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Footprint FAQs:
When shopping for a tent, you may come across messages like this: 
Most Big Agnes tents offer the footprint as an optional accessory rather than including them. Why? To give you the option for extra protection or ounce counting based on your trip plans. You don’t need a footprint to use a tent properly, but trust us, you’ll want one if you know you’re headed to camp in rough terrain.
Nearly all Big Agnes tents have an accessory footprint available for them. This footprint provides three primary purposes:
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To protect the floor of your tent from punctures and abrasions. Tent footprints are made of similar materials to the floor of the tent and effectively double your protection from sharp objects – while adding minimal extra weight. Experienced campers know that you can spend an hour clearing out the ideal tent site, only to find more stuff under there when your tent is all set up. A footprint acts as the first line of protection from those small rocks and branches that can cause tiny holes in the floor of your tent. Using a footprint will help your tent live a long happy life.
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As an extra layer of protection to keep water from seeping into the floor of your tent. The fly of your tent does a great job of keeping rain out initially, but to make sure you stay fully dry through especially rainy nights, you’ll want to consider some other factors. Site selection is very important! To keep your tent dry, you want to make sure you pick a nice, level spot on relatively high ground to avoid water pooling under your tent. The ideal spot will have plenty of room for you to stake out your tent (Don’t forget to use your guy lines!), and be relatively debris free. When the rain just won’t quit, even the highest ground will start to become saturated and cause puddles to form, and this is where the footprint shines once again. A properly fitted footprint will add a second layer of waterproofing to keep your gear dry even in the most stubborn rainstorms.
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For Fast Fly/Shelter Mode Setup, an optional setup without the inner tent body (pictured below) When using the Fast Fly, it’s important to have the footprint that was specifically designed for your tent to make sure it’s the same size and has the same attachment points as your rain fly.
Which footprint do I need for my tent?
Each Big Agnes tent has a footprint that is specifically designed for it. The dedicated footprint will be a custom fit and have the buckles needed to set up the Fast Fly. The footprint will have the same name as your tent, and when a tent is re-designed or updated, the footprint will receive similar updates. This means a newer model footprint may not work with an older model tent of the same name, so if you plan to utilize the Fast Fly setup, make sure to select the proper footprint that matches your size and model tent.
Bikepack Footprints
You may notice that some of our footprints feature the word "Bikepack". These footprints are designed with extra material, to provide coverage for the vestibule areas of the tent as well as under the tent body.
While this feature is especially nice for bikepacking, it can be useful for whenever you're using your tent! That's why bikepack footprints and standard footprints are interchangeable.
Any tent with a bikepacking model available (Copper Spur, Tiger Wall, Fly Creek, Blacktail Hotel) can be used with either the standard footprint, or the bikepack footprint for extra ground coverage.
If you're bikepacking and looking to save a little weight, bikepack tents are also compatible with the standard footprint for that tent model!
Pro Tip: On bigagnes.com, you can find the footprint(s) compatible with a given tent on that tent's page, under "Key Accessories", and vice versa!
If you have questions about which footprint will work best with a tent you already own, please call our Big Agnes gear specialists at 877.554.8975 or open a case to help you find the correct footprint for your tent.
How do I Fast Fly my tent?
The Fast Fly setup allows you to erect the tent without the inner tent body, which will increase the useable space of your tent as well as lighten your load. Setup instructions include:
- Lay down your footprint in a flat area clear of debris, and stake out all corners.
- Assemble the poleset and insert the tips into the grommets on the footprint.
- Drape the rain fly over the poleset, and clip the buckles directly to the footprint. (If you have a tent with a cross pole, make sure to use the pockets to hold it in place)
- Use the remaining stakes to stake out the vestibules.
- Attach the hook and loops to the poles and stake out all guy lines.
My footprint is smaller than the floor of my tent body and the webbing straps are longer than those of my tent body…is this right?
Yes it is. Our footprints are designed to be about 2" smaller than the tent body itself to prevent them from catching rain and re-directing water underneath your tent. Because of this smaller fit, the footprint webbing straps are longer so that everything will be perfectly lined up when the tent is fully staked out. You may notice that the tent body and footprint don't exactly match up during set up. If the tent is set up indoors without proper tension the webbing straps may not be aligned. 
For setup with a footprint, stake out the tent body and footprint to the same stakes before adding the pole structure. You should find that this allows the webbing straps to align with proper tension.
If this is not your experience, please Open A Support Case to send over some photos of your setup and one of our dedicated Gear Specialists will get in touch shortly to assist you further!
Is my footprint supposed to stay attached to my tent if I pick it up and move it?
The footprint is designed to fit when it is fully staked out. When you pick up the tent, the poles apply inward tension pulling the corners in, and the floor will sag allowing the footprint to fall off the pole tips. Ideally, you will set up your tent in the spot it will stay all night, but if that’s not the case you may need to re-attach the footprint once you find your new spot.