How to Survive a Zombie Attack

DarkAdmiral · February 15, 2007, 06:29:49 PM

Lately I've been on a Zombie kick and I decided to make my own Zombie Survival Guide. I have already posted this guide in a few other places, but the reception of it has been... varied. Then it hit me, I should have posted it here first, I am SO stupid (smacks head). People please feel free to add on to this guide since I'm already working on a new version to correct some of the flaws pointed out by the other boards I posted it on. I'm not going to post all of it at once since it is kind of....... long.

Zombie Survival Guide
Daniel H@#&- Demented One
V. 1.2

A common staple in many B-movies, Zombies are often depicted as taking over the world. Having watched many of those movies I have decided to compile my own Zombie Survival Guide after reading the one at Kuro5hin.org. This guide will be posted in many places I know of so that if anyone comments I will be able to make a better one later. To date I have not read Max Brook's Zombie Survival Guide, though I intend to. As for the debate I've seen on the Fast Zombies vs. Slow Zombies, this guide is written with Slow Zombies in mind, for if they are really dead bodies they would have series body control issues, and under the assumption that the outbreak is a large one that would last several years at least.

Preparation: (what you did for Y2K)
If you are already preparing for a Zombie invasion, lets face it; you don't need this guide, and are probably a little crazy, like me. Preparing for a Zombie invasion is difficult as it doesn't have any true warning signs, unlike wars and storms. But if you live in an area with violent weather you probably have some sort emergency gear in your house or car, same if you are a hunter or nature enthusiast. This gear will be a great help when the invasion comes. More likely than not if you live outside of town or in a small town you will have most of what you will need to survive the first few days of the invasion, long enough to get what you will need to survive the invasion. If you live inside a city, I'm sorry but more likely than not you will be one of the first to go in the chaos of the invasion, so I suggest being careful. Also if you prepared for Y2K you'll be set too,
If you think that there is an invasion coming, or simply want to prepare this guide will cover the basics of what you will need for surviving. Weaponry and Armor, Location and Transportation, Supplies and Skills, Communication, and Zombies and People, are all covered in this guide. This guide doesn't cover everything unfortunately due to the many variables that can crop up, but if you read and are able to follow it, and able to improvise and adapt, you will increase your chances of survival substantially.

Weaponry: (a.k.a. the fun stuff)
When the invasion comes you are going to need to defend yourself. Unless of course you just want to sit there and become lunch. Civilian or Military, Pacifist or Warmonger, you are going to want to keep those sharp Zombie teeth from your soft skin. While some will argue hiding will suffice, what are you going to do when the Zombies have invaded your hiding place and trapped you? Not to mention in the chaos of the invasion the lower element of society will be taking advantage of it, to loot and kill to their heart's desire.
When it comes to weaponry you have to basic choices: Melee and Guns (including bows). Each has many advantages and disadvantages.

Melee:
Melee weapons don't need ammo, so they can be used much longer than guns. They can also handle multiple foes at the same time, and be used for more mundane functions as well. But melee weapons can break with hard use, and if you use one it means you must come in close range of the Zombies, bringing your soft flesh that much closer to their teeth.
With melee weapons there are two additional categories: Blunt and Sharp. Blunt are common smashing weapons, and Sharp are cutting type weapons, the fighting style for each is different.
Sharp weapons are for slicing or cutting, weapons like sword, machetes, axes, and knives. You will need to know how to use them properly otherwise you would end hurting yourself. Sharp weapons are often relatively light and require you to use more force to cut through Zombie flesh and bone, and they can get stuck within the body. Others like the hard to find real swords are heavy and hard to use but will cut right through a Zombie. They will eventually become dull though and need maintenance to prevent rusting. Sharp weapons are good for decapitating the heads and limbs of Zombies, don't try to stab or cut the torso in half, you'll either get your blade stuck in the body, or have half a Zombie creeping towards you on the ground. If your wondering if you should use a Sharp weapon ask yourself if you know how to use it, if you don't know how then don't use it.
Blunt weapons are good for smashing Zombies and barriers. Blunt weapons are rather common items like bats, pipes, and sledge hammers. They are simple to use and don't need much maintenance aside from cleaning, but are typically heavy. Unless a Zombie is in bad condition a Blunt weapon wont typically remove a limb, so you want to attack the head or smash enough bones so that it wont be able to move.
In a pinch anything will do as a melee weapon, power tools, furniture, even garden equipment.

