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That $8 groundsheet under my tent saved me from a flooded night
Last month in Shenandoah, I set up camp right before a downpour and woke up to a puddle forming inside my tent floor. Turned out my rainfly was fine, but the ground was just soaked through. I grabbed a cheap polycro sheet from REI for $8, laid it under my tent, and the next night stayed bone dry even with steady rain. Has anyone else tried using window insulation film as a makeshift groundsheet?
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roberts951d ago
Oh man, that exact situation happened to me last fall in the Smokies! I was so smug about my campsite placement until the ground turned into a sponge overnight. My buddy laughed at me for hauling out a cheap polycro sheet from the hardware store, but I stayed dry while he had to bail water from his tent floor with a coffee cup at 3AM. That stuff is magic for the price. I've even started cutting it to fit my footprint perfectly so it doesn't stick out and collect rain. Did you tape the edges to keep it in place or just let it sit loose?
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nora1101d ago
Why mess with something that already works? If it ain't broke, just throw it under there and call it a day.
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uma_ellis1d ago
Three trips now with that same polycro sheet and it’s still going strong, which is way more than I can say for the expensive branded footprint I bought a few years ago that delaminated after one wet season. It’s wild how often the simplest cheapest fix ends up beating the fancy gear, like how my grandpa’s old cast iron skillet cooks better than my neighbor’s $400 nonstick pan. I just trim it close to the tent shape and let it sit loose, which seems to let any stray moisture escape without pooling up underneath.
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