[Janus]

Wow, come to think of it, there's a lot of stuff I'd risk my neck for:

•   Coffee
•   TP
•   Toothpaste and toothbrush
•   A decent comb or brush
•   A pair of scissors (assuming I don't already have a knife at the time)
•   Spare clothes, especially underwear and socks
•   Non-leaking drink containers (bottles, etc.)
•   Books.  Lots of books. 
•   Board games.  Electronics will not likely be possible in most zombie apocalypses, so I'd avoid them.
•   Nail clippers
•   Over the counter heartburn medicines and allergy/cold medicines.
•   Earplugs (so that when it's not my turn to take a watch, I can sleep through the moaning and gunshots)
•   An accoustic guitar

[DDToxic]

@Jason Hmm... perhaps you`re right :-)

- Toilet Paper (will be quite the luxury...)
- Hammer and Nails, or better Toolbox
- Compass   
- Maps
- Manuals ("How to treat a flesh wound" or something like this)
- Bicycle (no fuel > no Problem)
- Rope
- First Aid kits (you should find plenty of these in abandoned cars)

[Radech]

anything that would remind me of my former life, and just for one second take my mind of all the impending doom surrounding me everywhere I go

i used to go to festivals a lot, and one of the best parts was going into the nearby town and visit the local bathhouse, a hot bath and a swim was just heavenly after 6 days of living in mud and not bathing, imagine that after living in mud for 6 months

taking a dumb on a clean functioning toilet

utensils, basically any meal you wouldn´t eat of a stick

[DarkRadeon]

• Harmonica
• Instant coffee
• Skateboard
• Solar e-book reader with comics (no batteries?)
• Swiss army knife
• Rope
• First Aid kit
• Binoculars
• Lighter
• Flashlight
• Slingshot
• A cute teddy bear
• Sea-Monkeys (they don't need much attentions)
• Absinthe
• Portable water distiller
• key ring
• Telephone card (useful when don't have the key)

[CanadianWolverine]

This week I pose the question: What item would you take unnecessary risks for? That is, what item - completely unnecessary for survival - would you risk scavenging out in the zombie apocalypse for?

Unnecessary for survival? Unnecessary risks? Not a whole lot, I have a family, so I would scavenge for things deemed necessary for survival. So, are we talking about just necessary for short term survival or long term too? Because once I get the short term taken care of, there is a whole lot that goes into long term just to maintain and improve the mind, body, and soul of myself, my family, friends, and neighbors.

So what item, what item doesn't fall into those categories and is worth it... I would think lap tops and the necessary parts to get it to work when the power is out and other parts needed to setup a wireless lan running on renewable energy. Not needed to survive but it would be great for all kinds of video journal, bookkeeping, communication, research, entertainment, etc - all stuff that could be solved with stuff that doesn't require electricity.

Heh, I see books, note book paper, pencil, eraser, rulers, protractor, dice, dice bag - for gaming and just general plan prep and a whole assortment of stuff (though each subject there would be a book for I suppose, want to teach others in my group, especially the kids) for carpentry (rough & finish), mountain & temperate sub tropical rain forest hiking, hunting, trapping, fresh water fishing, swimming, gardening, water, food prep, and patching myself up as necessary, so I suppose take your pick if you think any of that doesn't fall under the criteria.

Hmm, how about night vision goggles? Another electronic item that would be really cool to have and I would search for because it would take some of the fear of the dark and the stuff that goes bump in the night out there in the big change aka apocalypse. In fact, most anything electrical unless I had some way to use solar would probably be under unnecessary but willing to take risks to scrounge up to improve things in the fort and the surrounding areas. Wireless low light / night vision cameras to help with sentry work? Motion sensor radar? Depending on the kind of zed, infra red aka heat vision would be handy too.