Due to the nature of footprints, they tend to wear out faster than other components. It is cost-effective to manufacture footprints at the same time we produce the tents meaning they are made to match a specific tent. In our quest to constantly improve our tents, dimensions and attachment methods change from one model to another, and sometimes from one year to another. A footprint from a similar looking tent or newer tent probably will not perfectly fit a tent that is a couple of years older.
Do you have a footprint that will work for my tent even if it is not a perfect fit?
If you know the dimensions of your tent, you can find some newer footprints that can work with your tent, they just may not be a perfect fit. They likely will not clip to the body of the tent in the same way or exactly match the dimensions, but they still can be a great option to protect the base of your tent. Just look for a footprint that is a bit smaller than the base of your tent but has similar dimensions. You want your footprint to be smaller than the base of your tent to ensure that water does not collect on the top of the footprint and channel underneath the base of your tent.
Alternatively, there are many do-it-yourself options available online and we have posted some additional information below. It is a rather easy and inexpensive project to do at home and can yield great results!
The easiest way to do this is to measure your tent floor dimensions (or look on the instruction sheet/bag). Once you know those numbers you can check out the sites/stores that offer footprints such as ours, backcountry.com, REI, or any other authorized retailer. The nice thing about footprints is that they don't need to exact, and they can a bit larger or smaller depending on your needs! Most sites will list the dimensions of the footprints and you can see which one fits best with your tent dimensions.
Another option is to make a DIY footprint which is very popular these days, and usually cheaper and more waterproof. There are tons of online resources on how to make this, but you basically buy any waterproof material from a hardware store or craft store, lay out your tent on top of the material, and cut it exactly to size! The footprints we make for our tents are cut 2" smaller in each dimension so that the footprint doesn't stick out beyond the walls of the tent. This is important so that it doesn't collect rain that runs off the walls of the tent and pool it underneath the tent floor.
You can put the stakes straight through the material without having to create grommets, unless you want to be super crafty! Some people make tabs out of duct tape with holes in it from the corners of their plastic sheet so that they can still attach the corners to the ends of the tent poles.
I hope this helps you in finding the right footprint for your needs! Let us know if you have any questions!