Guns:
A gun will give you range and power, but they are loud and may attract more Zombies. They can be difficult to use and require ammo. You wont need to be close to zombie to stop it, but shots to body are useless unless your aim is good enough and ammo strong enough to remove limbs, so you want to stick to a head shot, that means one bullet per Zombie, hopefully. If you have strong ammo or a wide spread you may even be able to take down many at one time. Unfortunately after the first few weeks of the Zombie invasion, ammo may be hard to come buy, due to zombies or looting and hoarding by other survivors. Another option is a hunting bow, but I don't know much about them myself aside from the fact that they are quieter than guns. A nail gun would work to, and you could use it for fortifying anyplace you decide to hole up in, but the gas and nails for it are bound to limited too.

I would suggest that you use a combination of Melee and Guns. You could possibly graft a blade onto a gun if you had the time and resources. But you should be realistic don't expect to find and know how to use military level weaponry.

Other Weapons:
You aren't limited only to the above types of weapons; they're your basic two choices. If you have the time and know how there are other items you could make use of.
Explosives: They can be dangerous and loud, but you may be able to take out many Zombies in one go and you can make fairly strong explosives in your own home. They may end up being more harmful than useful though. You should use them away from your base lest you attract more Zombies from the sound.
Traps: More for marauding looters, traps for Zombies aren't too big a deal, just a couple of pits, fall away bridges, or some trip wires. The pits should be used away from your location so that they don't fill up with Zombies and form a bridge. The trip wires could be used inside structure to delay Zombies if they break in.
Holy Artifacts: These may or may not work depending on the source of the Zombies. If you have the desire and the chance to find out safely go for it, but don't depend on the Zombies being affected by holy objects, and keep other weapons at the ready.
Magic: If the Zombies are supernatural magic powers may emerge but don't count on it. Treat it like the Holy Artifacts.
Vehicles: If you've seen "Death Race 2000" or played any of the G.T.A. games you know what I'm talking about. Just smash into the Zombies with your vehicle.
Miscellaneous: Other things that depending on where you are or what you have you may be able to take advantage of.
Acid- Throw it in their face and destroy their senses.
Fire- Burn them up, may be a hazard to your location though.
Electricity- Shock them, might not work but worth a shot.
Robotics- Remote control items, and equipment.
Time- Wait for them to rot, or maybe starve.

Remember, when it comes to weapons be realistic and keep it simple. If you don't know how to use it then leave it for someone who does. You should also keep in mind how your gear will affect your speed and mobility and how you will carry it, if you're taking on only one Zombie or many, and if its just you alone or if your with other people.

Some good places to find weaponry would be places like museums, a hardware store, a pawnshop, heck even in Wal-Mart you could find some stuff. You should have something around your house that would work too.

-Myself, I intend to use a golf bag to carry the larger of the following Weapons:
.22 rifle
Handgun
[Fire?] Axe (possibly)
Machete
Baseball Bat
Shovel
Various Knives

Well here is the first chunk of the guide feel free to add your suggestions when you comment. Coming up next: Armor and Location. (note Armor suggestions would be very much apreciated)

Armor and Location
Skills and Supplies
Transportation and Comunication
People and Zombies

zombie no.one · February 16, 2007, 04:58:36 PM

Ill be absolutely honest here, that's one of the most bizzare things Ive ever read, and I dont know what to say.

Zapranoth · February 16, 2007, 08:30:31 PM

Quote from: depressed crack addict on February 16, 2007, 04:58:36 PM
Ill be absolutely honest here, that's one of the most bizzare things Ive ever read, and I dont know what to say.

Sheez. You really don't read much that is posted here, then, have you?

There was a book published on this subject!

