Experts Say That Dying Sucks. So Add These to Your Apocalypse Survival Kit List

The world seems to be going to hell, so it’s only a matter of time before we’ll need to mount our steeds and ride at dawn, amirite? Except that nobody is hopping on horses anymore. They’ve traded in their beasts for unbridled horsepower, creating bug out vehicles that are tough, tactical, and fully-stocked with impressive items from an Apocalypse Survival Kit list so robust that it makes cruising over the tops of zombie bodies a non-issue.

So what should you put on your zombie apocalypse survival kit list? What mode of transportation should you consider for bugging out? What is the best way to organize all of your preps? At DECKED, we’re no experts in zombie survival, but we do know a thing or two, (or a million), about truck bed organization and accessories, and we’ve got your zombie-fighting storage solutions at the ready.

Types of Bug Out Vehicles

First things first: the zombies are coming. You can hear their thud, thud, thudding increasing, and the acrid, metallic smell in the air tells you one thing: it’s time to go. Your bug out location, what types of gear you’ll need to bring, and who you’re bugging out with will determine what type of bug out vehicle you’ll need, so let’s examine the options.

In the Doomsday Apocalypse Prepper world, there are basically two types of vehicles: those that absolutely no one can afford, and then there are the practical, DIY, modded rigs that work just as well.

You’re on your own with the former, but the latter? The latter is our jam. (And that’s latter, not ladder— but we’ll get to that later.)

MILITARY-STYLE VEHICLE

This is the unaffordable, nearly unattainable vehicle. Take the Gurkha RPV Tactical Armored Vehicle for example, or the Rhino GX, or the Land Rover Defender. The Rhino GX alone is well over a quarter-million dollars, and outside of their bunkers, not many folks have that kind of cool cash laying around. The rig isn’t so practical for daily driving either. Can you imagine rolling up to the elementary school drop-off loop in the morning in this beast? Way to out yourself. You’d have better luck tattooing a target on your forehead.

CAMPERS & RVs

These are a really great longer-term solution, especially if your bug out plan is based on the idea that you’ve got to keep moving. The problems you run up against here are ground clearance, maneuverability, and gas mileage.

Consider getting a tow-behind instead of a self-drive if you go this route. That way if you need to abandon the trailer and zoom off into the horizon—you can.

CONVERSION VAN

The conversion van is a solid solution to the camper/RV conundrum. Many vans on the market today offer more rugged features and greater off-road capabilities, so if you’re after a mobile, self-contained unit that can still drive up the burliest of the Forest Service roads, then the conversion van will make a great bug out rig for you.

TRUCKS, JEEPS, & SUVs

These are likely the most commonly selected vehicles for bugging out. They can roll around pretty much incognito and can transform at a moment's notice if you’re ultra-prepared. They meet all of the clearance requirements needed to escape most all types of terrain, and the base models will be able to handle moderate off-roading. With a few modifications, the capabilities increase exponentially, and there’s no shortage of gear and accessories to help you achieve this.

MOTORCYCLES

This type of bug out vehicle should be a strong consideration for you urban-dwellers. If traffic is normally jammed, (we’re looking at you, southern California), then imagine what it will be like in an emergency situation? Virtually impassible. Unless—unless you have a motorcycle that can zip through the zoo of folks clogging up the egresses.

Great for solo survivalists, couples, single parents, and any other configuration of two, motorcycles make a great bug out method for those who can travel light and ride hard. (Preferably at dawn.)

BICYCLES

Perhaps one of the most overlooked but one of the most versatile modes of bugging out, the bicycle is a strong contender in the race to keep you alive. Equipped to outrun most zombies, this pedal-powered wonder will have you weaving through the apocalyptic abyss faster than you can run.

Its unsurpassed benefits of not relying on and fuel at all, and its affordable price point makes this one of the best bug out options around.

Not to mention, it can be stored more easily than a motorcycle and apartment dwellers and those constricted by space and budget can still generally manage a bicycle.

The one drawback: you’ve got to stay fit have success. If you’re pedaling hard to safety, it’s no use if your body craps out on you halfway there.

What To Add to Your Apocalypse Survival Kit List

Sometime around 2011, the CDC got on board with preparing for the Zombie Apocalypse too. It was a brilliant campaign that boosted their street cred and took them from nerdy scientists to pop culture icons overnight.

They created a humorous comic where the point was to get you to read their All-Hazards Emergency Kit List that they snuck in at the end, and if this is your first foray into the world of prepping, their list of standard items is a great place to start your gathering. Many of the uber-practical items you’ll already have around your homestead, but the main takeaway when it comes to prepping your gear for an emergency is to GET ORGANIZED NOW.

