Is This the Best Emergency Shelter? - AquaQuest Survivor Tarp - Agenda Free Review

Is this the Ultimate Emergency Shelter?
Should this be in your backpack when heading out for your adventures?

That is what I intend to answer in this Agenda Free Review of the AquaQuest Survivor Tarp

What makes it so good and are there any problems?

Find out now.
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Aqua Quest Survivor Emergency Tarp - Agenda Free Review

The channel remains as it always was, 100% Agenda Free with no sponsored videos and no paid reviews.

I purchased this with my own money and I'm providing my REAL opinion.
Purchase this product using this link and you will be supporting this Agenda Free Channel.

Sizes : 10’ x 10’ or 15’ x 15’

Weight : 1.8lbs

Materials :
70D Nylon Ripstop

Waterproof Ratings : 5,000mm

Colors : Orange Only

Price :
10x10 is $115
15x15 is $215

Review Pros :

Excellent size for adequate protection - with my 30+ years of outdoor experience with tarps, I’ve found that the 10x10 is the perfect size as it's not too big nor too small. With a rectangle shaped tarp, I personally don’t like to go smaller than 10x8 as it limits setups and protection.

With this tarp, it does an excellent job of protecting the user or users - Protection from all types - rain, wind and snow.
This is a square tarp and you may know this already but most consider the square tarp to be the most versatile when it comes to outdoor uses - you can pitch them in tons of shapes and they are easily adaptable for all weather conditions.

Think of it from a geometry perspective; you are able to create more shapes with a square than you would be able to from a rectangle. Square is better than long and narrow.

Review Cons :
Weight is the only issue that I have with this product - while it is justified considering the materials, I would like to see additional options and materials as there are plenty of people who do not need to be carrying a 70D Nylon tarp - in areas that face extreme weather conditions that sort of materials makes sense.

Talking about conditions here in the mountains, we can easily have wind speeds over 70mph in the winter time here; the highest recorded wind speed has been around 200mph.

That’s in the winter; in the summer time even in an extreme storms winds rarely get over 40mph.

For lesser extreme areas or time of year where emergencies are still possible, a lighter weight product would be appreciated by many including myself.

Minor Con : No guy lines or stakes included - for this price, I think it would be nice.

Point to consider - tarp shelters can be more difficult to setup with little to no prior experience or knowledge. Luckily one can change that rather easily and in no time one can setup a shelter system that is going to protect them from the elements while keeping them completely dry.

From an emergency perspective, these are more complicated to use but with a little experience you can set up a shelter that is far superior and safer to anything else that is on the market including products such as the Wind Sack or the Bothy Bag.

Summary :
I’ve mentioned this in many videos that when it comes to an emergency shelter, a tarp is my preferred method and that’s the case above and below the tree line. There is a misconception that tarps can only be setup with trees and that simply isn’t the case. With a little experience one can easily set up a shelter on balds, on rocks, in the forest, on the beach and so on.

Question : Should you purchase this tarp for emergency use; that’s completely up to you. With my channel, I share my thoughts and perspectives and I don’t influence. I’ll explain why I like something or why I don’t and you can make up your own mind.

With that being said, this certainly isn’t the cheapest tarp out there and for many people, they aren’t going to need to spend this much money on one. With that being said, if you feel the need to carry a product for emergencies in your kit, if you want piece of mind, excellent quality, and a life time warranty, it would be hard to recommend a similar product.
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[peruvianrt]

I live in Florida. I have a Aquaquest Defender 10' × 10' tarp in camo.
One of the best investments I ever made.

[task]

G'day mate. One bit of advice. If you're going to talk about old videos, include a link to the old videos for us to go back to. Great for people who are new to the channel 🍻

[itywhat]

I have the Aquaquest Defender 10x10 and love it. Since I live, hike, and camp mostly in Colorado where I live, having a great tarp is essential. Just like today...It is June 1st and we had a snowstorm as low as 6500 ft. Last week it was 80 degrees. So we never know what weather can move in very fast over the mountains. Having a versatile tarp is the ticket.

[AQWaterproof]

Greetings to all and thanks to Luke for compiling what we deem to be a thorough, fair and accurate review of our Survivor 10 x 10 wilderness safety tarp: Great feedback within the video (and in the comments too!), and we appreciate suggestions leading towards an improved product. One tiny correction: This model is offered in a 10 x 10 dimension (as reviewed), and a 15 x 15 (extra-large square) which is geared towards outfitting group excursions. We agree with Luke that the 4 axes of symmetry offered by the square geometry means far more configuration options, which is what makes the tarp so viable in emergency scenarios (so we made our larger tarp a square too). To confirm: This tarp isn't offered in a 10 x 15 as mentioned. Thanks again and stay safe out there; reach out to AQ customer service if you have any product questions! ✌️

[jamesellsworth]

I LIKE the idea of carrying this tarp on the 'one tarp to rule them all' principle. I have lived, backpacked, and camped in places where weather changes...quickly. In shoulder seasons, a stronger tarp takes the load from a sudden snowfall. During windy thunderstorms, this tarp and its tie-outs can take the strain.

