I sew tarps myself, and a seam like this (in german "doppelte Kappnaht" wich may translate to double felled seam?) can actually strengthen the tie out point, when it goes there lenghtwise (and if it is done with care & high quality materials). This is because you have four layers of material in a continiuos strip to the tie out point. You also can attach strong, reinforced tie out points to this seam in the middle of the tarp. Therefore I find the Design of the Tarp Interesting, but I totally agree that this tarp is not recommandable because of the poor quality. Thanks for your work!
We purchased this exact tarp last year. Wish this review was a year old lol Our first trip out with it on the Moon River there was a wind storm. Some of the stitching when it arrived wasn't really perfect, we brushed it off. Three of the tie off points tore off. We sealed the seams a week before we left, it still leaked. We used it a few more times on a couple of trips just to keep the sun off of us, but that's it. We now use it to cover our BBQ during the winter months. Thank you for all you do, you are greatly appreciated.
I have two Gold Armour tarps. I use them in rain and snow. I love my cheap tarps. I can have my fire super close and not worry about sparks. I can't help but wonder if you got a knock off. Mine are the 10'x12' 2 panels, not six. S.A.H. 🔥
For me the fact that you personally purchase 90% of the products you review is what goes a long long way into establishing your credibility with me. In this world of corporate BS it is no surprise they won't send you stuff to review, that just would not be in their best interest due your honesty Luke. In the long run though I think it works out for the best and is what makes your channel the channel that it is. Keeping them honest, keep up the good work Luke.
I have a 14 x 12 used it two seasons. Use a single slack line and bungee cords to secure and ususally set up over picnic table in BC mountains. Kept me dry and stood up to serious storms and wind. My outdoor friends can't believe it's a cheap tarp off amazon. Haha!
Everytime when i need something calm, informative and interesting Story telling, i come here and listening to Luke. His videos are perfect to make a restless mind calm down. I wish everyone a good evening
I have used a Gold Armour 10x12 for 3 years now. Have been through numerous Texas thunderstorms and survived Texas ice storm of 2021. Maybe quality was better a few years ago because mine is definitely beefier.
I own this tarp. Got it years ago. It’s been through very severe storms in Texas and it hasn’t failed and does not leak. I cannot say they haven’t changed the design but for me it’s been a great piece of gear.
I have a 12x10 camo, and 10x10 olive green tarp from gold armor and I love em! Stuff sack and everything are all still good after a year and a half in all weather. Prolly wouldn't take em for back country wilderness camping but for small 4 or 5 day trips,.... all day everyday!!
Hello Luke , I have used several diferent Tarps over the years , and have had mixed results with them all , Eventually I saved up and bought an Aququest Defender , and It has never let me down , in all weather conditions . 🙂
I always like how you do your reviews - you just tell it like it is and give your opinion and let people know to form their own. I would call this a "0-season tarp - used at your own risk - definitely bring a jacket"
I've owned one of these tarps for three years (same size and color as what's tested here). It has never leaked. The storage bag did rip though (it really was too small for the size of the tarp), but I bought a small bag for it and still continue to use the tarp. I love it.
I have the 12 x 14 Gold armor and has gone through some pretty extreme thunderstorms with 30 plus wind gusts. I did change out the stakes as I live in virginia and need longer stakes. But so far the tarp itself has not had any issues. The bags I had the same problem and I went and got a stuff sack that I can compress and it worked out great. I wish I would have seen the 10 x 10 because I think it would work with the Amol Drunr and the onewind hammock I have. Has never had rain come through it even when we were getting over an inch an hour.
I have owned that tarp for 3 years I enjoy it have used in various conditions including high winds and a downpour no issues, also took on a beach trip in Florida for shade it held up whole time on high winds on beach Bags both tore when brand new as well
I am an Aqua Quest devotee. I have a 10X10 Safari that I cowboy camped with and for the lat two years it has been an awning and a privacy shelter on my van. It has withstood thunderstorms, heavy beach winds, the scorching sun and a light snow. It is intact and all of the tie-out points are still strong and show no signs of wear. It was expensive but well worth the money. I am ordering an Aqua Quest Defender 10X12 to extend from the rear of my van.
Hello Luke, long time watcher first time commenter. I have a gold armour 14x12 tarp I bought 2018ish. I use it all the time over my hammock and for shade. My tarp is different than the one in this video. Mine does not have the plastic tie outs and the guidelines are smaller in diameter. I have used my tarp in heavy rain and mild wind without any issues and I was dry. I broke a stake, contacted the company, and received 6 new stakes free with their sincere apologies. I even told them it was my fault. I love my tarp. I'm sorry you feel that way but that is why you are an expert. By the way thanks for the great videos!!
I took a chance on the 10x14 about 3 years ago and I actually love it. Have used on more backcountry camps to count. Aquaquest is my primary, but $30 for a 10x14 backup that packs small is hard to beat. Maybe I got lucky with mine.
I purchased the 12x10 march of 21, rock solid thus far. Gone through a lot of weather with it part of my hammock setup. A small drip was noticed after the 4th storm. So I added some seam sealer after it dried out, and was good to go.
