That $20 tent footprint from Amazon nearly ruined my trip last weekend

Set up at Sproat Lake on Friday and woke up at 3am soaking wet because that cheap footprint channeled water right under my tent floor. Has anyone else had a budget groundsheet fail like this?

2 comments

2 Comments

elizabeth_williams1mo ago

Woke up at 3am soaking wet" - that is a specific level of misery I wouldn't wish on anyone. I had a similar thing happen with a $15 tarp from a big box store. It went from "looks fine" to "why is my sleeping bag floating" in about two hours during a light drizzle. The material literally just let water pass right through like a paper towel. Never again. Now I spend the extra cash on a name brand footprint or just use a piece of thick plastic sheeting from the hardware store. Way less chance of that middle of the night surprise.

val2231mo ago

@elizabeth_williams nailed it. Cheap groundsheets are basically just welcome mats for water.