Question about tent footprint materials after a rainy weekend

I spent last Saturday and Sunday at Moosehead Lake and my 3-season tent floor got soaked from ground moisture seeping through. I switched from a thin poly tarp to a heavier Tyvek footprint and the difference was night and day dry. Has anyone else noticed a big change switching footprint materials or is it just me?

2 comments

2 Comments

mason_flores211mo ago

Nah I gotta be honest, I think the ground prep and site choice does way more than the material swap lol.

kim_hart71mo ago

Ha, fair enough! So you're saying if the dirt's bad or the spot's got bad drainage, fancy materials won't save you? Not gonna argue that, prep work is boring but it's the real backbone. But what's your take on the actual ground prep though? Like, are we talking basic grading and weed barrier, or the full-on compacted base with geotextile fabric situation?