Last Updated on May 4, 2024 by Samuel Franklin
Is your Tarkov stash full of loot from successful raids? Limited stash space is a common challenge for many EFT players as your survival rate improves and in particular Standard Edition accounts with the smallest starting stash space.
To help you maximise your storage this guide details how to increase stash size with the hideout stash upgrade, the best rigs for storage and other stash management tips. With these recommended methods that I’ve used across multiple Tarkov wipes you’ll have additional space to hold onto valuable Flea Market items or critical quest items until they are required.
Table of Contents:
– Tarkov Stash Space Overview
–
– Tarkov Best Initial Containers
– Tarkov Best Rigs For Storage
– Tarkov Best Backpacks For Storage
Tarkov Stash Space Overview
When determining how to upgrade stash size players have several direct and indirect options that provide a larger space in Tarkov:
- Upgrading your Escape From Tarkov game version to a higher tier game edition increases your starting stash size.
- Constructing a Tarkov stash upgrade through the hideout which allows all players regardless of game version to achieve the same stash sizes when fully upgraded (level 4).
- Purchasing various containers from traders or the Flea Market to offer additional stash size efficiency. For example the popular Lucky Scav Junk Box will occupy 16 slots in your stash but can store 196 slots of barter items.
- Using specific rigs to improve your storage space which like containers provide additional overall slots. This option is cheaper than containers but is less efficient.
- Using specific backpacks to improve your storage space, similar to rigs this is a relatively cheap option although is the least efficient option to get a bigger stash.
Tarkov Stash Upgrade (Hideout, Account Edition & Purchase)
The only in game free method to increase the number of total slots in your Tarkov stash is the hideout upgrade which allows players to progress from a starting 10×28 stash size to a 10×68 stash size for a massive 400 slot increase. By default Standard Edition accounts start at stash level 1 and your account edition changes the stash level players start with which unlocks the extra space significantly earlier and without the associated costs. Alternatively players can purchase additional stash lines for USD$3 each for a permanent increase.
The Tarkov stash size comparison chart below summarises the different stash levels, requirements, upgrade cost and respective edition:
Stash Level | Stash Size | Hideout Requirements | Hideout Upgrade Cost | Game Edition |
---|---|---|---|---|
Level 1 | 10 x 28 (280 slots) | N/A | N/A | Starting level for Standard Edition |
Level 2 | 10 x 38 (380 slots) | Level 1 Vents |
| Starting level for Left Behind Escape Edition |
Level 3 | 10 x 48 (480 slots) | Level 2 Vents Level 2 Heating Prapor Level 3 Ragman Level 3 |
| Starting level for Prepare for Escape Edition |
Level 4 | 10 x 68 (680 slots) | Level 3 Generator Level 3 Workbench Level 3 Heating Level 2 Intelligence Centre Peacekeeper Level 4 Ragman Level 4 |
| Starting level for Edge of Darkness (EoD) |
Tarkov Best Initial Containers
Containers offer cost-effective storage expansion and are purchasable from traders or the Flea Market. They will generally be available earlier in your account progression and cheaper to players compared to hideout stash upgrades that makes them attractive alternatives to obtaining extra stash space. As prices fluctuate over the course of a Tarkov wipe players will need to determine if the Flea Market cost is worth the convenience of extra stash space of these containers as sometimes it can be just as effective to clean out items in your stash.
While there are many containers available in Escape From Tarkov these recommended containers below can store the core items (barter items, currency, ammo, medical items and magazines) without spending significant Roubles. These are my recommended containers from a price and efficiency perspective for players to consider as they progress:
Container | Stash Space Taken | Container Space Provided | Items Allowed | Available From |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dogtag case | 1 | 100 | Dogtags | Therapist Level 1 Jaeger Level 1 (barter) |
Wallet | 1 | 4 | Money | Flea Market |
Lucky Scav Junk Box | 16 | 196 | Barter Items | Therapist Level 1 Therapist Level 2 (barter) Lavatory Level 2 |
Ammunition Case | 4 | 49 | Ammunition | Mechanic Level 2 Mechanic Level 1 (barter) Jaeger Level 4 (barter) |
Magazine Case | 6 | 49 | Magazines | Mechanic Level 3 Lavatory Level 2 |
Medicine Case | 6 | 49 | Medical | Therapist Level 2 (barter) Therapist Level 3 |
Once players have reached stash upgrade level 4 in the hideout and have Roubles to spare you can also consider the expensive quality of life containers like the THICC Item Case, THICC Weapon Case, Money Case, Grenade Case, Mr. Holodilnick thermal bag and Weapon Case. Players will also obtain some of these containers through high level quests that makes purchasing them before this point unnecessary.
Tarkov Best Rigs For Storage
Another option for Tarkov stash space optimisation is utilising rigs which is an effective choice on fresh accounts that may lack the funds for the other stash upgrade options currently. This method works as some rigs in the game have an efficiency score higher than 1 which means that they have more space inside than the stash space required. For example if a rig takes up 16 slots and has 18 slots of space it has an efficiency of 112.5% (18/16) and players are effectively gaining 2 extra storage slots.
While these gains to stash space are small it is relatively easy and cost effective as you can acquire them in raid or from Scav runs and either use or sell them to traders once they are no longer needed. The downside of this method is that it can become difficult to locate specific items when you have many rigs in your stash full of random items.
