From the first field notes to the final proofread, here is the order we follow, the stages each piece passes through, and the limits we work within when testing gear, mapping routes and editing fiction for readers in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Karoo.
Every gear breakdown, checklist and fiction episode follows the same route. It keeps the field notes honest and stops a review from turning into a wish list. Here is what happens between a reader email and a published post.
It starts with a topic we can actually test or a scenario sent in by a reader. Outbreak ideas, kit questions and route notes all land in the same inbox before anything gets scheduled.
Gear gets carried on a real weekend route, not just unboxed. We note dust, cold wind, coastal humidity and how fast cheap optics fog up. Fiction gets a setting check against the actual city or region.
The draft keeps the field notes and cuts the filler. If a claim cannot be backed by something we saw or handled, it comes out. Serial episodes get read aloud once to catch flat dialogue.
Checklists get a print-friendly version with real margins and no wasted ink. Reviews get the gear photos and a short spec table so you can scan before reading the long notes.
The post goes live with comments open. Episode endings and gear picks usually get argued about within a day, and those replies often shape the next checklist or the following chapter.
Older pieces get updated when gear fails or a route changes. Nothing is frozen, so a bug-out bag list from last winter may carry a note about what broke since.
If you want the wider picture of what we cover and how we test it, the capabilities page lays out the full scope, and use cases shows how readers put the checklists and scenarios to work.
Every guide, review and fiction episode follows the same rough sequence. Timelines shift when a field test gets rained out or a contributor goes quiet, so treat these stages as the order of work rather than fixed dates.
Stage 01
A writer sends a one-page outline: what the piece covers, which region it applies to, and what gear or locations are involved. We check it against the archive so we are not repeating a Highveld bug-out list we already ran. Most pitches get a reply within a week, often with a request to narrow the scope.
Stage 02
Gear reviews need hands on the equipment. We run foam blasters through a weekend skirmish, carry packs on real routes, and photograph the wear afterwards. Coastal humidity and Highveld dust get noted separately, because a blaster that cycles fine in Gauteng can jam near Durban. Fiction gets a lighter pass here: we check local geography and dialect instead.
Stage 03
First drafts come in with the raw notes attached. An editor trims the padding, checks that any safety advice about muzzle discipline or water treatment is accurate, and flags claims that need a second source. Printable checklists are formatted at this point so they survive a black-and-white printer.
Stage 04
Once live, the piece goes out with its comment thread open. Fiction episodes get a discussion prompt about the ending; gear posts invite readers to add their own field notes. Reader-submitted outbreak scenarios are queued here and reviewed before they appear.
Stage 05
Gear ages and prices move, so reviews get revisited when a product is discontinued or a better option shows up. Corrections are logged at the foot of the article rather than quietly edited. Older fiction stays as written unless a factual error about a real place needs fixing.
Before you send a scenario, a gear note or a serial pitch, read the terms below. They exist because most disagreements on this site come from mismatched expectations, not bad ideas.
A scenario is a written situation with a location, a starting condition and at least one decision point. A one-line idea like "zombies in Sandton" is not a scenario. We need enough detail to test it against the checklists we publish, otherwise there is nothing to discuss in the comments.
When we write about a foam blaster, a pack or a water filter, we describe what happened on a specific route in specific weather. A blaster that cycles cleanly in dry Highveld air may jam in Durban humidity. Treat every review as one data point, not a guarantee for your own kit.
Our serials set in Johannesburg, Durban and the Karoo are invented. Places, characters and events are not reports. If a story borrows a real landmark, that is for atmosphere, not a claim about what happened there or what would happen in an actual emergency.
The supply lists you can download are built for a weekend, not a permanent relocation. They assume you have basic shelter and a vehicle. Adjust quantities for your household, your route and the season. We do not verify that a list suits your medical needs, your climate or your local rules.
By posting a scenario or a comment you confirm it is your own writing and that you are fine with it being quoted in a follow-up post. We edit for length and clarity, remove anything that reads as a real threat, and do not run submissions that name private individuals or specific addresses.
If a review turns out wrong, we add a dated note at the top rather than quietly rewriting the piece. Same for fiction continuity errors readers catch between episodes. Send corrections to info@getzombys.com and include the page and the paragraph.