Decay

Most items will gradually decay over time in The Long Dark. Tools degrade only when used, while Food And Drink, Clothing, and some Materials decay over time.

All materials, tools, clothing, and food items have a condition amount ranging from *100-0%.

• A white number signifies item decay ranging from *100-50.00%
• yellow for *49-10.01%
• red for *10-0%

Items with *0% decay will feature a red RUINED message in the inventory menu and cannot be repaired. Ruined items can only broken down for materials or disposed of (although food items can still be eaten at the risk of Food Poisoning).

Items that are Ruined while in the player's inventory and are then placed inside containers WILL DISAPPEAR from the game world forever, unless they can be harvested. This can be useful to remove Ruined repair items (Sewing Kits, Whetstones, Fishing Tackles) or other commonly found tools (Flare, Canister, ect.)

How fast items decay over time depends on the item, outdoors or indoors, whether a clothing item is worn or not, and the selected difficulty. Typically, food stored outdoors will decay slowest, whereas the opposite (indoors) will decay the fastest. Notable exceptions are canned food and soda.

Using Stalker difficulty as a base, items decay at 80% on Voyageur and 25% as fast on Pilgrim. Interloper items decay at 200%. The corpses of animals killed by the player will decay in three days, no matter the difficulty level.

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.

Food items feature a unique status title next to the item names that is determined by the following decay ranges:

Canned

• Brand New - *100-70%
• Dusty - *69-40%
• Banged Up - *39-20%
• Rusty - *19-5%
• Ruined - *4-0%

Packaged Food

This only shows up next to Chocolate Bar and Granola Bar

• New - *100-71%
• Stale- *70-20%
• Mouldy- *19-5%
• Ruined - *4-0%

Raw/Cooked Meat

Meat slowly grows more spoiled in color over time to reflect age (ex see Rabbit (Cooked))

• Fresh - *100-90%
• Gamey - *89-70%
• Mouldy - *69-40%
• Rancid - *39-5%
• Ruined - *4-0%

Recipes

• Gourmet - *100-70%
• Elegant - *69-40%
• Acceptable - *39-20%
• Crude - *19-5%
• Ruined - *4-0%

Eating food with yellow or red decay ranges can inflict Food Poisoning upon the player if they have low Cooking Skill.