I have a 10x10 camo gold armour tarp. It kept me dry several times hammock camping. I recently set it up in the back yard to create some extra shade/shelter for my dog. One mild storm later it ripped, and not near a seam. I was pretty happy with it til that happened
I bought a gold armor sleeping pad. It is scratchy (noisy when you move at all on it), and it doesn't really insulate at all, but it is light, it was cheap, and it's fine for sleeping on a floor (I bought it when I knew I would be sleeping on some floors on a trip). I have a Paria pad for actual camping. There's really no comparison, but then, the Paria pad was much more expensive.
Needed a ground cover and figured I use this as a ground cover for my simple a frame did not come with a ground sheet . Thanks for the warning. I like that this had a lot of tie off points .
Hello Luke, First, let me congratulate you on your amazing channel. I really love your "say it like it is" reviews and appreciate and respect your opinion. When I saw this video, I was a bit surprised because last week I just received my Golden Armour 14'x12' tarp, and my first experience was not at all like yours (ripping bags, loose stitching, "sticky" tarp, etc.). In my case, at first look everything seemed great. But I have yet to use it. The reaon I bought this tarp (instead of a DD tarp), is because my primary objective was to buy a tarp with many inner tie outs (ie: 33 total, w/ 9 inside alone). This will allow me to teach my many various tarp setup and configuration. When I saw this tarp, price was nice and it was the ONLY other tarp with so many inner tie outs (other than DD tarps which has several in the center as well). But I didn't want to pay the $170+ CAD for a simple 10'x10'. So I went with this cheaper tarp since my kids will probably tear it up. I also scanned YT for reviews on this tarp, and 99% of all reviews do an "unpacking" and then sit under it and claim it's got a lot of space ... what!?? I love your thorough analysis. Unlike others. Lastly, one thing which I was a bit surprised was your claim that Gold Armour re-labels their tarps? I say this because having tarps with center tie-outs is a HUGE factor that people look for (assume anyway). If it is available to other companies, wouldn't Amazon be flouded with this very same or similar tarp? The 9 tie out is an important feature (at least to me). Anyway, thank you and looking forward to your final review ... and give the tarp some hard times!
You can order products in bulk and have different things done to them to make them unique, but it's still rebranding. In this case it's a tons of guy outs and a huge number of additional failure points to make them possible. Amazon IS flooded with this exact same tarp, just with fewer guy outs. It's also flooded with the exact same set of trekking poles, all with different graphical patterns and brand names, and some might have cork handles instead of rubber, but they're all the same trekking poles. Same goes for cookware, those little alcohol and wood stoves and a hell of a lot of tents. The problem isn't the rebranding, but the market flooding and poor quality control of most of it. As long as it's not falling apart on the factory floor they ship it, which is one big reason it's so cheap. The only reason the products sell in such a flooded market is because they're cheap and have to be replaced frequently.
I bought this tarp 3 years ago. Never opened it from the bag. When bought it I thought it was 2 pat and the stitching are a support for the tyeups. Obviously I didn't know what I was doing. Thanks for the great review.
For that price I can certainly see using it for a little extra cover over a small one, two or three person tent, especially if the tent already has a rainfly. The extra protection from rain, or excessive heat is well worth the price of admission when you consider the fact that it only weighs two pounds, and can easily be added to a backpacking kit.
Reminds me of the 10 by 10 coated nylon tarp with lots of ties that I bought from Campmor back in the 1980’s. I notice price varies with color, as well as size. Wish they’d knock a few bucks off and offer just the tarp. I can take care of cordage, stakes and carrying bag.
Great review Luke! I have the tarp and I love it! I have used it many times on my beach/river camps. It's cheap and it's great! I'm buying the 14.7ft x 12ft one as we speak. Huge tarp. :)
Hey Luke, As for the carry-on bags that they came in, I can always repair those since I know how to sew. That's not a big issue with me but the tarp itself. If it does have issues with leakage I can solve that problem too. And for the price, yeah I'd buy it. If I bought that tent I would turn around and pour 1/2 gallon Naptha and thoroughly mix in one tube of silicone clear caulking and then dip that tarp in it. Thoroughly coat it throughout and hang it up to dry and then I would know for sure that it was totally waterproof. For that price I'd spend the money to actually waterproof it because I love the plastic tie-out points on it. Yeah the carrying cases for it were shodily sewn together but all in all. Yeah I think it's worth the price. Even if it doesn't block out water I can fix it. You can't make a tart for that price.
Between your description and what I could see on the video, the best use for that tarp would be just what you mentioned... a sun shade. Setting it up at the beach or at an outdoor gathering as a shade would be the best bet.
I purchased a Gold Armour tarp in October 22 and have used it a number of times in heavy rain and mildly windy conditions here in Japan. It held up just fine with no leaks or issues. I also own Aquaquest Defender and Safari tarps that I can compare it to. Indeed the quality of the Gold Armour tarp in terms of attention to detail on the stitching is definitely not nearly the same as Aquaquest, but then again the price point is also very different. I doubt the Gold Armour tarp will hold up as long or would be as trustworthy in severe conditions but for "normal" weather including mild wind and rain it's been just fine based on my experience. That said, I can definitely imagine that at a price point like this it might be luck of the draw if you get a good one or not.
when i read this i remembered the movie Airplane 🚅 the scene where Johnny is handed a piece of paper asked what can you make of this.. 😂 well i can make a hat.. a terodactyl.. lol
I have the bigger one it held up to a few nice rain showers and mild winds when I tested it at my farm. I have to say not bad for price. My aquaquest defender is definitely my go to for any weather conditions.
