Is it worth buying a tent footprint? This adds a bit of work. A footprint will prolong the life of your tent floor, adding a valuable extra layer of protection. A tent footprint is basically a light waterproof material that you place underneath your tent, right above the ground where it’s going to sit on. I like tent footprints because they work to extend the longevity of your tent. Some manufacturers will take the most common measurements and create their own footprints which are usually cheaper. This means that you can effectively double the waterproofness of your tent floor with a footprint. If you decide to buy the fabric and make your own footprint, you’re looking at spending about $32 per yard. In the end you have to weigh up the pros and cons of taking a footprint with you and make your own decision. Carrying an extra 1-4 ounces to extend the life of your tent is worth it for most trips. Known as a ground cloth and groundsheet, they are waterproof sheets placed in between the floor of your tent and the forest floor. Window wrap is a material that is designed to add insulation to your windows during the winter. Tents these days are expensive and fragile. A tent footprint isn’t necessary for every trip. Let me explain…. Below, I’ll outline each of the most commonly used tent footprint materials. Most manufacturers use standard sizing so their entire lineup can use the same ground … If you're making a custom footprint out of tyvek or something like that, I recommend two inches less than the size of the tent. These are classic utility tarps that you would use to cover a vehicle being stored outdoors. While this won’t necessarily cause extra wear and tear on our tent, it can damage other items you’ve brought along. Considering a backpacking tent can cost $300 or more, a $40-50 or less footprint might just be worth it. This post will also teach you more details about tent footprints, as well as which ones are the best on the market. After spending hundreds of dollars on a new tent, you want it to last as long as possible. It will be helpful. I was … A tent footprint is simply a piece of material that you place between the ground and the floor of your tent. Subscribe to my Newsletter for New Posts and Exclusive Content! A tent footprint is a piece of plastic that goes on the ground and protects your tent from being damaged. Check out all the tents that can be pitched with just their footprint here. Do you use a tent footprint? The tarp is a little thicker and will be less likely to leak, while the tent footprint will be the exact size that you will need to place underneath your tent and ensure that the elements do not get in from underneath. A tent footprint can thus save your time, effort and keep you as well as an essential part of the tent protected. If you let your tent floor wear out you may as well be using a tarp shelter or bivy sack. It holds a ton of benefits that you can take advantage of, making it worth the investment or extra time setting it up. Many times when you are out camping or backpacking, you might find that your tent does become soaking wet or muddy at the bottom and this can be avoided with a tent footprint to keep the bottom protected. This is my favorite footprint option. The Denier figure can be used to denote the toughness of a tent fabric. To start discussing what a tent footprint is, we would need to look at how life is without one. Tent footprints serve four main purposes: A tent footprint isn’t necessary for every trip. This synthetic material is one of the strongest known to man. It is designed for use on outdoor gear like tents, jackets, and sleeping bags. This was the norm and is perfectly acceptable. Tent footprints and tarps are essentially similar when you look at them, but they are designed for different purposes. The main differences are the weight, cost, durability, and protection each material offers. A footprint is an important accessory when pitching your tent, but a lot of people take it for granted. A tent footprint will make camping a nicer experience. Tents already have a waterproof floor, on lightweight tents this is usually has a Hydrostatic Head rating of around 3-5000mm and is built into the inner tent. Dyneema is an ultra-strong, ultralight material made from polyethylene. You could make your own for $5-$10. Your window wrap footprint will probably only last one season. If your tent manufacturer makes one for your tent, only make the purchase if it is reasonable. The resulting tarp is inexpensive, durable, and water-resistant. This sounds a lot but makes a bit more sense if you think that your tent floor would account for approximately a quarter of the weight of your tent and with a footprint you are doubling up on that. PU coated nylon footprints typically weight around 1.9 ounces/ square yard. Tent footprints can greatly extend the functional life of your tent. With some tents having the correct footprint will provide extra pitching options. Call up the manufacturer and ask if they sell a tent footprint designed for your tent. © 2020 Ultralight Outdoor Gear. Available in Make and Model Specific Sizes. On average you can expect the footprint to weighs around 25% of what your tent weighs. The weight and time savings of not using a footprint add up over thousands of miles. I don't think you need to hem it or make eyelets, just lay it down under the groundsheet. If you don’t have the budget or don’t want to carry the extra weight of a manufactured