[rjstewart]

I have a couple of Aquaquest tarps and I love them. What I love too is they are Canadian! Any Canadians on here know the deep pain of cross-border shopping!

[alexanderweaver]

For 115 bucks...it's worth every single penny. Survival items, in my humble opinion, such as this one is a no brainer versus those cheaply made one-time use products that may not last throughout an emergency incident. I'm sure others have experienced mylar blankets ripping apart just unpacking them. I keep one of these Aqua Quest tarps in my survival backpack and one in a trauma kit I assembled. Rescue doesn't always end up an immediate extraction especially when factors like weather, mechanical failures (helicopter, snowmobile or 4X4 vehicle) occur.

[CS-inpg]

I know of only 2 YouTube gear review guys that actively seek the worst weather and field conditions to absolutely thrash their equipment for protracted periods of time before doing a gear review. Luke and Lt. Col. Nutnfancy. I believe you Luke, when you say this tarp is over built for normal conditions. That's the point. Hilleberg, Aquaquest, Fjallraven, among others, makes gear that's dependable that I trust my life with. Weight matters, cost matters, but at the end of the day, coming home alive and well matters most. Along with gear, get training and real life field experience.

[josephrangel]

Love your stuff man! I have made a few purchases based on your information in these videos. Never Disappointed. Also, small note, I love that when you say "My review begins, Right now" it ACTUALLY begins, right now. Haha! Keep up the good work. Excellent content.

[montanapete]

Considering the wind here in Eastern Montana is regularly 15, 20 even 30mph plus with 70mph not out of the ordinary, it would be a good idea to carry a solid piece of kit like this. I know now that it's better to buy once, cry once than buy something continually to try to save money. As for the stuff sack, I think it's an industry wide manufacturer issue. So many things never seem to fit right after the first use. I have gotten used to taking things out and trying to repack them so I can purchase something that works before I go. But, when I pay more than a hundred dollars for a tarp with a stuff sack, I would hope that it is user friendly in that regard. Excellent review Luke! I look forward to the next one!!

[gudgo]

DD 3x3 is a great tarp as well. I agree, practice is important before you have to use it in bad weather.

[rd_gen_j]

Since it’s labeled as a Survivor Tarp, I’d want it to be as strong as possible, no matter the conditions. I’d much rather have overkill in any of my equipment. Thanks for another great product overview video

[wlarue]

The Survivor Tarp seems to be a niche marketing piece for Aquaquest; it seems to be a Guide Series tarp in blaze orange with reflective elements all over it. If you wanted something more...subtle, you could just get a Guide Series in OD or Camo pattern and you would have the same thing. For someone who wants a tarp that is less burly, the Safari Series tarps are their lightweight offering, having the same waterproof protection as the Guide Series, just with 40D fabric. That might be what you are referring to for less severe applications. Then there is the Defender Series. Ultra protective, 20, 000mm level of waterproofing, heavier polypropylene attachment points, but beastly heavy. Good for Oklahoma hailstorms, blizzards, and semi-permanent installations. The 10x10 Defender that I have weighs in at a bit over three pounds. I also have a 20x13 Defender that weighs almost as much as my car. Overkill for most, but comforting when things get dicey.

[annjones]

Yes I think it well worth the money thank you for the good alive you always give you are always honest with your reviews and that you

[jesselovell]

Little Brother, I purchased the acquaquest 10' x 13' based on an earlier review from you. Top notch kit. Great product...

[mountainson]

I am in the northern Rockies, and a tarp guy... I have been using 10x10 Aquaquest Defender tarps over any other form of cover for a long time. You are right about a 10x10 being just the right size. As to the durability, YES, for a variety of reasons, a very durable tarp is highly desired if one intends to do more than fly the thing. Many of the possible configs of tarp origami use the tap in contact with the ground, so heavy==puncture resistant, as one example.

[Indigomiko]

Been watching for awhile and you always deliver quality content. Thanks.

[daven]

I have a DD tarp same size a bit less money good quality and not blaze orange. It works great. After seeing this review I wouldn't hesitate on buying one if blaze orange was what I was looking for. Many configurations. Thanks Luke for another great gear review.

[missedmurphy]

Much appreciated for the shout-out, Luke 🙏 Great review as always. Aquaquest makes good products but this is quite big for an emergency

[migueldeluis]

As you said, training, practice is key; trees make the whole issue way safer. It's not only about getting the tarp up, is to keep it that way whatever comes in your way. Things like where to place, how to face the wind, what stakes to use, and so on and so forth.