outside mat

[Chris in ND]

I looked though the forums best I could so first off is there a way to easily do a search?

My question of the day today is "What do you use for a mat outside the camper (large, not just in front of the door)

I would like it to be:
Easy to clean (too often there is no grass to park on)
Compact to roll up or fold up
Durable
Not real heavy
Mid-range cost We don't need ultra high end

Thanks in advance

[rgrugg]

We use one of those foot cleaner plastic mats that sorta try to look like grass. Longish fingers. It's probably about 18x24 inches. Just fastened one onto the low step we use outside the door. Then just some sort of wipe your feet mat on inside. Sometimes just a small throw in the washer throw rug. Then we have a rug like mat about 8x12 ft outside under the step. Rolls or folds fairly small.

[Kevin K]

This would be cool.

Amazon.com: RV Patio Mat: 9x12 Black & White Checkered Flag Mat: Sports & Outdoors

[Greg H]

Get a remnant from a carpet store, try to get the astro turf looking stuff that people put on outdoor porches.

[Carol H]

I like the kind in the link below - think they are the same as what Kevin posted. The are made of a plastic type material and I found they dry much faster as they have holes right through them, easier to roll as it weighs a lot less than my previous one which looked a bit like the astor turf. You can find them at Walmark and many other places for about $35 - Camping World charges way more for the same thing. I also use a smaller one over it at the door that is better at brushing off dirty feet - the kind that is plastic and looks a little like grass.

RV Patio Mat Reversible Floral Design by Ming's Mark Inc.

[paulw]

We use a 6' x 9' patio mat like in Carol's link.
It shakes out and folds up to about 10" x 36" x 4" thick. It fits in through the outside hatch into the storage compartment under the rear dinette.

[Chris in ND]

Thanks everyone! I knew I would get a quick response

The Patio mats are exactly what I had in mind! Thanks for the links and now I know the words to use when I go looking I had no idea what they were called.

Time to go shopping!

[DannyH]

We picked up a 6X9 like Kevins image because friends kept saying our trailer was "So Retro". Our other mat, a piece of indoor/outdoor carpeting got soaked at the last camp ground. My wife put it in a garbage bag to keep the water out of the SUV, but accidently threw this out instead of the garbage. I have a feelling she didn't like the old mat.

[Joy A]

I like the fancy mats but they don't fold small enough for me.

I use the cheap fake grass mat. It's thin and easy to clean. Dirt and sand shakes out easily. Been using mine for the last 9 years, getting a little thinner but that OK as dirt, sand and water goes right through.

Mine is 6' x 9' and folds fitting into the step which is 15" x 20" 5 inches high. The step also holds a hammer, nails to hold down the mat and other misc. items as you can see.

[Ray N]

Joy,
That step/storage box is a great idea. I'm going to have to make one now.

[theresa p]

those patio mats from walmart, although alot cheaper than the ones from other stores, don't last as long.....i've found that they aren't treated against the UV rays and deteriorate alot more quickly..so in the end, aren't really that much cheaper since you'd have to replace it more often. i bought ours at camping world, i use a 6 x 9 one and have had it for 5 years. no sign of it breaking down yet at all....
and in case you wanted something more as a door mat, for shoes and such, when i forgot our mat last winter when we were in florida, i simply bought a $2 bamboo beach mat---it worked great.....shook the sand out easily, dried in no time flat and quickly rolled up and stores just about anywhere. and for $2....easily replaced.

[Carol H]

Thanks Theresa for the info re the UV rays etc - didnt know that will keep in mind if I have to replace mine but this only the 3rd camping season for mine. and so far so good.

What I like about them though is they are so light they will roll up pretty tight - I made a nylon bag to store mine in so when it is wet it doesnt get the trailer dirty when put away.

