How to unlock the Cool Cucumber Badge in PEAK

The Cool Cucumber Badge in PEAK is a reward for successfully navigating one of the game’s hottest and most challenging areas. The aim is to reach the Mesa Campfire without your Heat level ever exceeding 10%. It seems simple on paper, but if you’ve spent time in the Mesa biome, you'll already know it’s a major Heat trap.

With that, here is how you can get the Cool Cucumber Badge in PEAK.

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How to obtain the Cool Cucumber Badge in PEAK

Sunscreen in PEAK (Image via Aggro Crab/Landfall)

The Cool Cucumber Badge in PEAK is part of the Mesa update and is only available while the biome is active (right now it’s swapped in for Alpine until August 18, 2025). The rule is clear: Climb pass the Mesa, keep your Heat under 10%. If your Heat creeps past it, you’ll have to try again.

Beating the Heat with two main strategies

There are two realistic ways to pull this off:

1) Travel at night

If you’re not in a rush, wait until nightfall before you push through Mesa. The temperatures drop enough to make it more forgiving, and you can take your time. The downside is limited visibility and slower movement in some spots.

2) Find Sunscreen

Sunscreen is the game’s best answer to this badge’s challenge. It’s an item that keeps your Heat in check, and once applied, you can move through the Mesa without constantly panicking over the Heat bar. The catch is that it’s a random drop.

Your best bet is to search ancient luggage near the Mesa crash site, as these bags seem to have a higher chance of holding Sunscreen. You can also try the base of the Klin biome; just like Mesa, check all the scattered luggage.

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A few things to watch out for

Even with shade, the game isn’t perfect at reading your cover. There are odd moments where you’ll still take Heat damage, like standing under a cactus and somehow burning up. Due to that, Sunscreen is easily the safer option if you find it.

Also, keep to shaded paths where you can, and pace your movement instead of sprinting straight through. The Mesa Heat builds quickly if you’re out in the open for too long.

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The final push

Once you reach the Mesa campfire without exceeding 10% Heat, the badge unlocks. It’s a satisfying prize among the 10 rewards in the Mesa update for one of the more frustrating Heat-based challenges in PEAK.

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That concludes our guide on obtaining the Cool Cucumber Badge in PEAK. For more guides on the game, follow Sportskeeda.

Check out: How to get into The Tomb in PEAK