Errrm... http://www.amazon.com/Zombie-Survival-Guide-Max-Brooks/dp/071563318X/sr=8-1/qid=1171675801/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-6446691-4556735?ie=UTF8&s=books

Torgo · February 16, 2007, 11:50:16 PM

I'm actually reading through The Zombie Survival Guide right now as a matter of fact.

I'm also currently reading Make Love! the Bruce Campbell Way (the director's cut trade paper back).

dean · February 17, 2007, 12:29:48 AM

Quote from: Torgo on February 16, 2007, 11:50:16 PM
I'm actually reading through The Zombie Survival Guide right now as a matter of fact.

I'm also currently reading Make Love! the Bruce Campbell Way (the director's cut trade paper back).

Wow, we're not typcial bad-movie fan fodder at all are we? I have the same combo on my shelf plus the sequal to ZSG, World War Z. Also on one of my shelves somewhere is Bruce Campbells' first book, "If Chins Could Kill" which I read a while ago.

All are a good lazy read.

DarkAdmiral · February 17, 2007, 11:04:02 AM

Armor: (or, when you wish you were a turtle)
I don't know about the rest of you but I would want something other than just a T-shirt between a Zombie bite and me. Because that's all it will take to make you one of them, just a single bite whether a quick little nip or a big chunk ripped out of your arm. If you get bit you're screwed.
You will have to decide whether you want mobility or protection. Too much armor will weigh you down, making you slow. Not that bad if its just one Zombie, but if its hundreds of them it wont take them too long to find a gap in your armor, and then your best armored Zombie in town. But if you don't have any armor you could outrun the Zombies or climb to safety a lot easier and faster than you could with your armor. It's a trade off mobility or armor. Fortunately there are many types of armor.

Normal Cloths- T-shirt and Jeans offer no real protection for your soft skin but they are light and comfortable so you can move fast.
Leather- Leather is tough and rather light so you would get some decent protection and be able to move fast, but it could get rather hot.
Metal- Heavy but it cant be bit through, it is slow and cumbersome and can be difficult to get.
Wood- Relatively light but bulky, better used as a weapon.

Some possible armor includes:
A wetsuit- Tough but hot and covers most of your body.
Fire Fighter Garb- Heavy and strong, protects from fire.
Hazmat suit- Rather baggy though, could get caught on stuff.
Winter Coat- Hot but has bulk.
Sports Gear- Already is armor basically.

You may also want to consider some form of headgear like a helmet or a mask, but they could restrict your sight. I suggest that you get good work or hiking boots for your feet, they're tough and comfortable. You may also want to consider some gloves.

When dealing with the Zombies you should remember that you don't need to be bulletproof just bite proof. With the armor you would want to try and keep it rather tight so it doesn't get caught and keep your hair short for the same reason. When choosing your armor you should factor in how many zombies there are and their behavior like if they hide under cars or not, your location and its weather too, you don't want frostbite or a heatstroke.

-Myself I intend to get a tough leather jacket with a light metal mesh inside the lining, tough jeans, hiking boots, and shin guards under the jeans. Depending on the location I might go for some gloves and some sort of headgear.

Location: (everybody has to be somewhere)
Sooner or later no matter how many pill you take or caffeine you drink you will need to rest. If you don't rest you will slow down and the Zombies will get you. You'll start to hallucinate and eventually go insane from a lack of sleep. You will need a place where you can safely rest. If you choose wisely you take advantage of where you are to help keep yourself from being Zombie food. Location wise there are two basic categories, Urban or Rural.
Urban means you decide to take shelter within a town or city. There will be many buildings to shelter in, plenty of supplies to scavenge and possibly other survivors. Unfortunately cities are where most of the Zombies will be, either searching for food or reliving their memories. You'll be able to take shelter from the weather with ease and find plenty of materials to barricade yourself into a safe haven.
If you choose Rural you will be hiding out in the countryside. There won't be as much easy shelter or supplies, but there will be fewer Zombies to deal with, as there won't be people to attract them. Unfortunately in the countryside you will more likely than not be going solo so loneliness may be a problem. If your lucky though there will be plenty of water and game so you shouldn't starve, but if there is Zombie flora and fauna you are really screwed.

