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How to get water in Sons of the Forest

Knowing how to get water in Sons of the Forest is essential for staying alive, so here’s how to master your thirst bar and collect water as you go.

How to get water in Sons of the Forest: Kelvin, your erstwhile companion in Endnight's survival horror game, standing before a large body of water.

Struggling with how to get water in Sons of the Forest? Staying hydrated is paramount when you’re stranded on a deserted island, and drinking water in Sons of the Forest also keeps your stamina up, so finding a reliable way to quench your thirst is crucial if you want to make it past your first day.

You won’t get very far in Endnight’s survival game without knowing how to get water in Sons of the Forest – not even crafting the best Sons of the Forest weapons can help you here. Your thirst bar depletes over time, and any drinks you can scavenge from the crash site won’t last long. Here’s a surefire way to collect water in Sons of the Forest, so you can extend your playtime in one of the best PC games of 2023.

How to get water in Sons of the Forest: A shallow part of a rocky river containing clear, drinkable fresh water.

How to get water in Sons of the Forest

To get water in Sons of the Forest, find freshwater – open your GPS tracker to locate the nearest river or stream on the Sons of the Forest map – and hold ‘E’ to drink. It’s tempting to drink from the shoreline, but saltwater has the opposite effect on your thirst bar, so stick to those rivers and streams. Some players seem to be having trouble drinking with items in hand, so while you shouldn’t have to put things down before you take a sip, you can hide any weapons or items you’re carrying by pressing ‘G’.

You can survive perfectly well with this method of hydration, but it’s not terribly convenient when there are Sons of the Forest mutants on the prowl. That’s where a few cans of energy drink in your backpack come in. Don’t waste these when there’s water a short walk away, and save them for emergencies.

Yarrow flowers also quench your thirst, albeit less so than drinking directly from a water source. They’re somewhat uncommon, but their white buds can easily be seen in the green undergrowth of the forest, so be sure to collect them whenever you see them.

When scavenging in the wild, Salmonberries and blueberries are also a way to get water in Sons of the Forest, though these will only do in a pinch to stave off thirst while you travel to get water.

How to get water in Sons of the Forest: The yarrow plant, a weed with a spray of white buds.

How to collect water in Sons of the Forest

To collect water in Sons of the Forest, you’ll need to find a suitable container. While a turtle shell could be used to gather rain water in The Forest, they so far don’t have the same use in the horror game‘s successor. Instead, you can craft a flask to collect water in Sons of the Forest after you find the 3D printer. It takes 100ml printer resin to make the flask, and, once you have it in your possession, you can collect water from any source you’d ordinarily drink from and carry it with you on your travels.

That’s how to get water in Sons of the Forest, so remember to stay hydrated both in and outside of the spooky sandbox game. If you’re looking for more essential tools for survival, the Sons of the Forest shovel should be your next stop – but you will need to find the Sons of the Forest rebreather and rope gun before you can get it. We’ve also got tips on how to get Virginia, or a Sons of the Forest multiplayer primer if you’d prefer to explore with friends.