Has anyone used polycyro under Hexamid net?

[jscott]

I know that the groundsheet goes on top of the netting and why. But consider: when you're sure that there won't be any rain, maybe put the polycryo groundsheet under the netting, but leave a bit of net all around the edges exposed for possible condensation run-off.

Seems like it would help protect the netting and still let it function.

But I'm new to the tent and maybe this is a bad idea, or overkill.

[USA Duane Hall]

Good point, I've already got a bit of pitch on mine after the first use, plus the netting soaked up some moisture. I'll have to do that next time, would save the netting some. I semi-retired my one piece of polycryo and will be using a fresh piece this coming weekend.
Duane

[Steve Meier]

I've used the poly both inside and outside of the Hexamid and found that I liked it more on the outside for the reason that you stated: it kept the netting cleaner and I spent a lot less time picking out small sticks and pine needles from the netting. And if cut small enough it didn't pool water when it rained.

[Jeff McWilliams]

I recently made one for my Hexamid Twin in an effort to save weight over the one I made earlier out of Tyvek. I used an Acco/ACE Hardware outdoor window insulating kit to make mine.

I made mine to be bathtub-like. When set up right, it has a 2" raised edge all around. Of course, the edges tend to flop over, because it's not a perfectly cut bathtub insert. I used gorilla tape to attach little loops of cording to clip into the Hexamid.

I found my biggest problem is that the ground sheet readily slides on the netting. In my first test, I pitched my hexamid in a place with the slightest slant toward the door. I was using it solo this time, and I placed myself at the back of the tent, and bits of gear between me and the door. I woke several times at night to find the whole floor was sliding toward the door, stretching the back side clips to their max.

I'm going to try and address this with some dots of silicone on the bottom of the polycryo insert.

I would be interested to hear more about other experiences with the polycryo under the net rather than over it.

Any worries at all about pitching your tent in a wet area? Of course I try to avoid this at all costs. Thinking back a few years, however, there was one designated site on Isle Royale at North Lake Desor that was horribly wet and muddy after 24 hours of rain. At the time, we were using an REI Quarterdome, and I was very thankful for the bathtub floor. There was no avoiding the mud and runoff without breaking park regulations and camping illegally. I don't know how I would have dealt with those conditions using the Hexamid and a piece of polycryo under the netting.

[jscott]

Thanks for the replies. Just to be clear, I'll use the polycryo under the net, and the cuben floor inside.

So it looks like this is a good idea on dry nights; good to hear that even in rain, water didn't pool with the polycryo set in from the edges of the tent/mesh.

[Jane Baack]

Yes, I have used polycryo under my Hexamid, with and without the bathtub ground sheet. Leave a good space all around for possible drainage. It has helped twice in spaces where the ground was a bit damp and I didn't want to get the netting muddy or small pieces of "stuff" ground into the netting due to dampness. I used polycryo one time underneath with the bathtub ground sheet on top when it was predicted to rain in the night-worked fine. Not a heavy, long period of rain-haven't had that situation yet.

[Jason Mahler]

Has anyone had the netting on the bottom, minus a few inches around the edges, replaced with cuben fiber and then have the cuben fiber extended up inside of the tent (not along the net) to form a bathtub? The top of the bathtub could then attach to the side walls with shock cord to keep it up. This would give you a bathtub and solid floor, while still providing a route for condensate on the inside of the tent to flow through netting on the bottom.

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