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Tier list · Clothing
The warmest clothes in DayZ, slot by slot
Cold kills more characters on Sakhal than anything else, and it kills on Chernarus and Livonia in the rain. These are the warmest items in each clothing slot, ranked by the insulation value on our item pages, with weight and pockets so you can trade warmth against load.
How insulation works
What the number means
Every piece of clothing has an insulation value from 0 to 100 percent. The game adds up what you wear, weighted by slot, to decide how fast your temperature drops in cold air and in rain. Head, torso and legs count most; gloves, face and feet still matter on Sakhal. A soaked item loses most of its insulation until it dries, which is why a wet down jacket is worse than a dry raincoat. The medical page explains the temperature stat and hypothermia; the HUD page shows the icons to watch.
Warmest by slot
Ranked by insulation, then by weight
Jackets and tops
| Item | Insulation | Weight | Capacity | Found | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Down Jacket | 100% | 3 kg | 6x4 | Civilian | – |
| Leather Jacket | 100% | 3.1 kg | 6x4 | – | – |
| Hunter Jacket | 100% | 3.2 kg | 6x4 | Hunting, Civilian | Uncommon |
| Military Winter Coat | 100% | 4 kg | 6x4 | Military | – |
| Firefighter Jacket | 100% | 7.4 kg | 6x4 | Fire Stations | Common |
| Field Jacket | 90% | 1.6 kg | 6x4 | Military | Uncommon |
| Quilted Jacket | 90% | 2.0 kg | 6x4 | Civilian | Rare |
Trousers
| Item | Insulation | Weight | Capacity | Found | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leather Pants | 100% | 590 g | 3x2 | – | – |
| Hunter Pants | 100% | 630 g | 5x4 | Hunting, Fishing | Uncommon |
| Firefighter Pants | 100% | 2.5 kg | 5x4 | Fire Stations | Common |
| Cargo Pants | 80% | 530 g | 5x4 | Work, Fishing, Military East, Military West | Uncommon |
| OMK Pants | 80% | 950 g | 5x4 | Military | – |
| Chainmail Leggings | 80% | 8 kg | 4x2 | Historical | Extremely Rare |
Boots and shoes
| Item | Insulation | Weight | Capacity | Found | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leather Shoes | 100% | 380 g | – | – | – |
| Military Winter Boots | 100% | 1 kg | – | Military | Rare |
| Hunter Boots | 100% | 1.4 kg | – | Military | Uncommon |
| Fur Boots | 100% | 2 kg | 1x Knife | Hunting | Rare |
| Hiking Boots | 90% | 400 g | – | Civilian | Uncommon |
| Assault Boots | 90% | 1.1 kg | Knife | Military | Rare |
Hats and helmets
| Item | Insulation | Weight | Capacity | Found | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Witch Hood | 100% | 250 g | – | Hunting, Civilian | – |
| Ushanka | 100% | 320 g | – | Civilian | Uncommon |
| Sherpa Hat | 100% | 350 g | – | Civilian, Farm | – |
| Snowstorm Ushanka | 100% | 350 g | – | Civilian, Hunting | – |
| Headdress | 100% | 400 g | – | Crafted | – |
| Ghillie Hood | 100% | 410 g | – | Crafted, Helicopter Crash Sites, Military Convoy’s | Extremely Rare |
| Morozko Hat | 100% | 450 g | – | Seasonal | – |
| Santa Hat | 100% | 450 g | – | Civilian | – |
Gloves
| Item | Insulation | Weight | Capacity | Found | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ski Gloves | 100% | 100 g | – | Farm, Town, Village | 5 |
| Leather Gloves | 100% | 200 g | – | – | – |
| Padded Gloves | 100% | 400 g | – | Civilian, Hunting | – |
| Wool Gloves | 90% | 130 g | – | Military, Police, Town, Village | Uncommon |
| Combat Gloves | 80% | 450 g | – | Military, Police | Uncommon |
Face coverings
| Item | Insulation | Weight | Capacity | Found | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ski Mask | 100% | 130 g | – | Civilian, Industrial, Military | Rare |
| Santa Beard | 100% | 220 g | – | Civilian | Extremely Rare |
| Balaclava | 90% | 300 g | – | Civilian | Rare |
| NBC Respirator | 80% | 700 g | Gas Mask Filter | Military, Medic, Firefighter | Rare |
| Gas Mask | 70% | 1.1 kg | – | Military, Police | Rare |
