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Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

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Original poster

I don't want our Outwell any more. I want a bell tent <sob>

63 replies

IngridBergman · 10/05/2011 10:30

I did something stupid last year, I sold our bell tent which we had never camped in, only used in the garden, and bought a massive Outwell Sun Valley 6 instead, complete with Kids' room etc.

I don't like it. It's ex display so only been put up once and it was so difficult with the massive poles..I could do the bell tent in 10 minutes by myself.

Now you can't buy from Obelink any more and I can't afford a UK bell tent. I don't want the blardy Outwell.

If anyone wants to swap please let me know. I know it's hopeless and no one will!

Could ebay the outwell and probably get around £200-300 as it's in such new condition but even so, S?H bell tents are really hard to find.

I am just moaning as I know there are people here who will understand

OP posts:

TapselteerieO · 10/05/2011 10:45

Is this the web site here that will only deliver certain weights? I cannot see where it says that.

Curiousmama · 10/05/2011 10:49

Poor you Hope you find one soon?

theyoungvisiter · 10/05/2011 10:49

Oh bell tents look so pretty! But failing that, could you not get a cheaper, easier-to-put-up tent?

It sounds like what you are mainly missing is the smaller size and the fact that you could put it up by yourself. There are other tents out there that could tick that box - I can put our 4-man dome tent up by myself in ten mins.

oranges123 · 10/05/2011 11:13

I feel your pain. We have a bell tent but, since DD started camping (last year at 6 months old), for practical reasons, have been using a Decathlon family pop up instead and I MISS MY BELL TENT!!!

Just to say though, if you think you can get £200-300 for your Outwell, you should be able to get most of a bell tent for that. Even new, Soulpad are selling 4m basic ones for £299 I think. I know it's a bit of a loss on the cost of the Outwell but at least you would be happy...

Or make this summer's holiday one to Holland and take a trip to Obelink. There are so many people who want bell tents, you could probably make back the cost of the journey if you have the space to carry a few with you and add a proportion of your travel expenses to the cost of each tent. Something we have thought of doing from time to time.

Original poster

IngridBergman · 10/05/2011 11:41

Yes Tapsel that's the one, you can go into checkout and it stops you proceeding as they won't deliver to the Uk any more.

Great idea about going to Holland...unfortunately we don't really have the means to go on holiday there but if anyone else is thinking of doing it, I'd be happy to subsidise the trip if you would be able to bring back a tent!

Perhaps we ought to start an MN collaborative thread and organise something?

I might put the Outwell up for sale on UKcampsite and see what interest we get. I do really want a bell tent, TYV - we have a little tent as well which isn't too hard work, but the bells are lovely and big and I just like the design.
Thanks for the posts, I knew people would understand

OP posts:

TapselteerieO · 10/05/2011 13:45

Ingrid, that is rubbish, especially since they have UK delivery charge on there too. Poor you, the bell tents are lovely and so much more reasonable on there.

Maybe you can send this thread to Obelink, it would be a very good mn partnership!

I want one of those bell tents too.

Original poster

IngridBergman · 10/05/2011 14:34

Well the cotton weight isn't as high as the UK ones I think which might partly account for the price difference. I don't know.

Bumping in case anyone else wants a bell tent and we can get a group thing set up!

OP posts:

Batteryhuman · 10/05/2011 16:13

The Sun Valley 6 is a lovely tent and great for a longer holiday so hopefully you will get a good price for it.

I wouldn't swap mine for a bell tent even if it does take 20 minutes to put it up.

Original poster

IngridBergman · 10/05/2011 16:16

Oh - gosh. Perhaps you can convince me to keep it! It took me about an hour and was so hard, the poles are massive.

I'm also afraid the kids will make holes in it, and canvas is maybe less susceptible to the kind of children I have and their manic stick fighting games

What do you like so much about it?

OP posts:

Batteryhuman · 10/05/2011 17:50

I love the space and the layout. Unlike most big tents it doesn't take up too much of the pitch. The head height is great and the living space is all at the front (like most tunnel tents) with loads of windows so very bright. The overhang at the front means you can cook out of the rain and have somewhere to pile all the shoes and wetsuits and footballs. I have 3 DS and they haven't managed to break it yet.

It is a 2 man job to put it up but me and my teenage son can do it in 20 minutes (it takes longer with DH I don't know why!)

