[pct-l] Is a groundcloth really necessary?

[thomasrogers at comcast.net (Tom Rogers)]

My experience camping on snow with a 3/4" 3/4 length thermarest is that you'll get wet spots under your hips without a waterproof groundsheet AND when you toss and turn and inevitably touch the floor with your legs, it's freezing!! There just isn't much insulation on the bottom side of most sleeping bags.  

If I'm planning to sleep on snow, I use a tyvec groundsheet AND a full length 1/2" closed cell foam pad (9 oz.) as an insulator under my thermarest.  It makes all the difference in the world.

YMMV, Hobbit