UL tent plus footprint vs heavier tent w/out footprint

You could jump up to a Zpacks tri-plex for $699 for $22.5 oz.  They specifically say the following:

• A separate groundsheet is NOT required for this shelter. The floor material is reasonably durable, and all Dyneema® Composite Fabric gear can be easily patched in the field with repair tape. If you do prefer to use a groundsheet as a precaution, Flat Groundsheets are available.

This tent is a little rich for me, but by your math, you are probably reducing your price per pound savings and reducing your weight by a lot more going to this tent.

I question if the BA tent necessitates a footprint.  I haven’t seen the specs for the floor, but it should be sturdier than the fly – otherwise, it doesn’t make sense.  I’ve been using a Polycro (window shrink film) with my tarp-tent Notch and I’m starting to think it’s unnecessary.  Even so, it would be a lot lighter than the 8 oz. BA footprint.  Tyvek would weigh more and I think protect more than Polycro, but would still be lighter and probably a lot cheaper than the BA version.

I think a lot depends on the BA floor material, and your experience and typical campsite.  If you are camping around a lot of pine needles or sharp rocky soil, Tyvek may be warranted.  If you are willing to deal with leaks by patching with tape, that would be the lightest and cheapest of all.

You don’t need a footprint. You can use a piece of polycryo. I used one piece for almost 1500 miles of the PCT before I went home. I used another single piece for another 1800 miles of the PCT. I set my tent up every day, maybe cowboy camped only two or three times. It’s really strong and a piece of tape will patch any holes if you get them.

If the floor is made out of such lightweight materials that you need to add a groundsheet you are not getting the benefits of the lightweight material that you are paying for.  Tarptent does not include a ground cloth with there tents and Henry has stated that under normal conditions it is not needed.  They use 30d silnylon on the floor I believe.  I have not felt the need to use a ground cloth with my Tarptent.

It is kind of like the trend to make cell phones so that that you need to add a thick heavy protector to prevent it from getting smashed if someone looks at it crossly.  What is the point?

It is kind of like the trend to make cell phones so that that you need to add a thick heavy protector to prevent it from getting smashed if someone looks at it crossly.  What is the point?

Heh, heh.  The point is they get to charge a premium for the phone because it’s so thin and light, then also sell you a case.  Marketers are professional liars.  They’re not very good liars, but it doesn’t matter because most marketees are gullible enough to keep falling for the same bad lie over and over and over.  Those of us who see through the stupidity are too few to make any difference, so we’re stuck with the same no-win options as everyone else. </cynicism>

Sam, listen to Diane. She has it exactly right. I’ve had the same experience with polycryo.

Shaving off 2 pounds is huge. You add back less than 2 ounces with polycryo floor. I might make a different choice for a tent but the Copper spur is rugged and stormproof and many people love it.

Dan Durston, who’s on this forum, makes a good looking tent that may be lighter and that also looks very storm proof. Or you could go the carbon fiber route and look at Zpacks duomid, for example.

I would say that no tent needs a footprint.

Yes, footprint will protect the floor of the tent.

But in 10 years that tent is near worthless regardless of the condition that the floor is in.

And duct tape works wonders.

Add me to the polycryo bandwagon, though I do use the heavier polycryo (heavyweight window plastic). Used the same sheet for a couple of years with no issues. Only got a new one because the old one got full of pine pitch (but still no holes).

Polycro is great because of “Only got a new one because the old one got full of pine pitch”. Who wants to clean pine pitch or some other stain off their tent? And it keeps the bottom of the tent dry from ground dew; It’s less hassle folding and hauling a dry tent than a wet tent. And polycro adds a pretty tough layer to keep needles from puncturing the neoair.

I use the ‘indoor window’ stuff as it’s about twice as light as the ‘outdoor window’ stuff. And surprisingly it’s very strong. Other people have not had this problem, but mine has shrunk in the sun.