Permafrost Storage Guide: Containers, Backpack Sizes & Base Tips
Compare Permafrost chest recipes, reported storage slots and backpack sizes, with practical early-base advice and notes on uncertain Large Wooden Chest availability.
Start with Small Wooden Chests for cheap base storage, then choose cabinets or barrels when their materials fit your supply. A Small Wooden Chest is listed with 10 slots for 2 Wood. Backpack upgrades increase what you can carry while exploring; they serve a different purpose from permanent base containers.
Sources checked October 16, 2026. These are community-documented values, including extracted data labeled build 0.44.2.4634-milestone. They have not been tested in the current build. Check your crafting menu and item description before spending scarce materials.
Archived official Steam promotional screenshot, with English UI. It illustrates exploration, not an inventory-capacity test.
Container slots and recipes
Slots accommodate item stacks; 10 slots does not necessarily mean only 10 individual resources. Stack limits and item types determine the actual amount you can store.
| Container | Reported slots | Listed recipe |
|---|---|---|
| Small Wooden Chest | 10 | 2 Wood |
| Wooden Chest | 15 | 5 Wood |
| Large Wooden Chest | 15 reported; verify in game | 5 Wood + 2 Scrap; availability uncertain |
| Wooden Cabinet | 20 | 5 Wood + 2 Quality Metal |
| Plastic Barrel | 20 | 50 Processed Plastic |
The Small Wooden Chest, Wooden Chest, Wooden Cabinet and Plastic Barrel slot counts are documented by WikiTactics; recipes also appear in MetaBot's storage data. The 15-slot figure for a large box comes from player reports and should be treated less confidently than the other rows.
Do not assume Large Wooden Chest is an accessible upgrade. Its MetaBot page includes a recipe but also labels it “Placed by quests only.” That conflict leaves player crafting availability unresolved. Its name alone does not establish more capacity than a Wooden Chest.
Which container is best early on?
If Wood is your bottleneck, three Small Wooden Chests provide a reported 30 slots for 6 Wood. Two Wooden Chests provide the same 30 slots for 10 Wood. Small chests therefore offer better listed slots per Wood, although they require three placements instead of two. This comparison does not establish their physical footprint or access convenience.
A Wooden Cabinet and a Plastic Barrel both offer a reported 20 slots. Choose based on spare materials: the cabinet uses Quality Metal, while the barrel consumes Processed Plastic. Neither is a slot upgrade over the other. Keep materials needed for your next tool or quest before investing in furniture.
Backpack sizes
MetaBot's item data lists the following carry-slot progression. This is a capacity comparison, not a verified unlock or crafting order.
| Backpack | Carry slots |
|---|---|
| Casual Backpack | 15 |
| Survivor's Backpack | 20 |
| Utility Backpack | 25 |
| Scavenger Backpack | 35 |
| Mule Backpack | 40 |
| Mountain Backpack | 45 |
| Military Backpack — Black, Green or Sand | 50 |
Moving from Casual to Utility adds 10 slots, approximately 67% more than the Casual Backpack. Utility Backpack is listed as a reward for House into a Home and The Way Home. Check your current journal and reward screen; that listing does not guarantee when your save can claim it.
A larger backpack reduces how often you must return home, but base containers still help separate crafting supplies from travel equipment. Plan longer collection trips with the fast travel guide and map guide.
Set up storage without wasting materials
- Open the building menu and check which storage recipes your character has unlocked. Follow the current menu's requirements rather than assuming every database entry is craftable.
- Build a cheap container near your normal unloading area. Check placement and interaction before expanding the storage area.
- Group resources by purpose: construction and crafting materials, food and survival supplies, then spare equipment and quest-related items.
- Leave spare slots for the next trip. Move surplus materials into base storage before heading out, while retaining your travel supplies.
These groups are organization suggestions, not automatic sorting features. Do not assume nearby containers feed every crafting station: test whether your current recipe can use stored materials or requires them in your backpack.
Archived official Steam promotional screenshot, with English UI. The shelter scene does not demonstrate a chest recipe or current storage layout.
Can you use spare backpacks as storage?
Players have described filling spare backpacks and dropping them as makeshift caches. We have not verified their persistence across reloads, multiplayer sessions or updates. Use built containers for planned base storage, and do not rely on a dropped bag as the only copy of valuable supplies.
What should you check if the numbers differ?
Compare the exact item name, the current build and whether the displayed number represents slots or stack quantity. Early Access updates can change recipes and availability. The Large Wooden Chest row especially needs an in-game check before you spend Scrap trying to obtain it.
Sources
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