diff --git a/player/player.gd b/player/player.gd
index 3bbcb14..fe99f5a 100644
--- a/player/player.gd
+++ b/player/player.gd
@@ -8,11 +8,12 @@ const gear_slots = ["1", "2", "3"]
 
 @onready var spawn = Vector3(position)
 
+var starting_gear = preload("res://gears/ball.tscn")
+
 var health = 100
 var suspended = false
 var direction = Vector3.ZERO
 var target_velocity = Vector3.ZERO
-var initial_gear = null
 
 func resize_ui():
 	var bpui_h = 200
@@ -40,6 +41,12 @@ func die():
 	suspended = true
 	visible = false
 	$BackpackUI.visible = false
+
+	# strip gears
+	for gear in $Backpack.get_children():
+		gear.queue_free()
+	$Pivot/Container/Gear.queue_free()
+
 	$RespawnTimer.start()
 	message("Le gone")
 
@@ -49,6 +56,12 @@ func respawn():
 	health = 100
 	visible = true
 	suspended = false
+
+	# add starting gear
+	var gear = starting_gear.instantiate()
+	$Pivot/Container.add_child(gear)
+
+	make_backpack_ui()
 	$BackpackUI.visible = true
 
 # Backpack functions
@@ -136,10 +149,9 @@ func move_player(x, z):
 		direction += camera_basis.x * x
 
 func _ready():
-	initial_gear = $Pivot/Container/Gear.duplicate()
 	get_viewport().size_changed.connect(resize_ui)
 	resize_ui()
-	make_backpack_ui()
+	respawn()
 
 func _physics_process(delta):
 	if suspended:
diff --git a/player/player.tscn b/player/player.tscn
index a067efe..3da27e3 100644
--- a/player/player.tscn
+++ b/player/player.tscn
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
-[gd_scene load_steps=9 format=4 uid="uid://cfceg80unq0pe"]
+[gd_scene load_steps=8 format=4 uid="uid://cfceg80unq0pe"]
 
 [ext_resource type="Script" uid="uid://djeyfi7vm2vw0" path="res://player/player.gd" id="1_onrkg"]
 [ext_resource type="Script" uid="uid://oi6sint7jkc6" path="res://player/camera_gimbal.gd" id="2_onrkg"]
 [ext_resource type="Texture2D" uid="uid://cfb0gbwm57hm4" path="res://models/player_0.png" id="3_hqtel"]
-[ext_resource type="PackedScene" uid="uid://c117buhmmkvkt" path="res://gears/ball.tscn" id="3_yw30f"]
 
 [sub_resource type="BoxShape3D" id="BoxShape3D_onrkg"]
 size = Vector3(2, 5, 1)
@@ -67,8 +66,6 @@ skeleton = NodePath("")
 [node name="Container" type="Node3D" parent="Pivot"]
 transform = Transform3D(1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1.5, 2.5, -1.5)
 
-[node name="Gear" parent="Pivot/Container" instance=ExtResource("3_yw30f")]
-
 [node name="CameraGimbal" type="Node3D" parent="."]
 script = ExtResource("2_onrkg")