tunnel tent or bell tent?????

[OonaghBhuna]

We really want to buy a tent and originally it was going to be a tunnel tent until I started looking on the web and discovered the bell tents which look totally fab.I would really appreciate some advice, I am sure this kind of question keeps reappearing on this topic so I am sorry!
My DH said we wouldnt be able to have rumpy pumpy in a bell tent because its communal sleeping...... typical!!!!!
Anyway I would really appreciate any advice from those who have experience of either tent. We are a family of five so space is important.

I love my bell tent, but I don't think I'd have gone for it if we were a family of 5. It is communal, but that is the beauty of it - the feeling of space and light.

Another question that might help you decide - are you / will you be very organised and tidy when camping? Because of the fact that a bell is essentially one big room, you need to be quite tidy inside or it just feels like one big mess. It is utterly fab inside once you're set up though, and combined with a tarp outside, we've had a great time before even when it was raining outside - we didn't feel "inside" at all.

Why don't you do a trial run in a bell tent (a lot of camping places now hire these (pre-pitched) out). Some ridiculously expensive, but I've seen some sites where they charged £40 for the night. Whilst money spent, it's still better than buying the whole set-up and not liking it.

I'm in the other camp, we have a Gelert Horizon tunnel tent, which officially sleeps 8. It is amazing, lots of privacy if we need it, room to hide away our stuff, the dog, pushchairs. It is actually bigger than our house (admittedly, teeny tiny) but it makes holidays in less than marvellous weather very bearable. Rumpy pumpy eminently possible, as you can stash the smallies down one end of the tent and have a huge bedroom to yourselves at the other.

We're planning on a family as big as yours, and thought it would be lovely to fill all the bedrooms with children and their clutter.

Having said that, it's nowhere near as vintage style pretty as the gorgeous bell tents. What it lacks in romance it makes up for in sheer practicality.

Have fun choosing.

I'm with teapartyfan. Have seen the bell tents and they look wonderful, but was on a campsite a couple of weeks ago and saw a family of four with one. I spoke to the lady and she told me that it was a nightmare to keep tidy. I was walking past admiring it and she said not to look inside as it was so cluttered and she was in a quandary how to deal with it. The children were 4 and 6-ish.

Tunnel tents can be huge and you can pack away all your clutter. People can have their own space and if they don't keep it tidy you can zip the door shut.

You can go to camping shops and see all different types of tents set up. Just look online to find out where the nearest places to you are. You really need to see a tent set up in the flesh to judge if it would be suitable for you.

I second the have fun choosing.

Thank you so much for your advice and opinions I really appreciate it. I am organised but not tidy.....! I do like to hide away my clutter! I think I will go and have a look at the tents and I know I will have fun!!!!

Will let you know when we have made a decision!!!!

Thanks for that Butterfly. I have to admit I have fallen in love with the bell tents, I really like the space, height and the shape.I also like the idea about getting an inner because it not only gives us a bit privacy....... The kids go to bed earlier than us so it would be nice for them to have their own space.

The other thing is if we go for a bell tent we could pitch it in the garden over the summer ( when we aren't camping) and use it as a den or whatever for the kids.

We shall see......! I need to go and look at the tunnel tents!

Bell tents look lovely and the canvas keeps them cool and warm but for us as a family of 5 with 2 teenagers a tunnel is far more practical in terms of space, privacy, tidiness etc. Bell would be ok for us for a weekend but not for several weeks.

I'd like a bell tent though for when it is just DH and I left to go camping....could have bunting and fairy lights and candelabras and indian carpets.....

I know dont they look fab with the lights, rugs etc!!!!!
Yep \Battery you are tight about the privacy etc with teenagers....that is another thing to consider!
Although I remember when I was a teenager my sis and I had a separate tent from our parents.....We used to sneak out at night to meet our friends!!!!!