Ground Cloth

[SoloSonya]

I am planning on getting either the moment or scarp tarp tent and was wondering if I needed a footprint with it? What does everyone think? I've read on here somewhere that you don't need one with all tents so I wasn't for sure.

[Wise Old Owl]

footprints or emergency mylar are not needed - they make packing up in the rain and dirt easier.

[jeffmeh]

WOW is correct. There is no need, and Henry states that on the site. It can come in handy though, for shelter floors, or cowboy camping on a nice night. Personal preference....

[Tipi Walter]

Once again, it must be remembered that the TarpTents have thin 30 denier floors with low hydrostatic head so I'd recommend bringing a ground cloth when the ground is saturated or you're sleeping on slushy snow or happen to get caught in a deluge with standing ground water, a fairly common thing here in the Southeast mountains.

And once again I recommend pulling this test on your TarpTent floor---put a water hose in your backyard and fill up a small puddle on the grass. Place the tent floor atop the pool and sit on it for 5 minutes. See if any water comes thru. If so, the floor is not waterproof.

[Packeagle]

Once again, it must be remembered that the TarpTents have thin 30 denier floors with low hydrostatic head so I'd recommend bringing a ground cloth when the ground is saturated or you're sleeping on slushy snow or happen to get caught in a deluge with standing ground water, a fairly common thing here in the Southeast mountains.

And once again I recommend pulling this test on your TarpTent floor---put a water hose in your backyard and fill up a small puddle on the grass. Place the tent floor atop the pool and sit on it for 5 minutes. See if any water comes thru. If so, the floor is not waterproof.

On par with my experience. It only leaks where your body pushes on it.

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[MuddyWaters]

you will want something anyway to sleep on in shelters, so a piece of plastic, tyvek, space blanket, polycro, etc is handy.

Often better used INSIDE your tent, than under it if you expect floor leakage.

[Colter]

I've never used a groundcloth, even with shelters with no floor. If I set up in places where water will puddle if it rained hard I'd get wet. So I don't. I have saved the weight of a groundcloth all these years. HYOH though. Lots of people use and like them.

[HeartFire]

Footprints are a personal choice, but I (LightHeart Gear) had one (of my) tents come back for minor repairs after through hiking the AT, the kid never used a footprint, I don't know how carefully he selected a tent site, but there were many tiny holes and abraded areas on the floor of the tent. Tarptent and LightHeart Gear use very similar fabric.

[RCBear]

Id rather have a dirty wet footprint than a dirty wet tent bottom. Footprint gets shoved in outer pack pocket for wet dirty stuff, tent gets shoved inside side pocket.

[Wise Old Owl]

Good catch I missed "kentucky" Tipi I love those ground floods in the Virginians

[rocketsocks]

I use a ground clothe to help preserve my tent bottom a little longer from getting holes, it's mylar, can also be used to help a hiker out who may be in shock...or worse...cold!