tent footprint, leave or take?

[karoberts]

I have a BA Seedhouse SL1. The footprint is 5.5oz. Can I leave this?

If I leave it, will water seep through the floor when it rains?

Is the fabric of the floor of the tent so thin that it will likely get torn on a stick?

Can I bring something lighter?

What would you do?

[Dingus Khan]

tyvek or nothing... i also have a factory footprint for my tent but ditched it a long time ago, it was just too bulky.
im a bit out of the loop since i've been hammocking for 3 years and only use the tents when i have to though, so others will have more current suggestions

[Chicken Feathers]

tyvek:banana:banana:banana:banana

[Toolshed]

If you value your tent and want years of life out of it, don't worry about the weight and bring a footprint of some sort. I like my tents to still look like new even after 5 years, so I carry the extra few ounces.

I have seen more than a few folks with stained, muddy, sorry looking tent floors on nice tents. If you don't care, then there is your answer.

While the floor of a tent from a quality tent Mfr should keep you dry for the most part, I'd rather have something disposable take the beating from the ground. Folks have argue over the years about selecting good tent sites, picking up all the stones and twigs first... I do all that, but sometimes I am too tired, hurried wet or cold to get too fussy - Then it's really nice when footprint or sheet of plastic or tyvek can be thrown down first. Much of the loss of waterproofness over time comes from abrasion of you and small particles from inside of the tent.

BTW, I am always using a stick to scrape big fat smooshed slugs off my ground sheets - They were either trapped between the ground and plastic or later got under the tent before I rolled on them and smooshed them. That alone is a good reason to have a groundcloth!!! :D

[Cool AT Breeze]

I have never used a ground sheet under my tent (HS Contrail) never had a problem.But if I did use one it would be Tyvec.

[Mango]

I used a sheet of tyvek that I cut to match the footprint of my tent. I got it free from Lowe's. It is used to wrap specialty lumber, flooring, etc., then they throw it away (usually it's torn in places and dirty). The guys at Lowe's let me go through their scrap tyvek pile and pull out anything I wanted. I have read that it is not as noisy and crinkly if you wash it first in the machine. I did and it still made some noise, but it was cleaner, at least.

[Peaks]

The other use for a footprint is to spread it out in a shelter before unrolling your sleeping pad and sleeping bag. It will keep them much cleaner.

[Appalachian Tater]

If the floor of a tent is so weak that it needs a footprint, get a different tent. Why does a tent need to look new after use? Not for the extra weight.

You can always use your tent to spread out in a shelter if your bag needs protection.

[Blissful]

I brought a piece of Tyvek and liked having it in the rain for under the tent.

[tzbrown]

Check out the Gossamer gear website, they have 2 very light and compact groundclothes available. Lighter than Tyvek, but plan on replacing them each year.

[Toolshed]

If the floor of a tent is so weak that it needs a footprint, get a different tent. Why does a tent need to look new after use? Not for the extra weight.

You can always use your tent to spread out in a shelter if your bag needs protection.
Oh I don't know tater. I take care of everything I own, 25 year old down bags, 5-10 year old tents, tractors, autos, homes ... you name it. I like things to operate in peak performance and I'd also like them to look like they are at or ready for peak performance. It also helps on the resale value, which is also always a goal.

[Pokey2006]

No, I agree with Tater. Your tent should be designed to not leak in the rain, even without the footprint. Especially for the price you pay for some of these tents.

If the tent leaks through the bottom, get your money back and buy another tent. If it's so flimsy that it gets holes in it or whatever just from being used normally, get your money back and buy another tent.

You can take perfectly good care of a tent without using a footprint. Just pick your sight carefully and remove all the little rocks and sticks.

[4eyedbuzzard]

The lighter weight Tyvek house wrap materials weigh about 1.6 to 1.7 oz per sq. yd. (some weigh as much as 2.2 oz per sq yd)

The seedhouse SL 1 has a 22 sq ft footprint

22 sq ft / 9 * 1.6 oz per sq yd = 3.9 oz +

So a tyvek footprint made from house wrap will weigh almost 4 oz. minimum anyway.

There is some slightly lighter weight garment/kite type soft structure tyvek available - one guy on ebay sells it, but it isn't all that cheap or that much lighter - might save an ounce total. Probably cost a minimum of $10 to $15 with shipping.

[Appalachian Tater]

Oh I don't know tater. I take care of everything I own, 25 year old down bags, 5-10 year old tents, tractors, autos, homes ... you name it. I like things to operate in peak performance and I'd also like them to look like they are at or ready for peak performance. It also helps on the resale value, which is also always a goal.I 100% agree with you and tend to buy quality and take care of my things. I use handkerchiefs and kitchen towels instead of kleenex or paper towels. However, there's no point in buying a lightweight tent and then adding 1/3 or 1/2 pound in a ground cloth.

I do use paper towels for some things, but I throw them away and don't reuse them, and I expect a lightweight tent to eventually wear out. There are even some pinpoint holes in the bottom of my tent if you hold it up to the light but water doesn't come through.

You can have light, durable, cheap, but probably not all three.

I don't know that my philosophy is any different from yours, I just think of my tent as being in a different category than you do, more like shoes. I don't go barefoot to save wear on the soles of my shoes! They are performing as they should if they wear, like the tires on your car, or the roof on your house. If it is appropriate to repair, repair, or re-sole or re-roof, or put in a new tent floor, when they wear out, do so.