Weather is another thing you will have to take into account. It can work both against you and for you. If you're in a hot weather location surviving outdoors will be simpler though food supplies will spoil faster. On the plus side the Zombies will decay faster, if they even can decay. In a cold weather climate you will have problems in the winter with surviving outdoors, but supplies will last longer due to it. Also any Zombies outdoors will likely freeze in place, and if you're on a small island you could drive across the ice to mainland.

No matter if you choose to be in the country or in a town your will need a place to rest, regroup, and relax. To do so you will need some sort of base to act from, even if it is only a temporary one. You will need to know the layout and exits of wherever you choose to be. Like the weaponry you have many choices, but no matter which way you go there are two basic choices barricade yourself in a building or go hide solo in some mountains or caves.
The mountains or caves are basically the same as choosing to go rural. You may have streams or caverns to hide in, but that's pretty much there is to it.
If you choose to barricade yourself in some building you have a lot more choices. You could use a rural home, urban homes, work buildings, grocery stores, and military compounds. No matter which is used they will need to be protected somehow.

Residential Buildings:
House (Rural)- Depending on the area you may be able to get away with just boarding up the first floor, it all depends on how close to a town or city it is and what the terrain is like.
Farm- A farm is largely self sufficient, but you will have to deal with animals and you will have to know how to use the equipment. Fuel will also be a concern along with the sheer size needed to farm and how to protect it. To be able to successfully take advantage of what a farm has to offer you will need several people.
House (Urban)- You will need to board up everything and reinforce the walls on the first floor. You should remove the stairs and use ladders to go up and down floors. Simple tripwire traps and pits may be placed around the fringes of the building to delay the Zombies if the break in. You should also have your supplies protected and emergency gear ready to go at a moments notice.
Apartment Building- Much like an Urban House, but it is a lot more secure on the first floor due to the brick construction. Stairs should still be removed for the first few floors. You will also need to clear out any Zombies already inside the building. This would work really well if you had a decent number of people.

Nonresidential Buildings:
Store/Mall/Grocery store- You'll need to block all ground entrances particularly the large plate glass ones. Preparing delaying would also be a good idea. If you choose one of these you will have plenty of supplies and water but you cant count on the power staying on forever so you will need to cook the perishables and collect as much water as possible. Taking advantage of any building supplies you can create more barriers and traps. And if you have a home garden center and supplies you could start a garden on the roof. I would not recommend it for the long run though.
Church- Its on Holy ground so it may keep the Zombies away, but it may not work. You also has very few supplies unless an event was going to occur soon. The building structure is more often than not rather flimsy material.
Hospital- Plenty of medical supplies and stuff to convert to weaponry, but many Zombies. There would also be very little supplies in the way of food, but the building itself would be pretty strong though the many entrances would be hard to defend or block.
Military Complex- You have plenty of buildings and supplies not to mention many MREs that can last for several years. There is also plenty of equipment to choose from. But the complexes are rather large and protection is often just a chain link fence with razor wire, or a cement wall and razor wire.

Others:
Summer Camp- It's a bit like the rural house and farm combined, but you should be able to find many useful pieces of equipment particularly for outdoors. But like the farm it is rather large and hard to defend. You may even have to deal with Jason too, but if your lucky he'll be too busy taking out the zombies poaching on his territory.
Small Island- A lot like the Mountains there would be few if any people, which means trade and company. But you may have to deal with Zombies in the water even if they can't swim; they could wash up on shore.
House Boat- A lot like the small island you would have to worry about Zombies in the water and fuel for the engine. It's rather safe though since the Zombies would attract attention trying to get on. It can also work as a form of transportation. If you do have Zombies in the water just head for someplace with crocodiles or alligators or something that lives in the water and likes to eat carrion, that way you run a smaller risk of attack.

