Yes. A ground cloth or foot print prevents the floor from getting rips and holes as well as keeping it cleaner. The ground cloth is not for waterproofing. Remember, a tent floor is waterproof until you put a hole in it. A foot print should be either the exact size or slightly smaller than the tent floor. It is very important that the foot print or ground cloth not extend beyond the floor dimensions of a tent so water does not become trapped between the tent and ground sheet. If that happens, the waterproof rating of the floor will be exceeded as you move around the tent or even sleep.

NO! WARNING! DO NOT OPERATE ANYTHING THAT BURNS FUEL IN A TENT: i.e. STOVE, CANDLE, GAS LANTERN OR HEATER. Combustion consumes oxygen and can produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide, which could lead to serious injury or death. Although most tent materials are treated with a fire retardant they will burn if left in contact with a continuous ignition source and so will you.

Fiberglass poles are less expensive than aluminum poles. They are more likely to break, especially in temperatures below 50 degrees. In order to get the same strength from a fiberglass pole it has to be longer and thicker than an aluminum pole which can be problematic for a backpacking tent. Aluminum poles are lighter than fiberglass, less likely to break, stronger and suitable for cold weather. They are more expensive than fiberglass and work well in any temperature. In backpacking tents, the sections tend to be shorter to make for a small pack size. Aluminum poles are essential for 4 season tents (snow and wind).