Original Article: What is a Tent Footprint? – Here’s Why You Need One
What is a tent footprint you might ask? Well, its possibly the most essential, yet overlooked, piece of camping gear you need! Here’s why.
It was the 5th and final night of camping just outside Acadia National Park at the Bass Harbor Lighthouse when we saw the storm clouds rolling in. We had an incredible week of hiking, climbing, and swimming on Acadia’s North Atlantic coastline, however, we knew Maine had some tricks up its sleeve.
As the thunder and lightning got closer, we retired to our tents early and prepared to hunker down in this storm. Within minutes of tying off my rainfly, the sky erupted.
Thunderclaps shook the ground, lightning illuminated the sky, and as monsoon rain and giant hailstones came down around me, I was sure that my $30 Walmart tent wasn’t going to last long. I eventually dozed off, coming to terms with the fact that I might have to make a break for the car at some point in the night.
I woke up at sunrise, pleasantly surprised to be completely dry. I was even more surprised to find my buddy passed out in the car while his fancy REI tent sat in disarray on the other side of camp.
How had my $30 Ozark tent fared better than his $200 REI tent? Despite being lighter, more ergonomic, and overall better quality, my buddy had forgotten one important detail: the tent footprint.
When we set up camp at the beginning of the week, he bragged about how fast he could set up his tent and how great the material is, but he threw his tent footprint back in the car, claiming he wouldn’t be needing it because his tent was just that good. Though my Ozark tent was very basic, the footprint was made of heavy material and allowed you to thread the tent poles through it, tie the rain fly to it, and most importantly provided staking points every 12 inches.
A tent footprint seems like a novel piece of gear that will just add weight to your pack, but it can actually make up the quality difference between a cheap tent and a professional backpacking tent. Because my buddy never used his tent footprint, rain runoff flooded the floor of his tent and lifted the stakes right out of the ground, leaving him to the mercy of the wind.
After this trip, I bought an even better tent footprint, which allowed my cheap Walmart tent to thrive on many camping trips to Vermont and the Adirondacks, sleeping on all types of surfaces.
Through this experience, I grew to love the added protection my tent footprint provides so I’m going to tell you everything you need to know so you too can sleep comfortably on your next camping trip, no matter the tent you’re sleeping in.
What is a Tent Footprint?
A tent footprint, sometimes called a ground cloth or groundsheet, is a waterproof layer that goes on the ground so you can lay your tent on top of it. This layer prevents wear and tear on the floor of your tent, but it also provides cushion and insulation.
Tent footprints come in all shapes and sizes to fit any tent and get pegged or staked into the ground along with your tent poles to prevent it from moving.
Many tents come pre-packaged with their own footprint, however, these are often very light and don’t provide much durability, which is why many seasoned campers choose to upgrade their footprint.
Most footprints are made of polyethylene, but some lighter ones are made of an oxford or lower density polyester material. Though most footprints are made out of the same material, it is the construction and durability that matters most.
Why do I need a Tent Footprint?
So you’ve just invested in a tent and as you prepare for the next trip, trying to optimize every gram of gear you stuff in your pack, you might be thinking, “Is this thin tarp really going to make that much of a difference?” Or if you’ve opted for a light backpacking tent or bivy tent that sometimes won’t come with a footprint, you’re reluctant to spend more money on a piece of gear you’ve already spent a nice chunk of change on.
Many people claim that if you’ve bought a nice tent, you won’t need a footprint. Like my buddy in Acadia found out, that’s simply not true. Here are a few important reasons why a footprint is an essential piece of gear that should not be overlooked:
Protect and extend the life of your tent
By far, the most important function of a tent footprint is to protect the floor of your tent. Not every campsite is going to have a sleeping platform and if you’re primitive camping, you’ll likely pitch your tent on all kinds of surfaces. The rocks, twigs, branches, and roots that you lay your tent on are extremely abrasive. Combine this with your body weight moving around in there and you can tear a hole in your tent floor after just one trip.
Putting a groundsheet down first gives your tent a protective layer so that these abrasive surfaces are rubbing against the tent footprint and not your tent floor. After all, it’s much cheaper to replace a footprint than it is to replace a new tent.
Waterproofing/Keeping the tent clean
The ability of the tent footprint to keep water away from the tent floor was my biggest friend that night in Acadia. I stayed nice and dry, and in the morning, though everything else was still dripping wet, I was able to stuff my tent in its compression bag, and then wipe down my rain fly and groundsheet to store them separately, keeping dirt and mildew out of my bag.
Heavy rain can obviously flood your tent, but leftover moisture from the rain a few days prior, or even morning dew can easily seep into your tent. Sleeping on a wet floor is no fun, but it can also cause your sleeping bag and anything else on the floor of the tent to soak up additional moisture.
A tent footprint will create a waterproof barrier between your tent and the ground to make sure that this doesn’t happen. It’s also much easier to clean a groundsheet than it is to clean your entire tent.
If you have trouble with the rain, check out our guide on camping in the rain!
Cushion + Warmth = Happy Camper
Many new campers truly underestimate how much body heat can be lost at night. Think about it; you’re sleeping in the woods, with no real walls, on the cold ground, and even though you were sweating on your hike when the sun was out, at night it can quickly drop below freezing.
