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Any recommendations, thoughts and experiences on Bell Tents for family holidaying?
We've got a couple of long weekends away with mates planned this year, and for the price of accommodation for Mrs, myself and the Boy we could easily get a decent tent, with wood burner and kit. My wife is not that keen on camping, but [i]is[/i] buying into the more comfortable + heated [i]glamping[/i] side of things. Got a budget of about a grand, including woodburner.
I can definitely eliminate the Tentipi rigs, as they just way too expensive, and overly technical for the sort of use we'll give it.
Any advice gratefully received, thanks!
We've got a canvas bell tent which we use quite a lot in the summer. It is a copy of one of those indian army tents, although they all seem to look fairly similar. It is really nice to be in and very comfortable as you can stand up in it and generally live inside if the weather is a bit pants - plenty of space for camp chairs etc. We have borrowed a woodstove and it is very pleasant indeed.
When it is folded up it is pretty bulky and heavy so if we had another a lighter version would be on the shopping list. Only downside is if it gets properly wet - canvas needs to be dried before long term storage, no different from any tent of course but the size can make it a bit awkward in a small flat!
To be honest it doesn't really feel like camping.
doesn't really feel like camping
Yup, that was the kind of effect I wanted!
What make is yours?
I was thinking that one of the add-on porch tarps looked like a good idea, too. Bit of extra space for boots and clobber.
Much of a muchness tbh, most of the light canvas ones yousee are mass-manufactured in China and differ only minimally. You need to choose what size and whether zipped in groundsheet or not. I chose a zip-less groundsheet as liked to roll the sides of the tent up which is a great feature on hot summer days (remember those?)
Worth also looking into the flue-exit, some are in the wall, some in the roof. This will dictate to some degree what type of stove setup/efficiency.
I looked about for a while before deciding on a Windjamma Designs. May not be called that now as this is going back a few years. The tent wasn't mass-produced and it was thicker canvas than the Soulpad types. These are them:
[url] https://podpadscanvas.com [/url]
(He's a stove-manufacturer/specialist too, worth having a chat.)
Great tent, but as with all canvas bell tents you need to keep air around them, and make sure they are bone dry before packing away. After a few long seasons (literally living in the tent) mine had mildew because of sea-air, long grass and my failing to unpeg and rotate the tent periodically. If you are only camping for short breaks this shouldn't be a problem as long as you dry before packing.
*Edit +1 for porch awning, nothing worse than a muddy entrance. Better-still a big wing awning for sitting out/cooking/socialising etc. And you need somewhere to hang all the bunting and LEDs 😉
Ooh you've got me there, I have no idea of the make. i think it is a generic cheap make, it has no labels on it. We got it second hand from some friends.
Yes the porch would be a good idea although for us two plus the dog there is heaps of space. We kind of divide it up into zones- bed at one side, kitchen the other and boots and outdoor clobber the other. We have never done it but we could easily get our bikes in too if we wanted.
We take foam mattresses, rugs and the duvet and it like being at home. With the stove nearby it is tea in bed in the morning and all very cosy. I particularly enjoy getting up and being able to get dressed standing up rather than slithering around in our little tent. It's a bit like being in a yurt, the canvas makes it a nice environment with no condensation
Sounds lovely! And, yes, standing room is a bonus - I'm 6'2" with a slightly dodgy back.
I might have to get a separate cheap pop up tent for the dogs, tho!
*Edit re Windjamma/Canvas &Cast - seems like he sold the tent biz on to a company in Bath, but new company are still selling them at the link I gave.
Here's the stove guy
[url] http://salamanderstoves.com [/url]
We got ours from (5m) Soulpad. We've had it for 6 or 7 years and it is used for at least a one week holiday every year as a family of four as well as it playing host to at least 10 kids as an outdoor kids party venue every year. When my Mrs dresses it up with fairy lights etc it looks amazing. It is holding up remarkably well considering some of the weather conditions we've had on our yearly trips away. The supplied pegs are rubbish but that's pretty much par for the course.
I've been in others from belltent.co.uk and to be honest they were identical in every way. The single best thing about them is the speed you can pitch them once you know what you're doing, especially when the weather is crap. I can put ours up on my own in under 15 mins and last year when me and the youngest went away we used a much smaller tent which took twice the time to pitch!
The only golden rule is never to put them away wet.
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Edit: I got it the wrong way around. Ours is from Belltent.co.uk, not soulpad!
thanks [b]Malvern Rider[/b] - I'll look into those links - the hobbit stoves look really cute, I do like being able to see the flames. Bit on the heavy side for camping, perhaps? Might look into Windy Smithy options, as he's only over the border into devon from me.
And, yes, [b]Bregante[/b], the 5m Belltent.co.uk model was the one that caught my eye, possibly more space than is needed at the moment, but kids only get bigger, eh?
