The best early upgrade is usually the one that removes a problem you keep encountering. Upgrade around friction, not around whatever happens to be available.
1. Fix inventory pressure if it interrupts every trip
More usable space can improve gathering, trading and exploration at the same time.
2. Improve travel when distance is the bottleneck
If reaching useful destinations feels slow or expensive, mobility upgrades can change the value of every future session.
3. Improve survival when environments keep ending trips
Hazard support is valuable when it allows you to stay productive in places you already want to explore.
4. Improve scanning when information has high value
Better discovery and resource information can make exploration more targeted and reduce random searching.