Most items will gradually decay in The Long Dark. Tools degrade when used, while food and clothing decays over time.
How fast items decay over time depends on the item and on the selected difficulty. Using Stalker difficulty as a base, items decay at 80% on Voyageur and 25% as fast on Pilgrim . Interloper items decay at 200%.
The decay values in the tables below are based on Stalker difficulty and are extracted from the game files.
Food and drink
Food decays at different rates, depending on whether it is stored outside or inside. Currently, the game also considers sheltered locations without a loading screen, such as the Mountaineer's Hut , the Forestry Lookout or caves, to be outside . Additionally, it doesn't matter whether the items are stored in a container or not.
When eating food with low condition, the food poisoning effect may be applied. Eating meat from carnivores also adds a risk for intestinal parasites on Stalker and Interloper difficulties.
Name
Decay inside (%/day)
Decay outside (%/day)
Best stored
Airline Food - Chicken
0.056
0.028
Outside
Airline Food - Vegetarian
0.056
0.028
Outside
Beef jerky
0.100
0.010
Outside
Birch bark tea
0.000
0.000
Any
Black bear meat (cooked)
8.333
0.833
Outside
Black bear meat (raw)
25.000
2.500
Outside
Candy bar /Chocolate Bar
0.250
0.025
Outside
Cattail stalk
0.000
0.000
Any
Coho salmon (cooked)
12.500
1.250
Outside
Coho salmon (raw)
33.333
3.333
Outside
Condensed milk
1.000
0.250
Outside
Cup of coffee
0.000
0.000
Any
Cup of herbal tea
0.000
0.000
Any
Dog food
0.667
0.167
Outside
Energy bar
0.833
0.417
Outside
GO! Energy drink
0.167
0.833
Inside
Granola bar
0.333
0.033
Outside
Ketchup chips
0.250
0.025
Outside
Lake whitefish (cooked)
12.500
1.250
Outside
Lake whitefish (raw)
33.333
3.333
Outside
Maple syrup
1.000
0.500
Outside
Military-Grade MRE
0.056
0.028
Outside
Moose meat (cooked)
8.333
0.833
Outside
Moose meat (raw)
20.000
2.000
Outside
Orange soda
0.167
0.833
Inside
Peanut butter
1.000
0.500
Outside
Pinnacle peaches
0.333
1.667
Inside
Pork and beans
0.133
0.667
Inside
Rabbit (cooked)
12.500
1.250
Outside
Rabbit (raw)
33.333
3.333
Outside
Rainbow trout (cooked)
12.500
1.250
Outside
Rainbow trout (raw)
33.333
3.333
Outside
Reishi tea
0.000
0.000
Any
Rosehip tea
0.000
0.000
Any
Salty crackers
0.000
0.000
Any
Smallmouth bass (cooked)
12.500
1.250
Outside
Smallmouth bass (raw)
33.333
3.333
Outside
Stacy's grape soda
0.167
0.833
Inside
Summit soda
0.167
0.833
Inside
Tin of sardines
0.067
0.333
Inside
Tomato soup
0.200
0.050
Outside
Venison (cooked)
10.000
1.000
Outside
Venison (raw)
20.000
2.000
Outside
Wolf meat (cooked)
10.000
1.000
Outside
Wolf meat (raw)
33.333
3.333
Outside
Water (potable)
0.000
0.000
Any
Quartering
Name
Decay inside (%/day)
Decay outside (%/day)
Best stored
Bear quarter
10.000
10.000
Any
Deer quarter
10.000
10.000
Any
Moose quarter
10.000
10.000
Any
Rabbit carcass
10.000
10.000
Any
Wolf quarter
10.000
10.000
Any
Clothing
Clothing items have three different decay speeds: when stored (in- or outside), when worn inside and when worn outside. Clothes gradually offer less protection from the cold the more they decay, making it important to keep one's clothes in good condition.
Clothes can also rapidly decay from blizzards, wolf attacks, and falling.