I picked up the 8 x 10 up because I liked all the tie out points and it was cheap. Took it out on a three-day two-night camp and it rained all night both nights. I was bone dry! I have only ever taken it out a few other times and worked out fine. But I don't know how it would hold up in the long run though. Seems really thin so durability may be an issue.
For a tarp, you need quality. It's the main thing to keep you dry and safe above all other gear you carry. You can have a tent that is not 100% waterproof, but keeps the bugs off of you. You can have a sleeping bag that doesn't keep you 100% comfortable, but you can add a blanket to keep you warmer. But a tarp, is the cover for all of that and shouldn't be skimped on. A tarp is also to keep you out of wind and to keep the sun off of your camping area. Needless to say, I won't be getting this tarp. It may be lighter overall than the tarps I own, but to skimp on your main piece of gear you need to depend on to keep you out of the weather is just asking for trouble.
Don’t let this review deter you. It’s a great tarp had mines(this exact same tarp) for years. No issues so far but at the same time nothing last forever
@@yurrryurrr1463is yours sticky? Because that’s the primary thing wrong with his, so far (4:19). In my experience, tarps of this price range are not sticky. They’re also not usually this heavy. And I assume the “2 pounds” is the weight of just the tarp, not the accessories.
@@JasperJanssen I’m 230lbs so if it is heavy I couldn’t really tell you. I’m not into the ultra light thing. And mines aren’t sticky. I have 4 in total and they all work just fine in high winds and all. I’ve even had one set up by my kids swing set for over and year and the only issue was fading and the guy lines went bad. But the tents itself stayed in great condition and its was an extremely hot summer
I have the old and new versions of this tent it has served me well the old one did not have the extra attachments so it gathered water pools the new one fixed this flaw, I will soon have a video up about it.
Great review. I wish I saw it before I bought. I was looking for a decent tarp for my Bug Out/Get Home bag and heard of this one. The price was right. I have been packing green plastic tarps from Lowes/Home Depot. After watching your review I checked out mine and the draw cord sleeve wont open up, the tears, and there are loose threads. Buy American. I would gladly pay more for something mfg'd here but sooooo much is off shored. I went the local 5.11 store and was very disappointed to see all the flashlights and knives are made in China. (Now only buy Esee or Chris Reeves or Montana Knife Co stuff)( MKC made in AMerica, veteran owned company. Expensive , yes, but high quality) Aargh! You get what you pay for. Lesson learned.
I purchased this tarp a little over a year ago but it was the 10 by 12 and have taken it out a few times and in one calm rain and it performed pretty well but no wind. I am taking it for more of sun protection going to little Tybee Island in a few weeks and Hope it holds up LOL. Definitely will be more wind but my tent will have the rain fly just in case hahaha
Only thing I get from Amazon coffee and freeze dry food & case of rice sometime motorcycle parts & gear and research on hiking gear & tents! Mr. Luke ☕☕
Thank you Luke - Nice review any sort of sketchy stitching gives me the eeby jeebies😁. A GOOD budget tarp is the Free Soldier and this is priced in the $30 range - Would there be anyway for you to look at the PASBAS 10x10 tarp? 70D nylon, claiming 15000 PU water proof coating, all for $62. IF all of this is so this would be an Aqua Quest contender
I got one of the Gold Armour tarps the camo and I got for hammock camping cover and in cold weather it's not that good, because I couldn't get it to be taught and guided lines weren't long enough about six feet long and I'm going to your favorite tarps to replace the ones I have.
I just purchased a $2 open end wrench that I bent on a vice to give me the correct angle that I needed to remove a thermostat bolt the car manufacturer sells a specific wrench for this application for $35 the $2 wrench worked perfectly im not an auto mechanic so for me it was a no brainer not everyone is a diehard camper so maybe for the 3 or 4 times they need a tarp this can work. Just my 2 cents worth 😀
Luke, thanks for the video. I recently purchased one of these as I was learning more about bushcraft camping. I am interested in your testing. I have not even taken it out of the bag yet.
Maybe I've missed it because I have had my tarp from Free Soldier for many years, but have you, or would you a review of it? I'd be interested in your opinion. Personally, I love mine. Thanks.
Luke thanks for the review. It looks like I wont be adding this to my shelter system. Looks way to flimsy & I doubt it will prove to be waterproof. Keep up the awesome videos. Thx Randyv63
I sould reconsider this as nothing more then a sun shade tarp. agreed about the relabeling, I have seen this on lots of products I see online when searching for a particular item
I bought this a year ago. The storage bags are garbage for sure. But I’ve made several shelters with this tarp and have had it in decently windy conditions. 20mph winds. Nothing bad has happened yet 🤷🏻♂️
Yeah, agreed. Got this tarp for Christmas and was disappointed with the multiple seams and tie outs on the diagonal. Ok for moderate use and stone mod tie outs. Haven't been in a rain storm so still don't know about leaking.
Can't wait for review. Any possibility of reviewing a car camping big stove like "ARC Burner, 37,000 BTU 16” Stainless Steel Single Burner Propane Stove" on amazon?
Any recommendations on a tarp to cover a 9.5’ x 9.5’ canvas tent? In case of heavy rain..etc. I have the The Mountain Den 9.5′ x 9.5′ tent by Wilderness Ridge Llamas.