With a thick tent footprint, you are raising yourself slightly off the ground, providing another layer of insulation and cushion. Combine this with a sleeping pad that has a high R-value and you’ll be able to maintain your normal body temperature much better.
Easier positioning/Pitching
Finding a good spot to pitch your tent can be a challenge even if you are on a marked campsite. It’s incredibly important to make sure you find soft ground that is level and clear of objects.
Due to the tent footprint being the same size and shape of your tent, you can use this to map out where you want to set up. Keep the tent packed away and start by laying out the footprint to find the ideal location to pitch your temporary home for the night.
Trust me, this is much easier than dragging around an already pitched tent, or just setting up anywhere and waking up in the corner of your tent because the floor was crooked and you slid down in your sleep.
Things to consider before buying
So my personal anecdote was enough to convince you that you don’t want to be like my buddy and get caught without a tent footprint, and now that you’ve got some facts on why they’re so important you’re looking to get one for yourself. But there are some important details to note before you head to the store to pick one up:
Denier count
The denier count refers to the thickness of the threads that make up the floor fabric and is a good indicator of durability. The higher the denier count, the thicker and more durable the material is. Finding a footprint with a high denier count will ensure that you’re comfortable and safe on the rough wooded ground while finding a footprint with a lower denier count will be lighter and more versatile.
Waterproofing metrics
Waterproofing metrics are measured in “mm”, also known as “hydrostatic head.” This number refers to the amount of pressure that is required to make a fabric leak. Again, the higher the number, the more waterproof the fabric is.
Cost
Of course, the cost is going to be a factor in your buying decision and it should be. If you’ve already spent $300 on a new tent, then spending another $75 on a groundsheet is going to hurt your wallet. If you’re buying a tent and footprint at the same time, consider the added cost of buying a groundsheet separately and compare these with tents that come pre-packed with a groundsheet.
See what you can find second hand or contact your local gear exchange forum and see what others have available or how they scored a great deal. One of the best parts about being an outdoor enthusiast is the friendly culture, so don’t be afraid to get out there and ask questions.
Weighing your options based on cost will highly depend on the next point, which can help you determine how much you should ultimately spend on gear. Additionally, check out our DIY Footprint ideas to really save some money!
Location, Location, Location
The last thing to consider when buying a tent footprint, and ultimately one of the most important things to consider when buying any piece of gear, is where you will be using it.
For me, I chose to buy a tent from Walmart because, well I was at the store, it was only $30 and I thought it would be fun to camp outside my friend’s lake house. At the time I wasn’t big into camping so this was the perfect option for some fun summer camping.
After seeing how well it performed (mostly thanks to a strong groundsheet) and after making a few customizations, I was able to take this tent on many trips. I did invest in a nicer Marmot tent later on, but looking back, the Ozark tent from Walmart was a budget-friendly option that fit perfectly with the type of camping I was doing at the time.
If you are a novice camper and only take a few short trips during the warmer months, then save some money, buy a cheaper tent and use the extra cash to invest in a better tent footprint. However, if you’re an avid camper, or you’re looking to extend your repertoire to winter camping, then you’ll need something heavy-duty, with the cash to back it up.
DIY Tent Footprint
For those of you who want to save money on a tent footprint, or if you’re handy and enjoy doing things on your own, you can make one at home using everyday items available at the hardware store. These options will be much cheaper and almost always lighter. Check out these DIY footprint ideas that some of the best backpackers swear by:
- Painters tarp (Polycro) – This is the clear plastic that painters use to cover the floors. A 2mm thick sheet at the hardware store is only about $2 and can fold up to fit in your pocket. This option won’t give you much cushion or insulation, but it will be waterproofing and only weighs 1-2oz.
- Tyvek HomeWrap – This high-density polyethylene plastic is used to protect buildings during construction, so it can definitely protect your tent. This option will be slightly more expensive but it is puncture-proof and helps with insulation.
- Window Wrap – This material is the stuff that you shrink wrap to your windows to insulate the house in the winter. Because of this, it is great at insulating the tent against the heat-sink that the ground creates. Buy a sheet at the hardware store for around $10, cut it up into multiple footprints, and replace it every season.
- Woven Poly Tarp – This is one that I have used myself frequently and it always works great. It’s the blue tarps you often see covering dumpsters. I always bring one to cover the firepit or any gear left outside if it’s going to rain. When I’m not using it for that, I’ll fold it up nice and neat and put it on the ground even before I put my groundsheet down. This added layer provides excellent cushion, insulation, and waterproofing. It is slightly more expensive and incredibly heavy to carry but can be great during extreme weather or if you’re camping near the car and don’t have to lug it up a mountain.
Consider all these factors when looking to buying a tent footprint and make sure to do your homework to get it right. Compare the denier count and waterproofing metrics of your tent with the type of camping you will be doing and buy a tent footprint that complements these. Some helpful metrics to keep in mind are a denier of 40-60D and waterproofing of 2000-4000mm, but this will, of course, depend on the environment you’re camping in.
It’s important to note that you’ll always need your footprint to match the size of the floor of your tent. Any bigger and water can pool up on the edges, any smaller and the groundsheet isn’t doing its job.
Remember, it can’t hurt to get a beefier tent footprint if you have the extra money, as it will prolong the life of your tent and enhance your camping experience. It just might save you and your tent the next time you find yourself at the mercy of an incoming storm!
