How to increase backpack space
Increase your backpack space by equipping a larger pack: the Scavenger Backpack holds 35 slots, while Robyn’s Survivor’s Backpack provides an early upgrade to 20. Press TAB, right-click the replacement pack and choose EQUIP, then use item stacks, wooden chests and your dog’s separate inventory to manage supplies.
The backpack capacities below apply to version 0.44.2 in solo Survival play. Check the capacity displayed on the pack you actually obtain, especially when choosing a Mountain Backpack. Backpacks provide no cold resistance or armor, so choose your other clothing with warmth and protection in mind.
Every backpack, its capacity and where to get it
Compare the capacity shown in each backpack’s tooltip when deciding whether to replace your current pack. Its value appears alongside capacity, but a higher value does not necessarily mean more storage. Choose the pack that gives you the room you need for your next trip.
| Backpack | Capacity | Tooltip value | How to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scavenger Backpack | 35 slots | 50 | Reward for completing Closer to the Sun and The Art of the Deal. |
| Mountain Backpack | 30 slots | 30 | Anna’s reward box during Breaking the Radio Silence, at “Collect the blueprints from Anna”. |
| Utility Backpack | 25 slots | 35 | Reward from House into a Home and The Way Home; also found inside an Insulated Crate. |
| Mountain Backpack, smaller variant | 25 slots | 20 | — |
| Survivor’s Backpack | 20 slots | 25 | Robyn’s reward box in Horizon. |
| Casual Backpack | 15 slots | 20 | Starting equipment for the Survivor, Smuggler and Hunter; also sold by Anna. |
Get the early upgrade from Robyn in Horizon
Robyn’s reward box in Horizon contains the Survivor’s Backpack. It increases your starting capacity from 15 to 20 slots, and earning this early upgrade requires 1 Meat and some cooking. Aim for it before committing to a longer scavenging trip, so you have more room for the supplies you bring home.
Equip a replacement backpack
- Press TAB to open your inventory and locate the replacement backpack in the carrying grid.
- Right-click the replacement backpack and select EQUIP from its menu.
- Check the backpack equipment slot to the left of your jacket; the carrying grid immediately changes to the equipped pack’s capacity.
- Read a Mountain Backpack’s tooltip before relying on its name, because variants with 30 and 25 slots both exist.
Your quick slots remain separate from the backpack grid. Changing backpacks does not expand or reduce them, and a larger backpack does not slow your character down. Inventory space is governed by slots rather than weight, so focus on how many occupied squares you have left.
Add more slots with your jacket
The Renegade’s Coat adds 4 inventory slots, while the Technocrats Jacket adds 3. These additions stack with your backpack capacity, so a Scavenger Backpack paired with a Renegade’s Coat provides 39 usable squares. Consider the extra space alongside your clothing needs when preparing for a resource run.
Manage stacks and leave spare resources in chests
Each item stack occupies a single backpack slot. Stone, Wood, Cloth and Meat can stack; Dish, Meat and most food stack to 20, Herbs to 30, and Bandages to 5. Check your existing supplies before gathering more, so you can judge what deserves the remaining room.
Use Left Shift for stack transfers and Left Alt for splitting stacks, following the controls shown in the inventory panel you have open. The precise action depends on that panel, so pay attention to its prompts while moving supplies between your inventory and containers. Splitting a stack is useful when you want to carry part of your reserve and leave the rest at your shelter.
Construct wooden chests through the Building menu to hold spare resources. A Small Wooden Chest costs 2 Wood, while a Wooden Chest costs 5 Wood; the Wooden Chest recipe note is on a cooler at Liam’s spot associated with Separated. Use your chests for supplies you do not need on the next outing, and leave room in your backpack for the haul you are seeking.
Before leaving, decide what the trip is meant to accomplish. Bring the gathering tools, prepared food, fuel and bandages appropriate to that route, then store surplus materials. Review your remaining space again before extending the trip into another area.
What stays with you after death
In Survival, your worn clothing, equipped backpack and all 8 quick slots remain with your character after death. Loose items from the backpack grid drop to your tombstone, where you can recover them. A larger equipped pack therefore remains available, but the supplies you were carrying in its grid need retrieval.
Keep the tools and supplies you rely on in your quick slots when practical. Store surplus resources before setting out, especially if you are heading somewhere hazardous. If you need to recover a haul, prepare for the return journey with the equipment that stayed with you.
Use the dog’s inventory for your haul
- Complete Dog Days to gain access to your dog companion’s separate storage.
- Approach the dog and tap F at its pack to open the separate 15-slot inventory.
- Transfer supply stacks to the dog’s container when your own backpack needs room for more loot.
The dog is especially useful when gathering ore that would fill your backpack. It can accompany you through unlocked fast-travel posts, and supplies remain in its pack when it follows you to the destination. Plan your return around the travel points you have unlocked.
In co-op, there is 1 dog per world, and it belongs to the host. Guests can sometimes see its harness moving without seeing the dog itself. Coordinate your shared hauling plans with the host before depending on the companion’s storage.
Can you automatically sort backpacks and chests?
- Can I automatically sort my backpack and storage chests?
- Use manual transfers and stack splitting to organize your backpack and chests; the official hotfix notes do not announce built-in automatic sorting. The third-party QuickStash mod offers an F6 action that moves eligible backpack items into nearby constructed chests. Its author has not tested multiplayer, so keep that limitation in mind when managing supplies with friends.