What to use for an inside ground sheet (and how to use it)?

[Odyssey]

Additional protection from abrasion and punctures makes sense, either or both, inside and out. I've never tried an innie, and only used the supplied outie footprints. I try to treat the tents like fragile gear. So far, so good. I did have a wet interior one rainy trip that resulted in an annoying puddle. It never occurred to me at the time a leaky seam might be the culprit in a brand new tent. And so it was, so there ya go. Sealed, done and dusted.
By the time mattresses and sleeping bags are laid out there isn't much floor space left, and like others, foot wear are left outside. But one thin tough layer more might save us from grief. I recently bought a waterproof drop cloth, on my way to work, after realizing I'd forgotten all my drop sheets back at home. It could easily be sacrificed for a gooder cause, trimmed to fit a tent interior.
Keep the good ideas coming.

 

[PaddlingPitt]

Kathleen and I don’t seem to be as exacting as other posters in this thread. We simply purchased a green sheet of coated nylon, cut to fit the inside dimensions of our MEC Wanderer 4. In terms of use, we just spread it out before bringing in sleeping bags, therm-a-rests, ground chairs, and other gear. Footwear stays in the vestibules. The ground sheet is a bit slippery, but we are ok with that. We normally camp on pretty flat ground.

 

[Blukanu]

I use the ‘footprint’ commercially made for my tent.

I use it inside and debated this quite a bit. To me it seems like I would not want it outside as it would then trap water between bottom of tent and footprint.

 

[Ralph]

Thanks again everyone.
I'm currently leaning toward using an old footprint that I THINK I have somewhere in my gear.

A question to PaddlingPitt, where did you find a piece of coated nylon big enough to create an innie ground sheet? If I can't find my old footprint or if it's not the right size, I might go that route. I take it that you don't worry about creating another bathtub floor with your innie?

scratchypants, I will have to give the strips of seam sealer a try because we often don't have level sites. Thanks!

 

[recped]

For those using Tyvek or Typar as an innie, have any of you had an experience where after a major rain storm you removed the Tyvek/Typar innie to find water on the inside of the tent floor? Did the Tyvek/Typar keep that water from getting your sleeping pad, etc., wet?

The reason I ask is that these Tyvek/Typar fabrics are breathable and seem to be rated as water resistant rather than water proof. They are pretty much designed to be used in a vertical orientation where pooling water with weight on top of them isn't a concern as it would be inside a tent floor.

Typar only, Tyvek is way too slippery!

As to your question, yes my old Marmot Sanctum with a floor that has both holes (a story of it's own) and the coating pretty much completely worn off. In an extreme wetness situation the Typar will be wet on the bottom side under my sleeping pad but the pad itself will at most be slightly damp. The part of the Typar not under the pad will be dry. Other stuff that I don't want to get wet I pile up on a rain jacket, PFD or the well desgined keep them off the floor.

If you are wondering why I just don't replace the tent.......actually last Spring I found an almost new Sanctum but I'm trying to delay as much as possible using it the hopes it will be the last 3 season and pretty bomb proof tent I will every need.

One thing that can affect "performance" of the Typar is the user and the users sleeping pad. It's pressure that promotes the seepage, I'm sub 150lbs on a 3" x 30" well inflated MondoKing pad, the PSI with that combo is pretty low.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

There's always a lot of discussion about water in the outie vs. innie topic, but I've never really worried about the waterproofness of my tent floors. Unless you have a really cheap tent, a worn out old one, or one that's been punctured, most every modern tent has a completely waterproof bathtub floor.

Hence, I see outies and innies more as puncture/abrasion protections for, respectively, the bottom and top of the floor. Depending on what type of ground I'm on and what I plan to do inside the tent, it's pretty easy to decide which needs more protection. Historically, I've used an outie more because I'm usually more concerned about puncture/abrasion from the ground onto the bottom of the floor. With the Nemo tent I've been using for the past 10 years, I use both a factory outie and innie.

When I used to go as lightweight as possible, I was very happy with a single wall tent and no outie or innie. Never had a water problem. But, then again, I never canoe camped in places with frequent torrential rains.

 

[alsg]

Thanks, recped. Petty much what I would have expected. With water under the Typar, weight can cause some degree of wicking. I'm glad it leaves things at most only slightly damp under the sleeping in your case, but some of us weigh more (quite a bit more) than 150 lbs! So it may work for some and not for others.

