VEIN All Items Guide – Backpacks and Storage

VEIN challenges players with a survival experience that demands strategic resource management. Carrying capacity and storage solutions directly impact how efficiently you can loot, explore, and survive in a harsh, zombie-infested world. Understanding backpacks, vehicle cargo, and base storage keeps your inventory organized and your survival plan sharp.

VEIN’s inventory dynamics revolve heavily around your ability to scavenge and transport resources. Knowing where to find and how to upgrade your storage is key to outlasting relentless undead threats and environmental hazards.

Recipes

All Items and Carrying and Storage

This article explains backpacks, vehicle storage, item transport, and base storage within VEIN’s experimental demo. Weights are listed in pounds (lbs), with full version support for imperial and metric measurements.

Backpacks

Backpacks are indispensable for managing your inventory and maximizing loot capacity in VEIN. The demo features four types of backpacks, each offering increased weight capacity and found in different locations.

Backpack Type	Weight Capacity	Location / Notes
School Backpack	50 lbs	Commonly found throughout the world.
Gym Bag	75 lbs	Often discovered in schools; fairly common.
Hiking Backpack	100 lbs	Exclusive to cavern areas in the demo.
Combat Pack	150 lbs	Loot from fallen soldier zombies.

Vehicles and Cargo Capacity

Vehicles play a crucial role in transporting massive amounts of loot between scavenging zones and your base. Each vehicle type offers different cargo capacities and handling nuances that affect how you plan your expeditions.

Every vehicle features a standard glove box with a capacity of 50 lbs, useful for quick-access items.

Vehicle Type	Cargo Capacity	Storage Details / Notes
Motorcycle, Bus, Tractor	None (except glove box)	Minimal or no cargo storage for bulky loot.
Cars, Campers/RVs, Sports Cars, UTVs	300 lbs	RV storage accessed via internal cabinet; sports car trunk located up front.
Pickups, Ambulance	500 lbs	Good balance of cargo capacity and accessibility.
SUVs	700 lbs	Fast with decent storage space.
Vans	1,000 lbs	Ideal for large hauls.
Delivery/Box Trucks	1,200 lbs	Top storage available; interior access only.

Note that larger trucks require you to enter the vehicle to access storage, while smaller vehicles let you load items externally. Always re-equip your weapon after exiting a vehicle since your character becomes unarmed during this action.

Recommended Vehicles:

• Best Overall: Van – balances capacity, speed, and control.
• For Quick Runs: Police Car – fast and maneuverable for short loot trips.
• Fastest Option: Sports Car (excluding motorcycles).

Efficient Loading and Unloading

Quick Loading Tips

• Press J to transfer all items from a single inventory tab.
• Use H to dump your entire inventory into storage up to capacity limits. Be careful: if you try to overload a vehicle storage, no items will transfer. To unload, handle one tab at a time using H to retrieve items. Prioritize moving heavy materials like limestone and car parts before lighter loot.

Weight Management

Focus on transporting high-value and heavy resources first. Break down unnecessary items to save space and avoid traveling while encumbered, which drastically slows movement and leaves you vulnerable to zombies surrounding you.

Transporting Large Items

Bulky objects such as solar panels, refrigerators, drink machines, and mounts can be physically dragged to your base. The usual method is to place large items near a vehicle and then haul them back efficiently.

Tips for handling large item transport:

• Large trucks sometimes experience bugs during hauling; smaller vehicles like police cars offer more stable transport.
• Avoid colliding with zombies while moving items as physics glitches may cause loss or damage.
• To place heavy objects on rooftops, use nearby vehicles or stack buildable structures to move items step-by-step upward.

Recent updates have improved your movement range, making relocating heavy items easier, though it still causes fatigue and exhaustion that impacts stamina.

Why Collect Large Items?

With critical utilities like power and water shutting down over time, gathering items such as solar panels and work tables is essential for rebuilding and maintaining your base. These items save resources needed for fortification and long-term survival.

Moreover, collecting large items presents opportunities for base customization, enabling players to create scenic or thematic setups and enjoy deeper roleplaying elements.

Base Storage and Organization

VEIN offers a range of storage options, from basic crates to repurposed furniture, helping you keep resources organized and accessible.

Craftable and Found Storage

Storage Type	Capacity	Notes
Small Crate	150 lbs	Craftable and suitable for early game storage needs.
Large Crate	300 lbs	Allows clear labelling with capital letters to organize items efficiently.
Material Bin	500 lbs	Designed specifically for scrap materials.
Crafted Trash Can	440 lbs	Accepts all item types, ideal for bulk storage.
In-Game Trash Bin	75 lbs	Found within buildings as fixed storage.
Storage Tote	35 lbs	Portable container that can be labeled for organization.

During the demo, items dropped on the ground did not despawn, allowing players to use the environment for temporary storage without losing items.

Tip: Use the B → Storage crafting menu to create containers. Label each storage unit to keep your base organized and efficient.

Workstations and Tool Storage

Workstations also offer internal storage that scales with upgrades, providing additional space for tools and materials during crafting.

Workstation	Capacity	Notes
Workbench	150 lbs	Basic crafting station.
Advanced Workbench	200 lbs	Supports higher-tier craft recipes.
Fabrication Workbench	300 lbs	Used for advanced materials and equipment fabrication.

Utility Cabinets provide additional storage but consume materials over time if decay mechanics are enabled, so building multiple cabinets increases resource upkeep.

Water Storage Solutions

Item	Capacity	Notes
Fluid Barrel	6,661 fl oz	Largest craftable water container, ideal for sustained supply.
Rain Collector	~3× Barrel Capacity	Automatically refills when it rains, easing water gathering.
Large Water Jug	Varies	Non-craftable yet highly practical for storage.

Other items such as buckets, tubs, and bottles serve as flexible water storage, especially when placed near sinks for easy filling and use.

Food Storage and Refrigeration

Refrigerator Type	Capacity	Availability
Steel Fridge	250 lbs	Found in bars and taverns; the most effective but not movable in early demos.
Regular Fridge	125 lbs	Common household appliance.
Craftable Fridge/Freezer	Varies	Available through crafting menu (B).

Small coolers and lunchboxes offer limited food preservation but help manage perishable items. Note that canned goods spoil surprisingly fast in the demo build.

Combat and Survival Tip

Never face hordes unarmed. Equip armor pieces like combat helmets and vests to boost damage resistance. Upon death, rearming and reclaiming your zombie form is necessary to continue survival.

When hearing a horde scream, immediately retreat to your vehicle. Movement restrictions from encumbrance or sickness greatly increase the risk of fatal encounters.