If you put a footprint groundsheet down it gives your SIG(sewn in groundsheet) extra protection,but the main reason is it keeps the underneath of your tent groundsheet free from mud and dirt.
When you get home you don't have to worry about getting your tent out to clean it,just wash down and clean your footprint groundsheet.
------------- Sue & Phil
--------------------- I Love My AeroBed
Hi Gary and welcome to the zany world of campers annonymous lol
Sue is totally right but I wanted to add that you dont have to buy one. A cheap tarp cut just a tiny bit smaller than the footprint of your tent will do the same job and cost alot less :)
Rather than buy the specific footprint for your tent, just buy a cheap tarp, got mine from B&Q in dark green, looks like the same stuff as footprint material, the size I got was 5m x 4m same size as the footprint of my tent!, and at £2 each a total bargain, in fact I bought all the stock from the Manchester store, they only had 4 left at that price.
The advantage (to me) of a 'footprint' groundsheet rather than just a rectangular piece of groundsheet, is that if your tent is oddly shaped (ours is a hexagon, with rectangular bedrooms off that) when you put the groundsheet down it defines where to put the tent. Previously with just an ordinary groundsheet we often found that we had to 'swivel' the tent around - which was not much fun with a bigish tent like ours.
That was really hard to explain, and I don't think I achieved it very well.
Another advantage of a footprint groundsheet is you can use it to work out the best way to pitch your tent without actually having to get the tent out first.
Wether you get a ready made one or a DIY one it's a good move. It really has kept our SIG in good condition, and has protected the tent from getting muddy when we've packed up after a rainy session.
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Topic: ground sheets
