What do you use for your patio mat/camp carpet?

[cantdrv55]

I was thinking of going cheap with blue tarp from Harbor Freight for my patio mat. That's what I've always used when tent camping. What are you folks using?

[rmkrum]

Actually, we don't use a mat. Tarp could've slippery if wet so be careful.

We are usually 'just passing through' most places, then camp for extended periods on a convenient concrete slab in our son's front yard...


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[Protagonist]

Depends on the surface. If there's plenty of good green grass, I don't use a mat. If it's paved, I don't use a mat. But if it's gravel or dirt, I do. The mat I use is very thin so it folds into a carry bag about 15" square and 6" thick, and it's designed so that water just pours right through.

I used to use a thicker mat from Camping World that folded into a carry bag that was 12"×48"×6" and I liked the mat well enough, but it just took up too much space when I wasn't using it.

I chose a mat that was close to the same size as the area covered by my awning. The awning is 8'×12', the mat is 9'×12'. And it's gray, to match the walls of my Fiamma Privacy Room; when I put up the Privacy Room to enclose the area under my Fiamma awning, the mat becomes the room's floor. If I didn't have the Privacy Room, that has to be staked down around the edges, I'd get a mat that was at least a couple of feet longer and wider than the awning, so that water dripping off the awning lands on the edge of the mat and not in the dirt where it can splash mud.

[dznf0g]

Very happy with one of these:

Outdoor Rug Co.com,camping, rv mats, awning mats, patio rug

[indy]

Our door in a door consentrated the sun light and melted two of our RV awning mats, before we figuered it out.
See pic as the Suns reflection is melting at the light beam.

[AnnArborBob]

We use this special "sand free" mat. It's great and really works as advertised in terms of catching the sand and letting it filter through so it doesn't get tracked into the Airstream.

Amazon.com : CGear Sand-Free Multimat (Blue/Lime, 6 x 6-Feet) : Sports Fan Area Rugs : Sports & Outdoors

[Jaxon]

I got one of the indoor/outdoor mats at Lowe's or Home Despot. that one would use on their porch... Synthetic, kind of like AstroTurf, very lightweight. I think it's an 8x10' or 10x12'. They had several different colors like green, grey, brown... They shake easily, too.


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[m.hony]

I use a recycled/re-purposed green 5 x 8 area rug that one of the girls in the office got tired of. When it rots I might by a blue area rug to match my stripe, awning, and chairs.

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

My current trailer came with a ZipDee mat, it is big and heavy compared to my previous mat but so far stays down without spikes. trailerhttp://www.awningsbyzipdee.com/4485/20427.html

Zip Dee mat? I'm curious...
Is it blue?

I looked it up.
It is blue! Zip Dee UltiMat.
Ded gummit, AWChief! Ima hafta have me one of them!

Dog-on-it! It is discontinued!
The idea was cool, though. Blue, 6 1/2' wide by 6, 12, or 20' long.

[AWCHIEF]

My current trailer came with a ZipDee mat, it is big and heavy compared to my previous mat but so far stays down without spikes. trailerhttp://www.awningsbyzipdee.com/4485/20427.html

[Foiled Again]

Do be aware that you want a mat that lets sand, dirt and rain through it. These also preserve (or even help) the existing grass on the site. Some campgrounds specify a grass friendly mat so that you won't leave an 8 x 12 mud pit when you pull out. Yellow grass will green up in a day or two if it has had enough water to sustain the roots, but dead grass is dead.

One campground I use will fold up and HOLD your non-conforming mats until you check out.

[AWCHIEF]

Originally Posted by m.hony

Zip Dee mat? I'm curious...
Is it blue?

Yes, blue. It is constructed of rubberized jute. It is designed to not be harmful to grass and allows water and dirt to pass thru. Shakes clean and dries quickly.

[PharmGeek]

I use this "breathable" type that I bought at camping world...its pretty big, but folds up pretty nice for the size that it is...it has been easy to keep clean enough...if I did not have a truck with the space for it, I would opt for something smaller and easier to store in a bag. I just fold mine up into about a 2' x 2' square (probably 6 inches deep) and toss it in the truck. I am not entirely sure how good it does for fine sand down here in the FL panhandle...I am skeptical anything can stop it, but it does mitigate tracking in dirt/sand, etc...

Aeroweave Breathable Outdoor Mat - Santa Fe, 7.5' x 20' - Prest-O-Fit 2-3031 - Patio Mats - Camping World

1 year in, and am still happy with this one...seems to stay down just fine in mild-moderate wind so far...I have some stakes I can put in it as it has grommets ready for that....but no need to so far.

I would not put it down if I was on all grass or all concrete spot, but for us so far its always mixed...pavement and gravel...or if grass there is almost always some dirt and mud.

Good Luck.

[Goal15]

Originally Posted by indy

Our door in a door consentrated the sun light and melted two of our RV awning mats, before we figuered it out.
See pic as the Suns reflection is melting at the light beam.

Wow, that's weird!

[PharmGeek]

"so that you won't leave an 8 x 12 mud pit when you pull out"

Sadly, many places I have seen so far are not doing too well on this measure.

[Protagonist]

I may add a second, smaller mat to use on the service side, which always seems to be dirtier or muddier than the area under the awning.

[AWCHIEF]

I keep a old 4X8 blue tarp handy for service work. Keeps the knees from getting dirty or muddy.

[PharmGeek]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

I may add a second, smaller mat to use on the service side, which always seems to be dirtier or muddier than the area under the awning.

That's a great idea for me - especially for the external shower at the beach - that buddy spot attempting to get kids clean was annoying


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[m.hony]

I use a recycled/re-purposed Yoga mat for keeping the knees clean and dry and cushioned from hard surfaces.
My wife went to one Yoga class and decided that lady was trying to kill her-

[webspinner]

We have used an indoor/outdoor carpet from Costco for years. But this year we got rain at Burning Man and the clay caked onto the bottom side is firmly attached to the carpet fibers.

We're thinking of picking up some of those interlocking foam floor squares. They're a bit bulky, but lightweight and easy to clean. Any thoughts pro or con?

[m.hony]

A woven vinyl RV patio mat- no carpet fibers-