Unlike your canvas bell tents it has separate bedroom compartments so I do not have to look at or small my DSs socks all week and there is some privacy (they don't want to see me getting dressed any more than I want to see them). It dries out really fast when wet too.

So I'm sorry but you can keep your bell tents (and your bunting and fairy lights!!) although I do admit they are very romantic and if it was just me and DH and I had a huge garage to dry it out in I could be tempted

Batteryhuman · 10/05/2011 17:51

"Small"? read "smell"

Slubberdegullion · 10/05/2011 18:35

Ingrid, one day, one day I will be driving to Holland to buy a brand new and sparkling De Waard pyramid and when that happens I will pick you up a boring old round bell at the same time.

Promise.

Lucycat · 10/05/2011 18:37

I can personally vouch that Batteryhuman's tent is lovely to sit outside and drink wine while it goes dark - yep tunnels for us too. Where do you keep your camp kitchen stuff in a bell? Can you hang clothes up, I'm not living out of a bag for 3 weeks.
I am however tempted by a Dewaard- complete with variolufen - as seen at Les Valades

Slubberdegullion · 10/05/2011 18:41

Did you go and stroke look closely at it Lucy?

I have only seen one in the flesh (the Albatros) and it was the most beautiful tent I have ever seen, as were the family living in it, like Elves from Lothlorien they were.

Lucycat · 10/05/2011 18:46

The Dutch consider it rude to camp in anything else and France is full of Dutch campers- we also have friends who live in Kent (20 mins from the tunnel grrr) and they have one- the model isn't made anymore but I do so love their variolufen - we all sheltered ( with wine) from a Dordogne thunderstorm one evening - magical.

Slubberdegullion · 10/05/2011 18:49

I am hoping our six week jaunt into Germany/Austria will provide ample de waard ogling opportunities. Dh doesn't even know of my obsession yet. Slowly slowly catchy monkey.

You spend a lot of your holidays drinking wine in porches don't you

Lucycat · 10/05/2011 18:49

Mmm the wine seems to be a recurring theme - seriously though, where do you put all your STUFF in a bell? The storage for food etc concerns me as does a place for the kettle - tea is v v important in the morning.

Slubberdegullion · 10/05/2011 18:55

Dunno can't speak for the bell tenters.

Ours goes in the porch or utility or under the tarp

Batteryhuman · 10/05/2011 18:56

The dutch do good camping undoubtedly and I too would love a Dewaarden but only when I have a huge barn to dry it out in when I get home.

Lucycat · 10/05/2011 18:58

Y''see these bell things don't have a porch do they? Ours also goes in the porch with the cool box, food big box, crockery/ utensils box etc- are bellers more trendy campfire campers? Help me out here!
Where do you cook?!

Needanewname · 10/05/2011 19:21

Ah but us bell tenters have tarps (admitedly they aren't as good as porches but I don;t care!)

I have to admit to being concerned about mess in the bell tent (we had an Outwell Hartford XXL before) but its actually not a problem. Obviously it doesn;t look as good as the phots n the website (all lovely rugs and beds etc)
but I have to say the Hartford used to look more of a mess. I think I just take what I need to now.

Anyone want to buy a used Hartford XXL 2007 model with porch?!

Slubberdegullion · 10/05/2011 19:21

I'm wishing for a trailer before I can wish for the De Waard, and then a huge drying barn after that BatteryHuman.

It's never going to happen

Lucy, all the ugly stuff must be round the back somewhere or maybe they cook with the heat created by a coiled kilometre's worth of solar powered fairy lights?

Original poster

IngridBergman · 10/05/2011 19:24

Good points all. Batteryhuman I am somewhat reassured by the thought of three boys not breaking it yet, I only have two...but the downside is they are 7 and 3 so can't feasibly help me with getting the blardy thing up!

Slubber, you are my angel. that is extremely kind. I will now go and cry look at some dewaaaarrd things - only for the proper job camper I fear, we've never actually been at all. I keep my kettle 20ft away in the kitchen

OP posts:

Original poster

IngridBergman · 10/05/2011 19:25

Thunderstorms in the Dordogne sounds absolutely gorgeous. Oh wow.

OP posts:

Lucycat · 10/05/2011 19:28

Ooh slubber you are norty you'll enrage the bellers- I just don't think a bell is for me - our tarp is a movable sunshade so unsuitable for storage. I might write to Outwell and get them to design me a tent to my own spec......

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