Kelty Mantra 7 Footprint

Light, but protected the tent floor well. Like everyone, I wish these were included as part of the tent, since I don't think the tent is really complete without it, so 1 point off for cost.

We bought the Mantra 7 after my son and his fellow scouts tore up our field and stream tent. Based on previous tents we have own we knew we wanted a tent with a fly that covered at least 80% of the tent and also we wanted sturdy zippers. We have kids who are impatient with opening and closing zippers which means that they often end up snagged in the fabric. The Mantra 7 met both those needs. The fly is awesome since it completely covers the tent which kept us and our stuff rain free. The two doors in the front was just enough and we liked the fact that they did not have the protective fabric over them that tends to get stuck. The real surprise was that when the fly is on, a mini room is created in front of the doors. We were able to store four 60 gallon totes and have enough room for shoes and a changing area. This kept clothes out of the tent. We camped in 100-degree weather and weren't too uncomfortable. We usually bring a fan with us to drown out neighborhood camping noise and to keep the air circulated so the tent was not stuffy. I was also able to set this up with just myself and my 10-year-old son, and it actually folded back into the bag! We bought the footprint which just snaps to the rings on the corners of the tent and that kept the floor of the tent nice and dry. Overall we have been pleased with the tent and hope to have it for many years to come.

While the footprint provided outstanding ground coverage and kept us dry through a rain storm that caused a puddle underneath the tent, it was rather confusing at first. Our Mantra tent is new to us this year. Figuring out how the footprint should be attached to the tent was a challenge WITHOUT any instructions. We still don't know whether the foot print should be staked out or not. If so, which makes sense since there are loops, no stakes were included with the purchase. That fact alone left doubt as to stake or not to stake. Attachment of the footprint to already full pole rings is a challenge too. With the rain fly clasps and thick aluminum poles, attaching the footprint is a difficult task. We are impressed with the performance, very disappointed in the logistics of use and lack of adequate instructions for use.

It's a lot easier to clean mud off of a footprint than the bottom of your tent. The protection from objects you might have missed when setting up your tent or that poke out of ground after setup are well worth it.

We haven't used the tent or the footprint exclusively yet, but we took it out for a weekend on the windward side of Hawaii, where wind and sand abound. It feels and looks to be of high quality, and we had absolutely no problems with it. We are completely satisfied with the Mantra 7 and its footprint!