Im new to camping and am a bit confused (nothing unusal in that).
I have a Khyam Ontario 6 with a SIG, and have been reading about footprints? what exactly are these and would I need one? Could you just use tarp?
We are going camping properly in half term in October up to that point we have only camped in the garden. Am so excited, already counting down the days....
Cheers
------------- Nicki, Darren and George
Otherwise known as the Nutty Crew
They are a tarpaulin placed underneath your groundsheet that keeps your SIG clean and protected. You can use just a normal tarp but must ensure that it does'nt poke out underneath the actual SIG otherwise water will run down and in between the two piece of material.
It is up to you if you want to use one, some people do, some people don't. Personal preference.
I use an ordinary tarp from the likes of B & Q etc; only cost me £10 and is perfect for putting under my tent.
I use one as it keeps the bottom of my tent clean so if I have to fold it after a wet week its all nice and clean to put away.
As Bramapp says its personal preference - but no need to splash out on one specifically designed for your tent unless it is an odd shape but I would just buy ordinary tarp one pop my tent over it and cut it to shape and hem the edges.
------------- Degsy Rowlands is my love, my life and a lunatic!!!!!!!! Louise x
I totally agree. I speant £25 on one for my tent and within 2 uses it had a hole in it! When I complained to megastore they said that it would have been cheaper using a tarp and that you learn these lessons! So don't bother just buy tarp!
Depends of the shape of the tent, we had a dome tent which you needed an footprint to match the shape, where we now have a tunnel tent which is a rectangle and an normal tarp does the business, as long as previously stated it doesn't protrude from the actual tent as water will then run under the tent and soak through. We did have this problem with our dome tent but it was our fault as the fly sheet didn't go over the footprint completely.
I made the mistake of mentioning this evening about using laminate underlay to go under the airbed and he's remembered there's some in the loft/shed/garage and added it to the camping list (now 4 sides of A4!). He would so love the idea of a tarp to keep our "bottom" clean and as he works in the building trade I just know a tarp would appear within 48 hours, to be kept for solely that purpose.
This summer you couldn't have fitted a box of matches in our car by the time it was loaded, with a tarp and some underlay we'd have to buy a blooming trailer.
I wouldn't go camping without my footprint. We bought the Outwell one for our tent and have used it 3 times so far and no wear and tear or problems. You still want to make sure that the ground is clear of debris that can ruin the tarp or you could be out some money, every bit on money counts. Our Outwell one seems a bit thicker than a standard tarp and I don't really know if that makes a difference in quality for the purpose.
With it being the end of the season, you may find a great deal on a footprint designed for your tent. I paid 25 for mine and had found it just after the Aug bank holiday for just 9.99!!!
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Footprints??