The CDC recommendations make a great general list of gear to help you stay safe in an emergency, but readers of this article will surely want a little something more. Here are some additional items we think would make smart complements to the basics:

Bug out bag
Full-size spare tire
Jack
Tow cables
Emergency jump starter
Portable air compressor
Duct tape
Seatbelt cutter/window glass breaker
Folding shovel
Paracord
Emergency flares
Compass
Tarp
Waterproof matches /flint and steel
Gas mask
Pepper spray
Weapons and ammo
Fire extinguisher
Tactical gloves
Reflective gear
Complete set of hand tools

This is a lot, right? In addition to the basic items, food and water, and these additional recommendations, you’ll need to have a mighty fine system in place to organize it all. If you want to escape zombies, you’ve got to have speed. A slow bug out is a failed bug out, and chances are: you’re dead.

Photo by Yohann LIBOT on Unsplash

DECKED Accessories For the Win

Here at DECKED, we have been making truck bed (and van) accessories since the CDC released their document. Just kidding. It was two years after that because we busted our butts in the research and development phase of our products.

Jokes aside, we created our DECKED Drawer System, and our DECKED Tool Box to improve the everyday lives of Americans. On the job site, during recreation, and also when you’re running for your life, a DECKED product can up your truck from zero to hero just as fast as you can install it.

It’s not only our large products, but a couple of our portable accessories really shine here too when the need to get organized is like your life depends on it. Our

are all great options for portable organization.

Those of you bugging out on a motorcycle or bicycle will love the military-grade, versatile, hybrid D-Bag that has a hard shell and soft sides and can be mounted on your back like a backpack or carried like a briefcase.

The D-Rito Tool Roll snaps right in and is made from heavy-duty 900D TPU-coated nylon and can hold a host of wrenches, screwdrivers, and more. An adjustable external cinch system helps the unit roll up into a space-saving “burrito,” hence the name.

DECKED Tool Box

But what about the bulk of the items? Let’s bring out the big guns…

The DECKED Tool Box is one of the most rugged, durable, and waterproof toolboxes that you can buy to date. And it’s the only one that you can fully beat the crap out of and come out more damaged than the box itself.

Made from high-density polyethylene and high-impact polymer resin and reinforced with recycled American steel and aluminum, the Tool Box has crossed over into the upper echelon of crossover toolboxes.

It is super secure and will thwart any zombie, alien, vampire, or rabid neighbor you encounter, and aside from the fantastical—everyday thieves also don’t have a hope or prayer in getting into this truck bed fortress.

We achieve our super-security and world-class waterproofing through smart design. We engineered an upstanding lip around our toolbox that not only minimizes theft pry bar points but also acts as a rain gutter around the entire unit.

A series of seals to do the rest of the water impenetrability duties, and a steel-armored locking mechanism combined with a driver’s side lock make forced entry nearly impossible.

The best part about the DECKED Tool Box? It’s got to be the ladder. If zombies are chasing you and you need to run up to your toolbox and grab something quickly, they are not going to wait for you to perform your gymnastics floor routine in an effort to clamber into the bed of your rig to grab your gun.

The DECKED Tool Box has an optional, integrated access ladder that pulls out from the top, telescopes to the ground, and goes back in as quickly and easily as it came out—with no obstructions.

It’s made from 6000-series aluminum and provides the most unprecedented access available when it comes to truck bed toolboxes. It’ll not only save your back—but your ass, too—from the zombies.

DECKED Drawer System

The DECKED Drawer System, made from the same modern materials and an equal amount of engineering, crushes the competition in unique, purpose-built, horizontal truck bed storage. We created the weather-resistant, secure and lockable rolling drawers out of not only a fear of apocalyptic flesh-eaters, but also the more practical desire to be able to carry what you need, access it efficiently, and get back on the road, back on the job, and back to what you love doing the most. It’s time someone ended the junk show, and we are proud that we were the ones to do it.

The Drawer Systems work well for bugging out. If you’ve got a conversion van, we’ve got a system for you, and you can make this the foundation for your build. With a 2,000 pound payload and each drawer capable of holding 200 pounds, there's not a lot that the Drawer System can’t handle.

And speaking of handles, we use steel and aluminum to reinforce the product and add carefully-curated touches like generously-sized handles that you can operate, even with gloves on.

If you’ve got a truck, and the tailgate is closed, the Drawer System goes largely undetected, a pivotal point when escaping the undead.

Since we know you’ve got A LOT OF GEAR to organize, we include two Drawer Dividers, a Drawerganizer, a Crossbox, and a D-Box that come standard.

With full truck-bed length drawers that roll out waist-height, the possibilities of how you can use the Drawer System are endless. A pop-up kitchen, gun and ammo safe (especially with our Piecekeepers), campsite-contents corraller, and even a streamlining of emergency services equipment are just a few of the ways that we have seen the Drawer System utilized.

Oh, and don’t forget to add zombie-slaying supply-holder to that list too.

Check Organization Off Your Apocalypse Survival Kit List

Remember: only you can fight the zombies that are thud, thud, thudding up to your door. No one is coming to save you. Whatever you do, just don’t panic—they can smell it—and focus on getting your bug out vehicle DECKED out to fight the war.

Start your build here.