Background: I have two upgrades to "Insulation/Cold". Likely they are a Sigma and Tau level and I have both built and stacked in my suite inventory. The Sigma goes down fast, and the Tau goes down a bit slower or cna be filled higher, but really within 90 seconds the Tau is depleted and the Sigma goes down. Both use Zinc, which while find-able often takes over 30 seconds to find the next plant. In other words you already have to be "stacked with Zinc" before you go out if you want to get anywhere.

Has anyone tried just stacking four "Insulation/Cold" upgrades to make it so that the meter goes down slower? If I have two Sigma and two Tau will the meters go down even slower because of the stacking effect? Or, will I just have 120 seconds instead of 90 seconds?

I can't see using any more than four slots, but if the stacking effect is strong enough (geometric or logarithmic progression) it might be worth it. Also, is it better to have one of each, on Sigma and one Tau, or two Tau? Or Four Tau?


This might be something I'll have to test if nobody knows....because I really find the cold to be the WORST at chewing through consumables. And I suppose this question applies to heat, radiation, toxins as well as cold. What is teh best stacking, all teh levels or stacking only teh highest levels?

I just leave if a planet is overly harsh.

Just bomb a small hole into a wall and wait a bit. Why waste slots on those upgrades.

I do well with a single theta and the best shielding shard you can craft....which doesn't help you much. BUT, I do recommend you hunt for shard crafting recipes in manufacturing facilities. This will help help a lot since shards are made out of iron ( which is everywhere!), and the higher level plates seem to last longer than zinc or titanium.

I was super glad I had all this before encountering an extreme weather planet.

Digging holes, as has been suggested, is a good short term solution. Plus environmental protection upgrades can be charged with titanium, so piss off a few sentinels and feed off their corpses. If its extreme weather planets specifically giving you trouble, there are really only two reasons to be there: collecting rare, purple resources and grinding out the survival milestones. if you're not there for those, just leave! Go somewhere else. Realising a planet isn't worth your time is an empowering lesson to learn in NMS.

My new solution has been to deconstructs all Sigma level modules to be replace with Theta when available. So, I have a Tau and Theta. It saves space and using the two most effenct models seems to be okay. When I get an Omega upgrade, I will replace the Tau and just have a Theta and Omega.

Upgrade Ranking Scale: (lowest) Sigma < Tau < Theta < Omega (highest?)

UPDATE: Actually, I find that Theta level stuff is sufficient. The guages go down slow on the Theta upgrades, so it just as well to just use Theta level upgrades. That leaves your slots open for elements and 250 Titanium refills all you meters on most of the buffs anyway. The only place I am double up now is for the underwater breathing equipment having two extends my stays under water enough to make it worth it and the Tau level is my backup - in case I trap myself in a cave.