Foot prints?

You might be able to make something yourself with material from here,

www.profabrics.co.uk

Jules aka Bat Girl wrote (see)

... the cost of a foot print seams disproportionate to the product.

I ot one from Asda for my Terra nova Laser Comp almost made for the tent and only £4.00.It can be tucked under and can also be pegged down,a bargin me thinks!!

And i dont care about the weight as long as it protects my inner floor....

I also got a differant one from Wilkinsons bargin stores for my Blacks Krypton for only £8.00,so there are bargin ones to be had if you are not too worried about weight

Not strictly what they do, but it might be worth contacting Scottish Mountain Gear

Edit:  Ah, too late.

I got some lightweight made-to-measure ones for several tents from Morph at TeamIO, but they're made of spinnaker fabric because I wanted light weight rather than heavy-duty. They are great though

A tent footprint is designed to protect your tents groundsheet, and maybe more importantly, keep it free of mud and dirt, which will often contaminate the flysheet when packed. It’s not nesserery to buy dedicated footprints as they can easily made from plastic sheeting (DIY Store) or made up cheaply in half an hour with material bought from outdoor fabric mail order companies (Pennine Outdoor or Point North). The footprint should be sized slightly small then the footprint of the tent so that water cannot pool under it, and should have some way of attaching all its corners to the ground when pitching in bad weather (loops of bungee work best).

For winter camping using a footprint made out of foam increases tent comfort massively, insulating the whole tent and its occupants from the ground. Companies like Exped sell thin EVA closed cell matting, but you can buy foil backed foam from big DIY shops which probably works equally well. This option is of course bulky, but when bulk isn’t a problem it’s well worth the effort.'

Taken from Psychovertical .com at http://www.psychovertical.com/?tentbound

I put in the above merely for newbies who don't know that this is essentially just meaning a groundshet for a tent! Lots of these at offer prices right now by the way in the sale of equipment at Field and Trek right here http://www.fieldandtrek.com/find.asp?cat_id=SPECEQUI&pf_id=&jump=48&sfile=1

http://groovyadventures.com/Backcountry_Advice/lightweight_tent_footprint.htmlOr one can even make one oneself!

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=301030Good ideas here to help you too as well.

I Have a MSR Mutha Hubba, lovley tent very light with a thin groundsheet.

We have found in the past that the groundsheets lose their waterproofness  long before  the rest of the tent so I want a nice tough groundsheet to use when car camping so I save wearing out the ground sheet then when wild camping I wont bother to keep the weight down.

So weight does not matter , the aim is to extend the life of the tent. Probably 80% of our camping is on campsites, so it should have a significant effect.

Out Vortex has a tough groundsheet already made as it is for winter conditions but if it will be cheap enough we might get one for that too, for the same use.

What follows is pure speculation on my part, not based on experience or actual knowledge..

Jules says " We have found in the past that the groundsheets lose their waterproofness  long before  the rest of the tent ".  Presumably this is because the waterproof coating of the groundsheet is worn away by abrasion.  But that coating is on the inside, i.e. top surface of the groundsheet.  I guess that having a footprint underneath won't make this abrasion any less. 

Ok, when the waterproofing does start to fail a footprint is a good thing to have underneath but if I am right it won't work for what Jules wants .  She said  " so I want a nice tough groundsheet to use when car camping so I save wearing out the ground sheet then when wild camping I wont bother " .

I'd be interested to see comments on this from someone who knows what they are talking about.

I'd be interested to see comments on this from someone who knows what they are talking about.  -  Wrote Jules.

Hi Frummy! I am sure that SHE knows what she means by what she said there - which implied to my mind that she just means she wants to save weight whilst wild camping by not carrying the groundsheet/footprint then, is all! Seems most usual to me there, and a popular thing to do. I know lots of folks who do not use a groundsheet extra to the tent when hauling kit a long way in a wild camp scenario!

I'd be interested to see comments on this from someone who knows what they are talking about

Que Pete Clinch - He normally convinces me in such debates.

Jules, if weight doesn't matter I suggest builders DPM (damp proof membrane, solid as f**K) . It lasts for hundreds of years, (like houses have to!!!)

You can probably get hold of some locally. I can post some to you if required! 

Tent floor protector. This is a rather poor alternative type product sold Reviews of this sadly rather lack-lustre product here. Essentially all we are really talking about here is something to go on the ground under the tent giving the tent an added layer of protection from rocks and dampness isn't it? That's what I understood a footprint to be.

Keeping your Tent floor protected with a footprint especially home made for it might be the best way for Jules to go then perhaps - cheap as chips, easily replacable too. Just place this custom ground tarp under your tent to help shield it from all the nasty naughty abrasive twigs, rocks, and roots. It will then help prolong the service life of the tent. And it also often will prevent a good bit of water from pooling.

