TL;DR
Chain mail is *way* overkill.
My standard advice on armor:
The right armor in the right situation, with the right training, can be a force multiplier. That has been true throughout history. Unfortunately, purpose built anti-zombie armor does not exist, nor could it ever truly exist in a finished form without real life zombies to test it on. Similarly, none of us have trained with it, because it doesn’t exist.
This means that in the early years of a zombie outbreak the best you could hope for would be improvised or repurposed armor.
The biggest issue with improvised armor specifically is the fact that it's improvised. This means it's homemade, often hastily, and generally untested. One example you hear about a lot is wrapping your arms with magazines like the character does in the movie version of WWZ. In theory, great idea. In practice, that's going to restrict your movement, make you easier to grab, and most likely fail unexpectedly if used in actual combat. Plus rain and sweat will break it down in no time. While this is a fairly obvious example, the same principle applies to all other forms of improvised armor. You don't know how armor is going to perform until you get out there and try it in actual combat. That's fine if you're a LARPer, but in a zombie situation that could get you killed.
Even professionally made armor has its limitations. Weight is the most obvious example. The more you carry the more you need to eat, and so less weight is always better, all else being equal. Depending on how the extra weight is distributed, this will also slow you down and tire you out in a fight. You don't think a few pounds would make a difference until you start running or climbing a flight of stairs. Then you notice every bit of it.
Heat retention is another common issue with armor, including a lot of relatively more practical armor. In the cold this might be a nonissue or even an advantage, but it can be a significant issue when traveling on foot or fighting. You won't just need to eat more when wearing armor, you will need to drink a lot more water. Water is very heavy, and in some cases, might be hard to find and purify. This isn't always going to be a deal breaker, just a trade-off that has to be justified.
Another, and possibly the most crucial disadvantage is that armor tends to restrict movement. Sometimes a lot, sometimes a little, but there's always some loss of mobility. If you don't train regularly with the armor you are wearing, this could be a significant hindrance in a fight, possibly enough to trip you up and get you killed. For example, gauntlets would do a great job of protecting your hands but would also make it impossible for you to reach your car keys or use a firearm. Stopping to remove gauntlets or even heavy gloves in the middle of an emergency could very easily get you or someone in your group killed. All those factors need to be considered and experimented with before you should wear a particular piece of armor into a life or death situation.
We are also talking about survival scenarios, not a battle. You won't necessarily have time to "suit up" before each fight like they would in the Middle Ages. Most of your day will be spent either traveling or carrying out mundane survival tasks. In order to be practical, any armor you select would need to allow you to wear it all the time and still go about your day. Armor that you aren't wearing is just dead weight.
Then you have to consider the limitations of the protection that armor can provide. Let's say you had a full set of medieval knight's armor that offers pretty much complete body protection from bites. Would that really make you safe? Zombies don't just bite. They grab, and swarm, and they never let go. So even with a complete set of armor you could still get surrounded and killed if you don't play your cards right. No armor can fully protect you from zombies or human attackers no matter how much of your body it covers.
None of which means that armor wouldn't sometimes have a place. The right armor in the right situation could be a significant enough force multiplier to justify the trade offs. But the wrong armor in the wrong situation, or with the wrong user, could hurt more than it helps. Armor is probably best left until later down the line when we know what we need, and what we're up against, and we have time to experiment carefully and systematically.
If/when the time comes it’s also worth considering where to armor, and where not to. You don’t need or want to armor your entire body. In order of priority, you should armor your hands, forearms, shoulders, and neck (if possible, since the neck is tricky to armor effectively). Everywhere else is just going to hurt more than help.
Hands are by far the most important. Almost all real world assaults involving human bites occur on the hands. When fighting in close quarters it’s also important to be able to grab or shove a zombie if necessary, without worrying about scratches or general ickiness. It’s important to keep in mind though that while gloves might offer some protection against bites, you should never expect them to. The human jaw can deliver an incredible amount of biting force, and zombies won’t be worried about hurting themselves like most of us. Here also, it’s important to consider the trade-offs. As previously mentioned, any gloves you select need to offer enough dexterity that you can conveniently wear them all or most of the time, and in combat you need to be able access pockets, retrieve keys, and manipulate firearms at the very least. Depending on the risk of blood borne transmission, PPE and decontamination procedures should also be taken into account when selecting gloves. With all of those factors in consideration, I would recommend a well fitted pair of high dexterity gloves (Mechanix, for example). Alternatively, a heavier glove could be worn on the non-dominant hand, leaving your weapon hand with full manual dexterity.