Hello, thanks for the information. I have reading about Elowah Outfitters tarps and I would like to hear your thoughts about their Ultra TNT tarps. I really enjoy your content. Douglas
That many seams and that kind of stitching... doesn't matter what the HH rating is. Taped seams or not, this baby's going to leak in anything more than light rain. I have a Snugpak Scorpion 3 from years ago with a 5,000mm HH, and it is world's thicker/more robust vs. this tarp. This BTW, was when Snugpak made virtually bulletproof gear (great tent!). I also have an AquaQuest Defender, 20,000 HH rating. Spend the extra $ and buy an Aqua Quest tarp, you won't regret it!
I've purchased a tarp from Gold Armour before and not had the problems Luke is having. They may have changed manufacturer's since my purchase but the bag's draw pull's are fine and it doesn't look anything like the texture he's got.
There is a company called free soldier that I purchased a tarp from overall quality looks pretty solid to me but I would be interested in you doing a review on it
I share your concerns about this tarp, Luke. I was not surprised about the quality given this was so inexpensive. When anyone goes camping, Especially backpacking, there are certain pieces of gear that are “Must Perform/Reliable” so that everyone stays safe. These include backpacks, clothing, sleeping bags/quilts, tents and tarps. These pieces of gear are, depending upon the type/style of camping, at the very least a nuisance if they fail, say for RV camping/home glamping, to absolutely critical to survival in the backcountry when backpack camping. Even when RV camping, these items may mean the difference between having an enjoyable or miserable experience. Therefore these items, such as tarps, are Not Worth spending so little $ on that you run the risk of failure. This tarp might be ok for glamping at home only imo as if it fails, you can always go inside to sleep/shelter. But if I was doing any sort of camping farther from home, I would want to have more reliable gear that I can count on in case you are unable to easily resupply due to location. If budget is a priority, there are better options that are more expensive than this tarp, but are much more reliable and can be used on multiple occasions without fail, such as Helikon Tex, DD hammocks, Decathlon tarps. It will be very interesting to see a wind/rain test on this tarp to see if the tarp material performs in a similar manner to the sacs the tarp was stuffed into.
Luke I am putting together a strong shelter system. I need a fairly heavy-duty tarp. 4 Season would be good. I want 10'x12' to cover our tent. I need waterproof, windproof & UV durable. I would like something that won't break the bank, But I need something I can pass down to my Kids. What would you suggest. Color doesn't matter at all. Thanks my Friend. RV
Thats strange. I have had one for around 5 years and have used it in combination with my aquaquest. Been in Rain and thunderstorms. No winds over 25-30. I wonder if they have gone downhill with manufacturing...
Luke, please correct me if I’m mistaken, but this looks like the same tarp fas the one you used in your hot tent camping in severe storm video from 3 days ago. It seems to me it held up pretty well in that video. Can you detail any shortcomings you found in the tarp from the hot tent video and and why the seeming disparity in your two videos?
Didn’t he just basically throw it over the tent, like a rain fly, so it was using the infrastructure of the tent and was not free-standing on it’s own?
I sew tarps myself, and a seam like this (in german "doppelte Kappnaht" wich may translate to double felled seam?) can actually strengthen the tie out point, when it goes there lenghtwise (and if it is done with care & high quality materials).
This is because you have four layers of material in a continiuos strip to the tie out point. You also can attach strong, reinforced tie out points to this seam in the middle of the tarp.
Therefore I find the Design of the Tarp Interesting, but I totally agree that this tarp is not recommandable because of the poor quality.
Thanks for your work!
We purchased this exact tarp last year. Wish this review was a year old lol Our first trip out with it on the Moon River there was a wind storm. Some of the stitching when it arrived wasn't really perfect, we brushed it off. Three of the tie off points tore off. We sealed the seams a week before we left, it still leaked. We used it a few more times on a couple of trips just to keep the sun off of us, but that's it. We now use it to cover our BBQ during the winter months. Thank you for all you do, you are greatly appreciated.
I have two Gold Armour tarps. I use them in rain and snow. I love my cheap tarps. I can have my fire super close and not worry about sparks. I can't help but wonder if you got a knock off.
Mine are the 10'x12' 2 panels, not six.
S.A.H. 🔥
For me the fact that you personally purchase 90% of the products you review is what goes a long long way into establishing your credibility with me. In this world of corporate BS it is no surprise they won't send you stuff to review, that just would not be in their best interest due your honesty Luke. In the long run though I think it works out for the best and is what makes your channel the channel that it is. Keeping them honest, keep up the good work Luke.
I have a 14 x 12 used it two seasons. Use a single slack line and bungee cords to secure and ususally set up over picnic table in BC mountains.
Kept me dry and stood up to serious storms and wind. My outdoor friends can't believe it's a cheap tarp off amazon. Haha!
Everytime when i need something calm, informative and interesting Story telling, i come here and listening to Luke. His videos are perfect to make a restless mind calm down. I wish everyone a good evening
Gold Armor rocks. I have 3. Zero problems remote hammocking.
I have used a Gold Armour 10x12 for 3 years now. Have been through numerous Texas thunderstorms and survived Texas ice storm of 2021. Maybe quality was better a few years ago because mine is definitely beefier.
