DayZ has many real-world elements baked in to make the survival experience feel more authentic. If you are not careful enough, your actions can cause many kinds of problems like illnesses to your character. Amongst these illnesses is Hypothermia which you contract by wearing wet clothes. So having a bunch of soaked clothing on you can lead to death. For this reason, we will help you in keeping your clothes dry at all times.
You can dry your clothes in DayZ by air drying i.e. running around in windy environments, wringing out your clothes by placing them in your hands or sitting/placing them near a fire/fireplace.
Wetness
The overall level of water saturation affects a character’s clothing and possessions. Characters get wet when they are exposed to rain or when entering a body of water (partially when wading, fully when swimming). As a character’s level of wetness rises, a status indicator in the HUD appears to warn you of your character and your items being wet. After leaving the body of water or getting out of the rain, the character’s level of wetness will decrease gradually until they are completely dry.
There are 4 stages of wetness that affects your clothes and equipment. Each level will progressively impact your wetness meter and also make you more susceptible to Hypothermia. The 4 stages of wetness are:
- Damp
- Wet
- Soaked
- Drenched
A character’s level of wetness has no direct effect on their health, instead, it affects clothing by reducing its heat insulation value as well as equipment by making saturated items heavier (this reduces maximum stamina). This will cause a reduction in the character’s body temperature, which can be beneficial if they are suffering from hyperthermia (being too hot), otherwise, it may cause them to eventually suffer from hypothermia (being too cold).
Related: Complete Guide To Curing Sickness In Dayz
Drying Wet Clothes
If a character has gotten wet, there are a few options for getting dry again, like:
- Run around for a while. If you keep moving, especially at a quick pace, you will “air dry” over time.
- Wring out your clothes. If you open the inventory screen and drag wet clothing to your hands you will have the option to wring them out (twist them to get the water out). Each spin of the action timer equates to a reduction in one level of wetness (Drenched -> Soaked -> Wet -> Damp), dramatically speeding up the drying process. (This is pointless, of course, if you are still in the rain.)
- Sit next to a fireplace. This is by far the most effective method, particularly fast when combined with wringing out your clothes. This will completely dry both you and your items in a matter of minutes. You can even unequip the wet clothes and place them near the fire and they will dry out, it is not necessary that you have to have them on you to dry.
A quick method for drying on the go is:
- Make a torch or set a broom on fire.
- Drop torch/broom.
- Drop your wet clothes.
- Wring your face mask (by the time you’re done, all of your dropped wet clothes are dry).
- Drop your damp face mask.
- Pick up your dry clothes (by the time you’re done, your face mask will be dry).
Absorbency
There is a stat attached to pieces of clothing called Absorbency. This dictates how much water the clothing will absorb if the wearer gets wet. 0% means waterproof, higher numbers mean the item will absorb more water. So it is ideal to wear clothes with lower absorbency when you are outside in the rain or going into water bodies.
The table below has all the clothes and equipment with lowest absorbency:
| Clothe Name | Absorbency |
| Jack-o’-lantern | 4.9% |
| Santa Hat | 4.9% |
| Ballistic Helmet | 24.9% |
| Hard Hat | 24.9% |
| Head Torch | 24.9% |
| Tactical Helmet | 24.9% |
| Hockey Helmet | 24.9% |
| NBC Hood | 24.9% |
| Enduro Helmet | 24.9% |
| Combat Helmet | 24.9% |
| Great Helm | 24.9% |
| Leather Hat | 24.9% |
| Welding Mask | 24.9% |
| Skate Helmet | 24.9% |
| Firefighter Helmet | 24.9% |
| Head Torch | 24.9% |
| Santa Beard | 4.9% |
| NBC Respirator | 24.9% |
| Hockey Mask | 24.9% |
| Gas Mask | 24.9% |
| Leather Shirt | 24.9% |
| NBC Jacket | 24.9% |
| Leather Jacket | 24.9% |
| Firefighter Jacket | 24.9% |
| Patrol Jacket | 24.9% |
| Raincoat | 24.9% |
| Leather Gloves | 24.9% |
| Surgical Gloves | 24.9% |
| NBC Gloves | 24.9% |
| Chest Holster | 24.9% |
| Reflective Vest | 24.9% |
| Drybag Backpack | 24.9% |
| Leather Backpack | 24.9% |
| NBC Pants | 24.9% |
| Leather Pants | 24.9% |
| Firefighter Pants | 24.9% |
| Patrol Pants | 24.9% |
| Civilian Belt | 0% |
| Tactical Belt | 0% |
| Leather Belt | 0% |
| NBC Boots | 24.9% |
| Leather Shoes | 24.9% |
| Wellies | 24.9% |
Related: Does Loot Respawn In Dayz?
Hypothermia
When your character is suffering from Hypothermia you will continuously lose Health as well as you will lose energy faster. This can lead to starvation or death if not treated in time.
To avoid getting Hypothermia it is advised to not stay out in the rain for too long and if you do, you should stay under cover such as trees. If your clothes do get wet you should start a fire or wring your clothes or else you will get cold rather fast. You should also use highly insulated clothes and stay away from open fields to avoid the effects of the wind. In case you do get cold a Heat Pack or any item that has been on a fire such as cooked meat will ensure that you regain your temperature faster.
Surviving in the world of DayZ is no small task and your smallest neglect can lead to fatal consequences, so try to be aware of your situation and health. A small thing as getting wet can lead to hypothermia and eventually death. So dry those wet clothes and stay away from the rain. Place yourself near a fire and avoid the pain.