Canopy/porch help please?

[sammyjayne]

Although we don't camp often as a family we are hoping to do go a little more regularly this yea. We use an Aztec Sala 6 as I store several of these that belong to the Guide unit I run. They are great for Guide camp as very simple large living area for if it rains and 1 bedroom so no hopping about after dark!

The living area though has a loose ground sheet. Also if you prop the front up and it is drizzly or damp then that ground sheet gets wet and you end up trailing wet and mud in. This is not a problem on Guide camp as they generally stay out of them during the day but not so good for family trips.

I have been unable to locate a canopy that Aztec do that fits this tent. A canopy would mean we can take shoes off etc under cover before going into the tent itself and therefore keeping the living area cleaner.

Does anyone know of a canopy or porch that would fit?? Please?

If you can't get a canopy, what about a mat outside the tent and another right by the door, with a folding crate for everyone to put their shoes/boots in? They're not allowed past a certain point with shoes on. You can put plastic-backed picnic blankets on the rest of the groundsheet to mark out the no-shoes area.

Thanks Ilovejudgejudy, we did do that last time the problem is if it is breezy and a bit damp then the rain blows in so we can't leave the front of the tent propped up as all inside gets wet. I am thinking we might be better just pitching a gazebo with sides right in front of the tent and rolling the door up maybe.

Can you fold the edge of the groundsheet (or a corner of it) under by a couple of feet, so there is a grass bit just inside the tent for rain to drip on/shoes to get left on. We do this in our tent that doesn't have a canopy.