Same here
These tarps were built better 4 or 5 years ago. My 3 10 x 10 are one piece
I actually own one of those, and it has been great, several campings and still not a single hole or any other problem
I own this tarp. Got it years ago. It’s been through very severe storms in Texas and it hasn’t failed and does not leak. I cannot say they haven’t changed the design but for me it’s been a great piece of gear.
I have a 12x10 camo, and 10x10 olive green tarp from gold armor and I love em! Stuff sack and everything are all still good after a year and a half in all weather. Prolly wouldn't take em for back country wilderness camping but for small 4 or 5 day trips,.... all day everyday!!
A genius when it comes to consumer advocacy!!! Thanks Luke!!!
Hello Luke , I have used several diferent Tarps over the years , and have had mixed results with them all , Eventually I saved up and bought an Aququest Defender , and It has never let me down , in all weather conditions . 🙂
I just bought an Aquacrest Safari tarp bc of Luke's reviews. I can't wait to use it! 😃
I always like how you do your reviews - you just tell it like it is and give your opinion and let people know to form their own. I would call this a "0-season tarp - used at your own risk - definitely bring a jacket"
I've owned one of these tarps for three years (same size and color as what's tested here). It has never leaked. The storage bag did rip though (it really was too small for the size of the tarp), but I bought a small bag for it and still continue to use the tarp. I love it.
I have the 12 x 14 Gold armor and has gone through some pretty extreme thunderstorms with 30 plus wind gusts. I did change out the stakes as I live in virginia and need longer stakes. But so far the tarp itself has not had any issues. The bags I had the same problem and I went and got a stuff sack that I can compress and it worked out great. I wish I would have seen the 10 x 10 because I think it would work with the Amol Drunr and the onewind hammock I have. Has never had rain come through it even when we were getting over an inch an hour.
I have owned that tarp for 3 years I enjoy it have used in various conditions including high winds and a downpour no issues, also took on a beach trip in Florida for shade it held up whole time on high winds on beach
Bags both tore when brand new as well
I am an Aqua Quest devotee. I have a 10X10 Safari that I cowboy camped with and for the lat two years it has been an awning and a privacy shelter on my van. It has withstood thunderstorms, heavy beach winds, the scorching sun and a light snow. It is intact and all of the tie-out points are still strong and show no signs of wear. It was expensive but well worth the money. I am ordering an Aqua Quest Defender 10X12 to extend from the rear of my van.
Hello Luke, long time watcher first time commenter. I have a gold armour 14x12 tarp I bought 2018ish. I use it all the time over my hammock and for shade. My tarp is different than the one in this video. Mine does not have the plastic tie outs and the guidelines are smaller in diameter. I have used my tarp in heavy rain and mild wind without any issues and I was dry. I broke a stake, contacted the company, and received 6 new stakes free with their sincere apologies. I even told them it was my fault. I love my tarp. I'm sorry you feel that way but that is why you are an expert. By the way thanks for the great videos!!
I took a chance on the 10x14 about 3 years ago and I actually love it. Have used on more backcountry camps to count. Aquaquest is my primary, but $30 for a 10x14 backup that packs small is hard to beat. Maybe I got lucky with mine.
Your hard on everything, that's why I watch thx luke
I've used this tarp for years over my tent. No major complaints. It's cheap and works for the price point.
I purchased the 12x10 march of 21, rock solid thus far. Gone through a lot of weather with it part of my hammock setup. A small drip was noticed after the 4th storm. So I added some seam sealer after it dried out, and was good to go.
Thanks!
I’m glad you did this review. I’ve been back and forth on this tarp for over a year now
I have a 10x10 camo gold armour tarp. It kept me dry several times hammock camping. I recently set it up in the back yard to create some extra shade/shelter for my dog. One mild storm later it ripped, and not near a seam. I was pretty happy with it til that happened
Nothing last forever
I bought a gold armor sleeping pad. It is scratchy (noisy when you move at all on it), and it doesn't really insulate at all, but it is light, it was cheap, and it's fine for sleeping on a floor (I bought it when I knew I would be sleeping on some floors on a trip). I have a Paria pad for actual camping. There's really no comparison, but then, the Paria pad was much more expensive.
Thanks Luke! I’ve been curious about this tarp for a while. I’ll happily stay with my Aquaquest. Thanks to your recommendation.
Thanks for the heads up! Waiting for the rain/storm field test.
Stay safe and God bless.
Needed a ground cover and figured I use this as a ground cover for my simple a frame did not come with a ground sheet . Thanks for the warning. I like that this had a lot of tie off points .
I'm excited you are reviewing something I own! I like mine. Seams are taped, it's held up in a few rain showers and has plenty of tie out points.
Hello Luke,
First, let me congratulate you on your amazing channel. I really love your "say it like it is" reviews and appreciate and respect your opinion.
When I saw this video, I was a bit surprised because last week I just received my Golden Armour 14'x12' tarp, and my first experience was not at all like yours (ripping bags, loose stitching, "sticky" tarp, etc.). In my case, at first look everything seemed great. But I have yet to use it.
The reaon I bought this tarp (instead of a DD tarp), is because my primary objective was to buy a tarp with many inner tie outs (ie: 33 total, w/ 9 inside alone). This will allow me to teach my many various tarp setup and configuration. When I saw this tarp, price was nice and it was the ONLY other tarp with so many inner tie outs (other than DD tarps which has several in the center as well). But I didn't want to pay the $170+ CAD for a simple 10'x10'. So I went with this cheaper tarp since my kids will probably tear it up.