Name	Decay inside (%/day)	Decay outside (%/day)	Best stored
Acorns (Cooked)	0.000	0.000	Any
Acorns (Cooked - Large Portion)	0.000	0.000	Any
Airline Food - Chicken	0.055	0.028	Outside
Airline Food - Vegetarian	0.055	0.028	Outside
Animal Fat	16.667	1.667	Outside
Beef Jerky	0.100	0.010	Outside
Birch Bark Tea	0.000	0.000	Any
Burdock Tea	0.000	0.000	Any
Burbot (Cooked)	3.125	0.313	Outside
Burbot (Raw)	8.333	0.833	Outside
Bear Meat (Raw)	6.250	0.625	Outside
Bear Meat (Cooked)	2.083	0.208	Outside
Chocolate Bar	0.250	0.025	Outside
Canned Pineapple	0.183	0.913	Inside
Cat Tail Stalk	0.000	0.000	Any
Cereal	0.075	0.038	Outside
Canned Corn	0.084	0.417	Inside
Canned Ham	0.067	0.333	Inside
Coho Salmon (Cooked)	3.125	0.313	Outside
Coho Salmon (Raw)	8.333	0.833	Outside
Cooked Potato	4.000	1.000	Outside
Condensed Milk	0.500	2.500	Inside
Cougar Meat (Cooked)	2.083	0.208	Outside
Cougar Meat (Raw)	5.000	0.500	Outside
Cup of Acorn Coffee	0.000	0.000	Any
Cup of Coffee	0.000	0.000	Any
Cup of Herbal Tea	0.000	0.000	Any
Cured Fish	0.100	0.010	Outside
Cured Meat	0.100	0.010	Outside
Dog Food	0.333	1.667	Inside
Dried Apples	0.075	0.038	Outside
Energy Bar	0.833	0.417	Outside
Go! Energy Drink	0.167	0.833	Inside
Granola Bar	0.333	0.033	Outside
Goldeye (Cooked)	3.125	0.313	Outside
Goldeye (Raw)	8.333	0.833	Outside
Ketchup Chips	0.250	0.025	Outside
Lake Whitefish (Cooked)	3.125	0.313	Outside
Lake Whitefish (Raw)	8.333	0.833	Outside
Maple Syrup	1.000	0.500	Outside
Military-Grade MRE	0.055	0.028	Outside
Moose Meat (Cooked)	2.083	0.208	Outside
Moose Meat (Raw)	5.000	0.500	Outside
Orange Soda	0.167	0.833	Inside
Peanut Butter	1.000	0.500	Outside
Pickles	0.200	0.050	Outside
Pinnacle Peaches	0.167	0.830	Inside
Pork and Beans	0.067	0.333	Inside
Prepared Burdock	0.067	0.007	Outside
Ptarmigan (Cooked)	3.125	0.313	Outside
Ptarmigan (Raw)	8.333	0.833	Outside
Rabbit (Cooked)	3.125	0.313	Outside
Rabbit (Raw)	8.333	0.833	Outside
Rainbow Trout (Cooked)	3.125	0.313	Outside
Rainbow Trout (Raw)	8.333	0.833	Outside
Red Irish Lord (Cooked)	3.125	0.313	Outside
Red Irish Lord (Raw)	8.333	0.833	Outside
Reishi Tea	0.000	0.000	Any
Rockfish (Cooked)	3.125	0.313	Outside
Rockfish (Raw)	8.333	0.833	Outside
Rose Hip Tea	0.000	0.000	Any
Salty Crackers	0.000	0.000	Any
Smallmouth Bass (Cooked)	3.125	0.313	Outside
Smallmouth Bass (Raw)	8.333	0.833	Outside
Stacy's Grape Soda	0.167	0.833	Inside
Summit Soda	0.167	0.833	Inside
Tin of Sardines	0.033	0.167	Inside
Tomato Soup	0.100	0.500	Inside
Venison (Cooked)	2.500	0.250	Outside
Venison (Raw)	5.000	0.500	Outside
Wolf Meat (Cooked)	2.500	0.250	Outside
Wolf Meat (Raw)	8.333	0.833	Outside
Water (Unsafe)	0.000	0.000	Any
Water (Potable)	0.000	0.000	Any

Recipes

Name	Decay inside (%/day)	Decay outside (%/day)	Best stored
Acorn Bannock	20.000	5.000	Outside
Acorn Pancakes	20.000	5.000	Outside
Bannock	20.000	5.000	Outside
Breyerhouse Pie	20.000	5.000	Outside
Broth	0.667	0.167	Outside
Camber Flight Porridge	20.000	5.000	Outside
Coastal Fishcakes	20.000	5.000	Outside
Dockworker's Pie	20.000	5.000	Outside
Lily's Pancakes	20.000	5.000	Outside
Pancakes	20.000	5.000	Outside
Peach Pie	20.000	5.000	Outside
Pemmican Bar	4.000	0.800	Outside
Porridge	20.000	5.000	Outside
Ptarmigan Pie	20.000	5.000	Outside
Ptarmigan Stew	20.000	5.000	Outside
Prepper's Pie	20.000	5.000	Outside
Rabbit Pie	20.000	5.000	Outside
Rabbit Stew	20.000	5.000	Outside
Ranger Stew	20.000	5.000	Outside
Rose Hip Pie	20.000	5.000	Outside
Stalker's Pie	20.000	5.000	Outside
Thomson Family Stew	20.000	5.000	Outside
Trout Stew	20.000	5.000	Outside
Venison Pie	20.000	5.000	Outside
Venison Stew	20.000	5.000	Outside

