Published , by Timo Reinecke
Published , by Timo Reinecke
The Tripwire is one of the more devious contraptions in any Escape from Tarkov player’s arsenal. A simple wire attached to a grenade that can be placed wherever you want has the potential for carnage and will induce paranoia for any PMC trying to do tasks in peace. In this handy little guide, we’ll explain how to unlock them, how to use them, and what strategies you can employ to get the most out of them.
To unlock Tripwires you need to finish the Tasks “Rough Tarkov” and “Every Hunter Knows This” which are unlocked after you’ve been introduced to Jaeger through Mechanic.
“Rough Tarkov” asks you to locate mines located in Ground Zero and Woods. You only have to see the spots so don’t worry about making it out alive. The mines on Woods are located close to the USEC Camp in the northwestern part of the map. These mines are scattered around the western and northwestern sides of the camp so try and stay clear of those.
The mine in Ground Zero is located in one of the little booths in the back of the Tarbank building. That is the one with the machine gun on the second floor pointing at the Terragroup building. Instead of heading upstairs, just follow the graffiti through the hallway until you reach the open door at the end of it. You only have to see the mine to complete the objective, entering the room will likely result in your demise.
“Every Hunter Knows This” asks you to visit Factory and Customs to find spots suitable for Tripmines. The one in Factory is located on the third floor of the breakroom/office building within the factory in the breach room. That is the room next to the office where you have to use the breach option to open the door.
On Customs you’ll have to travel to the three-story dorm in the northern part of the map. Here you only have to navigate up the staircase in the middle of the building to the second floor. The dorms are always contested so unless you plan to loot and shoot your way through it you should just run in, check off the quest, and try to get out.
After completing the quest you’ll be able to purchase Tripwire installation kits from Jaeger.
To use Tripwires you need to equip a Tripwire installation kit in your special equipment slot (do note that you won’t lose these upon death) and any grenade with a pin. Equip the grenade and hit “B” in the default keybinds. Now you can place the Tripwire freely on any flat surface and it will be triggered when someone steps into it. The detonation time will depend on the grenade you use which is why most players prefer to use impact grenades. Tripwires can be defused by hand in 11 seconds or 3 seconds if you have a Leatherman multitool with you or by just shooting the wire itself. They will also automatically disarm after 10 minutes and the installation kit will be lost.
Using impact grenades might be the surest to secure kills but is also the most expensive. But the Tripwire is useful for more than securing instant kills. You could get a cheap smoke or stun grenade just for the scare effect alone. If you place the Tripwire in a dark corridor after shooting all the lights out, like D2 underneath Reserve, it will cause your unsuspecting victims to sprint down that corridor without checking their corners. They also work as a makeshift alarm system or as an alternative way to secure buildings while looting.
For more on Escape from Tarkov, check out our other guides like how to farm EXP or what you need to know about the Ground Zero map.