Or are you meaning more something to go onto the inner floor surface of the tent to insulate from ground-damp coldness and protect the inner floor from wear and tear by the occupant too now maybe, as well? http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/accessdetail.cfm/HL1005  Like these at link. That is an 'inner tent footprint' rather than just a standard footprint though.

 Most tents I have used have been used as standard from the manufacturer, but often to protect the floor I use a groundsheet extra underneath if I know the ground surface will be bad - ie very stony ground. As for tracking a bit of mud into the tent it's often inevitable I feel; but you try to limit it as best you can by being careful with boots left outside or in tent vestibule etc. Wildcamping and bushcraft/survival skills practise increases the chances of muck getting into the tent massively though; especially with the handling of wet wood outside the tent etc. You try to cut that soiling of clothing/tent inner down by use of gloves, and by not wearing your main set of clothing when off doing your camp fire chores.

Article Link. Do you all think it is very important to get that good near exact 'custom' fit to the tent footprints maybe then?If so how come for years and years - before this 'footprint' thing became yet another thing for the retailers to try to flog us with the tent - everyone got on very well, with but a very basic groundsheet/tarp under the sewn in tent inner floor then?

I can indeed appreciate and understand that there are many times when the whole footprint thing really comes into its own; Solo travellers, distance hikers/backpackers, touring cyclists, and other lightweight style fanatics will be right at home then. Because the floors in many modern ultralight tents are so thin anyway - for ultralight weightsaving - the optional footprint is then even more highly recommended for maximum tent life. The footprint often adds a mere tiny extra weight of little more than 160g or so, in some cases. With the footprint, you can leave the actual inner tent at home for even more weight savings too of course. The fly, poles, and footprint might then just total only a mere amazing 900g or so in some models of ultralight tents.

Odd things to many, these nearly tent-shaped sheets of material are, that are supposed to be laid underneath the groundsheet for added protection. In many people's experiences these type of items are completely redundant, assuming the pitch area is already carefully cleared of any potentially troublesome sharp stones and, grit, thorny twigs, heather etc. Then there should be no real problems to be met with; just the thinner groundsheets of ultralight tents defeat this argument, as they are undoubtedly less robust and would need much more care in the clearing of the pitch area. However if a footprint is carried, the weight saving overall is then going to be reduced, unless you do decide on leaving that inner tent at home.

A footprint is a custom ground cloth designed to match the contours of your tent floor. A tent footprint simply helps protect the floor of the tent from abrasion. When you pitch your tent and then get in, your body weight and tossing and turning during the night can damage the fabric or abrade its protective waterproof coating as it comes in contact with the rough ground.

Let a footprint take the abuse instead. Footprints are constructed an inch or two smaller than the tent floor and sometimes have loops or hooks that attach to the tent stakes to achieve a custom fit that requires no tucking.

Footprints are usually sold as an accessory and may not be included in your tent package. If you can’t find a footprint that fits your tent, a laminated tarp or even a plastic tablecloth can be used instead. These are lightweight, easily-packed, and inexpensive.'

Taken from this web article page at link here. 

Separate groundsheets may well allow better loadsharing when backpacking, and may too make it easier to pitch and strike a tent; but they provide much less protection against insects, wind blown grit and dirt etc. from getting into the sleeping area! Also, if any part of a separate groundsheet protudes even slightly from under the tent's side walls, then it just quickly provides a ready path for moisture to flow right through into the tent like a stream!

Maybe the groundsheet/footprint here in this case isn't wearing out at all, but water is just flowing in because the groundsheet is not excactly enough (as in above here given example) well fitted then?

True, a footprint can protect a tent's floor from damage. Keeps the bottom clean, and adds a waterproof layer; but it isn't just the actual material failure of said ground covering that could be at fault in this case perhaps. Maybe that tent just needs some good 'tlc' given to it by way of a re-application of seam sealer to its inner seams, paying special attention to the floor and rain fly. Self seam sealing will help keep moisture from both rain and dew outside. Some tents do come with factory-taped seams, some don't. Although the former offers much more protection than unsealed seams, these should still be self seam sealed for maximum effectiveness of waterproofness/weatherproofness yourself. ( To avoid 'binning' your product warranty you must be very sure to carefully follow both the tent manufacturer and seam sealer’s instructions though; and do definitely have adequate ventilation during the sealing process. Depending on how often you use your tent and the quality of your seam sealer, you may even need to repeat this user diy sealing process yearly.)

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/lp2/tent-guide.html#3  See here, about why many think you should indeed diy seam seal your tent seams yourself, even on a newly bought tent.