Vests
| Item | Insulation | Weight | Capacity | Found | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunter Vest | 100% | 450 g | 16 Slots (4x4), Fishing Hook | Hunting | Uncommon |
| Leather Vest | 100% | 2.8 kg | 25 Slots (5x5), 2 x Grenades | – | – |
| Plate Carrier | 80% | 12 kg | 4x Grenades, Pouches, Holster | Military, Military Infected, Underground Bunker | Very Rare |
| Tactical Vest | 75% | 2.4 kg | 20 Slots (5x4), 4x Grenades | Military | Rare |
| Ballistic Vest | 70% | 7 kg | 16 Slots (4x4), 4 x Grenades | Civilian, military | common |
Backpacks
| Item | Insulation | Weight | Capacity | Found | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Backpack | 100% | 2.3 kg | 56 Slots (7x8), Glow Stick, Handheld Transceiver | Civilian, Camping, Infected | Uncommon |
| Ghillie Suit | 100% | 3.2 kg | – | Crafted, Helicopter crash sites, Military Convoys | Extremely Rare |
| Tactical Backpack | 90% | 2.6 kg | 56 Slots (8x7), Glow Stick, Handheld Transceiver | Military, Military Infected | Rare |
| Ghillie Cloak | 80% | 800 g | – | Crafted, Helicopter Crash Sites | Very Rare |
| Leather Backpack | 80% | 1.3 kg | 42 Slots (6x7), Glow Stick, Handheld Transceiver | Must be Crafted | N/A |
Three full outfits
Warm, warm and light, and warm but quiet
| Outfit | What to wear | For |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum warmth | Firefighter jacket or military winter coat, firefighter pants, fur boots, Morozko hat, padded gloves | Sakhal highlands and night. Heavy; your stamina pays for it. |
| Warm and light | Hunter jacket, hunter pants, hunter boots, hunter vest, leather gloves | The best trade of warmth for weight in the game; the hunter set is full insulation at a fraction of the firefighter kit's weight, and it spawns in hunting stands on every map. |
| Warm and quiet | Down jacket, leather pants, leather shoes, ghillie hood | Civilian spawns, dark colours, no military silhouette. The down jacket has 25 slots and weighs 3 kg. |
What to avoid
The coldest things you can wear
The lowest insulation in the main slots: Flat Shoes (5%), Scrub T-Shirt (5%), Denim Skirt (10%), Denim Shorts (10%), Scrub Pants (10%), T-Shirt (10%), Improvised Feet Wrapping (15%), Improvised Legs Wrapping (15%). Fine for a Chernarus summer, lethal on Sakhal. Military plate carriers and most helmets protect you from bullets, not cold; add a hat under the helmet and a jacket under the vest.
Wet and dry
Rain changes the ranking
Insulation only counts when the item is dry. A raincoat or Gorka jacket over the top keeps the warm layers dry; the hunter and down jackets soak through and then chill you. On Sakhal snow does the same as rain. Dry everything by a fire before you move on, and keep the warmest layer in your pack until you are out of the weather. The Sakhal guide has the fire-first routine.
Quick answers
Questions people ask
What is the warmest clothing in DayZ?
Full-insulation items: the firefighter jacket and pants, military winter coat, down jacket, hunter jacket and pants, bushlat jacket, fur boots, Morozko hat and padded gloves. The hunter set is the lightest full-warmth outfit.
What should I wear on Sakhal?
Full insulation in every slot: jacket, trousers, boots, hat and gloves, with a waterproof layer over the top and a fire kit. The hunter set plus fur boots and a Morozko hat is light and warm.
Does insulation work when clothes are wet?
No. Wet clothing loses most of its insulation until it dries by a fire or in shelter.
Where do I find warm clothes in DayZ?
Hunter gear in hunting stands and cabins, the firefighter set at fire stations, military winter coats and boots at military sites, down jackets and Morozko hats in civilian houses.
Keep going
More guides and tools
Checked 1 November 2026 against DayZ 1.30 (PC 1.30.164200, console 1.87). Insulation, weight and capacity from our item pages; outfit picks are our opinion.