Ground tarp for tent???

[The Lone Trapper]

I just got my tent for the trail. the instructions to the tent state under the "helfull Hints" that it might be a good idea to make a ground tarp for my tent.
So my question is, do i really need a Ground tarp?? and if i did, what should it be made out of? i already experimented making one out of regular tarp, but it takes up space. i would rather not take one, but if there is any usefull info about ground tarps out there, ide love to see it.

The Lone Trapper

[flemdawg1]

They're talking about a ground cloth to protect the floor of your tent from punctures and abrasions. Not needed. just be careful where you setup your tent.

[jeffmeh]

What model of tent? Some require ground sheets, others do not, but if the manufacturer recommends one I would take heed.

[The Snowman]

just buy a space blanket for under the tent. cheap and light weight

[surfnturk]

or a $6 tarp from walmart. just cut it in the size of your tents. cut out the center to leave off the grommets. weighs hardly anything

[sgt easy]

tyvek house wrap, extremely light and if you want, cut to fit and set in grommets to match tent poles - keeps it in place. it's often available free for the asking from builders, etc.. try asking on "freecycle" if you have that in your area.

[burrito]

im a big fan of tyvek, i use it for lots of things around camp besides a tent footprint, i also really like the space blanket, but would cut it a little smaller than the tent footprint , so you dont collect rain uder your tent

[swjohnsey]

Ground cloths for backpacking tents are unnecessary. If you insist on using one use Tyvek.

[garlic08]

I used one for many years, then stopped using one and I never noticed any difference except a smaller and lighter pack. The manufacturer of my tent, Henry Shires Tarptents, says a ground cloth is not needed.

[daddytwosticks]

If you set-up your tent around the established sites (like around shelters), when you break-down in the morning, you will have mud/debris all over the floor of the tent. To prevent this from getting the rest of the tent muddy when I pack-up, I use a lightweight footprint, usually from very thin painter's plastic. Maybe 4 or 5 ounces. Easier to deal with the small footprint being muddy than the whole tent. :)

[Hikes in Rain]

The same groundcloth is also useful to go under your pad/sleeping bag if you opt for a night in a shelter. Those sleeping platforms are generally dirty from muddy boots and spilled food.

[garlic08]

The same groundcloth is also useful to go under your pad/sleeping bag if you opt for a night in a shelter. Those sleeping platforms are generally dirty from muddy boots and spilled food.

The unpitched tent works for this, as well. I often don't pitch the tent in fair weather anyway, and just use it as a ground sheet.

[CarlZ993]

I used one for many years, then stopped using one and I never noticed any difference except a smaller and lighter pack. The manufacturer of my tent, Henry Shires Tarptents, says a ground cloth is not needed.

Actual quote from tarptent.com on the question, "Should I order a groundsheet":
It depends on the conditions you expect to encounter and your style of camping. The sewn-in flooring is remarkably tough and does not usually require a separate groundsheet. We just never see floors come back for repair. Tyvek groundsheets are very tough and great for sleeping out or taking a break but generally heavier than you need just for floor protection. For use on very rocky ground and desert conditions where puncture wounds are possible, a light--2 mil plastic is fine--floor protector will do the job.

On my tarptent, I usually use Tyvek w/ mine. I do a lot of desert camping w/ it. In the end, it appears to be a personal preference for the most part.

Note: I camped one time in a location that I THOUGHT was adequate for drainage. It wasn't. During an extremely heavy rainfall, I got quite damp in my tent from the floor. The pressure of my sleeping pad w/ me on top of it forced moisture through the silnylon.

[Mags]

Another boiler plate article... :)

http://www.pmags.com/ground-cloths-a-quick-overview

[Lone Wolf]

ya don't need one.

[rocketsocks]

Another boiler plate article... :)

http://www.pmags.com/ground-cloths-a-quick-overviewLove those early steam punk contraptions! turn that thing vertical and it looks like it turn out some pretty good margaritas.
I too use the old blue tarps, cept mines is brown, keepin it eco:sun

[Mags]

Love those early steam punk contraptions! turn that thing vertical and it looks like it turn out some pretty good margaritas.
I too use the old blue tarps, cept mines is brown, keepin it eco:sun


Mmmmm..margs

I have a tarp in my vehicle. Comes in handy at times. It is brown also! :)

[Tipi Walter]

Note: I camped one time in a location that I THOUGHT was adequate for drainage. It wasn't. During an extremely heavy rainfall, I got quite damp in my tent from the floor. The pressure of my sleeping pad w/ me on top of it forced moisture through the silnylon.

This happened on my last 18 day swaray into the Big Frog wilderness where I got caught in a 180 hour January 2013 rainstorm, a new rain record for me. The question of a ground cloth encompasses many facets of on-ground camping. First off, every person who owns a tent should know the denier of their tent floor. 30 denier is very thin. 70 denier is better and 100 denier is great. It's all about hydrostatic pressure and how much water will seep thru with your body weight on top, as CarlZ relates.

It's the same with a ground cloth. Before my Big Frog trip I needed a new ground cloth and tested several, including my worn out old one made by Equinox. The best test of a ground tarp (and also a tent floor) is to run a water hose under the tarp/floor and sit on the tarp. Wait several minutes. If there is any water seeping thru it won't work. I ended up custom cutting and fitting a walmart style poly tarp with one side silver and one side brown and a little heavier than the standard blue tarp. It's the only tarp I could find in my collection that doesn't let water seep thru. Try the sit down/water hose test with tyvek and see what happens.

Plus, a ground tarp has to be thick enough to prevent thorns from poking thru if you are using an inflatable style pad like the Thermarest Prolites or 40th Anniversary or NeoAirs or the Exped pads. AND a ground cloth can be used to wrap around these kind of pads thereby allowing you to lash them to the outside of your pack. I see backpackers lashing on their inflatable pads to the outside of their packs with no protection and then they wonder why they wake up with a flat pad. Duh, they walk thru briars with their pads exposed.

[q-tip]

http://gossamergear.com/shelters/shelter-accessories.html

I use one of the Med cut in half. For 1.7 oz. it keep the mud off my tent and avoids any sharp stick punching through and avoids water seepage through the bottom. I use a TarpTent Contrail.