A question about tarps that go under your groundsheet....

[MrsLovely]

Are they called footprints?

Anyway, that's not my question, my question is, if you use one and it rains, doesn't the rain get trapped between that and the actual groundsheet instead of draining away into the ground?

I can see the wonderful good sense of using one to keep my GS mud free, but if it rains will I end up walking around on the camping equivalent of a water bed?

Wow mrslovely did you read my mind??

I had just thought about posting a very similar question.

Will watch with interest.

No, unless you are camped somewhere that rain is going to run under your tent as they are very slightly smaller than the groundsheet of your tent, so the edge of the tent completely covers it.

Right, so if I buy a cheapo version from B&Q, I need to buy one that is smaller than my tent?

I'm assuming there are actual proper ones made to fit but I'm currently running on a very tight budget and I'm guessing they might be out of my (very small) price range!

If you buy a cheapo, just make sure it is folded inside your bottom peg line so that any drips go on the ground

Thank you!!

Honestly, the things that keep me awake at night....!

I still have to cut mine (usually just fold under groundsheet to stop the worst mud), but here are good tips for cutting. I thought I would cut mine exactly the same shape as groundsheet but a tiny bit smaller, but then you've got the problem of having to line it up properly every time.

Salability you are turning into my camping guru!

I was looking at the sizes of the ones in B&Q today and couldn't quite work out whether it was OK to cut them to shape as they made a big deal of the bonded edges.

Hah, I should practice what I preach and get around to sorting out my own one, MrsLovely!