Zpacks Duplex- Is a ground sheet/foot print needed for AT?

[Storyguy]

I plan on thru hiking the AT in 2020. I was thinking of not taking a ground sheet starting from Springer and then have a Tyvek sheet mailed to me when I hit the rocks of Pennsylvania. I would then use it from that point on.

Zpacks indicates a ground sheet is not needed. I would appreciate your experiences/suggestions. Thanks.

[steve_zavocki]

Not needed IMO. Btw, I use mine with the poles from ZPacks. Up North there often tent platforms where poles are necessary.

[FreeGoldRush]

Not needed. If you change your mind it’s easy to have it sent to you.

[soumodeler]

Never used one with mine. No holes. I take a little time to make sure nothing sharp is on the ground before I setup the tent.

[fastfoxengineering]

It is not needed. I've used my Duplex over 300 nights and have never once used a ground sheet. There are no holes or tears. Not using one though will make packing up the tent a dirty experience. Forest duff, dirt, and mud have a tendency to stick to the bottom of the tent.

If anything I would cut a piece of polycro to size. Tyvek is heavy and overkill. Carrying a ground sheet is also a welcome addition if you decide to sleep in shelters.

[Slo-go'en]

Personally, I use a ground sheet just to keep the bottom of the tent clean and a bit drier if the ground is damp.

The only problem with polycro is it's so light and flimsy, any hint of a breeze sends it flying. Trying to get it to stay put where you want it until the tent is set up over it can be frustrating. It's also hard to see if it does get loose. You got to find a bunch of rocks. While the polycro is fairly robust, if a tear does start, there's no stopping it.

I'll stick with the slightly heavier Tyvek. If you make it a little oversized and put grommets in the corners, it can double as a small tarp.

[Starchild]

Not needed on a thru. I did have to use some very small patches of Cuban Tape on 2 or 3 spots, but I doubt that a ground sheet would have helped and the taped spots are a total repair and a fraction of the weight of the ground sheet.

[RockDoc]

We used a tyvek groundsheet regularly, but we tend to avoid shelters and camp fairly wild. We found that the tyvek was too narrow as supplied, so we sewed running race bibs onto each side to widen it, and add some interest and color. Gave us a place to stand and store things on wet days. I would highly recommend a ground cloth, we also put it out on shelter platforms because they were filthy.

[Storyguy]

Thanks for the replies and wisdom!

[ZombieDust66]

Probably not, but I use one anyways. I also put it under my sleeping pad in shelters just to keep my gear clean


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