ground cover

[MommaDuck]

What have your experiences been using tyvex vs. a mylar blanket as ground cover under a tent or in a shelter under a sleep pad? Any recommendations or suggestions? Thanks

[blue blaze cafe]

What have your experiences been using tyvex vs. a mylar blanket as ground cover under a tent or in a shelter under a sleep pad? Any recommendations or suggestions? Thanks

Yes, work pretty good, can buy 'pieces' usually online ebay or maybe from someone here. "Dry" in the dryer on low (check every 5 minutes or so) to make 'soft' and less noisy, still waterproof, just easier to pack. Hope this helps!

[Ken.davidson]

If you know where any new houses are being built you might score a piece of Tyvek in their dumpster.

[CalebJ]

Yes, work pretty good, can buy 'pieces' usually online ebay or maybe from someone here. "Dry" in the dryer on low (check every 5 minutes or so) to make 'soft' and less noisy, still waterproof, just easier to pack. Hope this helps!
Interesting, I've never thrown one in the dryer. You can just put it in the washer with cold water and no soap. Let it run for a little while and the piece comes out like soft cloth.

[RED-DOG]

Yes Tyvek is tough, I am still using the piece i used on my 2012 thru-hike.

[whiteout]

Tyvek is the only way to go. Used it over the past 7 years under my sleeping bag and even put grommets in a large piece for a rain shelter.

[Praha4]

I've used both. Mylar is a few ounces lighter, but a pain in the woods, the slightest amount of wind and it blows all over the place like confetti. Tyvek is better, and more durable. But last fall I ordered a cuben fiber ground cloth from Zpacks, it has a "bathtub" style edge around the perimeter, and it's the best groundcloth I've ever used.

[coheterojo]

Tyvek for the win! 5 years of section hikes, weekend hikes, overnights and 3 complete thruhikes all on the same piece. Admittedly it smells like fermented caterpillar juice but I intend to continue using it until it, or me, falls apart.

[fireneck]

I used a ground scored Chicago Marathon Space Blanket on my LT hike this year. It was pretty good. was just a bit too short for my neo air but I had no problems with it. Much lighter than Tyvek.

[Blissful]

Tyvek or similar works fine.

[MommaDuck]

I used a ground scored Chicago Marathon Space Blanket on my LT hike this year. It was pretty good. was just a bit too short for my neo air but I had no problems with it. Much lighter than Tyvek.
Yeah. I was concerned about the durability of the mylar blanket for a thru hike. I figured tyvex would survive well.

[Dogwood]

Both are slippery when new. As some have said washing Tyvek w/ no detergent when new softens it and cuts down on the slipperynesss. Let air dry or dry on lowest dryer setting and still watch carefully as all dryers are not equally the same. Heat up Tyvek too much and it becomes hard and brittle. One added benefit of Mylar is that they often have a reflective thermal coating that can radiate heat back to your body when cowboy camping on top using as a ground cloth like you might in an AT lean-to. Neither all Tyvek or mylar are equally the same though. For example, some mylars are thicker. I've use a mylar one as a ground cloth in winter for several yrs and it has held up just as well as Tyvek would under the same conditions but I think keeping me just a bit warmer. I've seem SOL brand mylar survival blankets for under $10. The term "blanket" used here is a bit of a misnomer from what you a re prolly accustomed to thinking of as a blanket. Some hikers use a sheet of silnylon under their tents and when cowboying as a ground cloth. It's sometimes taken by cannibalizing another piece of well worn gear.

[SunnyWalker]

Tyvek will shrink some also when you wash and dry it.

[MommaDuck]

I use the word "blanket" loosely as it is actually a wrap from the finish of a marathon. thought it would be more light weight but durability was questionable. added warmth never hurts either

[bamboo bob]

I've used the same piece of tyvek since 2000. many many nights. It's like a piece of vellum now. Makes no crinkly noises.

[swjohnsey]

Something else to leave at home.

[Dogwood]

Tyvek will shrink some also when you wash and dry it.

I used to trim my Tyvek ground cloth to a bare minimalist of size like 6'6" long(I'm 6'4") and about 24" wide until, when about 1200 miles into a thru-hike, and after repeated Tyvek washings, I started noticing my feet and sleeping bag hanging off the edge of a now 6'- long piece of Tyvek and 20" wide Neo Air hanging off the sides of a now 18" wide piece of Tyvek into the mud.

[Statue]

Tyvek is one of my favorite pieces of gear.

[jdc5294]

Tyvek is great for a groundcloth underneath a tent but I way more frequently used it below my sleeping pad in shelters, pretty sure I slept warmer because of it.

[Ercoupe]

I use a sol emergency blanket, Mylar? Packs small, lighter. Not as tough as tyvek. Will puncture if you are not careful in site preparation. Can be patched with duct tape, but 30 nights is about its limit for me. Figure since I am going to carry one anyway it can do double duty.