Never had much use for a ground cloth. Lord knows I have enough Tyvek and Reflectix laying around that I could make one if I wanted. But if the ground is that wet that I need a ground cloth, I'm probably just gonna hang my pack, shoes and clothes off the ridgeline and not worry about stuff getting wet.
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Ralph Waldo Emerson
I use a casualty blanket. I've also used it to cover gear to keep the rain off and for shade at a site where I had very little but needed it.
Five Basic Principles of Going Lighter (not me... the great Cam Honan of OZ) Instagram (me!)
“If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.” ~ Gen. George S Patton
I cut a piece of Tyvek that has multiple functions. First it is cut to sewn to form a rain kilt. It also doubles as a ground cloth to lay on around the fire, lean-up against a rotting log etc. This not only help keep thing dry but more importantly clean. Just plopping down in the muck is not my style. I mostly hang my pack from a nearby tree, but if particularly heavy rain or snow is predicted I will wrap my pack and shoes up in it. Finally I use it as a staging area while I tear down in the morning. I can lay out all my kit on it and keep gear orderly as I pack my pack.
I bought this really cheap rain poncho from Amazon to wear as an extra waterproof layer. When it came to bed time, I basically used that for a hammock mat and just made sure the wet side was facing the ground. Bobs yer uncle, Fanny's yer aunt!
Since I hang under a 4x4 meter tarp, and have a chair and a table with me, I found that 420D Double-Grid Ripstop Nylon from Ripstop by the Roll keeps things dry under wet weather. If thunderstorms come, the ground is best put away until the winds die down.
Sleeping in nice thick wool socks allows one to step out of the hammock and navigate underneath the tarp in comfort, and no, I am not concerned with the weight.
I used to hang my pack from a tree when we stop for camp but lately have been laying all my gear out on the ground; seems to allow me to set up easier. That's the reason for the larger ground cloth than my current reflectex piece and also will allow more room for me to stand and change.
Some days I can't tell whether I found a rope or lost a horse...
Since I am Moto or Car Camping most of the time I use a 6'X8' blue tarp I came by.... just throw it on the ground under the hammock. I like it as it gives me room to get out of boots and MC gear.
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