When used correctly, a tent footprint is an excellent way to provide additional protection for your shelter.
Tent footprints are an easy way to protect your tent from piercing objects, wet grounds and moisture build up. They provide lightweight protection that is durable enough for all sorts of weather conditions.
So, let’s have a look at what the best way is to place your tent footprint so that it can be most effective. We’ll also go over whether you really need one and how they work.
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Why Is It Important To Use A Tent Footprint?
If you’re going to be living in your tent, it’s important that the ground cloth keeps on protecting and prolonging its life. There are many different types of materials used for making up these homes but nothing can compare with just one sharp object ruining everything even if this happens sometimes due accidents or poor maintenance.
The tent footprint is like an armour against the elements. It can protect you from abrasive objects, such as pebbles and branches that may scratch or cut skin.
Repetitive rubbing of small items under your tent can wear holes through. Small hole size is easily stretched and caught until you have an entire tear in your shelter.
Tent footprints are useful for a variety of other things too. These are:
- Tent footprints provides protection from sticky tree sap and mud stains.
- Footprints are a great way to keep your tent dry in the rain. The water can pool up under it and seep inside from bottom.
- Tents are waterproof and can help you stay dry, but even when it’s not raining, ground moisture could still accumulate in your tent through the floor. A footprint is designed specifically for this purpose so that your tent will be dry and comfortable.
Is A tent footprint Necessary? The tent footprint is not a necessary accessory for camping; you can survive just fine without one if take reasonable precautions when pitching your shelter.
Tents are meant to be enjoyed, but they do wear down over time. A ground cover can help extend the life of your tent and save you some money in return. We’ll talk more about this later on join us for now though as we continue our discussion about the usage of a tent footprint.
Best Way To Use Your Tent Footprint
With a tent footprint, you can sleep soundly in the knowledge that your campsite is protected. Follow these easy steps on the usage of tent footprints:
Step 1: Lay Tent Footprint Down on the Ground
After deciding where you want to set up your tent, put the footprint in that position. If it doesn’t say on which side goes up then look at either end of this product’s label for indication as top or bottom.
Place the mat on top of your floor so it is oriented with its waterproof side facing up and uncoated side down. Next, pull each corner taut to ensure a flat surface before installing.
Step 2: Pitch your tent over the footprint
Pitch your tent over the footprint and fix it with straps or insert the poles into the grommets. Some even come pre-inserted so you don’t have to worry about getting them dirty.
NOTE: Pitch your tent by inserting the poles into grommets first, then sliders. This ensures that if you move or shake it out while still attached to its footprint the cloth covering over most of one side’s floor you won’t find yourself continuously reattaching things.
Step 3: Tuck Footprint in around the edges
The ground sheet should be tucked in around the edges so that it does not stick out. If there are gaps between where your tent meets with its footprint, rainwater can collect on top of them and seep through into whatever’s underneath.
Pro’s Of Using A tent footprint
- What’s the best way to make your tent last longer? footprint! As it turns out, this simple accessory can increase lifespan.
- Make sure you know the type of terrain before camping in order to prevent damage. A footprint can help with rough surfaces, but it’s best if campers are prepared for what they’ll find when visiting these areas beforehand by checking out their location and knowing whether or not this accessory will be necessary.
- If you’re car camping and don’t want to carry around excess weight or bulk, adding a footprint is an easy way of getting everything in one package. The only downside? It costs more than just buying what’s needed for your trip.
Cons Of Using A tent footprint
- The weight of your backpack is a key consideration when backpacking. You’ll need to make sure that it can support the items you plan on carrying and stay comfortable for long periods, so find out what kind or materials would be most effective in this regard beforehand. So, a tent footprint is not necessary.
- The tent is made to be placed directly on the ground, so if you are not particularly worried about safety and comfort for your trip then there’s no reason wasting money.
- Tent footprint isn’t necessary if you plan on camping on a concrete or sandy terrain. Tent footprints are needed mostly in rough terrains.
