The odds are that zombies won’t take to the streets. But they said the same thing about the toilet paper shelves, and those ended up empty. Better to be prepared.

And it’s not just us saying that: in 2011, the US CDC published an actual guide to a zombie apocalypse, on the principle that anyone prepared for zombies is prepared for anything. So, let’s get started.

Step 1: The backpack you grab and go

Every zombie movie starts with someone frantically searching for their keys. Don’t be that person. A survival backpack, ready by the door, gives you a valuable head start.

The Factory CY-31 packs 30 survival tools into one backpack, with room to add your own. That way, you won’t be searching for things one by one while they’re banging on the door.

Step 2: The Big Dilemma

The zombies are just around the corner. What do you do? Run for the hills with whatever you can carry on your back? Barricade yourself at home with snacks and Wi-Fi? Or face them? Pick a team.

“Run” Team

You travel light and fast, because zombies never get tired. There’s plenty of water in the mountains, but it isn’t bottled. The LifeStraw Personal weighs just 56 grams: dip it into a stream and drink as if through a straw.

In your pockets: windproof matches that light even in the rain, a fire starter, an emergency blanket that folds down to the size of a handkerchief, and a whistle to help you find one another. Zombies don’t know how to whistle, so there’s no risk of getting confused.

“Bunker Down” Team

You lock the doors, pull down the shutters, and wait for the worst to pass. To do it in style, you need serious power. The Bluetti Premium 100 V2 packs 1,024Wh and has two outlets: the Wi-Fi stays on, so you can watch zombie shows while there are zombies outside.

A solar-powered radio tells you when it’s safe to go out, and energy bars with a 20-year shelf life keep you going for as long as the siege lasts. They’re not gourmet, but they’ll be there when everything else is gone.

If the siege drags on, a generator keeps your shelter running as long as you have fuel. Choose a quiet inverter generator so nobody can hear you from the end of the street. And here’s a rule that applies even without zombies: always run the generator outdoors, away from doors and windows, because its exhaust fumes are more dangerous than any zombie.

“I Can Handle It” Team

A bold choice. We may not have swords, but we do have something smarter: light. Lots of light. The NiteCore EDC37 delivers up to 8,000 lumens—enough to turn an entire square into daylight—and fits right in your pocket.

They say zombies can’t stand bright light. We haven’t confirmed that. But we do know that when the next power outage hits, you’ll be the most popular person in the building.

Now, on a serious note

You probably won’t see zombies. But a power outage or severe weather is much more likely. For the essentials to get you through the first 72 hours, check out our guide “What to keep at home in case of a power outage”. And if zombies do show up after all, you’ll already be one step ahead.

This article was created with the help of AI and reviewed and edited by the Skroutz team.