Escape from Tarkov's new game wipe means everyone is back to square one. It can be hard to understand what the best budget gear for early raids is given how quickly Escape from Tarkov is developing, but there are some surefire picks that never go out of style. This brief article will highlight some of the most effective budget gear for getting started in Escape from Tarkov.
Escape from Tarkov is BattleState Games' online survival shooter set in the fictional Russian city of Tarkov under lockdown. Players battle each other and roving bands of scavengers, AI soldiers, a concept recently lifted for PUBG, to escape with gear and money. Escape from Tarkov is a harsh game, where death takes everything and no one is truly safe. When times are tough, or players are just getting started, it's best to rely on the best budget gear to get back to the hideout in one piece - while saving a few rubles, of course.
Escape from Tarkov thrusts players into an unforgiving world without any sort of tutorial to guide them. While it may seem daunting at first to sort out the best ammo types and armor combinations, these pieces of equipment are plentiful, cheap, and offer a seriously good potential return on investment. This budget gear won't be enough to win extended gunfights or take on any of Escape from Tarkov's best-equipped players and bosses, but they offer enough protection to handle any unexpected engagement or scavenger attack.
Escape from Tarkov's Best Budget Gear
Start with a solid budget weapon. On offer immediately from Escape from Tarkov's traders is the Simonov Semi-Automatic Carbine SKS 7.62x39. This durable weapon comes cheap from Prapor at around 2,3000 rubles. This weapon offers good accuracy, semi-automatic firing, and access to decent starting ammunition. The 7.62x39 mm PS ammo that Prapor also sells works with the SKS and can punch through most early game armor. It's best for medium to long range, so perfect for Woods and Customs, but perhaps not for the upcoming building-heavy new Tarkov map. The best part is that, given the low cost of the SKS, Escape from Tarkov's insurance system will most likely see the weapon returned. It's simply not worth it for most players to pick up.
Protection is as important as damage output in Escape from Tarkov, so it's critical to invest in at least budget protection every raid. The SSh-68 helmet should be the golden standard for budget headgear with a cost of around 22,000 rubles. It may only be armor class 3, which is enough to protect against melee attacks, but the SSh-68's high ricochet chance means that deadly shots might bounce off, leaving only a ringing in the ears to remind players of their luck. Players can purchase it from Ragman at level 1. It's best to take every reasonable precaution until players have found better secure containers in Escape from Tarkov.
The PACA Soft Armor is the best budget armor for players until at least level 10, and often far beyond it. While the PACA might not offer much protection, it is light and doesn't inhibit movement very much. What it will do is protect Tarkov players from the shotguns and pistol caliber rounds scavengers often pack. It may seem like a waste to invest in armor that most bullets will easily pass through, but there is nothing worse that having a raid end early when a scavenger gets lucky from across the map. The PACA's cheap cost, at around 30,000 rubles, and the fact that it contributes to relations with Ragman, means that every budget build should include it.
Escape from Tarkov doesn't pull any punches and it can be frustrating for new players to try and find their way in such a punishing game. The constant stream of new updates and new Tarkov guns also trip up players getting their balance But for all the difficulty Escape from Tarkov offers, there is a special rewarding quality to triumphing over players and scavengers and escaping alive. Bringing the best budget gear into every raid ensures a fighting chance against everything Escape from Tarkov can throw at players.