Hello all
Have just bought a new tent and am wondering if the footprint, carpet etc are worth getting. I have always done without them before, but have never had such a nice tent before! I am more interested in whether the footprint would offer any additional protection or whether it is just for further insulation from the ground.
Thanks
Hi..the footprint does make a big difference, the main one is that it protects the sig from all the mud and stuff..less cleaning required when you pack up or get back home. Carpet again can protect the sig from sharp objects like table and chair legs etc and its cosier but they are expensive. I use a tarp as a footprint and some cheap picnic rugs as a carpet..does the same job.
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It is a fool who has to say something.
A footprint will be worth the investment. It will help speed up pitching your tent, protect the your groundsheet from any sharp objects, offer slightly better heat insulation but most importantly keep your grounsheet clean. Make sure when you pitch though all of the groundsheet in slightly over the footprint to prevent water getting underneath. It is also easier to fold a tent on a footprint than on muddly ground!!
The carpet will also keep your tent much warmer underfoot and it just makes the whole set up feel more homely, you can comfortably walk around barefoot.
If you have invested in a good tent it is worth spending the extra to make the whole set up work that bit better - you wont regret buying either item.
Totally agree with the above. A footprint helps you to decide how best to fit your tent on your pitch, it protects the SIG, adds an extra layer of insulation and is sooo much easier to clean when you get home than trying to clean the SIG.
A carpet is a nice addition - I made do with picnic blankets until I found 2 reduced priced Outwell carpets and I LOVE them!! It's nice and warm under foot, it doesn't slip about like the picninc rugs and is another layer of insulation. I now use the picninc blankets in the bedroom pods so it's a real home-from-home now!!
My opinion is that carpets are good for all the reasons stated. I use picnic rugs because they were cheaper than the proper carpet and do the same job. Lovely and warm underfoot.
I am not convinced about footprints. I did try using a home-made one some years ago and trying to lay it out on my own in windy conditions became a bit of a wrestling match. I also saw someone else's footprint flying across an adjoining field so I wasn't the only one struggling.
I have also heard stories of water getting between the footprint and the groundsheet and then the tent might as well be pitched in a lake.
To be honest, my only concern with a sewn in groundsheet is getting it damaged and a footprint may well help in that respect, although I always check the pitch out thoroughly for sharp objects before pitching. With regards to getting the groundsheet dirty, well, that's what they are for, and if you go camping regularly does it matter if the bottom may have a bit of mud on it? I usually wipe it clean as I roll the tent up, so in conclusion I feel that footprints are just another extra inconvenience when pitching and striking camp.
I have the Outwell Nevada M (which i love) and we purcahsed both the groundsheet and carpet!
I think (as we have had a very cold and wet summer!) the groundsheet keeps the bottom of the tent nice and clean, but also helps you visualise the best place to put you tent up before you do.
The carpet also gives you a nice cosy feel expecially first thing in the morning / late in the evening when it is cold!
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Topic: footprint