The image below are my recommended unarmoured rigs to keep an eye out for during your raids as they are common and provide good efficiency:
The following are all unarmoured rigs that have an efficiency score above 1 in order of efficiency:
Rig | Container Space Provided | Stash Space Taken | Efficiency |
---|---|---|---|
LBT-1961A Load Bearing Chest Rig | 18 | 9 | 2 |
LBT-1961A Load Bearing Chest Rig (Goons Edition) | 18 | 9 | 2 |
Velocity Systems MPPV Multi-Purpose Patrol Vest | 24 | 12 | 2 |
Haley Strategic D3CRX Chest Harness | 16 | 9 | 1.78 |
Direct Action Thunderbolt compact chest rig | 16 | 9 | 1.78 |
Gear Craft GC-BSS-MK1 chest rig | 16 | 9 | 1.78 |
CSA chest rig | 10 | 6 | 1.67 |
BlackRock chest rig | 20 | 12 | 1.67 |
WARTECH MK3 TV-104 chest rig | 20 | 12 | 1.67 |
Azimut SS “Zhuk” chest harness | 20 | 12 | 1.67 |
Belt-A + Belt-B gear rig | 25 | 16 | 1.56 |
Stich Profi Chest Rig MK2 (Recon, A-TACS FG) | 18 | 12 | 1.5 |
Stich Profi Chest Rig MK2 (Assault, A-TACS FG) | 18 | 12 | 1.5 |
DIY IDEA chest rig | 18 | 12 | 1.5 |
Spiritus Systems Bank Robber chest rig | 8 | 6 | 1.34 |
SOE Micro Rig | 8 | 6 | 1.34 |
Dynaforce Triton M43-A chest harness | 8 | 6 | 1.34 |
BlackHawk! Commando chest harness | 16 | 12 | 1.34 |
Umka M33-SET1 hunter vest | 16 | 12 | 1.34 |
ANA Tactical Alpha chest rig | 20 | 16 | 1.25 |
Splav Tarzan M22 chest rig | 14 | 12 | 1.17 |
Type 56 Chicom chest harness | 10 | 9 | 1.12 |
WARTECH TV-109 + TV-106 chest rig | 10 | 9 | 1.12 |
The following are all armoured rigs have an efficiency score above 1, generally players should use these in raids rather than as storage:
Armoured Rig | Container Space Provided | Stash Space Taken | Efficiency |
---|---|---|---|
Ars Arma A18 Skanda plate carrier | 25 | 12 | 2.08 |
CQC Osprey MK4A plate carrier (Assault, MTP) | 25 | 12 | 2.08 |
CQC Osprey MK4A plate carrier (Protection, MTP) | 24 | 12 | 2 |
WARTECH TV-110 plate carrier | 23 | 12 | 1.92 |
Crye Precision AVS plate carrier | 23 | 12 | 1.92 |
Ars Arma CPC MOD.1 plate carrier | 23 | 12 | 1.92 |
Shellback Tactical Banshee plate carrier (A-TACS AU) | 16 | 9 | 1.78 |
ECLiPSE RBAV-AF plate carrier (Ranger Green) | 19 | 12 | 1.58 |
NPP KlASS Bagariy armored rig | 25 | 16 | 1.56 |
Eagle Industries MMAC plate carrier (Ranger Green) | 14 | 9 | 1.56 |
Crye Precision CPC plate carrier (Goons Edition) | 18 | 12 | 1.5 |
WARTECH TV-115 plate carrier | 13 | 9 | 1.45 |
FirstSpear Strandhogg plate carrier (Ranger Green) | 17 | 12 | 1.42 |
Eagle Allied Industries MBSS plate carrier | 12 | 9 | 1.34 |
Crye Precision AVS plate carrier (Tagilla Edition) | 12 | 9 | 1.34 |
ANA Tactical M1 plate carrier | 20 | 12 | 1.25 |
ANA Tactical M2 plate carrier | 18 | 16 | 1.13 |
5.11 Tactical TacTec plate carrier | 18 | 16 | 1.13 |
S&S Precision PlateFrame plate carrier (Goons Edition) | 10 | 9 | 1.12 |
Tarkov Best Backpacks For Storage
Similar to rigs there are a number of backpacks with an efficiency score higher than 1 that can be used for additional storage space although the gains are smaller and these high efficiency backpacks are not as readily available:
Backpack | Container Space Provided | Stash Space Taken | Efficiency |
---|---|---|---|
LBT-2670 Slim Field Med Pack | 48 | 20 | 2.4 |
Oakley Mechanism heavy duty backpack (Black) | 32 | 25 | 1.28 |
LBT-1476A 3Day Pack (Woodland) | 25 | 20 | 1.25 |
Hazard 4 Pillbox backpack | 20 | 16 | 1.25 |
Mystery Ranch Blackjack 50 backpack (Multicam) | 42 | 35 | 1.2 |
ANA Tactical Beta 2 Battle backpack | 30 | 25 | 1.2 |
6Sh118 raid backpack | 48 | 42 | 1.14 |
Eberlestock F4 Terminator load bearing backpack (Tiger Stripe) | 40 | 35 | 1.14 |
Hazard 4 Takedown sling backpack | 24 | 21 | 1.14 |
Written by
Samuel Franklin
Samuel Franklin is the founder and lead editor of the Games Finder team and enjoys video games across all genres and platforms.
Sam (Seelyon) is a seasoned Escape From Tarkov player with over 1,000 raids across multiple Tarkov patches while accumulating thousands of player kills and maintaining a 50% survival rate who favours a calculated playstyle. During these wipes he has earned the coveted Kappa secure container, proving his determination in the unforgiving world of Tarkov. His passion for the punishing game goes beyond personal accomplishment and he is driven by a desire to guide new players on their own Escape From Tarkov journey one raid at a time.
Through countless firefights, strategic flanks and exhilarating boss encounters, he has accumulated a deep understanding of the game’s mechanics and nuances that allows him to offer valuable insights and strategies to those seeking to navigate the complexities of Tarkov.