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Whereas lots of people don’t hassle with them, most seasoned campers will agree that you simply shouldn’t overlook the footprint.
Utilizing one can lengthen the lifespan of your tent by fairly a bit, plus, you may make one your self for subsequent to nothing. So, there’s no cause to not use a footprint.
Wish to discover out extra?
Let’s get began!
What A Tent Footprint Does
A tent footprint (a.ok.a. groundsheet) is a water resistant piece of material that lays between the bottom and your tent.
In the end, a tent footprint creates an additional layer of safety and minimizes the opportunity of your tent flooring getting broken.
They turn out to be useful for a wide range of causes, which all boil down to at least one principal benefit: tent footprints defend the underside of your tent.
From what? Water runoff, grime, and sticks, basic put on and tear… The listing goes on and on!
You may pitch your tenting tent instantly onto the bottom, and there’s a superb likelihood it’ll be high-quality.
However, over time, the laborious, tough floor will put on the tent material and waterproof coating down.
Utilizing one will lengthen the lifespan of your tent, and you may make one your self for subsequent to nothing, so there’s no cause to not use a footprint.
READ: Tent Footprint vs Tarp – Which is healthier?
Benefits Of A Tent Footprint
Listed here are the primary explanation why it’s best to at all times use a tent footprint when tenting on the path:
Safety
Tent footprints are comprised of heavy-duty materials and are extra abrasion-resistant than the underside of a tent.
Plain and easy, including one other, extra sturdy layer beneath your tent protects the precise backside of your tent from getting too broken by put on and tear on the bottom.
Despite the fact that the underside of your tent is made from thicker materials than the remainder of the construction, it’s nonetheless taking over the brunt of the damage and tear.
Over time, this put on could cause the underside of the tent to be much less efficient in holding water and particles out.
Utilizing a tent footprint will delay the pace of this put on and tear.
Water Resistance
Tent footprints are made from sturdy, water resistant supplies.
While you lay the one beneath your tent construction, you’re including a further layer of safety towards water seeping by way of your tent.
This high quality comes notably in helpful once you’re in a rainstorm and there’s rainwater working on the bottom beneath your tent.
The footprint will be certain that the water runs beneath it, relatively than instantly touching the tent construction itself.
Insulation
Any camper is aware of that the bottom might be extremely chilly at night time – that’s why we use sleeping pads to separate us from the bottom beneath us.
Whereas maybe not its principal objective, an added good thing about utilizing a tent footprint is that it provides one other layer between you and the bottom and might insulate your heat.
Additionally learn: How To Insulate A Tent For Winter Tenting
Cleanliness
Considered one of my favourite elements of utilizing a footprint? It retains the entire mess from the bottom – together with mud, sand, particles, and grime – away from my tent!
On the path, holding your tent clear helps hold the remainder of your gear clear. Give it some thought! Your tent, each folded and arrange, touches most of your gear.
If it’s soiled, it may well simply unfold grime to the remainder of your gear, as properly.
Plus holding your tent as clear as attainable, makes tent upkeep even simpler.
Having a cleaner tent will prevent time by guaranteeing you don’t must deep clear your tent or reapply waterproof coating as usually.
Dangers Of Tenting With No Tent Footprint
You completely can camp with no tent footprint, however you’re risking potential injury to the underside of your tent when you achieve this.
You’re additionally risking the chance that the underside of your tent will not be as waterproof as you thought.
Even essentially the most waterproof coating on the underside of your tent will put on down over time.
Should you haven’t reapplied waterproof coating shortly, it’s very attainable the underside of your tent may begin leaking or letting moisture seep in from the bottom.
That is just about the worst-case state of affairs for a lot of campers. The excellent news is that it’s tremendous straightforward to keep away from – simply use a tent footprint!
Additionally Learn: How To Waterproof A Canvas Tent
Components To Take into account When Shopping for A Tent Footprint
Some tents include their customized footprint, however more often than not you’ll want to purchase one.
Most corporations will promote a tent footprint for every of their tents. Nonetheless, some corporations like Coleman don’t appear to take action, however you may usually discover a shut sufficient match on-line.
Nonetheless, in case you can’t be bothered fiddling round with a DIY venture and also you’ve acquired your coronary heart set on shopping for a footprint, don’t simply order the primary one you bump into.
Take these standards into consideration once you’re buying, to be sure you get a footprint that’s going to give you the results you want:
Compatibility
It’d go with out saying, however a very powerful factor is that you simply get a footprint that’s appropriate together with your particular tent.
If it’s a must to modify the footprint to suit, you could as properly have simply made a DIY footprint to start with.
Evaluate the scale of your tent flooring to the scale of your footprint.
You wish to guarantee that the footprint is simply barely smaller than the bottom of your tent, in order that there aren’t any bits and items protruding from beneath.
Materials
Most footprints that you may purchase from tent producer manufacturers are made from both polyester or nylon, very similar to tents themselves.
The material your footprint is made from should be waterproof and sturdy.
So far as the latter goes, checking the material’s denier score is an effective solution to get an thought of how robust it’s.
The upper the denier score, the thicker the material. The thicker the material, the extra resistant it’ll be to put on and tear.
Search for a footprint with a denier score of 30 or extra, ideally.
You may at all times merely purchase a tenting tarp and use that as a footprint, however we usually discover that to be a bit unwieldy.
Portability
Should you’re an ultralight backpacker making an attempt to maintain your load as gentle as attainable, you’ll undoubtedly wish to take note of the burden of your footprint.
Some footprints can up the full weight of your tent by as a lot as 20%. That’s a good quantity of additional weight in case you’re backpacking and you’ll want to carry your tenting gear lengthy distances.
