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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →A free loadout lets you enter an ARC Raiders raid with a randomized, low-tier kit instead of risking your stored gear. It is most useful for low-stakes scavenging or objectives that do not need a specialized build, but it is not a guaranteed safe or profitable run: the kit has limited capacity, no safe pocket, and less capable equipment.
What comes in a free loadout?
A free loadout is a no-cost, randomized set of equipment paired with the Free Loadout Augment. The community-maintained ARC Raiders wiki lists a weapon and its ammunition, a light shield, medicines, and variable utility items or gadgets. Examples in its combinations include Kettle I, Stitcher I, Rattler I, and Ferro I. These are examples, not a promise of what every player will receive; kit contents can change.
The wiki lists the augment with 14 inventory slots, four quick-use slots, two weapon slots, a maximum loadout weight of 35.0, and no safe pocket. Without a safe pocket, you cannot count on protecting an item from loss if you are knocked out. The limited inventory also means you will need to choose what to carry out rather than collect everything you find.
What happens to your custom gear when you select one?
Selecting Free Loadout returns the items in your custom loadout to your stash, so there must be enough room for them. Embark’s 1.33.0 patch notes say the space warning was updated to account for item-stack refills when checking whether there is room. The notes also explain that selecting Free Loadout no longer clears the displayed current loadout until you play a round, which can make the selection screen look as though your custom kit is still active.
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Free loadout or custom loadout?
| Consideration | Free loadout | Custom loadout |
|---|---|---|
| Gear at risk | You do not take your selected custom-loadout items into the raid; they return to your stash. | You bring your chosen gear into the raid, so that gear is exposed to loss. |
| Starting equipment | Randomized low-tier kit, including a weapon, ammunition, light shield, medicines, and variable gadgets or utility items. | You choose your equipment; the cited sources do not establish a single standard custom kit for comparison. |
| Carrying and protecting loot | The listed augment has 14 inventory slots and no safe pocket. | Capacity and safe-pocket details depend on the selected augment; no single value is established for custom loadouts. |
| Mission fit | Useful when a specialized build is unnecessary; some map conditions may prohibit it. | Useful when you want a chosen build, and may be required by an active map condition. |
| Matchmaking timing | Do not assume a particular server age or a guaranteed late-join outcome. | Embark’s 1.22.0 note described a bias toward fresh servers for custom loadouts, not a guarantee. |
In that 1.22.0 matchmaking note, Embark also named map choice, time of day, and region as factors affecting the number of players available to matchmake. Treat the fresh-server bias as a versioned behavior, not a promise about every current match.
When should you use a free loadout?
Use it when you want to limit gear-loss exposure
If you are recovering from losses or simply do not want to risk stored equipment on a particular run, a free kit lets you enter without taking your custom-loadout items. That makes it a risk-management choice, not an assurance that you will survive or come out ahead.
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Use it for a low-stakes scavenging run
A free kit can suit a run focused on scavenging when you do not need a particular weapon, augment, or specialized setup. Since there is no safe pocket and space is limited, prioritize valuable or objective-relevant finds and leave room to carry them. Avoiding noisy, prolonged fights and extracting once you have useful loot are sensible ways to manage the kit’s disadvantages.
Choose a custom loadout when the build matters
A custom kit is the more suitable choice when your objective or intended approach depends on specific equipment. A free kit starts with low-tier gear and limited ammunition and healing, so you may be at a disadvantage in a fight. Combat is still possible, particularly when you have surprise or a favorable situation, but do not treat the free kit as an even match against better-equipped opponents.
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Check map conditions before entering
Some map conditions can require a custom loadout. Embark’s Live Update 1.36.0, dated July 7, 2026, described an experimental “No Free Loadout” requirement for Night Raid and Close Scrutiny, introduced since 1.33.0. Embark said it was considering expanding the rule. That July list should not be treated as exhaustive for October 2026 or as a guarantee of the current restrictions: check the active in-game map-condition screen, which indicates when a custom loadout is mandatory.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is a free loadout profitable?
In a GamesRadar+ interview, Embark design lead Virgil Watkins put the free kit’s value at 4,000–5,000 in-game coins and said the economic outcome was only marginally better than bringing a custom kit because the player risks nothing by entering with the free kit. That is his estimate in the interview, not independently verified current item pricing or a guarantee that a player will make a profit. What you extract depends on the raid and the loot you successfully bring back.
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