Ingredients

Name	Decay inside (%/day)	Decay outside (%/day)	Best stored
Burdock Root	0.100	0.100	Any
Carrot	0.000	0.000	Any
Cooking Oil	0.000	0.000	Any
Old Mill Flour	0.125	0.125	Any
Running River Oats	0.200	0.200	Any
Salt	0.000	0.000	Any
Potato	0.500	0.500	Any

Quartering

Name	Decay inside (%/day)	Decay outside (%/day)	Best stored
Bear Quarter	10.000	10.000	Any
Cougar Quarter	10.000	10.000	Any
Deer Quarter	10.000	10.000	Any
Moose Quarter	10.000	10.000	Any
Ptarmigan Carcass	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.

The overall item condition will affect the status next to the clothing name, which will be:

• New - *100-90%
• Decent - *89-80%
• Worn - *79-40%
• Torn - *39-30%
• Ragged - *29-10%
• Ruined - *9-0%

Clothes can also rapidly decay from blizzards, wolf attacks, and falling.

Wintermute Clothing

Name	Decay when stored (%/day)	Worn inside (%/day)	Worn outside (%/day)
Astrid's Boots
Astrid's Gloves
Astrid's Jacket
Astrid's Jeans
Astrid's Sweater
Astrid's Toque
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 Scarves

Name	Decay when stored (%/day)	Worn inside (%/day)	Worn outside (%/day)
Aviator Cap	0.025	0.063	0.250
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
Cougar Hide Wrap	0.017	0.0425	0.170
Fleece Cowl	0.125	0.313	1.250
Hardhat	0.029	0.071	0.286
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
Technical Balaclava	0.050	0.125	0.500
Wolfskin Hat	0.022	0.055	0.22
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
Tactical Gloves	0.020	0.200	0.400
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
Festive Sweater	0.033	0.083	0.333
Fisherman's Sweater	0.040	0.100	0.400
Hockey Jersey	0.033	0.083	0.333
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
Flight Jacket	0.025	0.063	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
Miner's Jacket	0.029	0.071	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
Tactical Jacket	0.017	0.210	0.290
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
Miner's Pants	0.050	0.125	0.500
Snow Pants	0.080	0.200	0.800
Wolfskin Pants	0.020	0.050	0.200
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)
Chemical Boots	0.050	0.0625	0.250
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)
Ballistic Vest	0.000	0.000	0.120
Crampons	0.010	0.020	0.010
Foreman's Tool Belt	0.017	0.017	0.017
Improvised Crampons	0.020	0.020	0.010
Improvised Insulation	0.100	0.000	0.050
Moose-Hide Satchel	0.010	0.010	0.010
Security Chief's Rifle Holster	0.010	0.010	0.010
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, and otherwise, one may trade for them with the Trader. Antiseptic only decays when used, similar to tools.

Storing these supplies inside does not alter the rate of decay. Ruined meds may still be used through the Radial Menu, and will not stack if dropped and picked up.

Name	Decay over time (%/day)
Antibiotics	0.100
Painkillers	0.100
Prepared Burdock	0.067
Water Purification Tablets	0.200

Tools

Tools will only decay condition when they're used. Once their condition goes below a set threshold, they gain a chance to break on use that increases linearly as the condition falls below the threshold.

Note that these decay values are not affected by the difficulty multiplier.

Tool Decay Per Action

Name	Decay per action (%)	Breaking threshold (%)
Hunting Knife	2.000	15
Improvised Knife	3.000	30
Cougar Claw Knife	2.000	15
Survival Knife	0.750	15
Scrap Metal Shard
Hatchet	2.000	15
Improvised Hatchet	3.000	30
Hacksaw	5.000	25
Heavy Hammer	0.667	10
Prybar	1.600	20
Simple Tools	3.333	20
Quality Tools	2.000	10
Whetstone	5.000	20
Firearm Cleaning Kit	5.000	20
Sewing Kit	5.000	20
Fishing Tackle	10.000	20
Firestriker	2.000	10
Torch

Tool decay from use over time

Tools used to craft recipes, harvest carcasses, and clear ice holes will decay condition over time.

