equipment$25–60used in 1 side quest
Soil and water contamination test kit
Lab-backed testing service where you collect samples, mail them in prepaid packaging, and receive contamination reports identifying heavy metals, bacteria, and toxins. Essential before eating anything foraged near roads, industrial sites, or old urban lots.
What to look for
- 1Tests for lead, arsenic, cadmium, and other heavy metals (most critical for urban foraging)
- 2Includes bacterial testing (E. coli, coliform) for water sources
- 3Uses certified third-party labs (EPA/NELAC/ISO standards, not home color-change strips)
- 4Clear threshold reporting (tells you if levels exceed safety limits, not just raw numbers)
Skip
- Home strip tests for contamination (fine for pH, unreliable for toxins)
- Kits testing only one category when you need comprehensive screening
- Services without prepaid return shipping (hidden costs)
Used for: Vetting foraging sites near roads or factories · Confirming mushroom patches aren't in contaminated soil · Testing urban spring water before drinking · Creating safe-harvest maps for regular foraging routes
Side quests that use it
Pick the adventure first; the gear follows.
