A report has been received that Tarkus is under-graded at E1 5b and E2 5c may be more appropriate. The reporter described the climbing as being bold, committing and poorly protected from the start. A small/micro cam may protect the first section, the available wires are poor and there is the very real prospect of a ground-fall.
There is the option of a small thread near the start.
Take a 3mm accessory cord sling or possibly a small wire with the nut pulled back.
As the OP suggested it is easy to get sucked in and committed with little gear.
The landing is appalling so a circumspect approach is sensible.
E1 5b is fair with the thread info and appropriate description.
Rick Graham
I thought it might have been worth E2 but not 5c, so E25b would be reasonable
Nice beta Rick, sadly that baby belched years ago and is now the micro cam (Google it) placement mentioned.
I felt it was E2 5b when done years ago, no threads, just fiddly wires. If there is a good cam then possibly E1.