 

[Idiot Savant]

I've read much about the benefits of an inside ground sheet and about the benefits of using both an inside and an outside ground sheet. For me, one of the "Fears while paddling or on canoe trips" is getting my sleeping gear and clothing we while in the tent in a heavy/extended rain . I currently use an outside ground sheet but I am considering the "belt and suspenders" benefits of using both. I have two questions for those of you who use inside groundsheets:
1. What material do you use for your inside ground sheet?
2. How do you deploy/attach, etc., the inside ground sheet ?
Thanks!

I've been using an inside ground sheet for years, after reading about it in one of Cliff Jacobson's books.
I sometimes use heavy mill painter's ground "cloth". I have some kind of black plastic sheet, that came in a big roll. Don't remember what it was for, but I've been cutting ground sheets from it for about 30 years. Very heavy mil.
But I also use a tent footprint. Can't be too careful.

 

[scoutergriz]

My main tent is pushing 30 years and I've rarely used either, the only exception is if I'm on a gravelly site, then I'll use an "outie" to protect the coating from abrasion. But I do take some basic precautions, I'll give an area a quick sweep with my foot to look for sticks, roots, or rocks, and don't allow shoes or exposed sharp implements inside- they stay in the vestibule. I also try to only set it up on high points that won't collect water in the first place, and seam seal it every 5-6 years.
my family tent is a different story, it DOES have leaks, mainly because little kids don't always listen, but I use tenacious tape for them and sew and seal a proper patch on in the fall.
It may be due to the decades of using floorless tents as a kid and later as a winter camper, but I manage the environment, not the floor...

 

[DougK]

never used or needed an innie until family camping.. the big cheap family tents have floors that aren't waterproof, so an additional layer of blue nylon tarp inside helps. Of course the blue tarps aren't wholly waterproof either, but by the time the water gets through both layers it's time to packup and go home anyway. Using an outer for these tents isn't helpful as it will trap water and the leaky tent floor will let it in.

With good tents the floor is as Glenn says, entirely waterproof, so the only consideration is protecting that floor. I usually buy (if not supplied) the manufacturer's footprint for an outie and that has worked well.

 

[Ripple]

Mylar is a light weigh option for either outer or inner. It is window shrink wrap for insulating windows. Sounds flimsy but works surprisingly well and is cheap. Very static clingy, but its pretty puncher resistant. Easy to find at any hardware store. I like a tyveck inner on a one man cause if the floor does seep water the inner (pulled up around you makes a sort of bath tub). I also wash it a few times, and do the seam seal trick, but in the form of sicilicone dots. No way is wrong, if your dry.

 

[Microtus]

Used billboard vinyl? It's waterproof and very tough, the downside is it tends to be a little heavy.

6' x 9' - Reused Vinyl Tarp (White)

These billboard vinyls were once advertisements on a billboard and can now be used as tarps, coverings, awnings, pond liners, RV covers, and more. These vinyls are made of heavy-duty, waterproof, UV protected PVC coated vinyl. Re-purposed billboard vinyl Waterproof, UV protected, heavy-duty...

www.billboardvinyls.com

 

[jdeerfoot]

Used billboard vinyl? It's waterproof and very tough, the downside is it tends to be a little heavy.

6' x 9' - Reused Vinyl Tarp (White)

These billboard vinyls were once advertisements on a billboard and can now be used as tarps, coverings, awnings, pond liners, RV covers, and more. These vinyls are made of heavy-duty, waterproof, UV protected PVC coated vinyl. Re-purposed billboard vinyl Waterproof, UV protected, heavy-duty...

www.billboardvinyls.com

My sister-in-law used to work at a sign shop. She had access to this material in the form of temporary signs to cover existing signs while the shop was making permanent signs. I got a number of them from her with various business names and in different sizes, most being rectangular. Nice material but too heavy and bulky for camping or tripping. Most were donated to the local nature center where they cover firewood piles. And they do hold up very well out in the weather.

 

[Jim Dodd]

My tent has a heavy poly tarp type floor. I don't need anything extra.
I love this simple to erect tent, and it has held up great in some windy rain storms.
A Coleman Hooligan 2 I replaced the fiberglass poles with Aluminum poles from Ebay.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d5/7a/c3/d57ac32383854dfd564435f911167bf9.jpg



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