Story
Name
Decay when stored (%/day)
Worn inside (%/day)
Worn outside (%/day)
Mountaineering boots
0.040
0.100
0.400
Mackenzie's Boots
0.067
0.067
0.333
Mackenzie's Parka
0.040
0.100
0.200
Mackenzie's Toque
0.000
0.250
0.500
Mackenzie's Pants
0.100
0.250
0.500
Mackenzie's Shirt
0.250
0.250
0.500
Mackenzie's Sweater
0.250
0.250
0.500
Hats and scarfs
Name
Decay when stored (%/day)
Worn inside (%/day)
Worn outside (%/day)
Balaclava
0.100
0.250
1.000
Baseball cap
0.333
0.833
3.333
Cotton scarf
0.133
0.333
1.333
Cotton toque
0.500
1.000
2.000
Fleece cowl
0.125
0.313
1.250
Improvised head wrap
1.000
2.000
4.000
Long wool scarf
0.067
0.167
0.667
Rabbitskin hat
0.067
0.167
0.667
Wool scarf
0.100
0.250
1.000
Wool toque
0.133
0.333
1.333
Gloves
Name
Decay when stored (%/day)
Worn inside (%/day)
Worn outside (%/day)
Driving gloves
0.500
1.000
2.000
Fleece mittens
0.333
1.000
1.333
Gauntlets
0.125
0.375
0.500
Improvised hand wraps
0.500
1.000
2.000
Rabbitskin mitts
0.050
0.125
0.500
Ski gloves
0.167
0.333
0.667
Wool mittens
0.250
0.750
1.000
Work gloves
0.167
0.333
0.667
Shirts and sweaters
Name
Decay when stored (%/day)
Worn inside (%/day)
Worn outside (%/day)
Cowichan sweater
0.033
0.083
0.333
Dress shirt
0.333
1.000
1.333
Fisherman's sweater
0.040
0.100
0.400
Hoodie
0.100
0.250
1.000
Plaid shirt
0.250
0.750
1.000
Sweatshirt
0.250
0.750
1.000
Thick wool sweater
0.050
0.125
0.500
Thin wool sweater
0.067
0.167
0.667
T-Shirt
0.500
1.500
2.000
Wool shirt
0.167
0.500
0.667
Coats, vests and jackets
Name
Decay when stored (%/day)
Worn inside (%/day)
Worn outside (%/day)
Bearskin coat
0.133
0.033
0.133
Down vest
0.250
0.750
1.000
Expedition parka
0.063
0.188
0.250
Light shell
0.167
0.333
0.667
Mackinaw jacket
0.083
0.250
0.333
Mariner's pea coat
0.071
0.071
0.286
Military coat
0.071
0.214
0.286
Moose-hide cloak
0.033
0.027
0.133
Old fashioned parka
0.083
0.250
0.333
Simple parka
0.100
0.300
0.400
Ski jacket
0.067
0.167
0.667
Sport vest
0.333
0.667
1.333
Urban parka
0.200
0.600
0.800
Windbreaker
0.333
1.000
1.333
Wolfskin coat
0.020
0.050
0.200
Underwear
Name
Decay when stored (%/day)
Worn inside (%/day)
Worn outside (%/day)
Thermal underwear
0.200
0.500
2.000
Wool longjohns
0.100
0.250
1.000
Pants
Name
Decay when stored (%/day)
Worn inside (%/day)
Worn outside (%/day)
Cargo pants
0.067
0.167
0.667
Combat pants
0.067
0.167
0.667
Deerskin pants
0.029
0.071
0.286
Jeans
0.100
0.500
1.000
Snow pants
0.080
0.200
0.800
Work pants
0.050
0.250
0.500
Socks
Name
Decay when stored (%/day)
Worn inside (%/day)
Worn outside (%/day)
Climbing socks
0.100
0.250
1.000
Sports socks
0.625
1.875
2.500
Wool socks
0.133
0.333
1.333
Shoes and boots
Name
Decay when stored (%/day)
Worn inside (%/day)
Worn outside (%/day)
Combat boots
0.067
0.067
0.667
Deerskin boots
0.033
0.033
0.333
Insulated boots
0.125
0.250
0.500
Leather shoes
0.167
0.167
0.667
Mukluks
0.040
0.100
0.400
Running shoes
0.250
0.250
1.000
Ski boots
0.050
0.100
0.200
Trail boots
0.067
0.067
0.667
Work boots
0.050
0.125
0.500
Accessories
Name
Decay when stored (%/day)
Worn inside (%/day)
Worn outside (%/day)
Moose-hide satchel
0.020
0.020
0.030
Wool ear wrap
0.133
0.333
1.333
Medical supplies
Only painkillers, antibiotics and water purification tablets decay over time. Fortunately, there are craftable alternatives (Reishi tea , Rose hip tea ) that do not decay.
Storing these supplies inside does not alter the rate of decay.
Name
Decay over time (%/day)
Antibiotics
0.100
Painkillers
0.100
Water purification tablets
0.200
Tools
Most tools degrade only when they're used. Once their condition goes below a lower threshold, they have a chance to break when they're used.
Note that these decay values are not affected by the difficulty multiplier.
Name
Decay per action (%)
Breaking threshold (%)
Can opener
2.000
20
Distress pistol
4.000
10
Firestriker
2.000
10
Fishing tackle
10.000
20
Hacksaw
5.000
25
Hatchet
2.000
15
Heavy hammer
0.667
10
Hunting knife
2.000
15
Hunting rifle
1.333
10
Improvised hatchet
3.000
30
Improvised knife
3.000
30
Prybar
1.600
20
Quality tools
2.000
10
Revolver
1.000
10
Rifle cleaning kit
5.000
20
Sewing kit
5.000
20
Simple tools
3.333
20
Survival bow
2.000
15
Whetstone
5.000
20
Special tools
Name
Crafting (%/hour)
Harvesting animals (%/hour)
Clearing ice fishing hole (%)
Fishing tackle
10.000
Hacksaw
1.000
Hatchet
1.000
1.000
5.000
Heavy hammer
0.667
1.333
Hunting knife
1.000
1.000
5.000
Improvised hatchet
1.500
1.500
10.000
Improvised knife
1.500
1.500
8.000
Prybar
1.600
Quality tools
1.000
Sewing kit
5.000
Simple tools
1.667
Arrows
Arrows only degrade when they're used. The amount of decay depends on the angle with which the arrow impacts and on the hardness of the object it hits.
Arrows can break on impact when their condition sinks below 20%. If an animal is hit and the arrow breaks, it will not be embedded in the animal and instead just drop to the floor.
Bedrolls
Bedrolls both decay over time and when used.
Name
Decay over time (%/day)
Decay when used (%/hour of sleep)
Bedroll
0.200
0.100
Bear skin bedroll
0.274
0.068
Materials
Hides and guts stop decaying once they've cured completely. All other materials not mentioned here don't decay.
Name
Decay over time (%/day)
Black bear hide
3.333
Deer hide
3.333
Flare shell
0.067
Gut
5.000
Herbal tea
0.067
Moose hide
2.857
Rabbit pelt
6.667
Tin of coffee
0.100
Wolf pelt
5.000