Winning in PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS without knowing the difference between first aid kits and boosters is going to be next to impossible. What guns use .9mm ammo and which gun uses .300 magnum ammo? How much better is a level 3 military vest than a level 1 police vest? We’ve got you covered in our guide to PUBG equipment and consumables.
Find more PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS guides on Gameranx:
- PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS | Guide to all Guns and Ranged Weapons
- PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS | Guide to all Weapon Attachments
- PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS | Guide to Clothing and Cosmetic Items
- PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS | Guide to Loot and Vehicle Spawns
- PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS | Guide to Increasing FPS and Performance
Backpacks are your main form of storage equipment. Backpacks can spawn anywhere in the game and come in three tiers with increasing capacity and rarity. Note that the character default utility belt also works similar to a backpack and provides a very small amount of storage.
Level 1: +150 Capacity
Level 2: +200 Capacity
Level 3: +250 Capacity
Vests are one of two equipment slots that offer protection from your opponents along with helmets. Vests also come with a additional storage capacity making them especially useful. Late game combat in PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS is often decided by who has the most armor and getting at least a level 2 vest is highly recommended. Armor only affects the body part that it covers so aiming for an opponents legs and arms can give you an advantage if they have a high level vest. A damaged vest should be swapped out for an undamaged vest whenever you have the chance with one exception – a damaged level 3 vest is more effective than an undamaged level 1 vest.
Level 1: +200 Armor, +50 Capacity
Level 2: +220 Armor, +50 Capacity
Level 3: +240 Armor, +50 Capacity
Helmets are the second equipment slot to offer protection from your opponents. A level 1 and 2 helmet will not stop you from being one shot from a sniper rifle head shot but they will allow you to take a few weaker gunshots to the dome. A level 3 helmet will stop any direct headshot from a sniper rifle with the exception of the AWM as nothing currently survives that. Damaged helmets should be swapped out for undamaged helmets whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Level 1: +80 Armor
Level 2: +150 Armor
Level 3: +230 Armor
Meds are consumables that come in a variety of flavors in PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS, each with different levels of effectiveness.
Bandages heal you for a very small percentage of your health up until 75% of your maximum HP. They are overly abundant and it is recommended you have a few on you at all times.
First Aid Kits heal you to 75% of your maximum HP instantly. They are not as easy to come by as bandages but you should have no trouble finding a few each round. When looting fallen opponents they are the first thing you should loot and proper first aid kit management is often required to win.
Med Kits are a rare version of the first aid kit and will instantly heal you to 100% of your maximum HP. You will only see these once in a while however and you should not plan around having one to survive.
Boosters in PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS act as a heal over time. They also increase your boost bar which has two benefits associated with it. The first buff increases the power of the heal over time on your character and the second buff increases your movement speed. Knowing when to take and properly manage boosters is what sets good players apart from great players.
Energy Drinks can heal your character above the 75% maximum HP that bandages and first aid kits can not as well as providing +40 to your boost.
Painkillers can heal your character above the 75% maximum HP that bandages and first aid kits can not as well as providing +60 to your boost. They are much less common than painkillers but are not overly scarce.
Adrenaline Syringe can only be found in airdrops and instantly provide +100 to your boost providing a large heal over time and movement speed increase.
Ammo comes in different varieties with all ammo types except the .300 magnum ammo and crossbow bolts being used for multiple guns.
.300 Magnum Ammo — AWM.
.45 ACP Ammo — P1911, Tommy Gun, Vector.
12 Gauge Ammo — S1897, S686, S12K.
5.56mm Ammo — M16A4, M249, M416, SCAR-L.
7.62mm Ammo — AKM, Kar98k, M24, R1895, SKS.
9mm Ammo — Micro UZI, P92, UMP9.
