In Death Stranding, players need to be concerned about the quality of Sam's boots when they complete their deliveries. Sam's boots play an important role, not only because they take him wherever he needs to go, but because they protect his feet. If players use a certain pair of boots for too long, they will wear out a lot, making them less optimized, and eventually they will hurt Sam, causing him to lose health. Here's how you change them, along with other pieces of equipment.
How to change boots and gear in a Death Stranding
You'll notice the quality of Sam's boots anytime you're on the menu screen or viewing any of his vital items. The outline of the boot indicates them, and they usually have a light blue bar next to them (not to be confused with the dark blue stamina bar). The stamina bar is constantly rising and falling, while the starting quality bar gradually decreases after prolonged use in the game. It only goes up when Sam replaces them for a brand new pair.
To change a player's shoes, he must access his Cargo Management screen by pressing the “Options” button and switching to Cargo. From there, proceed to the "To Boot Clip" section for the second pair of boots. However, players can go anywhere on Sam's cargo page to pick up a pair of boots he's wearing. Go to them, then click the "X" button. From there, navigate to the "Put on shoes" command to exchange them.
This action swaps the current pair he is wearing for the one he is wearing. The older pair are now part of Sam's standard cargo. Because they are worn out, players must take the used couple to the nearest terminal and have them recycled. If players can't find any pairs they have or made in their cargo inventory, be sure to check the private locker at one of the game's delivery terminals to see if they are hiding there.
Players will gain access to Boot Crafting after completing “Order # 7. Recovery: Chiral Printer Interface” during Episode 2 of the game. At this point, whenever Sam needs a new pair, he can visit a terminal in one of the facilities or in the distribution towns to create them. Players are probably going to want to create two pairs, so Sam has one to wear and one to spare.
The same process works for other equipment, such as portable chiral builder (PCC), rope, ladders, container repair sprays, etc. Make sure that when these items are crafted, they end up in Sam's cargo before he leaves for a delivery so they can be used to their fullest, as Sam cannot call them from his private locker.
That's all you need to know about changing boots and other Death Stranding gear. If you're having trouble crafting these items, do whatever you can to collect items lost in the world or steal them from MULE raiders. While MULE boots won't have the same quality as Bridges boots, they are good to use quickly.
