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 Topic: All weather vs hard standing pitches
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29/6/2014 at 6:23am
Location: Leicestershire
Outfit: Karsten 380 Veranda
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Hi all
Charmouth C&CC site have got all weather pitches specifically for tents as well as hard standing pitches. The all weather ones are made of pea gravel and rubber balls and we were told we could pitch our tent straight on to it with no need of extra thick ground sheets etc. Has anyone used one of these at Charmouth or anywhere else? In theory I like the idea, but don't want to trash my SIG... Would just be using the standard footprint that came with the tent. Have read about the damage hard standing pitches can do.
Thanks
Jim
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29/6/2014 at 7:40am
Location: Dorset
Outfit: Royal Atlanta 6
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Wouldnt it be bumpy under foot then? My son likes sitting on the tent carpet, I dont think I would consider for this reason but would be interested in the replies.
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29/6/2014 at 8:36am
Location: Derby.
Outfit: T6 Hi-Top & Karsten
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Not used a AWP, and by the sounds of your description, my guess is, you may well end up with dimples in your footprint, and quite possibly the SIG too. As there's no "sharps", it shouldn't be any more of a problem than mere aesthetics, but additional footprint(s) wouldn't do any harm.
Our first time on a hard standing (that black stuff that almost looks like dried tarmac/stone mix?) all seemed to go well... until I eventually noticed a million pin-holes in the one footprint I used (Due to the stones in there being sharpish, as opposed to pea gravel or similar).
As we now have them, I'd use 3 standard footprint sheets under my SIG, starting with that one with the holes, which I saved for that very purpose!
With either type, I'd advise carpet, and even slippers... for comfort you understand, not protection! 
Might be worth a call to the site... I've read of some sites offering extra thick tarps to lay under tents.
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29/6/2014 at 9:49am
Location: Bradford
Outfit: gelert corvus 4 plus 2
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We were on an awp at forest fields last year. I was a bit worried off all the same reasons as you. We had a footprint and groundsheet. No need to have worried we didn't feel the pea gravel even walking in bare feet on the carpet. It rained and the drainage is far better than grass. The only thing I didn't like was the tiny stones in the tent but got used to it and the brush and pan sorted that out far easier to sweep that grass cuttings. On the whole I preferred it. We had no damage to the footprint or Sig😊
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29/6/2014 at 11:30am
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I wouldn't entertain an AWP without extra protection underneath. I now use quite a substantial tarp underneath my tent so would consider one if the stones were smooth enough and large enough. I would be a little concerned about the pegs holding in gravel though, and walking gravel into the tent can't do the groundsheet a whole lot of good.
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