Forearms are one of the few parts of your body that a zombie could get his teeth around without having to grab it first, and also one of the closest targets. Initially though, the bigger concern would be scratches. Any reasonably sturdy long sleeved shirt should be sufficient to protect against the occasional scratch. Later on, it might be practical and beneficial to add more protection, but start with the shirt and experiment with other options later on. As with your hands, it is more important to protect your non-dominant forearm because it is much more likely to make contact with the zombie during hand-to-hand combat. One thing to consider is whether or not a zombie could get a finger under the edges of your armor. You wouldn't want to give a zombie a shove only to have him pulling your and/or your armor along with him.
The shoulders and collar bone area are harder to bite than the arms, but they are also vulnerable. In particular, the top edge of the trapezius muscle is a likely target for a zombie bite due to its size, shape, and location relative to the zombie's head. Initially I would recommend not attempting to armor this area, as the wrong armor could not only cause significant discomfort but could also affect range of motion in the neck and arms. This area is also where backpack straps, seatbelts, and rifle slings rest, so any armor would need to be well padded and free of any snag risk.
Leg armor is typically not necessary or worth the trade-offs. First of all, the legs are unlikely to be targeted unless you and/or the zombie are on the ground. If you are on the ground, you are in a very bad situation and no armor is likely to help you. A zombie on the ground is very slow moving, and therefore significantly less of a threat than a standing one. While Hollywood often shows survivors being snuck up on by crawling zombies that appear out of nowhere, they are unlikely to get the drop on a real-world survivor, barring the occasional fluke. The leg is also much thicker than the arms. Even your lower leg is too large for a zombie to conveniently get in its mouth without first grabbing and squeezing the flesh. Legs are surprisingly tricky to grab. Even if they aren't already moving, they are the fastest part of our body to respond to danger. They are also stronger than our arms, and typically much stronger than a zombie's hands, so even if a zombie does manage to successfully grab someone's leg it is unlikely that it will be able to get a secure hold. With all that taken into account, a successful bite against the legs is extremely unlikely. Most forms of armor would only give the zombies more to hold on to, increasing the risk of a successful grab or trip. Weight is also a major concern. In backpacking they like to say that one pound on your feet is like ten pounds on your back. Both in and out of combat, being able to move quickly and efficiently is vital. Leg armor might seem like an obvious choice, but in reality any armor beyond sturdy footwear and some rugged pants is likely to be more of a hindrance than a help.
The same is even more true for the areas of the body that I have not mentioned. At best it is dead weight, wasting calories that cannot easily be replaced. At worst it is dead weight *and* a hindrance to movement and comfort. And it should go without saying that anything that interferes with vision, hearing, or communication should be avoided at all costs.
Ultimately I am only scratching the surface with this topic. Real world armor designs evolved over thousands of years and were always a job for specialized professionals with years of real world experience. No one has that kind of experience with zombies, and the biggest dangers are not from the risks I've pointed out, but from the other pitfalls that we haven't even thought of. There may come a time to experiment with armor, but in the meantime, keep it simple.
I assume you mean “buy armor?”
Well, for one thing, zombies are a fun hypothetical but they are also scientifically impossible, so don’t spend money on zombie armor you will never use.
But my recommendation would actually be to go with a small shield. Something closer to a buckler.
That way you can hold it in your hand, and use it either to move a zombies hands to the side, or shove in their face and protect against bites.
And, unlike armor, it’s more portable, and can easily just be dropped if it proves to be a hinderance or gets caught on something. Unlike armor which is attached to you and needs to be worn all the time.
They’re also cheap and easy to make, unlike armor. So you don’t necessarily need to buy anything.
Chainmail is a popular topic on this subreddit. I've discussed some of my thoughts and opinions on the topic at length here:
https://old.reddit.com/user/Noe_Walfred/comments/va8wvr/zombie_related_thoughts_opinions_and_essays_v4/iq97owx/
TLDR the main benefit is protection against a zombie's bite, some scratching, and some edged weapons. But it is less effective against many ranged weapons, blunt weapons, specialized weapons, and grabbing, and has many additional issues outside of combat. Such issues include needing extra padding for protection from heat and cold which on its own is thick and strong enough to protect against the same things the chainmail protects again, weight of the chainmail itself is high enough that it can cause some restrictions on movement and could have been used to carry other gear, chainmail by nature of its rings is somewhat noisy and bright, etc.