I also scanned YT for reviews on this tarp, and 99% of all reviews do an "unpacking" and then sit under it and claim it's got a lot of space ... what!?? I love your thorough analysis. Unlike others.
Lastly, one thing which I was a bit surprised was your claim that Gold Armour re-labels their tarps? I say this because having tarps with center tie-outs is a HUGE factor that people look for (assume anyway). If it is available to other companies, wouldn't Amazon be flouded with this very same or similar tarp? The 9 tie out is an important feature (at least to me).
Anyway, thank you and looking forward to your final review ... and give the tarp some hard times!
You can order products in bulk and have different things done to them to make them unique, but it's still rebranding. In this case it's a tons of guy outs and a huge number of additional failure points to make them possible. Amazon IS flooded with this exact same tarp, just with fewer guy outs. It's also flooded with the exact same set of trekking poles, all with different graphical patterns and brand names, and some might have cork handles instead of rubber, but they're all the same trekking poles. Same goes for cookware, those little alcohol and wood stoves and a hell of a lot of tents.
The problem isn't the rebranding, but the market flooding and poor quality control of most of it. As long as it's not falling apart on the factory floor they ship it, which is one big reason it's so cheap. The only reason the products sell in such a flooded market is because they're cheap and have to be replaced frequently.
When I saw it on Amazon. The low, low price jumped out. And all those attachment points stood out.
I take your word for it Luke, if you say don't buy it I'm not buying it. Thanks buddy
I bought this tarp 3 years ago. Never opened it from the bag. When bought it I thought it was 2 pat and the stitching are a support for the tyeups.
Obviously I didn't know what I was doing. Thanks for the great review.
For that price I can certainly see using it for a little extra cover over a small one, two or three person tent, especially if the tent already has a rainfly. The extra protection from rain, or excessive heat is well worth the price of admission when you consider the fact that it only weighs two pounds, and can easily be added to a backpacking kit.
I love your reviews, and your honesty. Thanks for this thorough video.
Reminds me of the 10 by 10 coated nylon tarp with lots of ties that I bought from Campmor back in the 1980’s. I notice price varies with color, as well as size. Wish they’d knock a few bucks off and offer just the tarp. I can take care of cordage, stakes and carrying bag.
Great review Luke! I have the tarp and I love it! I have used it many times on my beach/river camps. It's cheap and it's great! I'm buying the 14.7ft x 12ft one as we speak. Huge tarp. :)
When the video started I was ready to order, I’m glad I waited, thank you.
Hey Luke,
As for the carry-on bags that they came in, I can always repair those since I know how to sew. That's not a big issue with me but the tarp itself. If it does have issues with leakage I can solve that problem too. And for the price, yeah I'd buy it.
If I bought that tent I would turn around and pour 1/2 gallon Naptha and thoroughly mix in one tube of silicone clear caulking and then dip that tarp in it. Thoroughly coat it throughout and hang it up to dry and then I would know for sure that it was totally waterproof.
For that price I'd spend the money to actually waterproof it because I love the plastic tie-out points on it.
Yeah the carrying cases for it were shodily sewn together but all in all. Yeah I think it's worth the price. Even if it doesn't block out water I can fix it.
You can't make a tart for that price.
Between your description and what I could see on the video, the best use for that tarp would be just what you mentioned... a sun shade. Setting it up at the beach or at an outdoor gathering as a shade would be the best bet.
I purchased a Gold Armour tarp in October 22 and have used it a number of times in heavy rain and mildly windy conditions here in Japan. It held up just fine with no leaks or issues. I also own Aquaquest Defender and Safari tarps that I can compare it to. Indeed the quality of the Gold Armour tarp in terms of attention to detail on the stitching is definitely not nearly the same as Aquaquest, but then again the price point is also very different. I doubt the Gold Armour tarp will hold up as long or would be as trustworthy in severe conditions but for "normal" weather including mild wind and rain it's been just fine based on my experience. That said, I can definitely imagine that at a price point like this it might be luck of the draw if you get a good one or not.
I have a ton of tarps including 8 aqua quest but lmao I use this cheap tarp all the time for years now lol waiting for it to fail but not yet.
Hi Luke!: Thanks for the head's up on this one! Wouldn't trust that thing at all! You saved us from wasting money once again!
Glad I saw this review. I had this exact tarp in my saved Amazon section for future purchase. 😅
Yes, but can you turn it into a cape, and become a super hero? 😂
He IS a Super Hero!!!!
@@laurenweisse9858 😂😂😂
Captain planet with a cape?
when i read this i remembered the movie Airplane 🚅 the scene where Johnny is handed a piece of paper asked what can you make of this.. 😂 well i can make a hat.. a terodactyl.. lol
I once had a workmate called Tarp.
I have the bigger one it held up to a few nice rain showers and mild winds when I tested it at my farm. I have to say not bad for price. My aquaquest defender is definitely my go to for any weather conditions.
Great review. I was thinking about it. Not now. Thanks. I respect your reviews.
The bags not opening, and that weird sticky coating, reminds me EXACTLY of my multicam DD tarp I recently got from them.
