REVIEW - BE-X LRRP Tarp in Pencott Greenzone

When out in the wild for one reason or the other, what is the first basic thing you need to take care of? Shelter. A human body can only survive some three hours without a regulated body temperature. So if nature is throwing you a curve ball and providing some rain, wind or snow, you might have a bad time.

Luckily the guys at Begadi, a well renown German company, have pulled out all the stops in providing their customers with some of the finest outdoor gear in the market.

In this review, we’ll be talking about their BE-X FronTier One LRRP Tarp in Pencott GreenZone pattern.

A tarp should be on the very top of any serious outdoor enthusiasts »gear list«. And with the weight of this one being just some 450 gramms, there is no reason you should be left without. This is currently the smallest size they produce, but with it’s dimesions of 145cm x 240cm it covers enough surface to cover you, your gear and with some buscraft know how even enough room for two people and gear. When packed, it’s size is aproximately 20cm x 15cm, so it can easily fit in any regular BDU cargo pocket or a smock jacket.

It’s appropriate for those long tours, when turning back and heading home in case of bad weather is simply not an option. This partular tarp is a LRRP model, so it’s a bit heavier than their regular Pocket II models but it’s also more robust.

It’s also curently the only tarp available in camouflage pattern color scheme, this one being the Pencott GreenZone. The pattern is excellent in blending with surrounding foliage. Their regular Pocket II tarps have a water column of 4000ml, but this one is even better, thicker, stronger.

In our tests, it provided superb protection against the elements in heavy rain fall. It was so heavy, that some flodding occured lower down in the valley.

It’s construction is mainly from »SilNylon« which is actually rip-stop weave of nylon fabric, coated with silicone. The coating is tough and elastic and will not fail after being wet and dragged over branches. Even when pulling on the sides it does not deform in any way that would damage it.

Unlike some other brand tarps, where the silicon coating just peels off after being exposed to moisture and abrasion. It’s a part of the fabric. It does slightly fade out the color of camouflage on the side that it’s applied to, but that’s not neceseraly a bad thing. This makes the BE-X FronTier One LRRP Tarp reversable and usable in even more enviroments.

On the edges, there are eight loops made of military grade webbing for securing/suspending the tarp. One on every corner and one in the middle of every side.

The craftmanship of the BE-X FronTier One LRRP Tarp is superb. Extra stitching on stress areas and double folded webbing give this item a realy reliable feel. Stitching is done with braided cotton, so it further seals around the tape sealed edges when it gets wet.

The loops are sewn on only on one side, so when using this tarp as a camouflage tool, only the fabric is exposed.

It’s infra red signature is the sama as foliage around it, so it can be used in situations where your position might be observed with some sort of night vision device. A good day hide is worth nothing, if by night it glows like a marker from under the foliage when viewed through these devices. Great touch.

We’re not going to go over all the possiblities for a tarp this size as they are almost limitless. From sipmple a-frame one man shelters to emergency medevac use, It can handle it all. In our test, it was used as a roof system on a makeshift shelter.

This is where it gets really interesting. Some might say »well i’ve got a similar tarp and it works just as well«. This might be true to a point where you find the extra feature this one offers. On each corner there is a small pocket.

Approximately five centimeters wide and four centimeters deep. These can be used for many things but the beast one in our opinion is the combination with two tent poles you might have lying around your house. Yes, fiberglass tent poles. They can fit in any backapck (or on it) and they make this tarp even more versatile. You can stick each end in one of the pockets so they make a cross and there you have it. A dome roof for any situation.

With these pockets there is no need for a loop in the middle of the tarp, thus elimininating a potential water leakage in heavier storms. In this setup it can cover a foxhole so you and your buddy have enough room to move around and sit normally. It can be put up against a rock or a tree for even more room. Or just lay it on the ground and get in there. The area in this setup is similar to a one man recon tent. Enough room for one person with minimum gear.

This is a great way to quickly take care of shelter in sudden storms, where you don’t have the luxury of finding a good place for a bivi. It can be quickly put up, ride out the storm and quickly put back together.

Actually you can pack it on the move, if time is of the essence. This is also extremely usefull for military applications as sometimes you need to get out of there FAST. Just shake off the foliage, pick it up, make like a tree and leave. This is not limited to tent poles, as curved branches work just as well. Even less stuff to carry with you. Just make sure, they are not too dry, so they break under load. When used with tent poles, it can withstand anything a tent would and even more.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, we would recomment the BE-X FronTier One LRRP Tarp to any an all outdoor enthusiasts, hunters and military personnel, as it’s light, durable and packable piece of equipment. It’s well worth the purchase and will last you a long time. The attention to detail is superb and even if you already have a tarp, you’ll want this one as well. You can get yours at www.begadishop.com