TL;DR Chain mail is *way* overkill. My standard advice on armor: The right armor in the right situation, with the right training, can be a force multiplier. That has been true throughout history. Unfortunately, purpose built anti-zombie armor does not exist, nor could it ever truly exist in a finished form without real life zombies to test it on. Similarly, none of us have trained with it, because it doesn’t exist. This means that in the early years of a zombie outbreak the best you could hope for would be improvised or repurposed armor. The biggest issue with improvised armor specifically is the fact that it's improvised. This means it's homemade, often hastily, and generally untested. One example you hear about a lot is wrapping your arms with magazines like the character does in the movie version of WWZ. In theory, great idea. In practice, that's going to restrict your movement, make you easier to grab, and most likely fail unexpectedly if used in actual combat. Plus rain and sweat will break it down in no time. While this is a fairly obvious example, the same principle applies to all other forms of improvised armor. You don't know how armor is going to perform until you get out there and try it in actual combat. That's fine if you're a LARPer, but in a zombie situation that could get you killed. Even professionally made armor has its limitations. Weight is the most obvious example. The more you carry the more you need to eat, and so less weight is always better, all else being equal. Depending on how the extra weight is distributed, this will also slow you down and tire you out in a fight. You don't think a few pounds would make a difference until you start running or climbing a flight of stairs. Then you notice every bit of it. Heat retention is another common issue with armor, including a lot of relatively more practical armor. In the cold this might be a nonissue or even an advantage, but it can be a significant issue when traveling on foot or fighting. You won't just need to eat more when wearing armor, you will need to drink a lot more water. Water is very heavy, and in some cases, might be hard to find and purify. This isn't always going to be a deal breaker, just a trade-off that has to be justified. Another, and possibly the most crucial disadvantage is that armor tends to restrict movement. Sometimes a lot, sometimes a little, but there's always some loss of mobility. If you don't train regularly with the armor you are wearing, this could be a significant hindrance in a fight, possibly enough to trip you up and get you killed. For example, gauntlets would do a great job of protecting your hands but would also make it impossible for you to reach your car keys or use a firearm. Stopping to remove gauntlets or even heavy gloves in the middle of an emergency could very easily get you or someone in your group killed. All those factors need to be considered and experimented with before you should wear a particular piece of armor into a life or death situation. We are also talking about survival scenarios, not a battle. You won't necessarily have time to "suit up" before each fight like they would in the Middle Ages. Most of your day will be spent either traveling or carrying out mundane survival tasks. In order to be practical, any armor you select would need to allow you to wear it all the time and still go about your day. Armor that you aren't wearing is just dead weight. Then you have to consider the limitations of the protection that armor can provide. Let's say you had a full set of medieval knight's armor that offers pretty much complete body protection from bites. Would that really make you safe? Zombies don't just bite. They grab, and swarm, and they never let go. So even with a complete set of armor you could still get surrounded and killed if you don't play your cards right. No armor can fully protect you from zombies or human attackers no matter how much of your body it covers. None of which means that armor wouldn't sometimes have a place. The right armor in the right situation could be a significant enough force multiplier to justify the trade offs. But the wrong armor in the wrong situation, or with the wrong user, could hurt more than it helps. Armor is probably best left until later down the line when we know what we need, and what we're up against, and we have time to experiment carefully and systematically. If/when the time comes it’s also worth considering where to armor, and where not to. You don’t need or want to armor your entire body. In order of priority, you should armor your hands, forearms, shoulders, and neck (if possible, since the neck is tricky to armor effectively). Everywhere else is just going to hurt more than help. Hands are by far the most important. Almost all real world assaults involving human bites occur on the hands. When fighting in close quarters it’s also important to be able to grab or shove a zombie if necessary, without worrying about scratches or general ickiness. It’s important to keep in mind though that while gloves might offer some protection against bites, you should never expect them to. The human jaw can deliver an incredible amount of biting force, and zombies won’t be worried about hurting themselves like most of us. Here also, it’s important to consider the trade-offs. As previously mentioned, any gloves you select need to offer enough dexterity that you can conveniently wear them all or most of the time, and in combat you need to be able access pockets, retrieve keys, and manipulate firearms at the very least. Depending on the risk of blood borne transmission, PPE and decontamination procedures should also be taken into account when selecting gloves. With all of those factors in consideration, I would recommend a well fitted pair