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RememberYourZen
08-01-2008, 11:20
Hey all,

I've got a Mountainsmith nitro tent but do not have a footprint for it. Would it be in my best interest to try and get a footprint? Or would my tent typically be ok without one?

I used to work at the storehouse for my school and we had some material that we could cut to make our own footprints, I could potentially do that as well to save some cash.

Pedaling Fool
08-01-2008, 11:25
I got a Kelty Teton2 tent, not exactly top-of-the-line. I started out using footprints, but soon found they are a waste of time and money. My tent is doing just fine w/o the FP after 3 long-distance hikes and 2 cycling trips.

Lyle
08-01-2008, 11:26
Not familiar with your particular tent. I've been using tents and tarps for many years, have never owned a footprint for any of them. Plastic of varying types has always been more than sufficient for me.

Many newer tents however are designed to take advantage of a "fast pack" option where you can leave the tent body at home and carry only the poles and fly. My understanding is that these require the footprint in order to hold the poles in proper position. If this is the case with your tent, then the footprint would be necessary in my opinion, since this is a great feature of newer tents.

RememberYourZen
08-01-2008, 11:29
I got a Kelty Teton2 tent, not exactly top-of-the-line. I started out using footprints, but soon found they are a waste of time and money. My tent is doing just fine w/o the FP after 3 long-distance hikes and 2 cycling trips.

Our storehouse carried those tents. I actually liked them alot despite the fact that they aren't "top-dollar." Mine isn't top-dollar either but it's definitely held it's own.


Not familiar with your particular tent. I've been using tents and tarps for many years, have never owned a footprint for any of them. Plastic of varying types has always been more than sufficient for me.

Many newer tents however are designed to take advantage of a "fast pack" option where you can leave the tent body at home and carry only the poles and fly. My understanding is that these require the footprint in order to hold the poles in proper position. If this is the case with your tent, then the footprint would be necessary in my opinion, since this is a great feature of newer tents.

The fast-pack option is cool, but I'm just trying to figure out if I should invest in a footprint for long-distance trips, where my tent-bottom could potentially become worn-out.

Lyle
08-01-2008, 11:57
As I said, I've always used just plastic under my tent floor. I do believe that it helps protect the floor from pre-mature wear. I used to use 3 or 4 mil plastic, cut to size. For the past few years have used this from Gossamer Gear. They come in two-packs. I'm still on my first one after about 4 years. Amazingly tough for the weight.

http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gossamergear/polycryo_ground_cloth.html

RememberYourZen
08-01-2008, 11:57
Awesome, thanks!

RWK
08-01-2008, 12:01
I don't use a footprint any longer but when I did I used a piece of tyvek cut to size which worked really well.

Tipi Walter
08-01-2008, 12:19
I always use some kind of footprint(silnylon tarp currently)but I put it INSIDE the tent. Two reasons: To protect my thermarest from punctures and to keep the water from a possibly leaking tent floor between the tarp and the floor. Many tent floors leak by osmosis, especially on snow, it's a pressure thing caused by body weight atop a floor pushing water thru, etc. The inside tarps keeps it sandwiched between the two layers.

Blissful
08-01-2008, 14:10
Tyvek works fine

NICKTHEGREEK
08-01-2008, 14:19
I have footprints for all 4 of my tents. I carry them as they make pretty decent tarps for cooking in the rain, noon siestas, Bathtub (for Mrs Nick) and oddly, keeping the tent bottom a bit cleaner.
If you look around the net you can find some pretty large footprints from discontinued tents cheap. They are very well made and quite sturdy.

QuebecRun
08-01-2008, 15:53
Tyvek! It's great stuff!

Ickuss
08-01-2008, 21:08
Do a drive thru on home construction sites if you can and ask the builders for a small piece. Tyvek is always lying around these sites or in the job site dumpters. I was fortunate to find about 20' still on the roll in a job site dumpster. Make sure you get the solid sheeting and not the woven. Took it home and washed it with detergent to take the stiffness out

BookBurner
08-02-2008, 10:44
On most nylon tents, the waterproof coating is more likely to wear out before the floor. I carried a Sierra Design tent for 2100 miles and it showed no signs of floor wear and tear that threatened its usefulness. Spare yourself the weight and leave the footprint off the gear list.