an urban enviorment. Its uses are many fold, but do not let visions of Halflife and so on delude you into believing this to be a wonder weapon. Against a human foe, this is a vicious, cringe worthy tool of injury. Against a foe who feels no pain, no indimitation, won't be stopped by a fractured skull? Not so much. Assuming one even has the upper body strength to crack a skull ( Which is MUCH harder then the movies portray, I fear. ), a lethal hit is unlikely at best. Indeed, a second or even third blow would be needed to do suffecient damage to the grey matter. And by the time you manage to get two or three full body swings in on a zombie, your likely to be adding to its rotting, bloated gut with that chunk of an arm you suddenly wish you had. ( On another note, consider exhaustion. You put down ONE 'rot' with this thing.. What about the other three? Four? Five? You can't swing at your best all day, after all! )
• Machete:Hailed as a holy grail, savior, weapon of utter destruction by many an author and anonomous web user, this weapon may well be right next to the trenchcoat as the most hyped piece of zombie slaying material by self declared experts. I am not, however, knocking the merits of this blade. It is relatively cheap, reliable, has a decent reach ( Depending on blade length, of course. ) and is light enough for those on the go, especially compared to "battle ready" arms and armor that will likely snap at the handle if used in actual combat. ( More on that later. ) In terms of general use, the machete is an excellent companion. In addition to its exciting, combative abilities, the tool also makes fot an excellent method of trail clearing, brush clearing, and so on like that. ( But do NOT attempt to chop wood of any sort with this.. Unless, of course, you desire to needlessly wear down a tool of survival. )

Mtman41: I think it is worth the money to buy a quality blade. Make sure that it is heavy enough to break bone when swung effectively has a full tang so that it won't break or bend when you really need it.

• Baseball Bat: This bludgeon, perhaps more so then any other of its like, has more variations in quality and use. In general, however, the baseball bat is a fairly useful weapon. While it may lack a one hit kill ability ( Few weapons have this, before you discount it all together. ), general applications such as prying doors or hammering a nail, or anything such as a ready made sheath, belt loop or folding ability, it is still an excellent choice for the average survivor. However, situation may demand unconventional usage of it. For example.. You hit a zombie once. It continues. As opposed to lunging for a second swing, take your bat at half mast, place a hand on its end and use this to keep the zombies teeth off of you. Experiment with various grips, tricks, methods and so forth before attempting to go out with this. If at all possible, finding another person to practice with. ( A note on aluminum bats: While striking power may be improved, durability ovverides this in any situation. If at all possible, and if it is not then go with an aluminum bat, go with a wooden model. )
• Axe: Ahhh, the axe. A personal favorite, I will not let that cloud this article. In terms of usage by an untrained hand, this thing can cause more problems then it solves. The long handle, while giving an initial advantage, becomes an unavoidable liability at closer ranges. Its hefty blade and easily leveraged handle lend themselves to some truley devastating blows to the head and neck, which are just as likely to fracture a neck as to decapitate.. But, do not let its heft and reputation make you believe you can effectively pierce a skull with its blade! You may crush its temple, split the initial surface, and inflict blows that would make any human die from blood loss and injury.. But these aren't humans. Odds are you won't be able to effectively destory its brain, or enough to incapacitate it, with one blow. And unlike many of the previous weapons on this list, you won't get a second try. However, this weapon is also an excellent utility. Locked doors, provided their wooden, become less of an obstacle. Closed containers are easily opened. Wooden materials are procured as long as there are trees! ( A special note goes to the Firemans axe, which typically has a spiked end to it. While turning it over in your hands and finishing a zombie with it may seem like a good idea, be a cinematic action, DO NOT. You'll wind up with a stuck weapon and hungry mouths coming for you! )
• Chainsaw: This weapon is such a god-damned useless piece of noisy, fuel burning garbage that I'll simply tell you this: Your better off running or even walking from your foe then carrying this.
• Spade: Theres two basic varieties to speak of.. The classic shovel, and the spade. The full shovel is, at best, a weapon of imrpovisation. It is, however, a good tool to keep individual foes at bay ( Simply hook the blade under its chin and drive it to the ground. ), and a good actual tool for other uses. The spade is, however, faced with several of the same problems as its larger ilk without the advantage of reach. In close range it is the equivilent of a dulled, light hatchet without the same impact power. To anyone who believes that they can put down a zombie with the flattened side of the shovel, please do not try to. I, personally, have had the unpleasentry. And let me assure you.. If it will not put down a HUMAN, it most certainly won't put down a painless, fearless beast that will likely grab you and have a fine meal of your throat the moment you go for another swing.
• Unarmed: Perhaps the best weapon I can advice you on are the ones you were born with. While engaging a 'rot' in vicious, hand to hand battle is cinematic and moral boosting, avoiding the battle all together is the wiser thing to do. Without a weapon to worry about losing, your empty hands will be totally free to get the zombie off of you. A good shove will do much more for your ability to escape then a blow to the temple with a baseball bat ever will.. Being able to PREVENT the bite outweighs removing the one which will actually bite it, and avoiding that kind of contact in the first place is most certainly the wisest thing one could do.
• Katana: A single edged blade favored by the samuri.

