Outbound is not the kind of survival game that pressures you with combat every five minutes. Instead, most of its long-term progression comes from exploration, discoveries, and collectible hunting across all four biomes.
If you are aiming for 100% completion, achievements, or simply trying to track down everything hidden around the world, understanding how collectibles work becomes extremely important. Some are easy to spot, while others are hidden so well that you can drive past them multiple times without noticing.
The good news is that nothing in Outbound is missable. Every biome remains explorable later, and you can complete collectibles at your own pace without worrying about permanently losing progress.
This guide covers every collectible category in Outbound, how they work, where to look, and the achievements connected to them.
Outbound Collectibles Guide – All Campfires & Bottle Caps
Outbound currently has six major collectible categories tied directly to achievements.
Complete Collectibles Table
| Collectible | Related Achievement |
|---|---|
| Cairns | Cairnivore |
| Gnomes | Gnome Sweet Gnome |
| Paintings | Camper Van Gogh |
| Cap ‘n Snap Blueprints | Snapped ‘Em All |
| Campfires | Shine Your Light On Me |
| Bottle Caps | Ring-a-Ding-Ding! |
There is also one hidden achievement:
- Meet the Devs!
This unlocks after finding special developer-themed gnomes hidden at the Gnome Workshop.
Are Any Collectibles Missable?
No.
You can revisit every biome later in the game, even after progressing through the main story. Nothing disappears permanently, and all collectibles remain obtainable at any point.
This makes Outbound far more relaxed compared to many open-world collectible games.
You can:
- Explore slowly
- Backtrack later
- Finish achievements after the story
- Collect everything solo or in co-op
All Biomes With Collectibles
Every collectible category appears across all four biomes.
Biome Breakdown
| Biome | Description |
|---|---|
| Starting Area (Meadows) | Beginner-friendly starting zone |
| Canyons | Unlocks after repairing bridges |
| Pacific Coast | Features ferry access and lighthouse areas |
| Mountains | Final biome with high elevation exploration |
Collectibles are scattered throughout the world rather than locked to major landmarks. You will find them:
- Near roads
- Around campsites
- Hidden in forests
- Behind buildings
- Near scenic overlooks
- Around Points of Interest
Cairns Guide
Cairns are the easiest collectibles in Outbound.
These are small stone towers made from stacked rocks usually placed near scenic locations.
How Cairns Work
To collect a cairn:
- Walk up to it
- Interact with it
- Complete the stacking interaction
That’s all you need to do.
No tools or resources are required.
Common Cairn Locations
Cairns usually appear:
- On cliffs
- Near viewpoints
- Along roads
- On hilltops
- Around scenic areas
Most are not hidden very aggressively. The challenge is usually remembering to stop while exploring.
Cairn Achievement
| Collectible | Achievement |
|---|---|
| Cairns | Cairnivore |
Gnomes Guide
Gnomes are the hardest collectibles to fully complete because they are intentionally hidden.
Each gnome has:
- A unique appearance
- Different costumes
- Hidden placement
Common Gnome Hiding Spots
You can often find gnomes:
- Behind buildings
- Near campsites
- Under trees
- Around benches
- Near satellite towers
- At overlook edges
Gnome Audio Cue
One useful detail many players miss:
Gnomes emit a faint sound cue when you are nearby.
If you suddenly hear unusual sounds while exploring, search carefully around the area.
Gnome Workshop
The Gnome Workshop contains developer-themed gnomes.
Finding these unlocks the hidden achievement:
- Meet the Devs!
Gnome Achievements
| Collectible | Achievement |
|---|---|
| Regular Gnomes | Gnome Sweet Gnome |
| Developer Gnomes | Meet the Devs! |
Paintings Guide
Paintings are collectible artwork pieces scattered throughout the world.
These are more hidden than cairns but generally easier to spot than gnomes.
Common Painting Locations
Paintings often appear:
- Inside buildings
- Near decorative areas
- Around campsites
- At art installations
- Near Points of Interest
What Paintings Do
Collected paintings become decorative items displayed inside your van.
They are purely cosmetic and provide no gameplay bonuses.
Painting Tracking Problem
One annoying thing:
The game does not clearly track which specific paintings you already collected.
Because of this, systematic exploration works best.