But I wouldn't cover the roof of my house with blue plastic to keep the shingles from wearing nor would I cut pie tins to fit on the bottoms of my shoes to protect the leather soles. And I refuse to carry a ground cloth to protect the floor of my tent.

[Wags]

that extra piece of material is nice when it's cold. gives a small extra amount of insulation. i carry the factory footprint b/c the 2 oz difference i just don't really care about honestly. it's simple, quiet, and my poles connect right into the tent and footprint - a nice feature when the wind is gusting. i know all quality tents aren't supposed to leak or rip or wear down, but **** happens and murphy's law and all that jazz. i'd rather be safe than sorry

[A-Train]

You don't need a groundcloth or Tyvek, just extra weight. A tent's got a floor for a reason. :)

[modiyooch]

leave the footprint

[HippieHiker]

i have a eureka solitare and i have been out in some pretty bad rain befor, i never bring a foot print. partly because its not a free standing tent.

[wrongway_08]

just the tent. Footprint is just extra weight.

If you do Tyvek, wash it 2 times to kill the crunchy sound! I still wouldnt use the Tyvek but it is better then the weight of a real footprint.

[skraggly]

I have a factory footbprint for both of my tents (Marmot and REI), and recommend them to keep the tent floors in good shape. I have friends who swear by Tyvek, and they have good luck with them. My theory is that if you're going to invest in a good tent, why not take really good care of it, even if it means 5.5 more ounces to haul.

[Spock]

No footprint is needed or desirable.
Your floor is silnylon. It will seep if the water is deep. A footprint won't fix that. A very light plastic sheet INSIDE the tent will.
Will a stick tear it? Maybe. So what? Just glue a patch over the tear with silicone sealant and go your merry way.
A waterproof footprint under the floor will tend to force any water that gets between it and the silnylon floor through the floor because it increases the pressure higher than the silnylon will handle without seeping.

More than you want to know: Polyurethane tent floors wear out from the inside because that is where the delicate coating is. Here, a footprint inside the tent will extend its life. Silnylon is *impregnated* with silocone. There is no laminated water resistant film as with PUrethane. You can't wear the silicone off; it is inside the fabric. However, you can poke big and little holes in it, and silnylon doesn't hold a high head of water anyway. Regardless, put the footprint inside the tent for reasons stated above. It is pretty hard to wear out a tent floor unless you are just abusive and careless.

[Tipi Walter]

No footprint is needed or desirable.
Your floor is silnylon. It will seep if the water is deep. A footprint won't fix that. A very light plastic sheet INSIDE the tent will.
Will a stick tear it? Maybe. So what? Just glue a patch over the tear with silicone sealant and go your merry way.
A waterproof footprint under the floor will tend to force any water that gets between it and the silnylon floor through the floor because it increases the pressure higher than the silnylon will handle without seeping.

More than you want to know: Polyurethane tent floors wear out from the inside because that is where the delicate coating is. Here, a footprint inside the tent will extend its life. Silnylon is *impregnated* with silocone. There is no laminated water resistant film as with PUrethane. You can't wear the silicone off; it is inside the fabric. However, you can poke big and little holes in it, and silnylon doesn't hold a high head of water anyway. Regardless, put the footprint inside the tent for reasons stated above. It is pretty hard to wear out a tent floor unless you are just abusive and careless.

Good old Spock, we're on the same wavelength here! Always put your tent footprint/tarp INSIDE for several reasons. A tent floor will leak and an inside tarp keeps the water between the tent floor and the tarp, protecting the sleeping bag and other gear. This can be important when camping on snow/ice and in a heavy rain with pooling ground water. Another big reason is that a second layer protects the inflatable thermarest from punctures. It's fairly easy to pinhole a thermarest but having a double floor layer helps to prevent leaks.

[NICKTHEGREEK]

The other use for a footprint is to spread it out in a shelter before unrolling your sleeping pad and sleeping bag. It will keep them much cleaner.
They also make great mini-tarps for wet weather cooking, sunshades for mid day siestas when it's too hot to hike, a rain catcher and a zillion other uses

[Bear Cables]

I gave my sons each a Big Agnes seedhouse for Christmas. I understand that with the footprint it can be set up with just the fly poles and footprint. I guess it would depend on how you want to pitch .

[Incahiker]

I gave my sons each a Big Angens seedhouse for Christmas. I understand that with the footprint it can be set up with just the fly poles and footprint. I guess it would depend on how you want to pitch .


Nice, Your sons must be extremely happy and you must be extremely rich ;). I got a seedhouse SL1 and did get the foot print. In the winter time I can just take the footprint and rainfly and set it up without the tent. Weighs a little over a pound.

Plus if you take the footprint for the SL1, just ditch the stuffsack it came in (Or use it for other items) and stuff the footprint inside tent stuff sack, it fits fine. Put the stakes and poles in outside pockets or wherever they fit.

[Bear Cables]

Nice, Your sons must be extremely happy and you must be extremely rich ;). I got a seedhouse SL1 and did get the foot print. In the winter time I can just take the footprint and rainfly and set it up without the tent. Weighs a little over a pound.

Plus if you take the footprint for the SL1, just ditch the stuffsack it came in (Or use it for other items) and stuff the footprint inside tent stuff sack, it fits fine. Put the stakes and poles in outside pockets or wherever they fit.

I actually got them for a lower price on Ebay. I liked the idea of the fast pitch option.