What's a good lightweight groundcloth material?

[sir limpsalot]

I intend to use a groundcloth on my soon-to-come SMD Trekker: I'd like to have the protection for the tent floor and especially the additional water resistance. For someone who intends to use a groundcloth, what is the lightweight choice (assuming I have no intention of trying to sew up my own sil-nylon piece)? I hear tyvek...but then I hear that it's not really waterproof and the weights I see seem heavy. I see varying thickness's of plastic sheeting at the home improvement store, but I haven't read about people using this much...what's the drawback?. I wouldn't mind buying something custom made...but most tarptent makers only offer tyvek (which, once again, they list with all kinds of disclaimers and high weight).......Any thoughts?

[House of Payne]

Tyvek will work

[Rocket Jones]

When I take anything, it's 2mil plastic sheet sold for painting. Some use Polycro, which is that ultralight stuff you use to seal windows in the winter, it's supposed to be surprisingly durable.

[Dogwood]

Lightest wt I've found is the polycro ground cloth which is like THIN plastic sheeting. It's sold by Gossamer Gear in two packs. It's not incredibly durable(NOT as durable as most plastic sheeting!) but completely WP and super UL. GG gives you two. BTW, as I understand it, Tyvek comes in several versions with slightly different wts and slightly different characteristics. Typically, the only Tyvek version that most hikers are aware of is the type of Tyvek sold at Home Depot or home building centers. The Lowes variety of house wrap is even heavier than the typicallly available Tyvek version found at HD.

Tip: tuck that ground cloth just under your shelter's perimeter if going with a WP groundcloth so water doesn't pool up under your shelter in a rain.

Hope that helps

[Espero]

I use Thermwell Products 84 in. x 110 in. Patio Shrink Window Insulation Kit. Cut in half it yields two ground cloths; the price at Home Dept is about $7. As an alternative, I also use Tyvek 1443R from Into The Wind Kites. A little heavier than the window film but more durable.

[HiKen2011]

I use Thermwell Products 84 in. x 110 in. Patio Shrink Window Insulation Kit. Cut in half it yields two ground cloths; the price at Home Dept is about $7. As an alternative, I also use Tyvek 1443R from Into The Wind Kites. A little heavier than the window film but more durable.

I like the tyvek, very durable, a little heavier but worth it for me.

[LDog]

I use I also use Tyvek 1443R from Into The Wind Kites. A little heavier than the window film but more durable.

Thanks for that link!

[10-K]

I know you want a ground cloth and I understand about the water protection but know that one is not required and you'd do just fine without it. In the end it's just extra weight.

I've never had water come through the tent floor and I've been through some real gully washers. Never poked a hole in the bottom either.

[kayak karl]

i have pieces of 3' by 7' tyvek if you want to try it out.

[AaronMB]

I'm another fan of polycryo (the window insulation plastic). I've seen it at HD, Lowe's, OSH, and in some Walmarts; it's cheap, comes with more than you need (so you may get multiple pieces, depending on which size you buy and what shape you need), it's rather durable and I'll be surprised if one piece doesn't last me the whole season. I like it better than 2mil painter's plastic, though it is a few dollars more.

[Sarcasm the elf]

I know you want a ground cloth and I understand about the water protection but know that one is not required and you'd do just fine without it. In the end it's just extra weight.I've never had water come through the tent floor and I've been through some real gully washers. Never poked a hole in the bottom either.Agreed, I gave up using a ground cloth somewhere around the midranks in boyscouts and haven't missed it at all. It's been over fifteen years and several tents since then and i've never had a waterproofing or wear and tear issue. Granted the tents I am used to probably have a heavier floor than SMD makes, but I would recommend going without one and seeing how it goes.

[sir limpsalot]

I understand about the water protection .........I think we participated in that discussion before!
and yes, it may come that I end up ditching the groundcloth eventually: but for now, I know my tendencies in site selection as well as not being that gentle in the usage of my tent. I'm going to look into the polycro. Thanks all for the info (and thank you KK for the tyvek offer)

[Bags4266]

Also something to consider is if you at times, sleep in a shelter and have a air mattress. The extra weight of a Tyvek ground cloth is priceless protection against a leaky air matt.

[MuddyWaters]

For comparison sake:






4x7 tyvek sheet will weigh about 7 oz, almost half pound. A 2mil plastic will be a little less, still close. A 1 mil plastic is about half the tyvek, but very fragile. Polycro will weigh 1.8 oz and be pretty tough.No brainer

[garlic08]

The last groundcloth I carried, years ago, was GG's polycro but I ended up sending it home pretty early and maybe you will, too. Since then I have 6000 trail miles on my silnylon shelter floor and there's no sign of wear and no holes. And since I don't use a groundcloth I pay more attention to site selection and I've never gotten wet.

[MuddyWaters]

the groundcloth is also a vapor barrier, it will reduce the amount of condensation in your tent. Moisture VAPOR from the ground can pass thru floors and condense on cold walls.

[Chubbs4U]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003J565UW/ref=wms_ohs_product_T2

[The Snowman]

mylar space blankets work very well for ground sheats strong, light, cheap, and water proof