Many players fully clear one biome before moving to the next to avoid confusion later.
Painting Achievement
| Collectible | Achievement |
|---|---|
| Paintings | Camper Van Gogh |
Cap ‘n Snap Blueprints Guide
Cap ‘n Snap blueprints come from special gacha vending machines found around the world.
Instead of directly discovering these blueprints, you spend Bottle Caps at machines for random rewards.
How Blueprint Machines Work
- Collect Bottle Caps
- Find a Cap ‘n Snap machine
- Spend caps
- Receive random blueprints
Each machine contains its own reward pool and can be reused multiple times until everything from that machine is unlocked.
Important Difference Between Blueprint Types
Cap ‘n Snap blueprints are NOT the same as Signal Tower blueprints.
| Blueprint Type | Source |
|---|---|
| Cap ‘n Snap Blueprints | Gacha machines |
| Standard Crafting Blueprints | Signal Towers |
Signal Towers unlock progression systems and crafting recipes, while Cap ‘n Snap machines are tied specifically to collectible blueprint rewards.
Blueprint Achievement
| Collectible | Achievement |
|---|---|
| Cap ‘n Snap Blueprints | Snapped ‘Em All |
Bottle Caps Guide
Bottle Caps are both:
- A collectible currency
- An achievement requirement
Best Ways To Get Bottle Caps
Bottle Caps are obtained by:
- Picking up litter
- Opening containers
- Exploring campsites
- Searching trash bins
Important Bottle Cap Tip
The achievement tracks:
- Highest total reached
NOT:
- Current inventory
This means once you reach 100 Bottle Caps, you permanently unlock the achievement even if you spend all of them afterward.
Bottle Cap Achievement
| Collectible | Achievement |
|---|---|
| Bottle Caps | Ring-a-Ding-Ding! |
Campfire Guide
Campfires are slightly different from other collectibles because they require a resource to activate.
How Campfires Work
To light campfires:
- Find campfire locations
- Bring Redwood
- Interact with the fire pit
The important detail:
Only Redwood works.
Other wood types cannot light campfires.
Why Campfires Become Difficult Later
Some regions contain very little Redwood, meaning players often discover campfires before having enough fuel saved.
This makes Redwood one of the more valuable exploration resources during collectible runs.
Best Campfire Strategy
Whenever you find Redwood:
- Store extra inside your van
- Stockpile it early
- Bring spare fuel during exploration trips
Once lit, campfires stay permanently activated.
Campfire Achievement
| Collectible | Achievement |
|---|---|
| Campfires | Shine Your Light On Me |
Signal Towers Explained
Signal Towers are not tied to collectible achievements.
Instead, they function as progression systems that unlock:
- Crafting recipes
- Vehicle upgrades
- Research options
These are usually hard to miss during normal gameplay progression.
Research Centers & Hidden Completion
Each biome contains one Research Center.
Research Center Table
| Biome | Research Center Present? |
|---|---|
| Starting Area | Yes |
| Canyons | Yes |
| Pacific Coast | Yes |
| Mountains | Yes |
Delivering research materials to all four unlocks:
- Certified Researcher
This is separate from the main collectible achievements but still important for 100% completion.
Do You Need To Fully Complete Every Biome?
Not exactly.
The game tracks:
- Total collectibles globally
It does NOT track:
- Full biome completion
That means you cannot fully “clear” one biome permanently through the achievement system. You will usually need collectibles spread across multiple regions.
Best Beginner Tips For Collectible Hunting
Pick Up Every Piece Of Litter
Litter helps with:
- Bottle Caps
- Recycling achievements
- Blueprint machine farming
Always Carry Redwood
This saves huge amounts of backtracking later.
Search Around Benches
Many hidden gnomes are placed near benches and campsites.
Explore Scenic Areas Carefully
Cairns and campfires often appear near viewpoints.
Fully Explore One Biome At A Time
This makes painting and gnome tracking much easier later.
Outbound’s collectible system focuses heavily on exploration rather than difficulty. There are no missable items, no strict timers, and no combat pressure forcing you to rush through areas.
Most of the challenge comes from paying attention to the environment, revisiting locations carefully, and remembering where you already searched.
For completion-focused players, it becomes a surprisingly relaxing collectible hunt spread across one of the more atmospheric survival game worlds released recently.