Is A Tent Footprint Necessary?

So you’ve just purchased yourself a nice new tent and are ready to go camping.

But, in your research you also hear that you should be using a tent footprint.

After spending a pretty penny on the tent itself, shelling out more cash for a piece of fabric doesn’t seem like the best way to spend money.

So, is a tent footprint necessary? A tent footprint is used to protect the bottom of your tent from wearing out and ripping. While a footprint isn’t necessary, there are several factors, including terrain and the durability of your tent, that would make using a footprint a smart choice.

Read on to learn why tent footprints aren’t necessary but are highly recommended!

Why Do Tents Need A Footprint

Depending on the type of tent you’ve purchased, the floor can either be thick and sturdy or thin and less durable.

This is called fabric denier.

A higher denier number means a heavier weight of the thread used to weave the fabric of the tent, and thus a sturdier floor.

These sturdy floors (30-denier and above) don’t usually need footprints at all.

It is the thinner-floored tents that you’ll want to use a tent footprint with.

However, regardless of the weight of the fabric used to craft the floor, a tent footprint wouldn’t hurt if used.

What Is The Purpose Of A Tent Footprint?

It might help to know what a tent footprint is used for in the first place.

There are actually 4 reasons that make using a footprint beneficial.

Terrain Protection

The main purpose of a footprint is to help preserve the floor of your tent.

As tent floors get more worn, they start to lose their waterproof properties, which isn’t fun for anyone camping through a rainstorm.

If the floor gets too worn, it will be more susceptible to rips and tears.

However, even a new tent floor can be ruined from a sharp rock or root.

Using a tent footprint can add a layer of protection and help to preserve the tent floor from being worn out.

Mess Protection

The outdoors is filled with all sorts of messes, such as tree sap and mud.

Getting these on your tent is no fun, as it will likely stick with you for the duration of your trip and be a pain to clean.

Using a tent footprint adds a protective layer from these messes.

Your gear is bound to get a little dirty just from being in the outdoors, but it can be much easier to clean a footprint than the bottom of your tent!

Avoiding Inconvenience

Campsites are filled with roots and stray rocks, among other things littering the ground.

Having to move your tent several times to find the perfect angle so that it fits in between these obstacles can be a pain.

Using a tent footprint can take the guesswork out of it by allowing you to use it to find the perfect spot.

It’s a whole lot easier to reposition a tent footprint than it is to reposition your tent.

And if you do happen to miss a rock or root, the footprint will provide protection, as mentioned above.

Saving Money

In the long run, paying a few extra dollars to extend the life of your tent can help you save money in the long run.

After all, manufactured footprints generally will cost you in between $30 to $80, and DIY footprints (more information below) cost significantly less than that!

Compare that to the amount of money you spend on a new tent and using a footprint starts to make more sense.

When Should You Leave Your Footprint At Home?

There are many good reasons to bring along a tent footprint.

But there are also a few good arguments for leaving it at home.

You may want to skip out on bringing a footprint for:

Weight Reduction

If you’re planning a multi-day backpacking or hiking trip, you’ll want to pack lighter than if you were car camping or similar.

For that reason, you may opt to leave the footprint at home.

While it won’t add a ton of weight, every little bit counts.

Your tent likely already has a floor, so why pack another one?

Camping tip: if you’re okay with bringing along a few extra ounces, using materials like Tyvek (weighing 1.85 ounces per square yard) or Polycryo (only .55 ounces per square yard) are great happy mediums to help protect your tent floor. They can also be cut to the perfect size to prevent any extra weight!

Heavy Denier

As mentioned before, some tent floors already come super sturdy.

If that’s the case, it almost seems redundant to carry along a footprint.

While a footprint will help extend the life of the tent floor, a sturdy floor itself can last for a long time without any additional help!

Choosing The Right Size For A Tent Footprint

Having a footprint has many benefits, but only if you get one that’s the right size.

Get one that’s too small and you’ll be running the risk of damaging the outside border of your tent floor (since it can’t protect it).

However, getting one that’s too large can cause rain to pool underneath your tent floor.

The perfect size for a tent footprint is roughly one inch smaller than your tent floor on all sides.

Many manufacturers make footprints that perfectly fit the size of your tent’s floor, so be sure to match the size if you plan on making one yourself or purchasing from a different brand.

How To Use A Tent Footprint

A footprint is actually super easy to use.

The first step is to find a place where you want your tent to go.

Be sure it’s a level surface that is free from any stray rocks or roots that could damage the footprint or your tent (and be super uncomfortable to sleep on!).

From there it’s just a matter of setting up your tent and attaching it to the footprint.

Manufacturers attach fabric tabs with metal grommets on the four corners of the footprint.

These grommets are where you insert the tent poles, similar to how you run the tent poles through the edges of your tent floor.

Quick pro tip: place the grommets for your footprint above the body grommets so that the footprint attaches nicely to the tent itself. That way if you do end up needing to shift or shake out the tent, the footprint will stay attached.

DIY Footprints

If you’ve gotten this far, you’ve probably also done a little research on purchasing a footprint.

And you might be here because they are sometimes very expensive and you want to try your hand at making your own.

Fear not!

Making your own footprint is not hard at all.

Follow these 3 steps to create your own lightweight tent footprint:

Choose your groundsheet material: many backpackers opt for using lightweight materials such as Tyvek (the house wrap) because it is cheap, very durable, and waterproof. Another great option (although not as durable) is Polycro (also known as painter’s tarp), which is cheap and weighs in at about ⅓ of the already light Tyvek material.
Measure your tent floor: you’ll want to measure the dimensions of your tent floor in order to cut your material in the correct dimensions.
Cut the material to size: take the dimensions you found in step 2 and subtract 1 inch from all sides (if your tent floor is 5’ x 5’ then you’ll want a footprint of 4’ 11” x 4’ 11”). Then cut.

There you have it, your very own DIY footprint!

Since DIY footprints are generally made of a cheaper material, they won’t last as long as manufactured footprints.

For this reason, adding fabric tabs to the edges to secure the footprint isn’t ideal since the plastic will usually just tear.

Conclusion

Skipping out on a tent footprint is unlikely to ruin your tent floor over just one night of camping.

But it will help you preserve the life of your tent in the long run.

Whether you make one yourself or purchase one, a footprint can save you from quite a few headaches.

Regardless of whether you use one or not, be sure to clean up your campsite before you lay your tent down to ensure you don’t set it on any rocks, twigs, or roots.