Tent foot print

[ore hunter]

have bought a small tent for coyoting out,,,Do you think its worth the extra weight to carry a footprint beins the tent already has a floor?do ya think a piece of tarp cut to size would work for footprint layer? is it worth the weight?

 

[buckbull]

I always like to place a tarp between the ground and the tent as a way to help protect the tent floor liner.

 

[tttoadman]

For the super lightweights like copper spur and fly creek I would recommend the footprint. For heavier built cheaper tents like marmot limelight I don't think this needed. The footprints made to order do allow for fast fly setup if that is something you are into. You can also buy a Bearpaw bathtub floor for the fast fly setup and have something a little more functional.

 

[Work2hunt]

I like a foot print but a piece of light weight types or similar house wrap works well too and can be free if the cards are played right!!!

 

[ore hunter]

tent is just a relatively cheap cabelas tent,,,aprox 3 1/2-4 lbs I would guess,,,just tryin to keep my overall pack weight down as much as possible.I think ill make a footprint for it and determine whether to take it in depending on weather conditions?untill I can get a better quality more lightweight tent later.

 

[Laddy]

have bought a small tent for coyoting out,,,Do you think its worth the extra weight to carry a footprint beins the tent already has a floor?do ya think a piece of tarp cut to size would work for footprint layer? is it worth the weight?

Tyvek, the construction/home wrap, is the new thing for tent foot prints.

http://www2.dupont.com/Tyvek_Const_Global_Landing/en_US/

If you know a general contractor, or are nice enough to guys on a job site, they may let you steal a few feet. It's pricey, but better and lighter than most sil nylon floors.

Good luck.

 

[laxwyo]

I never understood footprints. What's the point of buying lightweight tent just to pack in a footprint ?

 

[Againstthewind]

tyvek is an awesome idea. I will have to try that. I guess I haven't ever gone the ultralight direction, but I usually have used a light tarp as sort of footprint to help protect the floor of the tent like mentioned above. You can use the tarp or whatever again if it gets a hole rubbed in it, but the tent is harder to fix. It also is another layer between you and the cold ground. Half the time I end up sleeping mostly off the pad and half way out the sleeping bag, so that extra layer is nice for me since I sleep like a tornado. Tyvek is pretty light in those dimensions so I think something like that if you can find it would be worth the saving wear on your tent bottom even if it is light use, but buying an actual footprint might not be worth it for light use. My opinion anyway.

 

[coastalarms]

I've always kinda wondered why more stuff isn't made from Tyvex, seems they could make it in different weights and it could be pretty incredible.

 

[Joseph]

I like to use the footprint specifically designed for the tent I'm using, it will have all the correct attachment points and will be the correct size(ie won't stick out past the base of the tent and actually act as a catchment basin for water and actually doing more harm than good). Plus many lightweight tents will most likely wear better if you protect the bottom from rocks and sticks. I think they are worth the extra bit of weight and in most cases will weigh less than a tarp of equal size.

 

[YakCountry]

Here is a good video on making your own footprint if you're wanting to save some $. Same technique can be done with tyvek, tarp or plastic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RueJ7t2J6t0

 

[melsdad]

I bought a piece of tyvek from this company for my copper spur UL2. It cost $16.50 shipped and I have a good size piece left over for some other small projects if needed. It adds hardly any weight to my tent set-up.

http://intothewind.com/

 

[Fatrascal]

For me the foot print is not so much about protecting the bottom of the tent but instead there to protect the blow up sleeping pad. I bought a new Kuiu 1 man tent this year and a foot print to go with it. I lost the foot print in my man room and went hunting without it. I put my jacket, vest and other clothes spread out under the sleeping pad to protect it from getting punctured and it worked out fine. So you don't have to have one if you don't want it. fatrascal.

 

[marshmstr]

For the super lightweights like copper spur and fly creek I would recommend the footprint. For heavier built cheaper tents like marmot limelight I don't think this needed. The footprints made to order do allow for fast fly setup if that is something you are into. You can also buy a Bearpaw bathtub floor for the fast fly setup and have something a little more functional.

I have to agree with tttoadman.......I also like my footprints custom made for my specific tents..