it needs to be at least the same size as the tent floor, if not a bit bigger. ours has about 6" of overlap on the width and about a foot of overlap on the length.

as for the material, we've got a plain green REI groundsheet that's made of waterproofed nylon (the same stuff that your rainfly is made of, only a bit heavier for durability). it weighs a little over a pound.

as for alternatives, i wouldn't use plastic or vinyl, as the nylon makes it quite comfortable to sit on, and it doesn't make any noise.

Posted by j-stroke on May 30, 2001 at 07:29