CS2 Skin Conditions Explained: All 5 Wear Levels

Every CS2 skin has a condition — a wear rating that determines how pristine or beat-up it looks on your weapon. And if you've ever been surprised that two copies of the same skin look noticeably different, that's why. CS2 skin conditions aren't just cosmetic labels; they directly affect price, and understanding them can save you real money when shopping on the Steam Market or third-party platforms.

There are five tiers: Factory New, Minimal Wear, Field Tested, Well Worn, and Battle Scarred. Each one maps to a range of float values — a decimal number between 0 and 1 that the game assigns the moment a skin is created. That float is permanent. You cannot grind it down, polish it up, or trade it away. It's baked in forever, which is part of what makes CS2 skins work as digital collectibles, and it's one of the first variables we cover in this reference on how prices form.

What Is Float Value in CS2?

The float value is the underlying number that determines which condition tier a skin falls into — and where it sits within that tier. Closer to 0 means cleaner. Closer to 1 means heavily worn.

You won't see the float value anywhere in-game, but you can check your CS2 skin rarity and value using third-party tools that pull data from the Steam API. If you want to go deeper on how float values translate to actual pricing differences, our guide on how CS2 skin float values really work covers the mechanics in detail, including some genuinely counterintuitive pricing patterns.

Here's the full breakdown:

Factory New (FN) -- Float 0.00 to 0.07

Float values from 0 to 0.07. The cleanest tier, and the most expensive — sometimes by a wide margin.

Factory New skins look essentially untouched. Barely a scratch. For popular skins like the AWP Dragon Lore or AK-47 Fire Serpent, the price gap between FN and the next tier down can be hundreds or thousands of dollars. That gap isn't always rational, but it's consistent — collectors are willing to pay a serious premium for visual perfection. Ultra-low floats (think 0.001 or 0.002) push even further into collector territory, with prices that make the already-expensive standard FN look affordable.

That said, the condition tier alone doesn't tell the whole story. A 0.069 float FN of the same skin will often cost noticeably less than a 0.002 float FN — same condition label, different price entirely. For a detailed look at how this plays out across the market, check out the float vs price correlation analysis.

Minimal Wear (MW) -- Float 0.07 to 0.15

Float values from 0.07 to 0.15. This is where I'd point most buyers who want quality without the FN premium.

MW skins still look clean. Some minor scratches — you'll notice them up close, but in a fast-paced match you won't. The interesting thing about this tier is the internal variance: a 0.071 float MW is visually almost identical to a Factory New, while a 0.149 float looks noticeably more worn. Traders sometimes call very low MW skins "FN-look" for exactly this reason, and they often trade closer to FN prices.

If you find a 0.08 float MW on the market priced like a regular MW, that's worth a second look.

Field Tested (FT) -- Float 0.15 to 0.38

The widest float range of any tier — nearly a quarter of the entire 0-to-1 scale — which means Field Tested covers a lot of visual ground. A 0.16 float FT is barely distinguishable from low-end Minimal Wear. A 0.37 float FT looks like someone dragged the weapon across a gravel road.

That range is actually what makes FT interesting. Budget-conscious players often find serious value in low-float FTs: you get most of the visual quality of MW at 50-90% of the price, depending on the skin. It's also the most common condition you'll encounter on the Steam Market — supply is high, which keeps prices competitive.

Some players genuinely prefer the worn look. If you're not chasing a pristine collection and just want a skin that looks good in-game, Field Tested is worth considering on its own terms, not just as a compromise.

Well Worn (WW) -- Float 0.38 to 0.45

Float values from 0.38 to 0.45. Honestly, this is the condition tier I think about the least.

Well Worn has the narrowest float range of all five tiers — only 0.07 wide. There's less visual variation within the tier than you'd see in FT or BS, and the price difference compared to Field Tested is usually smaller than you'd expect for how much worse the skins look. In most cases, if you're shopping between WW and FT, the FT is the better buy unless the price gap is substantial. The fading and blemishes on WW skins are hard to ignore on lighter-colored or detailed designs.

There are exceptions — some patterns in WW actually look distinctive in a way that FT doesn't capture. But those are edge cases.

Battle Scarred (BS) -- Float 0.45 to 1.00

Heavy damage, deep scratches, chipped paint, large blemishes covering significant parts of the weapon. Battle Scarred skins aren't subtle about their wear.

The float range here spans over half the entire scale (0.45 to 1.00), so there's enormous visual variation within the tier. A 0.46 float BS looks like a roughed-up working tool. A 0.98 float looks like it survived a demolition derby. Some collectors specifically hunt for very high-float Battle Scarred skins — certain designs develop unique heavy weathering effects at extreme float values that have their own collector following, sometimes called "blackiimov" or "battle-worn" aesthetics.

For players who want iconic skins at accessible prices, BS is the obvious entry point. If you're just starting out or working with a tight budget, it's a reasonable way to build an affordable CS2 inventory without sacrificing the skins you actually want.

Do CS2 Skins Degrade Over Time?

No. The float value is locked the moment a skin is created — whether through a case opening, a trade-up contract, or a drop. Playing ten thousand hours with a Factory New AK doesn't add a single scratch. Storing a skin for years doesn't change anything either.

This is a fundamental property of how the system works, and it's part of what gives CS2 skins real staying power as collectibles. A Factory New skin from 2015 is still Factory New today.

How Does Skin Condition Affect Price?

Condition is one of the biggest pricing variables in the CS2 market. The general pattern is simple: lower float, higher price. But the magnitude of that effect varies enormously by skin.

• For high-demand skins — AWP Dragon Lore, AK-47 Fire Serpent, M4A4 Howl — the gap between FN and FT can be hundreds or thousands of dollars. The premium for visual perfection is real and steep.
• Budget skins may show only cents difference between conditions. The market just doesn't care that much.
• Within a single condition tier, float still matters. A 0.001 FN and a 0.069 FN carry the same condition label, but the lower float will typically command a meaningful premium from collectors who care about raw float values.

Understanding those pricing dynamics is what separates informed buyers from overpayers. If you want a systematic way to evaluate purchases, our guide on what really matters in CS2 skins: float value, stickers, and patterns covers the full picture.

Which Skin Condition Should You Buy?

It depends on what you're actually trying to accomplish.

For showcase collections: Factory New or low-float Minimal Wear. The visual difference matters, and so does the resale value floor.

For everyday play: Low-float Field Tested or Minimal Wear. You get most of the visual quality without the FN tax. This is where I'd put most players.

For budget builds: Field Tested or Battle Scarred. You can assemble a full loadout of recognizable skins at a fraction of the cost of comparable FN versions.

For trading and investment: Condition alone isn't enough to go on — you also need to understand demand, liquidity, and market timing. The best metrics to monitor before buying a CS2 skin will give you a more complete framework.

If you're new to all of this, the beginner's guide to the CS2 skin market is worth reading before you start spending. And once you have a collection, you can always check your CS2 inventory value to see where things stand.