Protective gear...
At some point, someone will have to leave the safety of their defensive position, and go out among "them". Proper planning, equipment, and tactics can go a long way towards prevention of being bitten, but practically speaking, it's not a matter of IF you're going to get bit, so much as WHEN...
Short of a suit of chain mail (heavy, hot, and almost impossible to find), what can be done to protect against being bitten?
Prior to Z-day, I was an avid motorcyclist...sportbike scum, in fact. Survival on two wheels also requires some protective gear...(if you'll note my profile pic, that green jacket is not just a fashion statement). The same leathers that protect my hide (in the event I find myself sliding along the asphalt at 80 mph with 400 lbs of bike acting like some giant, horrific cheese grater) is also excellent protection against a voracious zombie's choppers. Add leather pants, boots, gloves and a helmet, and you're armored up as well as can be expected.
Be advised - not all leather garments offer the same level of protection - the thinner leather vests or chaps may not stop a determined ghoul (and what zombie ISN'T determined?) from getting through to your tender skin. Also - remember at all times that there will still be vulnerable areas, where two garments come together (neck, waist, wrists & ankles).
In colder climes, this ensemble makes perfect sense, but in the warmer regions (like here in Florida), such an outfit could be considered far too hot... all I can say to that is, in the sportbike community there's a saying; "It's always better to sweat than it is to bleed".
Short of a suit of chain mail (heavy, hot, and almost impossible to find), what can be done to protect against being bitten?
Prior to Z-day, I was an avid motorcyclist...sportbike scum, in fact. Survival on two wheels also requires some protective gear...(if you'll note my profile pic, that green jacket is not just a fashion statement). The same leathers that protect my hide (in the event I find myself sliding along the asphalt at 80 mph with 400 lbs of bike acting like some giant, horrific cheese grater) is also excellent protection against a voracious zombie's choppers. Add leather pants, boots, gloves and a helmet, and you're armored up as well as can be expected.
Be advised - not all leather garments offer the same level of protection - the thinner leather vests or chaps may not stop a determined ghoul (and what zombie ISN'T determined?) from getting through to your tender skin. Also - remember at all times that there will still be vulnerable areas, where two garments come together (neck, waist, wrists & ankles).
In colder climes, this ensemble makes perfect sense, but in the warmer regions (like here in Florida), such an outfit could be considered far too hot... all I can say to that is, in the sportbike community there's a saying; "It's always better to sweat than it is to bleed".
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Andrew Herring on -
In all honesty, I don't know if I'll have a gun. I don't have any right now, so I'll expect to use what I have. I plan to dress and pack light, use whatever weapons I have or can get, and survive the zombie apocalypse.
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Permalink Reply by The Bruin on
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Would a motorcycle helmet cut down on visibility/ability to aim a rifle? If it did I would opt out of a Helmet but otherwise I am with you on the Cycle leathers.
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Permalink Reply by Tony on -
Depends on the helmet. Even the "shorty" helmets would provide some protection against being bit on the scalp.
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Permalink Reply by WarMarshall on -
i think it would. hell, my cold weather neoprene mask interferes enough as is.
there is also a balance that needs to be made on gloves. warmth vs. dexterity. bulk up your trigger finger too much and you can't shoot as well. too thin and your hands get too cold, also hindering the movement of your fingers.
cutting the trigger finger off of a glove is somewhat of a solution, but this also requires you to keep your hand off the trigger while preserving the warmth on the finger in your fist.
so you have to find a comfortable balance
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Permalink Reply by Andrew Herring on
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Get some of those mitten/gloves, the ones that have the mittens over them, and wear some merino glove liners, or some other thinner glove under them, pull back the mitten when you need the fingers.
I'm personally wearing my cotton gloves and some warmer deerskin gloves over them when I need them.
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Permalink Reply by WarMarshall on
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i bought a pair of Damascus Nitro kevlar hard knuckle gloves
they're warm enough for me and provide good cut resistance up to 40 psi. i took advantage of the 30 day full money back guarantee. when i recieved them i took my knife and tried to slice though them. the leather will cut through, but it takes some serious effort to cut through the kevlar. satisfied, i returned them and got in store credit, which i then placed a duplicate order for another pair of the same.
yes, it's asshat of me to do that. but you gotta test your equipment.
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Permalink Reply by Andrew Herring on
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I think it's bloody genius of you to do that.
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Permalink Reply by Tony on
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Any DOT-approved helmet will provide full 180 degree vision... most motorcyclists prefer to have unimpeded peripheral vision to see things like, um... cars, trucks, buses...
And as a "BTW" none of the other clothing or gear mentioned will stop a determined biter from penetrating to the skin. Everyone seems to believe that they'll ALWAYS be able to outrun or defeat every Z threat they encounter...I hope they're right, but realistically, ANYONE can encounter a situation that can't be avoided, and all it takes is one bite, anywhere on their person, and that's it. Game over. Fini. It doesn't matter how much firepower you're packing, or how good a shot you are, or how excellent a tactician you may be... If surviving the Z-apocalypse was easy EVERYONE could just relax and have a beer. Personally, I like the security of knowing that if I get caught by surprise, a quick, opportunistic bite won't get me.I agree that mobility is a primary requirement, but it must also be balanced with protection, armament, and other factors. (If everyone really wanted to be mobile and totally unencumbered, they wouldn't weigh themselves down with 50 lbs of assorted weaps & ammo); there has to be a balance .
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Permalink Reply by scoobini on -
t-shirt,my trusty fuzzy poncho(its a bit thick),my denim jacket,pair o' jeans,some socks and my sneakers(i prefer speed).
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Permalink Reply by Agent Rook on -
To be really safe maybe a suit that the bomb squad wears when defusing explosives. I mean if it can deflect schrapnel then it sure as hell can stop teeth.
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