While Rust is a brutal and challenging survival game, it doesn’t have to be done without a bit of flair. Over the years, the community has released a number of skins to give the game a bit of customization and pop.
Perhaps the best skins are the ones that adorn the players' weapons. Everything from the Combat Knife to the AK47 can have interesting color schemes, unique patterns, and complex themes. Here are some of the best weapon skins that players can get right now for various weapons.
Updated September 24, 2021 by Ben Baker: There is no shortage of weapon skins as players continue adding them to the game. It’s a great way to showcase the artistic abilities of the skin creator and add a personal touch to the world of Rust. The best skins in Rust will have well-designed skins, glow, and other special effects to make each weapon truly unique. Here are some incredible creations that players have been using recently you should consider for your next run. Whether it's wielding the power of the ancients, unleashing toxic death on enemies, or harnessing your inner druid, these are some of the coolest Rust skins out there.
20 Dark Feather
The Dark Feather by anathenn replaces the Combat Knife with a feathered variant. The blade is a black and gray feather with pockmarks and chips meant to imitate a feather. The handle is a brownish-gold bronze meta
The result is a unique-looking weapon that looks like it belongs in an art gallery rather than the wilds of Rust. It’s the kind of weapon you’d spend time studying by the campfire before burying an enemy the next morning. This is one of the best Rust skins for the combat knife out there.
19 The Dead Druid
The Dread Druid by TonyaeR is a reskin of the AK47. The weapon is now crafted from old-fashioned iron and leather hand grips. Across the entire weapon are Nordic runes and Celtic symbols. There is also a helmeted skull along the barrel behind the bolt.
If the Vikings ever developed and mastered gunpowder this gun would likely reside in their Longhouses as a valuable artifact. The AK47 is one of the more popular weapons and this skin is likely to win over a couple of fans.
18 Eternal Sword
Swords are often seen as weapons of desperation or roleplaying in Rust. After all when you can use guns why choose a primitive melee weapon? The Eternal Sword skin by zuf may give players a third reason to consider using swords in battle.
The drab sword has been replaced with a carefully crafted weapon. It’s unclear what the origins are. Was it crafted by a long-dead civilization? Is it the work of elves who have fled for distant lands? Whatever the case may be the end result is an intrigued sword that makes looting enemy players seem more epic than it typically is. This is definitely one of the cool Rust skins that players have made.
17 Old Empire
The Old Empire skin by MDE is beautifully designed. It replaces the boring Python skin and gives it a more mystical and opulent appearance. The weapon seems to have been crafted of enchanted stone emblazoned with runes and small mosaics.
The decorative meander across the barrel suggests this weapon was crafted by the ancient Greeks. Cracks along the surface also suggest it's seen better days and may be prone to breaking soon. It would easily be one of the coolest Rust skins if it came with a firing mode that utilized the legendary Greek Fire.
16 Toxic Juice
The Toxic Juice skin by Epatte is something else. It’s one of the best skins in Rust for the Mp5 that’s equal parts wicked and nasty. The weapon is a dark metal that’s been splattered with what looks like green toxic sludge. It gives the weapon a drippy appearance that suggests holding the thing is hazardous to the character’s health.
It’s an interesting idea that a weapon could be deadly to use in combat and might make the player think twice about fighting. It can also serve to intimidate enemies who see a combatant wielding a dripping toxic gun in combat.
15 Atomic LR
The Atomic LR gives the LR-300 Assault Rifle a dose of character. The drab gray and black of the weapon has been replaced with a black rifle, splashed with green coloring and a large toxic skull, surrounded by (presumably) radioactive sludge.
These weapons are very useful in the game and one of the most tried and true ways for a solo player to take down the Attack Helicopter. Given the weapon’s description in-game bears a subtle nod to the STALKER game series, the atomic skin seems fitting. It’s available on Steam for $2.10.
14 Blackout L96
The Blackout L96 is a custom skin for the L96 Sniper Rifle. It has replaced the green and black coloring with a solid metallic black coloring. Given this gun is frequently used for stealthy raids, it seems fitting that the weapon should be entirely black.
It also fits the in-game reality that players are more likely to come across this weapon on a Bradley APC. It’s a rare but powerful weapon that deserves an intimidating color scheme, one that looks like something Agent 47 from Hitman 3 would wield. It costs $4.25 on Steam.
13 Carrot Launcher
Normally, the Rocket Launcher is something to be feared in Rust, given it's one of the most powerful weapons in the game. But, the Carrot Launcher skin takes an otherwise intimidating gun and gives it an absurd, yet somehow stylish skin.
The rusted DIY appearance has been swapped out for vibrant orange and green coloring, meant to resemble a carrot. Unfortunately, the projectiles don’t resemble carrots, but opponents are likely to be curious and that gives players the perfect opportunity to get a free shot off. It can be purchase on Steam for $1.18.
12 Lightweight Hatchet
The Lightweight Hatchet skin swaps out the traditional wooden handle hatchet and gives it a modern touch. This skin features a solid steel build with an integrated head and a rubber grip handle. It’s sleek, stylish, and perfect for chopping down trees or splitting skulls.
It also seems like something one of the military types in this game would be wielding. Sure it may not make sense to craft this early on out of wood, but coupled with a Sniper Rifle, an LR-300, and some high-tier body armor, it works. It costs $1.99 on the Rust Item Store.
11 Rising Moon Bow
Hunting Bows are often underrated by players in Rust, and as such, don’t always get the most attention when it comes to new skins. This Rising Moon Bow skin is a great bit of flair for this handy weapon and gives it a more modern look.
