Why take a Footprint or a Tarp?
What is a Tent Footprint or a Tarp?
A tent footprint or tarp it’s basically a groundsheet that goes underneath the body of the tent to keep your tent, dry and will contribute to overall comfort. You do find some modern tents who have a sewn-in groundsheet, it’s got a certain groundsheet you can’t remove.
In this Post:
- What is a Tent Footprint or Tarp?
- How should you install a Tent Ground Sheet, Footprint or Tarp?
- When installing the groundsheet there are a few little points that you want to do the first!
- The overall benefit of using a footprint, tarp?
So if you were to get into the murky muddy ground or with a lot of dirt you have to clean the whole tent or drag it to your nearest hosepipe clean it down or be there with a towel wiping it down as you come to the point of the pack and fold your tent again when departing.
Therefore using a groundsheet is a really good idea in my opinion and even a necessity if you want to ensure your tent is protected from damages and cuts and will definitely last longer, this for all types of tents.
How should you install a Tent Ground Sheet, Footprint or Tarp?
Before you will install your tent on the selected camping pitch we will explain how you can best set-up a groundsheet, also called tarp or footprint.
Installing a groundsheet is often seen as the easiest to install when you set-up your tent, but still little things are often overlooked when done, little things get missed that could be done better so let’s have a look at the basic groundsheet.
When installing the groundsheet there are a few little points that you want to do the first!
Make sure that the area that you’re setting up is free of any debris that could potentially cause a tear into your groundsheet and also be uncomfortable to sit on.
We recommend if possible to fold the groundsheet double before fixing, this will make sure when smaller debris or sticks on the ground will move around, as soon your tent is installed, this will be somewhat more comfortable.
When checked and cleared the area ground you can put already some pegs in your pocket, then lay out the groundsheet. The dimensions of the groundsheet can differ, all depending on the size of your tent base.
You have to ensure your groundsheet will not be bigger than the tent base, this could cause issues with rain, water can slip between the groundsheet and the tent base, this is what you want to prevent! To make the groundsheet smaller if you have a bigger groundsheet, you can simply fold it to a smaller shape.
When the groundsheet is laid out you can look for the pre-fixed tie-points and peg out the four corners.
The groundsheets with pre-fixed tie-points are normally well-constructed groundsheets and have them located strategically along the perimeter or the groundsheet – tarp that makes tying it out perfect.
The overall benefit for using a footprint, tarp:
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Extension of your tent life-time.
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Insulation will contribute to more comfort.
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Extra waterproofing (add layer).
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When you have a tailor-made footprint – often comes with the tent -, you will see that setting up the tent will go easier and faster.
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Faster and easier packing away, due to less dirt and clean-up of your tent.
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Can be used as a shelter, see the picture below.
We do recommend to always use a good quality groundsheet which is easy to clean and of course, can be re-used for many great camping trips, here you can find some good groundsheets – footprints – tarps we recommend you will have a look at, all with good and handy accessories too!
Here you can find a nice overview of various tarps and footprints.
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