Hey guys,
I have been camping all my life, DofE, and recently camping with my son in our brilliant Gelert quickpitch 4 thing. But this year the whole family (me, wifey, 7 year old and 2 year old) are camping for 4 days down in cornwall in august. I have just bought on ebay a HiGear Voyager 6, at just over £100, which I was happy with. Anyways I have read people talking about getting groundsheets, carpets etc.... I have seen that Go Outdoors do a specific groundsheet for this tent for £20, but they dont have it available for delivery, and I dont live near one (bromley). Firstly, do i really need one? Is it literally to stop the real tent getting dirty? Can I use something that is more widley available that pretty much does the same thing? Secondly with the carpet, does this make a massive difference in summer? We could bring a rug with us, that might make it feel nice in the morning. Anything to save a bit of dosh in these uncertain times eh.......
What do you guys think?
Thanks all,
Nick
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you could use a normal groundsheet/tarpaulin underneath your tent instead of a footprint, just make sure that it it fully under your tent or water will seep between the 2 groundsheets. Again just use picnic rugs instead of the tent carpet will do the same job but just won't be a perfect fit. Both items are relatively new to tents because when we first started camping in 2005 there was no such thing as footprints and carpets, just the tent. Enjoy your holiday in August
------------- -x- Diane -x-
May 13 - Cala Gogo, St Cyprien (didn't go, hubby too ill to travel)
May 14 Ranc Davaine
August 14 Les Sablons
August 13 - Camping Playa Brava, Pals
I use picnic blankets at £3.99 each from B&M Bargains (if you don't have one of those nearby it's a bit like Home Bargains or even Poundstretchers). I use four of them on the livingroom section of my five man tunnel tent. I find it does make the tent much cosier and protects the SIG. You could get a couple to try them out and put the carpet on next years wish list.
£20 is a damn good price though. The carpet for my tent starts at £39 and I can't justify the purchase.
But the advantage of picnic blankets over a dedicated carpet is that you can put them in the washing machine when you come home, and while you're away you can lift one quite easily and shake the grass from it. You can't really lift the whole carpet so conveniently as everything will be on it, but if you're only lifting one section (ie the section in the doorway) it's much easier to shake out.
The footprint helps to keep the SIG clean and also offers a bit of extra protection. We use tarps off Ebay they should be slightly smaller than the tent to stop rain collecting. If they are too big simply fold them over.
As for carpets they just tend to make it warmer and comfier underfoot you could use a picnic rug or something similar to keep costs down.
You will only get HiGear accessories from Go as they are made speifically for them
Hope this helps
------------- Experience enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.
Everything has been said before, but since nobody ever listens we have to keep going back and saying it all over again and again and again
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Whilest footprints and carpets are very worthwhile they are not essential. A footprint will keep the bottom of your tent clean, help with laying out the tent and protecting the groundsheet from stones etc - but you can do without while you are getting established. Same with the carpet - if you have a picnic rug or two that will do until you can get hold of the HiGear one. If you are using 2 I would recommend taping the underside of the join, and if necessary folding at the tent edge. The carpet might be the most desirable of the 2 as your next purchase as I'm sure your OH with prefer something warm and comfy under her feet. You never know, they may come back in stock before your holiday or you may come across one for sale on the net. Either way you have an excellent family tent to start with - all the other gear will follow!!
The only trouble with picnic rugs is that they can be very slippy. I agree that they are a cheap alternative, but nothing beats the proper carpet designed for the tent. I got fed up of slipping and sliding aboutusing cheap picnic rugs and as I am no good with a needle, I had to go for the carpet. I have a carpet for most of my tents now, they are not essentiial but so much more comfortable.
A footprint groundsheet adds protection from such as thorns and ant acid (a problem in some countries) making holes in your SIG. If you use airbeds its another layer of protection for them too. It is also fabulous at keeping the SIG clean saving you potentially up to an hour trying to clean mud off the SIG when you pack away or you just fold the mud into the tent contaminating the flysheet etc. Even in the height of a dry summer you'll get mud and mown grass sticking to the bottom of the tent. With a footprint groundsheet the tent goes away clean and you can just bundle the groundsheet into a bin bag and hose it clean at home. The SIG also lets you test out where you position the tent and identify unwanted dips etc...
The footprint groundsheets are made to fit, but you can cut down a tarpaulin from a DIY shop so that it is slightly smaller than the tent or fold UNDER (not over - which traps moisture) any excess. None of it should stick out or it will funnel water under the tent.
The carpet makes a big difference when walking with bare feet and for children to play on, but picnic blankets or even a rug with non-slip rug underlay will do. The edges can be a trip hazard though, which is one of the advantages of a dedicated carpet unless you use binding tape and sew them together. The Vango carpets have padding inside them for comfort, while others are similar to picnic rugs.
------------- Love our set-up and need no more tents or gear, so trying to stop looking!
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Topic: A couple of questions from a newbie
