Hi everyone,this may sound like a dumb question to a lot of you but I have been reading on various sites that they recommend some extra protection under the manufacturers groundsheet.My question is,that if like me you can't afford or find the proper footprint,can you use a reasonable quality tarpaulin? If it is possible to use a tarp,won't it get ruined when at some point(s) you have to peg the tent through the tarp? Or am I just being more stupid than normal?
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Hi yes you can use a tarp under a sewn in groundsheet but it should be smaller than the tent by about 10cm to stop water collecting on it and being smaller you wont peg the tent through it
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Quote: Originally posted by arsenaldes on 30/11/2012
Hi yes you can use a tarp under a sewn in groundsheet but it should be smaller than the tent by about 10cm to stop water collecting on it and being smaller you wont peg the tent through it
So I am stupid then? I presume you just lay the tent on the tarp,draw round it & cut 10cm's (ish!) inside the line? I think the latest addition to my collection ( Khyam pocket duo )may need an extra amount added at the entrance so that I have somewhere to remove muddy boots before climbing into the tent. Thanks for the advice
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Quote: Originally posted by Tentz on 30/11/2012
The cheapest thing you can use is a polythene dust sheet, couple of quid from B&Q, just chuck it away if it gets too muddy.
That sounds good I like cheap & cheerful.( or I'm a miserly old git! )
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I bought a cheap tarp as an additional groundsheet. I can do this with my current tent, as the footprint is a rectangle and not an irregular shape.
I used to have the additional groundsheet extending beyond the tent's footprint in the front under the integral porch area, and found it to gather water/mud.
Nowadays, I have foam mats instead of the groundsheet, and it is so much better in minimising the amount of mud and water being brought into the tent.
DK
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Thanks DK. The mats look good, but I have a space problem as I will be using the Khyam next year for some outings with my motorbike.So anything that won't fit in the panniers or my pockets won't be going!
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A cheap B&Q, homebase tarp will do fine. I just simply took the side right under; as i'm too lazy to cut it to size. Works for me.
heath63
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have you thought of a 'small tarp' that is not 'going under' the tent [just pegged out side the door]...then you won't get water running/collecting under the SIG, but still have somewhere off the grass/mud to stand and remove boots.
Quote: Originally posted by don-maureen on 01/12/2012
have you thought of a 'small tarp' that is not 'going under' the tent [just pegged out side the door]...then you won't get water running/collecting under the SIG, but still have somewhere off the grass/mud to stand and remove boots.
Hi, that was my original thought until I read about putting an extra layer under the tent to protect the SIG from damage from stones etc.Maybe I should stop reading so much, coz I get the feeling I'll be treading the same route as many others on this site. i.e, buying loads of kit I don't need or will never use.I should be old enough to know better, but I still seem to do it! You should see the amount of bike gear I've got! I think maybe I should think about doing a car boot sale!But I would probably end up coming home with more than I left with
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I use a cheap B&Q tarp under all of my tents whether they've got a sig or not. Got the largest size they did and cut appropriately! Keeps the bottom of the tent nice and clean and can just be chucked over the line when we get home. It also helps when packing up as we just leave the tent on it to re-pack....no rolling around on wet grass to get the air out to get it back in the bag
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I picked up a bunch of dark green tarps from B&Q a couple of years back, on clearence at £2 each and the perfect size for protecting my ZiG at 4x5m.
For sandy/stony pitch's like what you find in the South of France we also place a 1mm thick Butyl Rubber ground sheet on top of the tarp, it just adds another layer of protection and the tarp keeps it clean.
The Butyl Rubber was given to me by a landscape gardener friend of mine, it was an ofcut from a big pond job.
1mm Butyl Rubber pond liner works out at around 50p per sq ft from garden centres etc, last time I checked not cheap but is perfect for the job.
On occasion when the tarp has been overly mucky or damaged we just bin it.
We also use tent carpets to protect the bedroom SiG and living area ZiG so both are protected both inside and out.