I picked up the 8 x 10 up because I liked all the tie out points and it was cheap. Took it out on a three-day two-night camp and it rained all night both nights. I was bone dry! I have only ever taken it out a few other times and worked out fine. But I don't know how it would hold up in the long run though. Seems really thin so durability may be an issue.
For a tarp, you need quality. It's the main thing to keep you dry and safe above all other gear you carry. You can have a tent that is not 100% waterproof, but keeps the bugs off of you. You can have a sleeping bag that doesn't keep you 100% comfortable, but you can add a blanket to keep you warmer. But a tarp, is the cover for all of that and shouldn't be skimped on. A tarp is also to keep you out of wind and to keep the sun off of your camping area.
Needless to say, I won't be getting this tarp. It may be lighter overall than the tarps I own, but to skimp on your main piece of gear you need to depend on to keep you out of the weather is just asking for trouble.
Don’t let this review deter you. It’s a great tarp had mines(this exact same tarp) for years. No issues so far but at the same time nothing last forever
Probably made in china
@@yurrryurrr1463is yours sticky? Because that’s the primary thing wrong with his, so far (4:19). In my experience, tarps of this price range are not sticky. They’re also not usually this heavy. And I assume the “2 pounds” is the weight of just the tarp, not the accessories.
@@JasperJanssen I’m 230lbs so if it is heavy I couldn’t really tell you. I’m not into the ultra light thing. And mines aren’t sticky. I have 4 in total and they all work just fine in high winds and all. I’ve even had one set up by my kids swing set for over and year and the only issue was fading and the guy lines went bad. But the tents itself stayed in great condition and its was an extremely hot summer
I have the old and new versions of this tent it has served me well the old one did not have the extra attachments so it gathered water pools the new one fixed this flaw, I will soon have a video up about it.
Great review. I wish I saw it before I bought. I was looking for a decent tarp for my Bug Out/Get Home bag and heard of this one. The price was right. I have been packing green plastic tarps from Lowes/Home Depot. After watching your review I checked out mine and the draw cord sleeve wont open up, the tears, and there are loose threads. Buy American. I would gladly pay more for something mfg'd here but sooooo much is off shored. I went the local 5.11 store and was very disappointed to see all the flashlights and knives are made in China. (Now only buy Esee or Chris Reeves or Montana Knife Co stuff)( MKC made in AMerica, veteran owned company. Expensive , yes, but high quality) Aargh! You get what you pay for. Lesson learned.
Thank you again Luke we appreciate you
Thanks for the info, Luke. Strength and honor.
Buy cheap usually = get cheap. Great first impressions. Maybe a car picnic on the beach. Thx
Pausing at 2:12 …… is the stitching and uneven drawn strings the Brown M&M in a bowl backstage at a Van Halen Concert?
I purchased this tarp a little over a year ago but it was the 10 by 12 and have taken it out a few times and in one calm rain and it performed pretty well but no wind. I am taking it for more of sun protection going to little Tybee Island in a few weeks and Hope it holds up LOL. Definitely will be more wind but my tent will have the rain fly just in case hahaha
Thanks for sharing this Luke ❤❤i really appreciate your opinions and your thoughts on these products you review ❤❤❤please keep us posted ❤❤
I have 2 of them. One has been great. The 2nd one just had two teathers ripped out after an hour in 10mph winds.
Only thing I get from Amazon coffee and freeze dry food & case of rice sometime motorcycle parts & gear and research on hiking gear & tents! Mr. Luke ☕☕
Thank you Luke - Nice review any sort of sketchy stitching gives me the eeby jeebies😁. A GOOD budget tarp is the Free Soldier and this is priced in the $30 range - Would there be anyway for you to look at the PASBAS 10x10 tarp? 70D nylon, claiming 15000 PU water proof coating, all for $62. IF all of this is so this would be an Aqua Quest contender
I got one of the Gold Armour tarps the camo and I got for hammock camping cover and in cold weather it's not that good, because I couldn't get it to be taught and guided lines weren't long enough about six feet long and I'm going to your favorite tarps to replace the ones I have.
I just purchased a $2 open end wrench that I bent on a vice to give me the correct angle that I needed to remove a thermostat bolt the car manufacturer sells a specific wrench for this application for $35 the $2 wrench worked perfectly im not an auto mechanic so for me it was a no brainer not everyone is a diehard camper so maybe for the 3 or 4 times they need a tarp this can work. Just my 2 cents worth 😀
It's funny if you're new to togr you'd never understand just how much Luke got SWOLE! DUDE IS JACKED! Love to Luke and fam
Luke, thanks for the video. I recently purchased one of these as I was learning more about bushcraft camping. I am interested in your testing. I have not even taken it out of the bag yet.
I have 2 gold armour tarps and they work great. Had them in windy weather in Vermont for over 2 years and they are waterproof
Maybe I've missed it because I have had my tarp from Free Soldier for many years, but have you, or would you a review of it? I'd be interested in your opinion. Personally, I love mine. Thanks.
Luke thanks for the review. It looks like I wont be adding this to my shelter system. Looks way to flimsy & I doubt it will prove to be waterproof. Keep up the awesome videos. Thx Randyv63
I sould reconsider this as nothing more then a sun shade tarp. agreed about the relabeling, I have seen this on lots of products I see online when searching for a particular item
Looks very similar to the cheap Fox Outfitters rebranded tarps I bought that ripped in moderate winds during set up
PLEASE review the Harbor Freight blue tarp for comparison!!! I'll bet the H F blue tarp does better. lol
Big fan of your reviews, would love if you could do some comparison videos for tarps, tents etc
Just wondering when you are doing a follow up field test on this tarp.