Affordability
And, in fact, you wish to be sure you don’t find yourself spending an excessive amount of cash on a footprint.
In spite of everything, you may simply make one your self grime low-cost.
So, in case you can’t discover one that matches your tent at an inexpensive value, it’s value placing within the tiny little bit of effort it takes to make one.
Care & Upkeep Of Tent Footprints
As a result of they’re made from extra sturdy supplies, tent footprints don’t want fairly as a lot upkeep as tents.
Nonetheless, they nonetheless want a degree of cleansing, restore, and correct storage to remain in tip-top form!
Cleansing & Drying
For essentially the most half, the tent footprint gained’t require an excessive amount of effort in relation to cleansing.
If there may be a median quantity of grime on the footprint, you may both brush it off together with your palms, or use a humid fabric to scrub the soiled areas.
If the tent footprint is very soiled, you may clear it similar to you’d deep clear your tent.
To do that, get a big bucket of heat water and add a small quantity of tent-specific cleaning soap.
Gently wash the footprint within the heat, soapy water and rinse till clear.
Tent-friendly soaps you should use for deep cleansing embody: Nikwax Tech Wash, Grangers® Tent + Gear Wash, or GearAid® Revivex.
As soon as the footprint has been cleaned, lay it out in a sunny, dry spot till it’s utterly dry. Making certain the footprint is completely dry will assist stop mildew and mildew development in storage.
Making Repairs
Since your tent footprint is your tent’s first layer of protection towards the bottom, it’s possible that it’ll gather tears or rips all through its lifespan.
If the tear is pretty small, you should use tent restore tape, or duct tape, to patch it up.
These are essentially the most frequent kind of tear seen in tent footprints and are pretty straightforward to deal with.
Nonetheless, if the tear is on a bigger dimension, patching it up won’t be as efficient.
Bear in mind, one of many footprint’s principal functions is to maintain water away out of your tent.
If the tear – even when repaired – seems prefer it gained’t stand as much as working water, it’s time to get a brand new footprint.
Additionally See: The best way to Patch a Tent: Fast and Simple Options for Rips and Tears
Storing
The principle aim of storage is to forestall mildew and mildew development in your footprint.
To do that, you’ll wish to loosely fold your footprint and place it in a cool, dry atmosphere.
The free folds will guarantee that there’s area left for water or condensation to flee – even in storage.
The cool, dry atmosphere ensures that the footprint as an entire is refrained from damaging parts, together with warmth, extra moisture, and daylight.
Funds-Pleasant DIY Footprint Alternate options
Should you’ve acquired an costly tent and also you need it to final you a very long time, you ought to be utilizing a footprint.
Some tents include footprints included, however you is perhaps left to determine it out by yourself.
Should you select to purchase a footprint, you will get one particularly designed on your tent. This makes it tremendous straightforward to make use of, because it’s the right dimension, and so they’re often pretty light-weight.
That being stated, utilizing a tenting tarp or making a footprint by yourself can work simply as properly.
Plus, you may make one for a fraction of the value, and also you’ve in all probability already acquired a tarp, which is nice information for campers on a funds.
Among the greatest issues to make use of as a footprint embody:
- A floor tarp
- Polycryo
- Tyvek
- Shrink movie
How To Make Your Personal Footprint: Step By Step
To make your DIY tent footprint, right here’s what you’ll want to assemble:
- A bit of material that’s bigger than the bottom of your tent
- A marker
- A pointy pair of scissors
- Your tent (or the scale and a ruler)
When you’ve collected all of this stuff, you’re able to get began. And that is the way you do it:
- Take a chunk of whichever material you’ll be utilizing
- Place your tent on high of the piece of material
- Take a marker and hint across the edges of your tent
- Now, make a second line that’s round 2” narrower on all sides than the primary one
- Subsequent, take your scissors and minimize alongside the second line
And there you could have it! Your footprint is all executed and able to go.
The true secret’s simply ensuring your footprint is smaller than your tent backside.
If there are any bits of footprint protruding from beneath, it’ll gather rainwater.
FAQs
Does Each Tent Come With A Footprint?
Sadly no, not each tent comes with a footprint.
Should you want one on your tent, you should purchase one from an outside store, or make one for your self with the directions included above!
Can I Use A Footprint From A Completely different Tent Model?
Sure! So long as the footprint suits the dimensions and form of your tent, will probably be efficient!
Can A Broken Footprint Be Repaired Or Ought to It Be Changed?
It is dependent upon the injury. If it’s a small tear, you may possible patch up your footprint with restore tape and use the footprint once more.
Nonetheless, if the footprint has any massive tears or rips, it’s unlikely that it is possible for you to to patch it up so it may be used successfully once more.
On this case, it is perhaps time to put money into one other footprint.
Can I Use A Greater Footprint Than My Tent?
No, you do not need to make use of a footprint that’s greater than your tent.
It is because rain can accumulate in any puddles on the fabric that “peeks” out from beneath the tent construction.
These amassed puddles can create standing water beneath your tent, which might be worse than not having a footprint in any respect!
Can I Use A Smaller Footprint Than My Tent?
Sure! It’s endorsed that the majority footprints are barely smaller than the tent they’re used with.
Nonetheless, if the footprint is considerably smaller than the tent, it’ll possible not be efficient.
What Now?
Tent footprints are at all times a good suggestion. They’re a really helpful piece of tenting tools that gives additional safety on your tent and retains it clear as properly.
Plus, you may simply make one your self out of cheap supplies, so, there’s no excuse to not have one.
Take excellent care of your tent, and it’ll function your own home away from house for years to come back.
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