Just received my new tent, the Vango Isis 600. The footprints are so expensive for what is really just a bit of tarp. Has anyone ever made a footprint? Is it best to buy the original?
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The footprint of my tent is almost square so luckily I was able to buy a good quality tarp which fitted it pretty well. I can't remember how much I paid for it but it was certainly a lot cheaper than the tailor made footprint.
As I think you've already guessed... correctly...
You won't actually NEED a footprint. As long as the pitch is clear of "sharps" and stones etc, the SIG will be fine, and last as long as the rest of the tent.
However, it will get dirty underneath... and this is where a footprint comes in handy, of course.
A wet and/or muddy tent-bottom ideally needs towelling offscrubbing before putting it in the bag/car. A footprint, depending on what you use, can be folded small, chucked in a bin bag, in the boot, and sorted out later, in the comfort of your garden.
With that in mind, anything that will make a barrier between ground and groundsheet, will do the job...be it a tent-specific footprint, or some very thin, polythene sheeting (the modern version of decorators dust sheets?), Builders tarps, wheelie bin liners laid side by side (Well, ok, that last one's not the best idea, but you get my drift!).
The proper footprint will be slightly smaller than the tent base, and have pegging points, so will be perfect... hence the price.
Home made ones are cheaper for a reason... but will still do the job.
Whatever you use, make sure it doesn't protrude beyond the tent's edges, as rain can drip onto it, and trickle between your "footprint" and tent groundsheet, leaving puddles with nowhere to go!.
None of the above applies if you are pitching a tent on a hard standing pitch. Depending on exactly what that hard standing is made of, you may need one or more thick and sturdy footprint(s).
We've never bought an official footprin but use tarps from Lidl or B&Q. If you Get the size that is nearest and fold under the bit thats too much. All ours have grommets so we use those grey grounsheet pegs to anchor them.
I think the most we have ever paid is £8. This weekend we are using my old Elzas and the best fit for that is a 5 x 4 folded in half lol. I havent even bothered to cut it because then I might have to do somthing about the cut edge.
Tip: when packing it away fold the underneath dirty side inwards.
------------- Christine
2014
April -
BunRoy Fort William 3 sleeps
April / May
Invercaimbe Arisaig 4 sleeps
Bleatarn Brampton tbc July
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Use cheap tarps all the time, cut to size and if this means losing some of the eyelets new ones made by double sticking some gaffer tape at the appropriate points and poking through with a Philips screwdriver to create a neat pegging point. Loads of sellers on eBay with lots of size options.
Just a couple of pointers about thin polythene sheets. Many moons ago I tried thin polythene sheets and spent the first half hour of pitching battling against the wind as first one side flew up and then the other. After that I didn't bother any more until this year when I decided to get a quite heavy tarp which should stay put long enough to get pegs stuck into it.
I wasn't the only one...quite recently while sitting on a campsite I noticed a couple of large white polythene sheets floating across the campsite about 100 foot up in the air...they are probably still up there somewhere.
Unless you have several people in your party to hold down all sides I wouldn't try using lightweight polythene for footprints.
To be honest, I haven't used one, but had read of others using them, hence my mention. I'd also read that they are so thin and cheap, that you could simply throw them in the bin when you pack up, and use a new one each time you go. Not sure how true that is... nor how the green brigade would view it!!
I'll stick to "proper" one's myself... even if they're not the exact tent-specific size.
Waiting for a sale, then getting the nearest (sized) one (well, two, actually, seeing as they were only a tenner apiece!!) is my usual method!
hi callenshar..yes made onwe for the 4mtr bell tent.. I bought an oversized tarp.. lay it on the floor then put the bell tent on top and cut around it..leaving enough overhang to tuck it uner the tent when erected .. just to make sure the tarp wouldn't rip I put gaffer tape all round the tarp to give it a bit of an edge
I made one for our Kura. It's a sort of t shape so I got 3 blue Diamond groundsheets, 1 long one for the main body of the tent and 2 smaller onesffor the sleeping pods, worked out the distance from the back end of the tent and put grommets through so that everything was joined in the right spot and held at the joins by only a couple of pegs
We bought a garden furniture cover from Lidl for about £8. 5mtr X 4mtr reinforced plastic with eyelets all round. Very strong and sturdy. We have used it on several different types of hardstanding (small, medium and large stones)as well as grass and it keeps the ZIG of our groundsheet clean as well as ensuring the stones from the hardstanding cause no damage. There has been no damage to the footprint either from any type of stones as it is so strong.
They don't always have them at Lidl but well worth keeping an eye out for them. Didn't bother to cut mine to size but tuck the excess under the ZIG.
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We have always used a footprint groundsheet,the main reasons being
1)It keeps the underneath of the SIG clean.We just peg out the footprint when we get home and just give it a mop over.
2) It gives added protection to the SIG regarding small stones etc.
Have a look on Amazon, they have plenty of cheap tarps.
Just remember to make sure it is at least 2 to 3 inches less than the overall tent size or you will find water collects on the top of it underneath the SIG.
Happy Camping.
Sue.
------------- Sue & Phil
--------------------- I Love My AeroBed
We bought a large cheap tarp to make one for our bell tent..I cut it into a circle and hemmed it on the sewing machine then brough a eylet maker kit off ebay..Does the job perfectly.
------------- Camping Tip #26: In an emergency, a drawstring from a parka hood can be used to strangle a snoring tent friend...or husband!!
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Topic: Making a footprint?
