D .... Zombie headshots are overrated, especially if there are innocents in the background. But if you remove a zombie's leg, or pulverize its pelvic girdle, it's now got to caterpillar crawl after you, pulling itself along on its elbows. With a rifle, you can poke holes in people; with a properly stoked shotgun, you can disassemble people. The 12GA has the most ammunition flexibility for defense and for hunting both big and small game, and is available just about everywhere.

C .... The crossbow is tempting as it too is a silent weapon and great hunting/survival instrument. But trying to manufacturer your own arrows and broadheads, once you've run out or shattered yours, will eventually cause something to fail catastrophically under the strain of such a strong bow – either the arrows or the bow's limbs, maybe both, and they might take your face and eyesight with them. Arrows are great for bleeding animals out, but that's not a weakness the undead fret much about. No, the priority here has to be having a fast, handy, super quiet defensive weapon which will be massively helpful in unpleasant social encounters with the un-undead.

D .... This is more tool than weapon. I've constructed some fairly elaborate shelters and campsites with just a machete. You can build with it, process game with it, use it when building traps and fires, making tools, digging in loose soil, and yes, in a pinch, it can aid in letting someone's brain out for a walk.

D .... Functionality. Functionality is the name of the game. Everything you carry should have multiple uses to earn its spot. SAK has that in spades. You need to be able to do fine knifework. You'll need to scavenge parts and supplies, disassemble components and firearms for repair, maintenance, and cleaning. The can opener will (hopefully) get a lot of use. Even just the tweezers are worth their weight in gold when you're in the woods and every splinter and thorn in the forest have sworn a blood oath on anyone who's ever felled a tree or run a weed eater. I've used mine (though I prefer my Leatherman) for everything from making deadfalls and snares, to trimming hair, dressing birds, bypassing locks, and minor surgeries. And you could probably use it in a tight spot to buy your way out of a bad situation. It'll be worth ten Rolex watches at least.

B.... Tough choice. An SUV can be transportation, protection, pantry, and mobile shelter/HQ all in one. If you have fuel, you also have some electricity. If I brought my family along for some apocalyptic bonding time, I'm taking A. But otherwise the option to be mobile, nimble, light, have off-road capabilities, speed, low fuel demands, and simpler maintenance, that's just too much capability to pass up.