Ballistics:

• M4 or XM8 Carbine:Both are extremely versatile and can be modified in many different ways, they are precision weapons easy to master. with 30 round magazines they are a great asset even more so if you get silencers for them.
• Shotgun: Depending on make and model, the shotgun can be a blessing or a curse. Fully automatic shotguns are loud, complex and deliver an entirely unneeded degree of firepower. In addition to this, operating or even owning such a weapon would put one at odds with the police and/or military as they become involved. The pump action is a step up from its military brother, with its simplified design being intended for civilian maintenance and operation. The double barrel break action is perhaps the most simple and reliable firearm still in production today. It combines reliability with firepower, and the two shells at a time loading of it forces one to pay attention to their shots and not simply spray shells from an automatic or slam fire with a pump action.

• M1Carbine: This is the best weapon because of its availability, weight, and its semiautomatic fire.
• .22 Rifle: Arguably the best rifle available for zombie defense. This rifle is lighter than an M1, making for better mobility and less fatigue. The ammunition can be found almost anywhere, and the weapon is much quieter than some of its more powerful counterparts. The one downside is that to penetrate the skull, one need be relatively close to the zeds. However, once skull penetration is achieved, a .22 slug will tend to bounce around inside the skull, obliterating the brain and, in most cases, providing a one-shot kill.
• Pistol w/ Silencer: The Undead rely heavily on their ears to detect a nearby meal. Guns are loud. Best for indoor use, whilst not attracting other zombies to trap you in.
• Sniper Rifle: Great for picking off Zombies silently and from a distance. Only for those with previous practice. Terrible indoors or with large groups.
• Rocket Launcher: Whilst this makes for great crowd dispersal, a rocket launcher cannot guarantee ANY kills whatsoever, and the asthounding amount of noise created will likely attract more Zombies. Additionally, they are heavy and hard to transport, very difficult to come bby extra ammunition for, and it is unlikely that an untrained civillian could correctly use one.
• Israeli-made taveur assault rifle: If you can find one, you can use it for almost any urban combat situation.It has the rate of fire of an M16, and the accuracy of a sniper rifle even in novice hands. Great for dealing with small groups of zombies.

