Camping carpet for tents is a super practical and useful camping accessory.
For those who don’t want to admit we’re turning into glampers, it’s the perfect transition before getting a full camping rug!
It looks rugged and like it belongs in your shop, but it’s soft enough to the touch, doesn’t slide around, and adds JUST enough to enhance your camping experience without going overboard.
I’ll review my experience with the Drymate camping carpet, one of the few (only) inside tent carpets.
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Drymate Camping Carpet Review: Is it Worth It?
The Drymate inside tent carpet (7’4″x8’4″) mat is worth it if you’re looking for an inside camping carpet AND are okay with it being relatively thin (more on that in the pros and cons section).
If you’re on the fence on adding the Drymate carpet to your camping gear, this review should help.
I purchased my Drymate tent after researching tent floor liner ideas.
I was scuffing up the inside of my family-sized canvas tent and wanted to protect it. In addition, the vinyl floors of some tents make them feel sticky, cold, and generally unpleasant to the touch. It makes you FEEL like you’re in a tent at all times.
My first impressions of the Drymate Mat Carpet:
- It’s thinner than expected, but also softer to the touch than it looks
- The tent atmosphere immediately felt enhanced when I laid it out, like I was half-glamping
- It’s not bad to sit on the floor inside the tent now
- The creasing is concerning, but didn’t really impact performance
I’ve only used it for less than one camping season, so I can’t comment on the longevity of it yet. I will update this review as needed.
In addition, I am concerned about the harsh creasing.
Drymate Tent Carpet: Pros and Cons
The Drymate tent carpet made it onto my list of tent camping accessories.
Advantages
- Useful and practical
- Packs small and includes carrying straps
- Easy to clean*
- Made in the U.S.A.
- Rubber backing is “waterproof”
Practical and Useful
This piece of gear will come with me anytime I’m using my large canvas tents. It does its job and packs small enough to be practical compared to foam tiles or larger rugs with more cushion.
Packable Tent Carpet
This tent carpet is folded into 4s and then rolled up. It’s about the size of a packed 3-person tent or the width of a packed camp chair, but 3/4s the size.
It also comes with a carrying strap that you can put around the rolled up carpet to keep it small in transit or storage.
Easy to Clean, but Shows Dirt
“Easy” to clean is going to be relative. If you have a strong hose, you can clean it easily. However, using a vacuum will get most of the dirt out, but it might not work the best because of the felt-like material.
*It would be easy to shake out with 2 people while breaking camp. If I tried to shake it out by myself, though, part of it would be lying in the dirt due to its size. If you’re camping near grass, not as big of an issue.
Where are Drymate Tent Carpets Made?
Drymate tent carpets are made in the U.S.A. It’s a factor in why this is a bit expensive for what it is.
Disadvantages
- One size choice and an odd size at that (7’4″x8’4″)
- Industrial-style
- Hard to clean big messes without a hose or pressure washer
- Not as cushy or as soft as a real rug or carpet
- It’s thin, very thin, see #4
Size & Color
My biggest concern was the size. The most popular canvas tent sizes are 10×10 and 10×14, so this may be too small and look awkward. However, it works well.
Typically, you’ll have backpacks, duffels, and other gear placed on the side of the tent. You don’t need tent carpet underneath that.
And if you do, you can always buy a second tent carpet and cut it to size.
Regarding the color, not everyone will be happy with the charcoal, industrial wool fiber look.
Thin, Very Thin
When I first opened the box the Drymate carpet arrived in, I was a bit taken aback. It was rolled up pretty small, and I could see and feel the thinness of the carpet.
In addition, it felt more rigid than I was expecting. It was rolled up with some creases, unlike a normal, smooth carpet roll (hard to explain!).
This is NOT padded or cushioned. There is a rubber backing, but it won’t be similar to foam padding or other tent ground insulation options.
For me, this is perfectly fine. I wanted something that wouldn’t take up much space in the vehicle AND would protect my tent floor without sliding around.
I first thought about using an old bed sheet, but it would just wrinkle up and move around. The rubber backing on this camping carpet helps it stay in place while moving around in the tent.
Waterproofing
Some reviews have an issue with the waterproofing of this carpet. One person complained that water got in their tent and the carpet wasn’t waterproof. I’m unsure how relevant those types of comments are because any solution would not work well in that situation.
Overall, this carpet should be purchased to enhance comfort, protect tent floors, and make cleaning your tent floor easier. Outside of those uses, I would look elsewhere.
Other Reviews on the Drymate Tent Carpet
You should store this tent carpet inside or in a temperature-controlled garage.
There is a one-star Amazon review about someone storing it inside their garage (which I presume got hot in the summer) and the rubber backing got stuck together from being rolled up for a long time.
When rolling it up, try and minimize the amount of rubber contacting itself when storing it for more than a few days.
Limitations in Camping Carpet Review and Other Thoughts
My experience with this product comes after several uses in moderate weather (low in the high 40F).
The tent carpet is noticeably warmer to the touch when compared to standing on my bare tent floor.
I will add more content when I test it in colder months. While insulation was not my primary reason for purchasing this, it might have a bit of that benefit.
Final Thoughts on the Camping Carpet
All in all, this is a solid product as long as your expectations are in check. It’s a bit pricey, but it will be worth it if it makes it several seasons.
In reality, I consider only a few products on the market tent floor liners. Others are similar but will be better for those specifically looking for padding, cushion, or insulation inside their tent.
Here are some alternative ideas I’ve come up with, but haven’t tested all of them yet.
If you ever have better ideas, message me through the contact page!