The wood handle has been replaced with gray metal and there’s a moon with stars etched into the handle. It goes well with a more militarized aesthetic, yet adds a bit of mystical flair and mystery to an otherwise boring-looking weapon. This skin costs $1.55 on Steam.
10 Aircraft Parts Ak47
The AK47 is a beneficial weapon in the game given its decent damage at a variety of ranges. For many players, obtaining this weapon makes survival just a bit easier.
This particular skin makes the AK47 look like it was cobbled together using pieces of an airplane. It gives the weapon a hardy survival look that fits right in with Rust. It also fits into the overall theme of a player surviving, crafting, and scraping together whatever weapons they can find to survive. It costs $1.46 on Steam.
9 Arctic Wolf MP5
The MP5A4 is a fantastic weapon thanks to its great fire rate and decent damage. While it does cost more useful resources than other weapons in its class, the MP5A4 does represent a huge step forward for the player.
The Arctic Wolf MP5 skin takes the gun’s traditional gray exterior and layers it with a frostier gray. The stock is wrapped and there’s a wolf design on the barrel. The result is a gun that looks at home in the snow-covered northern area of the map. It's a bit pricey though at $21.85 on Steam.
8 Little Nightmare
The Bone Club is a very basic weapon. It’s one of the earliest the player can obtain and is meant for rudimentary survival and self-defense. It’s little more than a hunk of bone fashioned into a crude club.
The Little Nightmare skin takes that concept and adds more eeriness to it. The Bone Club now sports a monstrous face with an open mouth and blue glowing eyes. The rest of the weapon is wrapped in bloody rags. It’s sure to strike fear into the hearts of whoever is unfortunate enough to be clubbed to death by this weapon. This little guy costs $1.80 on Steam.
7 Emerald Knife
The Combat Knife is another basic weapon meant for rudimentary survival. It does have the advantage of being a fantastic stealth weapon, assuming the player can get close enough to their adversaries.
The Emerald Knife skin takes the typical combat knife and gives it a fine opulent upgrade. Instead of drab-colored metals, the knife now has a finely carved golden hilt with emerald inlays. The blade itself is fashioned out of emerald, or more realistically jade. This weapon seems both at home in a collection and for use in ritualistic sacrifices. The Emerald knife sells for $3.68 on Steam.
6 Blood Dragon Rifle
The Semi-Automatic Rifle is a cheap weapon that works well. It has low recoil, good accuracy at mid-range, and fires as fast as the player can pull the trigger. It may not have the greatest damage, but it’ll put quite a few holes in anything that gets close.
The Blood Dragon Rifle gives this weapon an eerie and beautiful design. The entire gun is painted in blood-red colors with a dragon insignia on the stock and scales on the magazine. It’s almost possible to imagine this weapon was painted using real dragon’s blood. This will cost $4.43 on Steam.
5 Poseidon LR300
The LR-300 is a good weapon. With a high rate of fire and good damage, this gun is devastating in close quarters or short distances. It can only be found which makes this a desired weapon by players and a reason to go poking into places most survivors probably wouldn’t.
The Poseidon LR300 skin gives the weapon a shiny and polished look. The weapon now has a black and gold chrome design that makes it look like something out of a James Bond film. There’s also a small trident insignia on the magazine. The Podseidon LR-300 costs $7.74 on Steam.
4 Desert Warrior
The M39 is a Semi Rifle that sacrifices its rate of fire for more kick. It’s a weapon that requires cool and clear heads. For calm and patient players, it can really do some serious damage to anyone or anything it’s aimed at.
The Desert Warrior skin is perfect for those players who find themselves frequenting the Desert biome to the south. The drab gray and darker colors are swapped for sandy browns. This weapon is ideal for duking it out with players in the harsh arid environments of Rust. It costs $6.50 on Steam.
3 Nordic Relic
The Eoka Pistol is cheap to make, cheap to use, and, consequently, has limited results. It’s certainly better than nothing and it can be enough to put a threat down. Due to its limited accuracy and single shot, this pistol is mostly just used as a last-ditch effort to survive or gain an advantage.
It seems only fitting that this primitive gun should have a primitive-looking skin. The Nordic Relic gives the weapon an almost Viking-like appearance. The wooden handle is carved in Nordic fashion and the metal looks like it could have been made of the same stuff that fashioned old swords. This will cost $6.59 on Steam.
2 Sacrificial Knife
The Bone Knife is about as basic a weapon as the player can get, apart from the Bone Club. It’s a splinter of bone sharpened to a point that uses some wrapping as its handle. It’ll get the job done, but players will want something better.
The Sacrificial Knife gives this weapon a more horrifying potential. The bone is less crude thanks to a more finely polished tip and skulls carved into the blade. It’s a chilling difference and one that suggests the wielder has darker intentions than simple survival. It's a little pricey at $11.41 on Steam.
1 Gothic Reception
In some ways, the Rocket Launcher represents the peak of an individual’s power in Rust. The weapon and its ammo are incredibly expensive by the game’s standards, but the result is awesome destructive potential against players, animals, and even buildings.
The Gothic Reception skin gives this weapon a more mystical and horror-based twist. The standard launcher is now a decoratively crafted piece of metal. It looks like something that could pass for one of Bloodborne's weapons. The skin hints at terrifying potential and otherworldly power hiding in the metal chamber. This skin costs $1.95 on Steam.