Backpacks

Loading Screen Tips

If a character keeps food in his backpack then it will be automatically shared with the rest of the squad.

Backpacks are carrying equipment worn on the back. When equipped, it gives the unit extra space, and depending on the bag, the ability to stack Trade Goods that normally would not stack, but at the cost of combat stats.

For Garru and Bull backpacks, the stack multiplier is applied directly. For Trader and Wooden backpacks, stack size is first set to a minimum (2 for Trader and 3 for Wooden), if its lower than minimum, and then its multiplied by stack multiplier of 3x.

Backpacks are obtained differently depending on their category. Normal Backpacks are widely for sale in Travel and Repairs Shops. Thieves Backpacks are sometimes found at normal Travel Shops but are also sold by Shinobi Traders. Animal Backpacks are sold by Travel Shops, Farm Shops and some independent animal traders. Tech Hunter Shops offer a large selection of backpacks. Traders Backpack Large and Shopkeeper Goods Bag are not for sale and can only be obtained by stealing one off of a shopkeeper's back.

Flats Lagoon, Mourn and Squin are good locations to find a large selection of backpacks in various shops.

Occasionally you can find some of the animal Backpacks, Scavenger Basket and the Wooden Backpacks inside of containers found in town ruins such as Old Village, Expedition 4, Expedition 5, Bast and Free Settlement to name a few.

Types of backpacks

Backpack	Grid Size	Effective Size	Stack Min	Stack Mult	Weight	Base value	Encumbrance reduction	Combat skills bonus	Combat Speed	Stealth	Dodge
Small Thieves Backpack	8x8	64	1x	1x	1 kg	3,000	60%	0	1.00x	1.00x	1.00x
Thieves Backpack	10x14	140	1x	1x	2 kg	5,000	60%	-2	1.00x	1.00x	1.00x
Small Backpack	8x8	64	1x	1x	1 kg	1,000	50%	-2	0.95x	0.85x	0.85x
Medium Backpack	10x14	140	1x	1x	4 kg	1,500	50%	-5	0.90x	0.50x	0.50x
Scavenger's Basket	10x14	140	1x	1x	1 kg	250	30%	-5	0.90x	0.50x	0.50x
Large Backpack	12x20	240	1x	1x	8 kg	3,000	50%	-10	0.80x	0.25x	0.25x
Trader's Wooden Backpack	8x8	64	3x	3x	4 kg	800	50%	-5	0.90x	0.40x	0.40x
Wooden Backpack	8x8	64	3x	3x	4 kg	800	50%	-5	0.90x	0.50x	0.50x
Bull Backpack	20x20	400	1x	5x	6 kg	2,000	90%	-4	0.80x	1.00x	1.00x
Garru Backpack	20x20	400	1x	6x	6 kg	2,000	90%	-4	0.80x	1.00x	1.00x
Shopkeepers goods bag	20x20	400	1x	1x	100 kg	5,000	0%	-10	0.50x	0.00x	0.00x
Traders Backpack Medium (Unobtainable)	8x8	64	2x	3x	4 kg	2,500	50%	-5	0.90x	0.50x	0.50x
Traders Backpack Large	10x14	140	2x	3x	8 kg	4,500	50%	-10	0.80x	0.20x	0.20x

Loading screen tips

Loading Screen Tips

Backpacks are a good way to carry more stuff, but the larger ones will hinder you in combat.

Loading Screen Tips

If you don't have a backpack, you can feed your animals by dropping some food on the floor nearby.

Loading Screen Tips

You need to eat to survive. Your character simply needs food in his inventory in order to stay fed. Food in a backpack will be shared among the squad members.

History

Backpacks in the Old World

Trivia

• The combat skill penalty which many backpacks have only reduces a units attack and defense. Their Martial Arts and Dodge at unimpacted. This means that a Martial Artist can wear a Thieves Backpack without having any of their stats reduced.
• As having lower attack (than your opponent's defense) and defense (than your opponent's attack) multiplies the XP gain you receive in combat, the Large Backpack and Traders Backpack Large can speed up leveling massively.
• Back in the Old World version of Kenshi you used to be able to purchase the Traders Backpacks.
• You can hide items from smuggling checks by placing them inside of your Backpack and putting your Backpack in your inventory.
• When a Backpack is dropped, items inside may become bugged and only sell for 1/4th of their normal value. If mousing over the items after selling them they will be labeled as "Stolen from *player name*". You can fix this bug by simply dropping the items on the ground and picking them back up. Just be sure if the items inside were originally stolen that you do so outside of a shop and away from prying eyes as looting stolen items inside a shop may cause NPCs to believe you just looted from their store.
• If you drop a Backpack, you can loot it from the ground by holding down right click (without holding alt) and selecting loot.
  • This can be very useful if you wish to train Strength (or Martial Arts by encumbering yourself) as you can stack many cheap heavy items like water inside of a Garru Backpack. A Garru Backpack filled with (96) water will weigh a massive 966 kg.