My brother told me to just use a regular tarp for my tent footprint...

He said buying a specific footprint for my 2-person tent was a waste of money. So I grabbed a cheap blue tarp from the hardware store and cut it to size for a trip to the Olympic Peninsula. The first night of rain, the tarp pooled water underneath and the tent floor got soaked through. I spent the next day in a motel drying everything out. Has anyone else had this happen, or is there a better budget option that actually works?

3 comments

3 Comments

willow1141mo ago

Ever tried that with a cheap plastic drop cloth?

angela_grant1mo ago

My last cheap plastic drop cloth ripped after about two hours of painting. I felt that, willow114. The edges just kept sticking to my shoes and tearing. I switched to the heavy duty cloths and it's a totally different ball game.

avery_lopez1mo ago

Your brother gave you bad advice. A regular tarp doesn't let water pass through, so it just creates a bathtub under your tent. The proper footprint material is designed to be breathable. Willow114 had a similar issue with cheap plastic not holding up. The motel bill probably cost more than the real footprint would have. It's a classic case of a shortcut costing more in the end.