Next time its Supplies and Skills

zombie no.one · February 19, 2007, 03:03:06 AM

why do you write this? I dont mean that to sound bad or anything, but what is your motivation? I dont get it

DarkAdmiral · February 19, 2007, 10:36:08 AM

Quote from: depressed crack addict on February 19, 2007, 03:03:06 AM
why do you write this? I dont mean that to sound bad or anything, but what is your motivation? I dont get it

Like I said in the begining Lately I've been on a bit of a Zombie kick and after reading a brief zombie survival guide, I thought that it would be fun to make a more detailed one.

Also people could you please leave some suggestions for stuff or what you would do, I want some feedback so that I can make this guide better.

Doc Daneeka · February 19, 2007, 12:41:56 PM

Quotebut if there is Zombie flora and fauna you are really screwed.

Zombie... flora? Flowers?

Dr. Whom · February 19, 2007, 04:15:22 PM

Quote from: Mr. Briggs Inc. on February 19, 2007, 12:41:56 PM
Quotebut if there is Zombie flora and fauna you are really screwed.
Zombie... flora? Flowers?

The attack of the undead tulips!!!

DarkAdmiral · February 19, 2007, 07:00:30 PM

Havent you guys ever played resident evil2 Zombie dogs and plants.

Ok heres some more for the guide.

Supplies: (Did you think you'd go with only the cloths you're wearing and nothing else?)
You will need to have stuff to survive, it wont be like a video game where you can go through nothing at all. There are some basic things that you will need to have or get A.S.A.P. if you are to survive the invasion. Fortunately most of the supplies, you will already have at home.
Canned food and Water- Of course this is a necessity. You have to take care of your body if want to survive the Zombies and your body needs food. Like most people you probably have some canned stuff in your kitchen, not much but it's a start.
M.R.E.s- Meals Ready to Eat. They are long lasting, portable, and nutritious. If you can get a hold of a couple for emergencies they would be excellent to have.
Duct Tape- It has many uses. You can use it anything from First Aid to Armor.
Matches/Flint- Fire is good. It warms you, cooks your food, gives you light, and can even protect you, but be warned if it is not treated with respect it can harm you. You can even use fire to signal to other survivors if you so desire.
Shovel- Very useful, can bury stuff, dig pits, and even whack Zombies if the need arises.
Axe- Chop firewood, break down doors, and decapitate Zombies. It's another useful tool like the Shovel.
First Aid Kit- There are bound to be non-Zombie injuries that this could easily take care of.
Hammer and Nails- These are useful for barricading yourself inside a building and basic carpentry.
Lumber- Same as the above.
Radio- It's a source of information, and if the Zombies hunt by sound you can use it to distract them.
CB Radio- You can use it to communicate with others and possibly link up with other survivors.
Aspirin- Painkiller
Cloths- Unless you want to run around naked....
Blanket/Towel- Warm yourself at night and dry yourself when wet. Also you can impress others along the lines of "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy".
Fuel Stabilizer- Using this you can keep your fuel supply from going bad, making last longer and giving you that much more power.
Knives- Useful for various tasks, a good knife in the Zombie invasion will be worth its weight in gold, and probably be in more demand than gold too.
Weapon Harness- You will need some way to comfortably carry your weapons so they're easy to get at.
Backpack- You can use it to carry your supplies.
Extra Ammo- You will need to reload your guns sooner or later, and it's easier to reload than to steal a new gun each time you run out of ammo.
Spare Weapons and Armor- Does it really need explaining?

