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I'll try...

When you walk in snow, the size of your foot is left in the snow...the footprint is an imaginary "footprint" of your tent!  Does that make sense?  Reading it now Im not sure it does! lol

People who have tents with sewn in grounsheets, sometimes use another groundsheet underneath the main tent to keep the sewn in groundsheet clean.  This is always the same size or a little smaller than the main tent to stop water running underneath it.

Hope this helps.

Steve

The term "Footprint" in camping parlance almost always refers to the tarp or ground sheet that is either tailor made or can be cut to size in order to fit very slightly smaller than the exact shape and size of your tent. This most importantly protects the tent's (usually) own sewn in groundsheet (SIG) from stones and other damaging objects, and it also adds a little bit of insulation to the tent. They also allow you to strike camp with a very clean tent (no mud on the bottom of the SIG).

Rob