3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A tent overhead and your footprint underneath it, December 24, 2006
A tent's "footprint" is a sheet of nylon or plastic that goes underneath your tent. It's tailored to mirror the same shape as the floor of your tent. In olden days, we just called these things a "ground cloth."
Manufacturers make specific footprints for their tents because you want the footprint to be slightly smaller than the exact size of the tent. When you're camping out in the rain, you don't want water running down the side of the tent onto the footprint and then channeling it underneath the tent; you want the water runoff to go directly onto the ground.
This footprint by Kelty is made of the same fabric as that of the floor providing a second layer of fabric for protection of the underside of your tent from stones, twigs, mud, dirt and moisture. It's designed to be a sacrificial element because it is replaceable while your floor is not. This footprint comes packed in a mesh stuff sack.
One compelling reason to use a footprint is that it's much more convenient to lay out the footprint and visualize the ideal placement and orientation of your tent on a campsite. Then, clear the area underneath the footprint of sharp rocks and sticks, lay your tent on the footprint, stake it out with the poles to the attached grommets and follow through with the rest of tent setup.
Tent camping is about packable shelter, and if you want your trip to be more convenient and fun, spring for the footprint. Have fun in the great outdoors!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
custom fit,but not tougher than tarps, March 22, 2009
it's color coded,snaps easily,custom fit.downside is it's not as tough as heavy duty tarps for protection.
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