Skills: (those useful abilities that you don't have)
When society collapses and chaos reigns, those who survive will not just be the strongest but the most skilled. The more things you know how to do the better you will be able to handle whatever comes your way. You may survive even if you don't have any useful skills but it will be quite a bit harder for you. Some skills are mainly for urban areas and others are more useful out in the countryside, the mainly urban ones are listed first.
First Aid- There are still going to be non-Zombie injuries that will have to be taken care of before they get worse and slow you down enough to be Zombie food.
Lock picking- Knowing this will enable to get through locked doors quietly, instead of destroying them, that way they can be used again if Zombies attack.
Basic Auto Repair- With this you could get yourself some form of transportation up and running instead of relying on being lucky enough to find working vehicles.
Hotwiring- The keys most likely won't be in the abandoned vehicles you find, so if you want to get the vehicle running you'll need to hotwire it.
Gas Siphoning- The pumps wont be working long after the invasion begins so you'll need to know where and how to siphon fuel.
Basic Carpentry, Bricklaying, Welding, and Construction- These skills would be useful in fortifying your refuge and possibly making weapons and traps.
Sewing- Useful for basic repair on your cloths and armor. If you need to stitch up a wound this would be useful to know too.
Marksmanship- Ammo will be limited and all a Zombie needs is one shot to the head to take it down.
Filling your own Ammo- Ammo will be limited so you may need to make your own.
Hand-to-Hand Combat- If your weapons are out of reach this is your last defense.
Gardening/Farming- Food in stores won't last forever, and if you've barricaded yourself inside one with a garden department, you'll have a way to provide more food.
Traps (all sorts)- Useful for adding some meat to diet and possibly delaying Zombies.
Plant Identification- Good to know when you're foraging for food, after all you don't want to end up eating Poison Ivy.
Animal Skinning/Butchering- You don't want to waste anything if you can avoid it. Knowing these skills you can get the most food possible and Skins to cloth yourself with or trade.
Climbing- If you know how to climb you can reach places where the Zombies can't get you, or take a safer route.
Cooking- Again you don't want to waste food, or get poisoned. Also your food will taste much better.

A good source of these skills is Scouts, and other Organizations like F.F.A. along with Ag. classes. You may also want to consider joining up with other people to cover what you don't know. Some skills will be used more than others but the more you know the better.

On the Hand-to-Hand Combat, it should never come to that. You should always have a weapon on or near you at all times even when bathing. If you must go off for some alone time with a comrade have a third person stand watch, you don't want to be caught with your pants literally down when Zombies attack.

Next time you get transportationa nd communication

Dr. Whom · February 20, 2007, 07:00:54 AM

Quote from: DarkAdmiral on February 19, 2007, 07:00:30 PM
you don't want to be caught with your pants literally down when Zombies attack.

Especially not in a field of undead tulips!

DarkAdmiral · February 21, 2007, 09:20:22 AM

Quote from: AlexB on February 20, 2007, 07:00:54 AM
Quote from: DarkAdmiral on February 19, 2007, 07:00:30 PM
you don't want to be caught with your pants literally down when Zombies attack.

Especially not in a field of undead tulips!

Yeah that would be painful for the guys and might end up like the trees in Evil Dead 1 for the girls

Torgo · February 21, 2007, 09:51:59 PM

Quote from: dean on February 17, 2007, 12:29:48 AM
Wow, we're not typcial bad-movie fan fodder at all are we? I have the same combo on my shelf plus the sequal to ZSG, World War Z. Also on one of my shelves somewhere is Bruce Campbells' first book, "If Chins Could Kill" which I read a while ago.

All are a good lazy read.

I need to still get World War Z. I just finished The Zombie Survival Guide this past weekend so I'm sure that World War Z will be to my liking.

DarkAdmiral · February 22, 2007, 06:04:01 PM

Come on people I want to know what other would do, please give me some feed back.

Well heres some more of the guide only one more chunk is left after it.

Transportation: (on the road again)
Know matter how many supplies you have stored away you will eventually run out. When that happens you will need to venture somewhere to gather more, and if you have something other than just your feet you can carry much more, faster. Also if you have some form of transportation you could get away from the Zombies if they find your base and besiege it in numbers too many to stop. You will want to keep in mind that many roads will be blocked with vehicles and Zombies.
Depending on whether you choose to travel by land, air, or water, you have many choices, each with varying levels of danger. Ground is the easiest travel but the most dangerous, air is the hardest but fastest. Water seems like the safest but supplies are limited severely. Whatever medium you choose you have multiple forms of transportation.