I bought this a year ago. The storage bags are garbage for sure. But I’ve made several shelters with this tarp and have had it in decently windy conditions. 20mph winds. Nothing bad has happened yet 🤷🏻♂️
Yeah, agreed. Got this tarp for Christmas and was disappointed with the multiple seams and tie outs on the diagonal. Ok for moderate use and stone mod tie outs. Haven't been in a rain storm so still don't know about leaking.
i set up mine like a adirondac shelter and never had a problem with wind or rain in Vermont 4 season use..
Can't wait for review. Any possibility of reviewing a car camping big stove like "ARC Burner, 37,000 BTU 16” Stainless Steel Single Burner Propane Stove" on amazon?
be interesting to see what new tarp configurations you can make out of those strange tie out point positions
Looking forward to your testing on this product.
Any recommendations on a tarp to cover a 9.5’ x 9.5’ canvas tent? In case of heavy rain..etc. I have the The Mountain Den 9.5′ x 9.5′ tent by Wilderness Ridge Llamas.
I would probably buy to use as a groundsheet under my tent
Hello, thanks for the information. I have reading about Elowah Outfitters tarps and I would like to hear your thoughts about their Ultra TNT tarps. I really enjoy your content. Douglas
Thanks again for awesome video & info on tarps!! ☕
Luke, could you test two tarps made by Decathlon, each about 10 by 10 feet, one polyester, another made from some lighter material.
That many seams and that kind of stitching... doesn't matter what the HH rating is. Taped seams or not, this baby's going to leak in anything more than light rain. I have a Snugpak Scorpion 3 from years ago with a 5,000mm HH, and it is world's thicker/more robust vs. this tarp. This BTW, was when Snugpak made virtually bulletproof gear (great tent!). I also have an AquaQuest Defender, 20,000 HH rating. Spend the extra $ and buy an Aqua Quest tarp, you won't regret it!
I've purchased a tarp from Gold Armour before and not had the problems Luke is having. They may have changed manufacturer's since my purchase but the bag's draw pull's are fine and it doesn't look anything like the texture he's got.
There is a company called free soldier that I purchased a tarp from overall quality looks pretty solid to me but I would be interested in you doing a review on it
I share your concerns about this tarp, Luke. I was not surprised about the quality given this was so inexpensive. When anyone goes camping, Especially backpacking, there are certain pieces of gear that are “Must Perform/Reliable” so that everyone stays safe. These include backpacks, clothing, sleeping bags/quilts, tents and tarps. These pieces of gear are, depending upon the type/style of camping, at the very least a nuisance if they fail, say for RV camping/home glamping, to absolutely critical to survival in the backcountry when backpack camping. Even when RV camping, these items may mean the difference between having an enjoyable or miserable experience. Therefore these items, such as tarps, are Not Worth spending so little $ on that you run the risk of failure. This tarp might be ok for glamping at home only imo as if it fails, you can always go inside to sleep/shelter. But if I was doing any sort of camping farther from home, I would want to have more reliable gear that I can count on in case you are unable to easily resupply due to location. If budget is a priority, there are better options that are more expensive than this tarp, but are much more reliable and can be used on multiple occasions without fail, such as Helikon Tex, DD hammocks, Decathlon tarps. It will be very interesting to see a wind/rain test on this tarp to see if the tarp material performs in a similar manner to the sacs the tarp was stuffed into.
Luke I am putting together a strong shelter system. I need a fairly heavy-duty tarp. 4 Season would be good. I want 10'x12' to cover our tent. I need waterproof, windproof & UV durable. I would like something that won't break the bank, But I need something I can pass down to my Kids. What would you suggest. Color doesn't matter at all. Thanks my Friend. RV
cant wait to see wind waterproof test
How do you upload so much man😂💪 Your videos are always top tier, keep up the good work!
I do believe you're very honest about your reviews
Thats strange. I have had one for around 5 years and have used it in combination with my aquaquest. Been in Rain and thunderstorms. No winds over 25-30. I wonder if they have gone downhill with manufacturing...
Mine are great no bother spending $100 when these work fine
Luke, please correct me if I’m mistaken, but this looks like the same tarp fas the one you used in your hot tent camping in severe storm video from 3 days ago. It seems to me it held up pretty well in that video. Can you detail any shortcomings you found in the tarp from the hot tent video and and why the seeming disparity in your two videos?
I saw that, too.. maybe because I saw this video first and then the storm video.
Didn’t he just basically throw it over the tent, like a rain fly, so it was using the infrastructure of the tent and was not free-standing on it’s own?
hey Luke, do you happen to have reviews of 4 person/6 person tents? was looking for reviews for stuff like the north face wawona or MSR's habitude.
They have a 20x20 tarp? Imagine a thin polyester tarp made up of 24 panels, stitched together badly! Sounds like a family shower booth.
What is that theme music. Its so good 🤩
Hey luke
What did you think of the Hilleberg tarp, have you tried them?
I would love to get your opinion on the Slumberhack Roadhouse tarp. I’m just getting into truck camping and it looks quite interesting.
Sometimes cheap is just cheap and you get what you pay for!