When rolled up it stows nicely in the trailer in the space between the floor and the kitchen cabinets - due to the overhand from the cabinets you cant see it there so its totally out of the way when not using. When i used the heavier grassy type I could not roll it tight enough to fit into that space.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Ray N

Joy,
That step/storage box is a great idea. I'm going to have to make one now.

Ray I will warn you now! Looking at Joy's mods can be dangerous to your free time!

[Joy A]

Originally Posted by Carol H

. When i used the heavier grassy type I could not roll it tight enough to fit into that space.

Carol, I tried the heavier grass mat.

A year or two ago I decided I wanted a new mat. I saw this pretty dark prett blue/green fake grass mat which was a little heavier than the mat I had. I purchased it took it home and proceeded to fold it to put in my step box. Ha, ha...it was so heavy that there was no way it would fit. I returned it and continued (to this day) to use the flimsy fake grass I purchased in 2002.

[Carol H]

Joy does the grass type you use have holes in the bottom of it for the water to get through? Suspect that is where I went wrong in the type I got. My grassy rug had a pretty thick solid rubber bottom that did not fold up very well and it did not dry out very fast.

[Joy A]

Carol,

The pretty blue/green thick one I returned had a very thick coating on the bottom. I imagine it would dry quickly either.

The old mat I've use forever just has a very thin coating, you can see the seams which sew it together. No holes in the bottom, it's just thin enough for the water to easily run through. Since it is getting thinner every year some sand will also go through. It so cheap even frays, which is OK to me.
The mat drys very quickly.

Just that cheap light green fake grass. Next time I go downtown I'll look at my local hardware store where they sell it in a box and get the name for you.

[Camilla]

I've had three of the fancy mats from camping world and each one degraded and started breaking up in about a year. I was camping three months at a time though. Anyway I saw someone using a much thinner mat that looked like poly of some kind and I asked about it. She said it was the material that you see on top of open semi trailers to keep dirt and such from blowing around. I found a place that actually sews the stuff and I had them make me one the exact size I wanted. Darn thing still looks like new after several years. It's great. I'm on my cell right now but if anyone is interested I could search around on line. Mine is multiple colored

[Reid Larsen]

Just saw the box/step post. Another project. Great idea! My wife wanted a step and bought a small collapsible step that , to me, is a hazard. Always need another place to put stuff. Thanks.

[Camilla]

Here is the material That I saw so many Floridians using and that I now have. It's only $7.98 a yard and it's wide. Bo-Tuff 99 Inch Multi-Color Woven Mesh - Outdoor Textiles

There are lots more places selling it if you do a search for multi-colored mesh truck.

[LurkerDan]

Originally Posted by Camilla

Here is the material That I saw so many Floridians using and that I now have. It's only $7.98 a yard and it's wide. Bo-Tuff 99 Inch Multi-Color Woven Mesh - Outdoor Textiles

There are lots more places selling it if you do a search for multi-colored mesh truck.

Originally Posted by Carol H

I like the kind in the link below - think they are the same as what Kevin posted. The are made of a plastic type material and I found they dry much faster as they have holes right through them, easier to roll as it weighs a lot less than my previous one which looked a bit like the astor turf. You can find them at Walmark and many other places for about $35 - Camping World charges way more for the same thing. I also use a smaller one over it at the door that is better at brushing off dirty feet - the kind that is plastic and looks a little like grass.

RV Patio Mat Reversible Floral Design by Ming's Mark Inc.

Been following this thread and realizing I will need something like this. Not just because it's a good idea in general, but because I have an almost 4 month old baby and it seems like a good idea to have a spot outside where she can be on the ground and not rolling in the dirt!

Both of these choices look good, but given the baby, I have two concerns: How impervious to dampness are each of them? Not looking for waterproof of course, but if I lay it down on damp ground, and my daughter then sits on the mat, will her butt get wet? Also, how easy are each of these to clean (not disinfect, but at least not having loose dirt on them). I assume shaking out for light dirt and hosing down both work reasonably well?

Camilla? Carol? Others?