In a message dated 4/17/04 5:33:26 PM, vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM writes:

<< modern European side tents lack a floor, whereas most Americans want one.
>>

For good reason.  As the great and wise Smokey Yunick once said, if you gave
an American everything he wanted, he would be dead before he was 21.  A fabric
floor in a tent is a dirt-collecting, moisture-harboring nuisance at best.
Admittedly, I have only lived out of a tent when I was force to and I assure
you that whoever spec'd it would have laughed at the thought of a floor.  Even
the tree-huggers, at least the serious ones, who look forward to being under
canvas are starting to slowly realize that in most conditions a floored tent is
hardly the way to go.

If I were ever to go car camping cum side tent and I anticipated muck, I
would pack some roll up wooden slat matting for the outing.

George