• For me a ground cloth keeps the bottom of my shelter clean as tree sap, mud, or just regular dirt will stick to whatever is touching the ground.
  • It also keeps the bottom of my shelter dry (when it isn't raining) as any moisture in the ground is on the bottom of my ground cloth in the morning, not my shelter, which is much easier to dry out during the day.
  • I can use it cowboy camping when not using my shelter.


My current 2 year old polycro ground cloth has dried sap and some mud that I've never been able to remove. Given my ground cloth is cheap and will get retired before my current shelter, it seems like a wise investment to just carry the extra ounce or so.