Protection

• Jacket: you should have a leather jacket with long sleeves, making it less likely for a zombie to bite through. This being a fairly common item, I see no difficulty in procuring it in a timely manner. However, if you are well-prepared, I recommend you step it up with some custom made chain mail tailored to your body; it is doubtful anything will get past that. (Chain mail may make it harder to move or run due to its weight.)
• Gloves: when fighting off a zombie, your hands are the closest thing to it. Remember, it doesn't matter where the bite originated, it will still turn you. Wear thick gloves, preferably leather.
• Jeans: Denim is tough and hard to bite through, making it a good tool to hold off bites. Just remember to wear jeans that are thick and comfortable, as opposed to stylish ones. A good trick is to put your pant leg into your boot to prevent any zombies getting at your exposed ankles
• Shoes: steel-toed boots are the way to go. These boots are easy to acquire and will give you plenty of protection from zombies. They hold up well and if you get a good pair will still allow you to make a quick getaway.
• Kevlar covers: light and practicaly bite proof, also coves just about the whole body.
• Wet-Suit: Tight, waterproof, a little less flexible but almost bite proof.
• Helmet-(Optional): Provides additional protection against Zombies and other holstile humans, but severely limits your vision. Should you opt for a helmet, the helmet should cover the head and as much of the neck as possible but still allow for ample vision, a faceplate is recommended.
• Tarp: A thick plastic tarp protects against bites and can also be useful as a shelter. Also, it is easier to hide. Zombies aren't exactly detectives, and they won't look under a tarp if it doesn't move.
• General Notes: Short hair and tight clothes are the best protection, as this leaves the least possible amount of area a Zombie can grab.

One thing i think people are forgetting to worry about is the damage a zombie can do without biting you. The protection list above me is a great list but no where does it state what a zombie can do to you without biting, A zombie cannot bit through most of that stuff but it cant still bite hard enough to break fracture a bone. So yes chain mail will not let the bite puncture the skin but once someone, zombie or not, clamps its teeth on you there can be severe muscle and bone damage. Just giving everyone a heads up :). EnriqueB

That's actually pretty smart, I never would have thought of that.ZombieSlayerRC


In my experience, zombies were of the same strength as your average human, and endowed no extra strength, just the fact no pain is felt.. So to say that it will fracture a bone, goes a bit to far, mabie some muscle damage through armour, true. But its teeth, now also rotting, and so forth, will most likely break before breaking your bone.. unless you suffer from some form of calcium defficiency, or the zombie is biting you with his molars, then it would be thesible that he could break a bone, but as he would have to have no cheeks to bite with a molar, that, though not unthesible, is highly unlikely. So just imagine a strong pinching pain through leather, probably stopped pretty fast if you use a small hand pick axe as a weapon.. everyone forgets, that its shape will pierc hard rock, so therefore a structure such as a skull is no problem, it would break through, and in most cases damage the brain. causing a fatal, or paralising shot to your foe, living, or non living . deathsrising

A very good item to have is the "FX-1 FlexForce Riot Control Suit". It is nearly indestructible and is impervious to zombie attacks. You can find them for $429.99 and up (maybe less). They provide protection from blood entering your mouth and eyes, they are a dark color to prevent you from being seen (just remove the white front label), all you need to do is buy the boots, the gloves, face mask, and the helmet. These are a great thing to have in your closet for Z-Day. As soon as I raise me some cash I'm buying me a suit. I recommend you buy one too.

Remember: Shoot in 3-round bursts if you have a fully automatic (use the switch). You should know that they are illegal but some people may have had guns purchased: before they outlawed them, if they are technically military, if they just don't give a shit, etc.

Personal Opinion - In regards overall preparedness, on should always have a small knife handy. A buck knife or switch blade comes to mind. In the event of a grapple with a zombie, something which no one would wish to be unprepared for, a small knife could be the deal breaker for your life, or your undead existance. Granted you may never used this knife again, once it is imbedded in the zombie's temple it will be counted as a lost cause to retrieve. But, better one lost knife than one more zombie.
Also, in regards to clothing and protection of this sort... Leather is nearly always a fantastic choice. The only problem is lack of breathability, which may cause dehydration and fatigue. Using leather should be done carefully, and layering of other materials (synthetic in particular) should also be considered for personal protection. And a final note on footwear. Steel toed boots are always a fantastic idea, but if you are worried about fatigue or durability, a standard military issue pair of boots can be a good alternative. These boots may be purchased at any military outlet, and even online for rather cheap.
-EvacMedic