The vast and dangerous Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is filled with valuable loot, from medkits and ammunition to powerful weapons and unique artifacts.

However, the mechanics of overload can quickly turn your scavenging adventures into a strenuous trial. Effective inventory management and ways to increase carrying capacity are crucial for survival. Here's a detailed guide on how to carry more items in Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl.

Understanding the Inventory System

In STALKER 2, your character, Skif, starts with a maximum carrying capacity of 80 kilograms (kg). The inventory itself is unlimited, meaning you can carry as many items as you want, as long as your carrying capacity allows.

However, as your inventory fills, the stamina and movement speed of the character change depending on how close you are to the maximum weight limit the character can bear:

Green Zone: Less than ~55 kg — movement unrestricted, stamina expenditure normal.

Yellow Zone: More than ~55 kg — stamina depletes faster, movement speed decreases.

Red Zone: Exceeding 80 kg makes you completely immobile until you shed excess load.

Proper inventory management is key to your mobility and efficiency in combat and exploration. High load means the character will tire faster, making it harder to escape danger if needed.

How to Increase Carrying Capacity in STALKER 2

To reduce load and carry more loot, use the following methods:

Utilize artifacts with weight bonuses

Artifacts are special items found near anomalies in the Zone. They can enhance certain character stats, including increasing your carrying capacity:

• "Jump" and "Flytrap": Provide significant weight bonuses but emit high radiation.
  
  
• "Goldfish", "Stone Blood", and "Stone Heart": Offer moderate bonuses with lower radiation.

These artifacts can be placed in slots on your suit to permanently increase the weight you can carry. But remember to balance radiation-emitting artifacts with protective ones like "Slime" or "Mica".

Upgrade armor

Upgrading your armor is a more permanent way to increase your carrying capacity in Stalker 2. Visit technicians in major settlements to enhance your gear. Look for these upgrades:

• "Capacity" upgrades: Typically found at the top of the upgrade tree and can add up to 10% to capacity.
• "Lightweight materials" or "Attachment systems": Reduce the weight of the armor itself, freeing up space for other items.

Note: Not all armor supports carrying capacity upgrades, so plan ahead and focus on suits you intend to use long-term.

Use stalker suits with weight bonuses

Some stalker suits come with built-in bonuses to maximum weight. For example:

• Exoskeleton "Kiras": Adds +8 kg capacity but blocks the ability to sprint.
  
  
• Scientist's Hazmat Suit: Offers +8 kg capacity and bonuses for exploration.
  
  
• Traveler's Suit: Increases capacity by +8 kg and provides balanced damage resistance.
• Military Armor PSZ-7: Increases carrying capacity by 10%.

These suits can be found in stashes, as quest rewards, or purchased from traders.

Take "Hercules" pills

The "Hercules" medication temporarily increases your carrying capacity by 20 kg for 300 seconds (five minutes). This is particularly useful during missions with abundant loot or when transporting bulky quest items back to base.

"Hercules" pills can be found in medkits, purchased from medics, or located in various places around the Zone. Use them strategically, as they are rare and best used in emergencies when you need to boost your carrying ability.

Reduce the weight of gear

Besides increasing carrying capacity, reducing the weight of equipped gear can also have a significant effect. Technicians can apply the following upgrades to your weapons and armor:

• Lightweight materials: Reduce the weight of weapons and gear.
  
  
• Stamped parts instead of milled: Another improvement that reduces gear weight.

These reductions might seem minor individually, but collectively they have a noticeable impact, especially with fully upgraded heavy equipment.

Additional Inventory Management Tips

Organize and prioritize:

➤ Store excess gear in your personal stash at bases, accessible in any settlement.

➤ Sell unnecessary weapons, ammo, and supplies to traders to lighten your load and earn money.

➤ Avoid carrying excessive amounts of consumables like food and water.

Plan your loadout:

➤ Carry only the ammunition needed for your current weapons.

➤ Balance the quantity of necessary items like medkits, antirads, and repair kits.

Be selective when looting:

➤ Focus on valuable items like rare artifacts, powerful weapons, or quest items.

➤ Leave behind low-value loot that isn’t worth the extra weight.

Conclusion

Inventory management and maximizing carrying capacity are crucial skills for survival in STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl. By using weight-increasing artifacts, upgrading armor, or taking boosts like "Hercules," you can better prepare for the challenges of the Zone.

Remember: every kilogram counts — pack wisely and don't let loot weigh you down!