footprint, you can always make one from polycro or Tyvek for just a few dollars. The material is also popular in the backpacking community because it is incredibly lightweight and waterproof. For example, when you use a footprint, you don’t want it to be larger than your tent floor and reach out past the tent rainfly, because rain will … This stuff is strong, easy to use, inexpensive, and water-resistant. A footprint will prolong the life of your tent floor, adding a valuable extra layer of protection. For example: Tent footprints are made with a variety of materials. There is some confusion as to the actual purpose of tent footprints. The answer of the question is absolutely yes. A tent footprint is used for adding a barrier between a tent and the ground below it. Tent footprint prevents the tent from getting dirty especially in murky surroundings. Yes, tent footprint is definitely worth every penny you spend because it helps you to protect the tent surface from getting damaged due to rough surface. Damage to your tent can occur from sharp objects like sticks and rocks. Your tent footprint will come with its own waterproof stuffsack keeping any dirt seperate in your pack. The manufacturer claims that it is 15x stronger than steel. You can use a sewing machine or sew by hand. In my mind, there is really no reason not to use a footprint. Even serious ultralight campers don’t need to dish out much to get the right gear. You will not lose time trying to set up a tent and finding the site is uneven or too small. Sometimes looking at the price of a footprint can take your breath away, but you have to remember these things are made from the same high-tech fabrics that the rest of your tent is made from. When you're setting up camp you should be looking at your pitch and checking for sharp stones, sticks and other debris that firstly might cause you to have an uncomfortable night's sleep and in the worst case could also damage your tent floor. Lightweight tent manufacturers usually use a fabric with a higher denier for their tent floors, they know they can get away with a lower denier fabric, therefore lighter, for the flysheet as this doesn't get the abuse that a tent floor would experience. A tent footprint should be seen as similar to a smartphone cover or protector, which could protect your tent against cuts and abrasions caused by loose twigs and stones. Dyneema weighs around 1 ounce per square yard. You can buy pre-made window wrap footprints from several cottage manufacturers. For example: Extra weight-No matter what type of footprint you choose, it adds a bit of weight to your pack. Well, are tent carpets worth it, after all, they can just be another expense on top of the cost of buying the tent? I’ll also explain how to make your own tent footprint on the cheap. You can also try cool your tent without electricity in 2021 . If you’re making a footprint for a larger tent, you may have to do some sewing. To save some money, you can buy Tyvek by the yard on eBay off of a 9-foot roll and easily make your own. This material is designed for use as a house wrap but is incredibly popular in the backpacking community. Reasons Not To Use a Tent Footprint. We all know how much you can spend on a lightweight tent and whilst the majority of wear with a tent will come from the degradation of the fabrics from UV rays, it doesn't harm to look after the tent floor too. It weighs 5oz, alternatively I was hoping to just buy a knock of tyvek type material from a hardware store and cut it slightly smaller than my tent. Footprints are: Budget-friendly: Footprint is a very budget friendly camping material. However, DIY options can be easily made for much cheaper and will serve a similar purpose to manufactured footprints. This usually only applies to free-standing tents. If you want to benefit from this improved service, please opt-in. Most include grommets so you can stake them down. If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. To make the repair, all you need to do is clean and dry the area around the tear, cut a piece of tape off the roll, then apply it with pressure. A manufactured footprint will cost $100-$200. This site uses cookies to provide and improve your shopping experience. The only exception may be for a long-distance through-hike. Some people believe that they help to keep water out. When is a tent footprint worth it? MSR advertise the fact that their footprints can be used instead of the inner tent to cerate a minimal, lightweight set-up. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. It is much easier to wash the footprint than the whole tent. We carry a few brands that have this option integrated in their designs. My tent pitched on a blue poly tarp footprint. We've listed some of the reasons why you might want to get the footprint for your tent and some reasons why you might not. Using a tent footprint or groundsheet is very easy: simply lay the footprint out on your chosen camping spot, pitch your tent on top of it, then tuck the excess material under the tent floor to prevent any rainwater or condensation pooling on this “fringe” of the footprint. Purchasing a tent footprint comes with many added benefits, including a much sturdier built design as well as grommets for attaching the footprint to your tent. This material protects the underside of your tent from getting ripped apart from dirt, rocks, sand, and other debris. All Rights Reserved. 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