DMZ Secure Backpack: How it works and how to get one

Most Modern Warfare 2 players know that in DMZ, many faction missions require the collection of random items scattered around the world. Whether it’s a cool contraband weapon or a thumb drive, items are an essential part of leveling up your contracts with specific groups.

It is, however, far too easy to lose these items throughout any given DMZ match, especially when getting into combat with other players and tough AI. If you are eliminated during your deployment, you end up losing all of these items as well, forcing you to start your hunt for these crucial items all over again.

Luckily, DMZ introduced a new type of backpack that should make life a lot easier when trying to complete these types of missions. The Secure Backpack is one of the more coveted items in the game and is a must-acquire for loot goblins who are trying to knock out more missions in their sessions.

How to get a Secure Backpack in DMZ

Unlocking the Barter recipe

DMZ’s season four update in 2023 made a significant change to how Bartering works when out in the field. The recipes must first be unlocked before a Barter for an item can be made. This includes the Secure Backpack.

To unlock the Barter trade recipe for the Secure Backpack, you must first kill the Scavenger nine times. You won’t need to extract any special items like the Scavenger Backpack or a Gold Skull—although a number of other recipes might need those items.

Ideally, jump into a squad and hunt him down. He is easiest to find on Al Mazrah toward the middle of the map but can spawn in a large area. You know you’re close when you hear a radio message saying numerous operators have disappeared near your location. Eventually, he’ll pop up on your DMZ minimap.

Secure Backpack barter recipe

Once unlocked the recipe for a Secure Backpack, as of season five, is:

• Two Electric Drills
• Two Gas Cans
• One Gold Skull

While it is possible to find a Secure Backpack in the wild, you’ll need to bring down a miniboss or use numerous keys entering locked zones to find them. As such, the best way is to craft the Secure backpack via the Barter system, which you can do at a Buy Station.

Players must find two Electric Drills, two Gas Cans, and a Golden Skull before heading to the Buy Station to trade them in for the backpack. The gas cans are pretty easy to find on any DMZ map, with plenty of each found at gas stations. The electric drills are a little rarer—I come across them in workshops and around industrial areas.

The Gold Skull, however, is a little tougher to get your hands on. It’s a guaranteed drop from a DMZ commander, which means you’ll need to be fully kitted out to grab one. Otherwise, you can get lucky and find a Gold Skull in safes, bank buildings, police stations, or supply drops.

To find a commander, complete a Secure Intel contract, upload the data, and the location of a random commander will be fed to your tactical map.

What does the Secure Backpack do?

The Secure Backpack is one of the best items in the game for loot collectors and mission-focused players who need to hold multiple items across several raids.

Any non-contraband and non-on-soldier items aren’t converted to experience points at the end of raids, and if that active duty soldier dies in the Exclusion Zone, items in the backpack will not be lost between raids.

One catch with this backpack is there are only five slots for loot without an extra weapon slot, so you have to be selective with what you want to bring.