Land:
Car- Basically an armored shell, you have good speed and plenty of room to carry stuff. Unfortunately a car is rather loud so it could attract Zombies and the roads will most likely be filled with abandoned or crashed vehicles. You will also need to worry about fuel and Zombies tipping the car over.
Large Truck/Bus- Noisy and slow, a large vehicle like one of these would have much carry space and plenty of armor to keep Zombies out. Unfortunately they are not very maneuverable and if you came upon a crash you'd plow right into it. Fuel is also a concern
Construction Equipment- Large and powerful, but slow with little carry ability constriction equipment could plow through almost any obstacle in its path. Unfortunately finding enough fuel would be difficult and the machines are very noisy.
ATV/Motorcycle/Trike- Very noisy and not as fast as a car while being very open, these are more mobile and easier to conceal. Unfortunately they can't carry as much as a car, but are still pretty fast. Fuel will be a concern
Bicycle- Light and human powered, a bike is quiet and very maneuverable, you can even pick it up and carry it around blockages in the road. Unfortunately it is only as fast as you can pedal and cant carry very much at all, and it offers no armor from hungry Zombies.

Animals can also be used for land transportation.

Horses and other Equines- Horses have plenty of endurance and can make great company. Although they can't carry as much as car they don't need fuel just rest and food. They can even be used as food in an emergency.
Dogsled- A lot like the horses aside from only being useful in the winter time, dogs would also be loyal, act as an alarm system, and maybe even attack the Zombies. Unfortunately they can be very loud and that may attract the Zombies.

Air:
Aircraft- If you know how to use one you could use some sort of aircraft to quickly cover a lot of ground. You would have to know where to find one and where you would go with it, and fuel would be a big concern. You'd also have to hope there aren't any Zombies inside it or hanging on to the landing gear like a Gremlin. This includes Planes, Helicopters, and Hot Air Balloons.

Water:
Houseboat- Like I said in the Base section it can act as both a base and a means of transportation. Its large and slow, fuel is a must and it is very noisy.
Motorboat- Basically just a smaller houseboat.
Speedboat- Small but fast. Very noisy and can't hold as much as the first two. Fuel is a major concern
Sailboat- Wind powered so it quiet and you don't need fuel. It's fairly small though so it can't carry much.
Rowboat- Human powered so its quiet and doesn't need fuel, but its very small and can carry much.
Raft- Makeshift or rubber its range is limited depending on whether its human powered or motorized. It's typically small so it can't carry too much.
Canoe/Kayak- Very quiet and small, they cant carry much but don't need fuel.
Others- Things like a submarine, naval vessel, or old galleons would be nice since they are well protected and typically well stocked. Unfortunately you need many people and the know how to use them properly.

Communication: (can you hear me now? can you hear me now?)
Most humans, aside from being naturally curious and social creatures, will want to know what is still going on in the world, even during a Zombie invasion, and the post office's motto doesn't cover Zombie attacks. If you can communicate with others you can learn where the Zombies are and where it is safe. You can also learn if the Zombies have been totally eradicated. Even if you don't learn anything about Zombie locations, you can learn how to deal with them, or where more people are if you want to hook up with others. Due to the chaos that will insure during a Zombie invasion power will be lost and many forms of long distance communication will go down including the Internet, but there still are other forms of communication.

Radio- Though its only one way, it is still a good source of information. Also if the Zombies hunt through sound you could use it as a distraction. Unfortunately they may end up going off the air due to destruction caused in the panic.
CB Radio- One of these can be used to communicate with other people, you can pass along info or possibly hook up with others. The range will vary with location and the model of radio.
Smoke Signals/Signal Fire- They cant carry as complex messages as other forms of communication but they are also quite a bit simpler to implement. They can be used to show that people are still alive inside a place, but they might attract Zombies.
Flares- A lot like the above they can be used to "mark" a location. In a pinch they can also be used offensively.
Messenger Birds/Animals-If you have the time, resources, and the know how, you could set up a large communication network with trained animals

Communication will also help prevent raiding by other survivors, it will also help with monitoring Zombies, so that you aren't caught off guard, and it will allow for trade to re-emerge. While money will be largely useless, barter will be very popular. If you have the chance you should salvage some jewelry from a store, things like rings that are easy to carry. Weapons, vehicles, medical supplies, booze, and smokes will be in very high demand. If your feeling lucky you could also try pick-pocketing Zombies.

Well I should be able to fit whats left in another post you get People and Zombies next.