A tent can be the most expensive piece of camping equipment you buy and use. So, you should always try your best to keep your tent from being damaged.
Whether on purpose or by accident, setting up a tent on rough terrain can lead to increased wear and eventually damage to the bottom portion of your tent. This is, by far, the most common way for tents to develop holes and leaks.
But, there is a solution. The easiest and simplest way to keep the bottom of your tent from being damaged from sharp rocks and roots is by using a footprint.
A tent footprint, or ground sheet, is an added layer of protection placed between the bottom of your tent and the ground. A footprint is typically made from an impermeable layer which provides greater insulation and protection from water and sharp objects.
Let’s explore all the aspects of tent footprints below!
Article Contents:
- What is a Tent Footprint?
- Footprint Materials
- Footprint Size
- Benefits of Using a Tent Footprint
- Tent Lifespan
- Water-Resistance
- Tent Packdown
- How to Properly Set Up a Tent Footprint
What is a Tent Footprint?
When you arrive at a campsite, one of the first things you do is set up is your tent. Ideally, you can find a flat area that is relatively smooth and soft, with no rocks or roots.
However, as we’ve all come to know, not all campsites are ideally situated, and you might end up setting up your tent on gravel, sharp twigs, or even bare rock.
This means the floor fabric of your tent is directly exposed to the ground which might lead to micro tears and even punctures over time.
- A tent footprint provides a layer of protection between your tent material and the ground surface.
- A footprint reduces the risk of punctures and tears, and acts as a sacrificial barrier fabric.
Footprint Materials
The most common footprint materials are plastics such as polyethylene (Tyvek) and nylon ripstop fabric. These materials are great because they are waterproof, durable, lightweight, and low cost.
| Fabric | Cost ($/sq. ft.) |
|---|---|
|
0.65 |
|
|
0.40 |
If you plan on making your own footprint, you can easily cut and create your own! A lot people repurpose a tarp as a footprint and cut it to match the shape for their tent. It’s a great DIY project!
Footprint Size
A lot of campers simply lay a large piece of fabric, usually a tarp, underneath their tent and think that should be good enough to protect it.
- A footprint that extends beyond the dimensions of a tent floor risks pooling rain water underneath the tent.
It is important that a footprint is sized to either match a tent’s floor dimensions exactly or, better yet, be an inch smaller to prevent water from collecting around the exposed edges.
Benefits of Using a Tent Footprint
Tents can last years if they are well taken care of. However, continuous wear can slowly degrade the material which might lead to damage. This is especially true from the bottom of your tent which can see the most wear over time.
Tent Lifespan
Good tent manufacturers purposely reinforce the bottom of tents to prevent wear. Really good tent manufacturers often include a footprint with each tent or sell compatible footprints separately.
Campers who use a footprint can add years of useful life to their tent. Even if you camp once a year, it’s worth it. Because, if you only camp once a year, you’ll be less inclined to set up your tent properly.
By proactively preventing damage, you’ll have peace of mind in the outdoors and reduce the likelihood of a negative camping experience.
Water-Resistance
One of the reasons people buy a new tent is if they start leaking. Yes, you can fix tears and patch leaks [How to Repair a Damaged Tent], but preventing them from happening in the first place is a lot easier (and smarter!).
- As a tent ages, the fabric may loosen.
- Exposure to the sun and elements can cause the material to degrade.
- Eventually, the fabric fibers might fail and start to leak water.
Using a footprint, especially with a well used tent, can vastly improve its resistance to water egress.
Tent Packdown
If you’ve had to tear-down a tent and pack it away after it’s rained, you’ll know how difficult it can be. The tent bottom can be plastered with dirt, leaves, or grass you need to wipe away.
Well, by using a footprint, packing away your tent is a lot easier and faster.
- Your tent is shielded from the ground, so you can pack it away without constantly brushing off any dirt.
- You can shake off and clean your footprint separately.
- Or, hang it on a dry line for it to air out before packing it with your tent gear.
The probability of bugs or mold developing on your tent when it’s stored reduces, as well as that gross tent smell… (you know what I mean!)
Ultralight Camping
One very interesting aspect of using a footprint is that you can use it for ultralight camping! Let me explain.
Most 3 season tents consist of a main tent body, rain fly, and tent poles. Now, a proper footprint will have the same shape of your tent and the grommets will be in the same position as well.
For some tents this means it’s possible to set up the poles in the footprint and use the fly.
- You don’t need the main tent body, saving you a little bit of space and weight in your pack!
Now, not all tents can comply with this ultralight camping variation. But, if your tent small and the poles are constructed in a “hub” design, chances are this is possible.
My Marmot Twilight 2P backpacking tent included a footprint and it’s compatible for this method of ultralight camping!
Pro-tip: Check out my review of this awesome tent on YouTube here.
How to Properly Set Up a Tent Footprint
Step 1 – Selecting a Spot
As mentioned previously, a tent footprint matches the bottom outline of a tent. So, before you set up your main tent body, you can use a footprint to measure out where to best place your tent.
Step 2 – Stake Footprint
Once a location has been selected, the footprint can be staked into the ground. Using ground stakes that come with your tent, hammer in the corners of your footprint.
The footprint should come with grommets attached to webbing material which extends from the corners or points of the footprint. They are made this way to match were the poles should go in your tent while keeping the main footprint slightly smaller than the tent base dimensions.
Step 3 – Set up Tent on Top
You can now set up your tent on top of the footprint. Make sure you align your tent so that the footprint is entirely covered.
Pro-tip: Ensure the ends of each tent pole goes through the footprint grommet. This “locks” the footprint and the tent base together so they don’t slide around on top of each other.
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