Hot take: Are tent footprint reviews actually useful or just marketing fluff?

I was up at Glacier National Park last weekend. Set up my tent in a muddy spot near the trailhead. Had my footprint underneath. Kept the tent clean but honestly I'm not sure it did much else. The ground was soft and rocky in places. A friend nearby had no footprint and his tent was fine after a good wipe down. Her tent didn't leak or tear. Makes me wonder if these expensive branded footprints are worth it compared to just using a cheap tarp. Or none at all if the site is decent. What's your take? Do you always bring a footprint or skip it?

2 comments

2 Comments

grantl9422h ago

Have you noticed how this is the same pattern with a lot of outdoor gear these days? It used to be about simple function, now everything has a branded solution for a problem you might not even have. A footprint is just a ground sheet at the end of the day, and a cheap poly tarp from the hardware store does the same job for like 5 bucks. Companies just figured out they could charge 40 dollars for one that has their logo on it and people would buy it thinking it's special. The real value is in keeping your tent floor clean from mud and sharp rocks, but that's it - you don't need a fancy one for that.

wells.brooke18h ago

Bought the brand name footprint for my tent once and honestly feel like I paid forty bucks for a slightly fancier trash bag. Your mileage may vary but a cheap tarp has never let me down.