Definitely go for the larger if you can. The Mrs and I stayed in a 4m for a few nights before we bought ours and it felt noticeably smaller. I got the sail awning from a Dutch website that I can't remember the name of but it was about £35! If you google belltent awnings and UK campsite you might find the thread on there but it's about 5 years ago now...
Obelink for the dutch site awnings. Have a look at the pyramid tents for a similar style tent.
The other thing that I'd like a consensus on is whether to run the flue out of the top or the side?
OOOOH . . . this is nice:
Ours is identical to the one in the picture above minus the awning. The stove we used ran out of the top and sat in the middle of the tent. I don't really know if the side one would be better. I suppose it would mean a hot pipe that was accessible to inquisitive fingers and also maybe a bit more smokey for neighbours as it is lower, but that may just be nonsense. The central flue option goes through a hole that has never leaked so it doesn't really have any disadvantages that I have experienced.
We have a groundsheet that just pegs in so no zip. We have never really had a midge problem and we only camp in scotland. Bugs do get in but they tend to go up to the apex and the warm. Mostly they come out of long grass when you pitch on it so it is worth choosing a pitch carefully and getting the groundsheet down first if you can
Those Orland stoves look very cool.
If you have a smaller budget, these are quite popular: https://www.canvastentshop.co.uk/products/stoves-and-accessories/woodburner-stoves-/frontier-stove-a-portable-woodburner-stove-.aspx
[b]@ vader[/b] - Sound advice, thank you!
What stove do you use? I quite liked the Tentipi tents for the central wood burner, but to my mind that's also something very prominent in the living space for the wee folk to bump into.
I might at some point have to tap you up for cool places to camp in Scotland - I've never been, much to my shame!
Another vote for belltentco.uk.
We have had ours just over a year as an alternative to our small backpacking/touring collection. Very impressed with it, plenty of room (including headroom) and surprisingly quick to erect. Has stood up well to some windy scottish weather. Got ours with the extra heavy groundsheet option which i feel is worth it although it adds some weight!
Have put in a frontier stove with the flue coming out the top/side if that makes sense (the sloping canvas but toward the vertical edges- not used in anger so we may still die.
Outwell double bed thingy + duvet, and yep doesn't feel like camping:-)
Only trouble is the car (estate) is now rammed when we go away!
I thought the Fromtier was the go to tent stove.
Nice one [b]stoat[/b]. Top tips! Not so bothered about the weight, really; gonna be driving it, not bike packing!
uncle bed thingy
😯
I forget the make we borrowed but it was this kind of thing with folding legs
That is fair point about kids inside the tent, not having any I was thinking more about other people's nippers. I guess it would be easy to get a taller flue if you had a side exit, if there was a problem.
Looking for the stove images has got me excited about camping again, ace 🙂
Ah, quick on the edit there!
[b]vader[/b] 🙂
Lol I had to be, it all sounded a bit dodge!
We got ours from (5m) Soulpad
4m Soulpad here. Company were out of the one I ordered so offered to upgrade to the one with the fitting for a woodburner. It's really just a flap and a template for you to cut a hole for the flue. No intention of fitting a woodburner at the time, but well, you know once the option's there... Went with a Frontier tent stove. very light and portable with the option of a water jacket to fit on the flue for hot water on tap. Carry a couple of bits of peat to give a nice smell as well. All metal though, so no view of the fire.
You do need the flue fit and protective mat for it to stand on and a spark arrestor is useful to not burn other people's tents
tent (ex stove) up in under 10 minutes, another 5 or so for the stove.
Am 6'2" and can walk about upright inside the tent. Has dealt admirably with some really foul weather.
Big and heavy when packed
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stoat
Have put in a frontier stove with the flue coming out the top/side if that makes sense (the sloping canvas but toward the vertical edges- not used in anger so we may still die.
I had a long and alcohol fuelled weekend on Islay (the whisky island) in the soulpad with the frontier stove and survived, just.
Tangentially related - Lidl were recently selling a tarp (with guys and poles) that looked like it might serve well as an entrance porch - £20 and packs small.
Bought a Robens Klondike recently, seems really good.
Really spacious, great ventilation and easy to pitch. The canvas breathes so much better than plastic tents.
I've yet to test with a stove though so can't comment on that functionality.
We have a Blacks of Greenock Solace 1 with the canopy. Bought at Easter this year and used first time for May Bank Holiday. Lovely quality finish and it has the advantage over some designs that the door triangle is higher so you don't have to stoop to enter.
http://www.blacksofgreenock.co.uk/16-bell-tents
I was cheeky and sent an email asking if they could do a deal on the tent and canopy. I got a very nice email back from a lady called Anne offering the canopy FOC. Winner!
Another vote for belltent.co.uk here... Nice quality and fast service
I was erring between the 4m and 5m and as it happens they do a 4.5m so I bought one of those. Fortunately this is perfect for my family, 2 adults, 2 young teens.
Really pleased I got a bell tent, it's a much nicer place to be under the canvas than a regular plastic tent.