Death Stranding Thermal Pad Explained: Should You Use It?

The latter half of Death Stranding takes you up to the snowy mountains to the west of the map. This area is extremely difficult to traverse, and you’ll need to make sure you’re adequately prepared for taking on the snow and wind. One useful item is the Thermal Pad which can make long treks in the snow much more manageable. Let’s take a look at what you need to know about the Thermal Pad in Death Stranding.

How to Unlock the Thermal Pad

You'll unlock the Thermal Pad during Episode 87, after delivering Mama’s body to Heartman’s Lab. This is order 55, and on completion you’ll get the Thermal Pad along with with Heartman’s Lab as a UCA Chiral site.

What Does it Do?

The Thermal Pad works to combat the ailments you’ll get from spending too long out in the cold. It essentially keeps Sam warm, preventing frostbite from setting in during whiteouts. More importantly, it slows the rate at which Sam’s stamina depletes in these areas, and can really make the difference during long deliveries.

Should You Use it?

The main downside to using the Thermal Pad in Death Stranding is that it takes up one of your inventory slots. You can mount it to your left or right shoulder, which is likely where you’ll be keeping things like PCC kits or Climbing Anchors. We feel that if you are making a long trip through the snow then it is worth having the Thermal Pad handy. It’ll let you rest in the snow without freezing to death, and will make your stamina deplete more slowly. Ultimately, it’s up to you, and if you’ve been busy building ziplines and other time-saving structures then you won’t need to be out in the cold for too long.

A Word of Caution When Transporting Chilled Deliveries

The Thermal Pad essentially heats up the immediate area around Sam while equipped. This will also apply to any chilled deliveries that he happens to be carrying at the time. In short, make sure you unequip any Thermal Pads before taking on chilled items, as there will be significant damage dealt to the Cargo container over time.

That’s everything you need to know about the Thermal Pad in Death Stranding. For more help with the game why not check out our guide on Memory Chip Locations. If you’re struggling to take down Higgs then check out our Higgs boss fight strategy guide.