Name	Crafting (%/hour)	Harvesting animals (%/hour)	Clearing ice fishing hole (%)
Quality Tools	1.000
Simple Tools	1.667
Sewing Kit	5.000
Fishing Tackle	10.000
Heavy Hammer	0.667		1.333
Hacksaw		1.000
Hatchet	1.000	1.000	5.000
Hunting Knife	1.000	1.000	5.000
Improvised Hatchet	1.500	1.500	10.000
Improvised Knife	1.500	1.500	8.000
Cougar Claw Knife	1.000	1.000	5.000
Survival Knife	0.500	0.500	2.500
Scrap Metal Shard

Weapons

Weapons decay, but only when fired. Once their condition goes below a set threshold, they gain a chance to break on use that increases linearly as the condition falls below the threshold.

Rifles

Name	Decay per action (%)	Breaking threshold (%)
Barb's Rifle	1.125	10
Hunting Rifle	1.325	10
Curator's Rifle	1.325	10
Vaughn's Rifle	2.000	10
Bunker Rifle	4.000	10

Pistols

Name	Decay per action (%)	Breaking threshold (%)
Revolver	1.000	10
Warden's Revolver	1.000	10
Hunter's Revolver	1.000	10
Forester's Revolver	0.750	10
Distress Pistol	4.000	10

Bows

Name	Decay per action (%)	Breaking threshold (%)
Survival Bow	2.000	15
Bushcraft Bow	1.600	50
Sport Bow	1.250	15
Woodwright's Bow	1.000	15

Arrows

Simple Arrows, Manufactured Arrows, and Fire Hardened Arrows decay, but only when they're used. Total arrow durability is variable and depends on a material table to determine it's condition loss; with the hardness of the material and the angle at which the arrow impacts the target determining the amount of degradation received. After a hit takes an arrow's condition below 0% it will turn into it's broken variant then fall to the ground where it may be retrieved.

Arrow Condition Decay on Impact

Arrow Type	Snow	Flesh	Wood	Stone/Metal
Simple Arrow	4%	24%	30%	55%
Fire Hardened Arrow	7.5%	47.5%*	59.5%	100%*
Manufactured Arrow	2%	12%	15%	27.5%

*Full condition fire hardened arrows break instantly upon hitting medium and larger wildlife, but may still survive hard impacts with stone/metal at glancing angles.

Bedrolls

Bedrolls both decay over time and when used.

Name	Decay per day (unused)	Decay per day (used)
Bedroll	0.200%	1.644%
Bear Skin Bedroll	0.274%	2.400%
Improvised Down Bedroll	0.300%	2.600%

Tales from the Far Territory

Tales from the Far Territory tools.

Name	Decay when stored (%/day)
Travois	0.125
Insulated Flask	0.010
Respirator	0.000

Materials

Fresh Hides, Pelts, and Guts stop decaying once they've cured completely. All other materials not mentioned here don't decay.

Name	Decay over time (%/day)
Flare Shell	0.067
Fresh Cougar Hide	2.857
Fresh Black Bear Hide	3.333
Fresh Deer Hide	3.333
Fresh Gut	5.000
Fresh Moose Hide	2.857
Fresh Rabbit Pelt	6.667
Fresh Wolf Pelt	5.000

• 
  Food decay (obsolete)

Update history

* {{#switch:update|update=UPDATE|hotfix=HOTFIX|hidden=HIDDEN}} 27 May 2025{{#if:The Long Dark/Changelog#2.42| (Update)|}}:

• Re-tuned food decay values for canned goods and meat. Canned goods decay reduced by 1/2, all meat decay is now 1/4 its previous value.

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