Groundsheet options

You might also consider the lighter gauge Tyvek (not the home wrap) It weighs 1.25 oz per sq yd and is available at Questoutfitters. More durable than polycro and doesn’t hold as much water as silnylon. More puncture resistant too, therefore the Tyvek provides better protection for your inflatable pad. https://www.questoutfitters.com/uncoated_fabrics.htm#TYVEK

Gossamergear also offers the 1 mil medium weight polycro which is the sweet spot in my opinion (large groundsheet). It weighs about 0.65 oz per sq yd, whereas the .7 mil weighs around 0.5 oz per sq yd. I don’t know what the 1.5 mil weighs.

Silpoly is the same weight and price as silnylon, but it doesn’t hold as much water. Silnylon would be my last choice.

The painter’s plastic rips WAY too easily.

Depends. How do you groom your tent site when you arrive? Do you kick the large rocks out of the way and call it a night? If so get tyvek. Do you carefully remove all potential damaging items, thorns, sticks, etc? I would go with the thinnest polycro in that case.

I like the double-thick Duck brand window film.  My groundsheet has lasted 7 years.

People may get tired of my saying this, but it depends on many things.  How long do you expect it to last? How important is a couple of ounces to you? Are you considering a three-season sleeping setup or just summer?  For just weekend trips I now take a space blanket. Cheap and light and a slight chance of a little, perhaps insignificant, warmth.   I use to use a painter’s plastic sheet.  My only complaint that might apply to any of these….is that in the morning I find I have condensation and some dirt on the bottom of the ground cloth.  15 minutes or so in the sun and a good shaking gets most of it off.  I make repairs with duct tape and weight the corners down with stones under my tarp.  I cut it large enough to accommodate my sleeping bag plus a pack, boots and night kit.  If there is any worry of a real storm I cut it large enough to fold over my Sleeping Bag at least on the weather (windward) side. The std space blanket is large enough for that. 

Monte.  Yes, the painter’s plastic tarps rip. But it is usually a small tear from a sharp stone or pine cone and it is still very functional that way or a small piece of tape will repair it. I have had one last a half dozen week ends and certainly one would last a week out with any care at all.  I replace mine once a year, but you may hike a lot more than me.

Monte’s point about poly vs nylon is a good one. I ended up ordering a 1.1oz Silypoly PU4000. A tyvek sheet from Seek Outside was ordered a few weeks ago and I’m awaiting its arrival too.

https://ripstopbytheroll.com/collections/waterproof-polyester-fabric/products/1-1-oz-silpoly-pu4000

https://seekoutside.com/fearlessly-floorless-ground-sheet-house-wrap/

That tyvek sheet from seekoutside is incredibly heavy if the weight listed is corrrect-8.1 oz?

I bet the small Gossamer Gear polycryo fits under a 1P Big Agnes tent pretty well. If it’s not a 1P tent, they have a large size polycryo. I bought one and cut it to fit my Hexamid Pocket Tarp. It’s easy to cut and doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s just a groundsheet.

anyone else find it almost comical trying to lay down a polycro groundsheet in the wind.  The only way i can do it is to set up my tent first, and then slide it under.  Makes me laugh though, like am i doing something completely wrong?

I have never used a ground sheet.

Well.. lies. 1 time I did many years back.. other then that.. I have never used one and never regretted not having one.

anyone else find it almost comical trying to lay down a polycro groundsheet in the wind.

Yes! The thin stuff from gossamer gear is nearly impossible for me to deal with…doubly so if it’s wet.   The double thick window film is not only easy to work with but lasts forever.

I recommend something you can see through. It helps when you are laying out the tent to see what you are on. I will slide it around here or there to get it right, since I use a non free-standing tent. I probably wouldn’t bother with a ground sheet otherwise.

I agree, sometimes it is tough to get the gossamer gear thing to stay put. But I find that with rocks or sticks, it isn’t that hard. I start from the corner upwind of everything. I reach under and remove the rocks after setting up the tent.

If careful enough I’m finding polycro working in the desert “ok”.  It’ll still rip when the wind whips it into a cactus but it’s worth it not to have to clean my shelter as much.  Still it gets to be about zero fun in stronger  winds.

Been around enough to see punctures in both cuben (DCF) and sil shelters, so a thinner and lighter tyvek would be of interest ..