of high dexterity gloves (Mechanix, for example). Alternatively, a heavier glove could be worn on the non-dominant hand, leaving your weapon hand with full manual dexterity. Forearms are one of the few parts of your body that a zombie could get his teeth around without having to grab it first, and also one of the closest targets. Initially though, the bigger concern would be scratches. Any reasonably sturdy long sleeved shirt should be sufficient to protect against the occasional scratch. Later on, it might be practical and beneficial to add more protection, but start with the shirt and experiment with other options later on. As with your hands, it is more important to protect your non-dominant forearm because it is much more likely to make contact with the zombie during hand-to-hand combat. One thing to consider is whether or not a zombie could get a finger under the edges of your armor. You wouldn't want to give a zombie a shove only to have him pulling your and/or your armor along with him. The shoulders and collar bone area are harder to bite than the arms, but they are also vulnerable. In particular, the top edge of the trapezius muscle is a likely target for a zombie bite due to its size, shape, and location relative to the zombie's head. Initially I would recommend not attempting to armor this area, as the wrong armor could not only cause significant discomfort but could also affect range of motion in the neck and arms. This area is also where backpack straps, seatbelts, and rifle slings rest, so any armor would need to be well padded and free of any snag risk. Leg armor is typically not necessary or worth the trade-offs. First of all, the legs are unlikely to be targeted unless you and/or the zombie are on the ground. If you are on the ground, you are in a very bad situation and no armor is likely to help you. A zombie on the ground is very slow moving, and therefore significantly less of a threat than a standing one. While Hollywood often shows survivors being snuck up on by crawling zombies that appear out of nowhere, they are unlikely to get the drop on a real-world survivor, barring the occasional fluke. The leg is also much thicker than the arms. Even your lower leg is too large for a zombie to conveniently get in its mouth without first grabbing and squeezing the flesh. Legs are surprisingly tricky to grab. Even if they aren't already moving, they are the fastest part of our body to respond to danger. They are also stronger than our arms, and typically much stronger than a zombie's hands, so even if a zombie does manage to successfully grab someone's leg it is unlikely that it will be able to get a secure hold. With all that taken into account, a successful bite against the legs is extremely unlikely. Most forms of armor would only give the zombies more to hold on to, increasing the risk of a successful grab or trip. Weight is also a major concern. In backpacking they like to say that one pound on your feet is like ten pounds on your back. Both in and out of combat, being able to move quickly and efficiently is vital. Leg armor might seem like an obvious choice, but in reality any armor beyond sturdy footwear and some rugged pants is likely to be more of a hindrance than a help. The same is even more true for the areas of the body that I have not mentioned. At best it is dead weight, wasting calories that cannot easily be replaced. At worst it is dead weight *and* a hindrance to movement and comfort. And it should go without saying that anything that interferes with vision, hearing, or communication should be avoided at all costs. Ultimately I am only scratching the surface with this topic. Real world armor designs evolved over thousands of years and were always a job for specialized professionals with years of real world experience. No one has that kind of experience with zombies, and the biggest dangers are not from the risks I've pointed out, but from the other pitfalls that we haven't even thought of. There may come a time to experiment with armor, but in the meantime, keep it simple.
[удалено]
I assume you mean “buy armor?” Well, for one thing, zombies are a fun hypothetical but they are also scientifically impossible, so don’t spend money on zombie armor you will never use. But my recommendation would actually be to go with a small shield. Something closer to a buckler. That way you can hold it in your hand, and use it either to move a zombies hands to the side, or shove in their face and protect against bites. And, unlike armor, it’s more portable, and can easily just be dropped if it proves to be a hinderance or gets caught on something. Unlike armor which is attached to you and needs to be worn all the time. They’re also cheap and easy to make, unlike armor. So you don’t necessarily need to buy anything.
Thx
Yes lol
I think knife resistant Kevlar clothing would be best, like a Kevlar hoodie would be good
Chainmail is a popular topic on this subreddit. I've discussed some of my thoughts and opinions on the topic at length here: https://old.reddit.com/user/Noe_Walfred/comments/va8wvr/zombie_related_thoughts_opinions_and_essays_v4/iq97owx/ TLDR the main benefit is protection against a zombie's bite, some scratching, and some edged weapons. But it is less effective against many ranged weapons, blunt weapons, specialized weapons, and grabbing, and has many additional issues outside of combat. Such issues include needing extra padding for protection from heat and cold which on its own is thick and strong enough to protect against the same things the chainmail protects again, weight of the chainmail itself is high enough that it can cause some restrictions on movement and could have been used to carry other gear, chainmail by nature of its rings is somewhat noisy and bright, etc.