Tools belt | Equipment DayZ - ArmA 2 mod Guide
Last update: 11 May 2016
Tools aren't absolutely essential to survive in DayZ, but they surely make life easier and give new possibilities (e.g. of obtaining food). Not to mention navigation, which is a very powerful advantage. Some tools can be also used as weapons.
Tools don't take up space in the inventory itself, as they are placed in a separate tool belt. Below you can find a full list of tools together with a description:
 | FLASHLIGHT Where to find: civilian, residential buildings (starting item) Rareness: common How to use: press [L] after placing the flashlight in the sidearm slot (remove from toolbelt) What to use for: Obviously, the flashlight comes in handy when moving during the night. It can let you see even very distant buildings. The downside is that you give away your position to all other players. Zeds don't react to its light. |
 | MILITARY FLASHLIGHT Where to find: military objects, barracks Rareness: occasional How to use: press [L] after placing the flashlight in the sidearm slot (remove from toolbelt) What to use for: Unlike the normal flashlight, it emits red light which is much harder to notice for the other players. |
 | HATCHET Where to find: farms, industrial buildings Rareness: very common How to use: Main weapon (remove from toolbelt) or a tool for gathering wood (harvest wood) What to use for: The hatchet is for now the only working melee weapon and takes up the main weapon slot. It's quite and effective, but of course requires you to get close to the enemy. It can be also used to gather wood (needed for campfires). |
 | HUNTING KNIFE Where to find: in all objects Rareness: common How to use: on dead animals (gut animal) What to use for: The hunting knife can only be used to gut animals in order to obtain raw meat. |
 | BOX OF MATCHES Where to find: civilian/residential buildings Rareness: rare How to use: together with wood (make fireplace) What to use for: Matches are used to create a fireplace, by which you can warm up or cook raw meat. |
 | MAP Where to find: civilian, residential, military and industrial buildings Rareness: rare How to use: press [M] What to use for: Without additional tools like the compass or GPS, it requires the skill of identifying characteristic points of the terrain and fining it on the map, as well as locating north based on the movement of the sun and star constellations. |
 | COMPASS Where to find: civilian buildings, residential Rareness: rare How to use: hold down or double press [K] What to use for: The compass makes navigating much easier, especially together with the map. During the night, the compass dial is illuminated. Very useful in coordinating team actions. |
 | GPS Where to find: military buildings, barracks, dear stands Rareness: very rare How to use: press [CTRL]+[M] What to use for: the GPS is a combination on a mini-map and a compass. It displays the topography of the terrain, location names and the direction which you're facing. |
 | WATCH Where to find: civilian, residential buildings Rareness: common How to use: hold down or press [O] twice What to use for: Apart from showing the current time on the server, the watch can also be used to determine the directions of the world. The hands are illuminating at night. |
 | ENTRENCHING TOOL Where to find: military bases Rareness: occasional How to use: automatic when using sandbags What to use for: The entrenching tool is necessary for creating barricades from sandbags. |
 | TOOLBOX Where to find: industrial buildings Rareness: rare How to use: in conjuration with tank traps, bear traps and wire fences What to use for: The toolbox is necessary for setting/dismantling tank traps, wire fences and bear traps. |