My soulpad is here, it is up (in back garden), alleluia

[luciadilammermoor]

Please begin praising whichever deity or evolutionary principle brought us to this pinnacle of camping brilliance.

I waited a whole 24 hours before putting it up in the back garden. That was long enough and I suspect we may all sleep out in it tonight!

'Tis a thing of beauty and much much space, DCs are hyper, I have wine and am vvvv smiley. All is good. ;-)

Lovecat - I'm not stalking you - honest

Just wanted to say thanks for the advice! Can't wait to make the purchase - we're going to go for a 5m and still haven't decided on the inner. Its such a shame we probably won't get to see one up... Toyed with the idea of going to Obelink showroom in the Netherlands as we will be staying with my parents in August who live in Belgium but its still a 2 1/2 hour drive away....

Can anyone recommend a UK supplier? I have looked at Belltent.co.uk and Soulpad but I have read things (good and bad) about both re customer service etc. Leaning towards Soulpad at the mo - any thoughts?

Thanks again!

I got a soulpad and I've found the people there to be nothing short of lovely. I couldn't get mine back in the bag after its first outing, I emailed them asking for help, got a step by step reply by return and then they made a video especially for dorks like me (and emailed me the link to letl me know)! They also deliver very quickly.

I've heard (but have no experience) that belltent take a long time to delivery and aren't good with communication. Certainly, when I emailed them a question before I bought my tent, they didn't reply. Soulpad replied immediately so got my business.

I would check, whoever you use, that the stated prices include VAT - that Albion site that was linked to on the canvas porn thread doesn't include VAT in its (already eye-watering) prices, you get a nasty surprise at checkout.

I have an Obelink (bought in NL), but if I were to buy in UK, I'd go for a Soulpad. If you don't plan to use Bell before August, go to Obelink. 2.5 hours are nothing (we drove from London!) Really lovely seeing all tents in person, and HUGE store, so anything else you might need would be available too.

Check prices, with Euro almost 1:1 you won't save on exchange rates, but might assist in choosing a tent.

Hello all. Sorry to butt in but can anyone talk to me about groundsheets, please? Notice people on threads suggesting getting a separate canvas bag for the groundsheet but I thought I'd read somewhere that the ZIG didn't unzip fully. Am I wrong? (Probably!)

Really want to order a 5m Soulpad (initially for Camp Bestival so need to make up mind soon) and can't decide which version to get. Not so fussed about being able to roll up sides but may be swayed by the idea that I could pitch it in the garden with no groundsheet for parties or whatever.

I'm doing the right thing ordering a bell tent, aren't I?! Almost bought a Outwell Nevada M but decided to follow my heart! Just a little intimidated by the re-pitching to dry etc etc.

TIA

Hi, we have Zig Soulpad and it does unzip fully so you can store each bit separately - makes it easier to clean/dry the tent.

Camped at Thistledown over half term and another family did have separate groundsheet. They felt the Zig was a better option and were going to get that next.

As to whether you are making the right decision, i havent read a review or post anywhere with someone saying they wished they hadnt bought their bell tent.

I had a good trawl of the internet before i bought ours and feel its one of the best decisions ive made as it was so easy to put up by myself (no swearing trying to get bendy poles through flapping nylon), theres bags of space and the height of the 5m is great. Really reduces the wind noise and the zig means its not draughty either.

My two boys just said "wow!!" and "its brilliant!!" the first time they saw it and they cant wait to go camping again particularly as we are all in together including the dog

Thanks, SalomeD. Sounds like the ZIG Soulpad would be exactly what I want. It's so difficult to pinpoint exactly what all the benefits of a bell tent are, aside from the aesthetics, when you have limited camping experience anyway. You've really helped and you're right about never reading about someone regretting the purchase!

Hope to buy mine over the weekend. Ridiculously excited! (And looking forward to the "Wow!" moment from my little girl too).

winefairy I think we'll be going for that too - and hopefully we'll make the purchase this weekend as well. I am totally with you on feeling ridiculously excited

Hope you enjoy it, come back and tell us how you get on

Poppyjen Let me know if you buy yours this weekend too. Can't wait!

DH still hesitating (his mother is trying to convince us to buy a second hand horror from his aunt....) so we still haven't taken the plunge but I am confident I can use feminine charms to convince him otherwise!

winefairy did you order it did you order it did you order it?????

Can only agree with salomed, since we bought ours, 2 friends have got one (1 4m the other 5m, I think the 4m are wishing they got the 5m but are still very happy) No one I've ever spoken to has regretted it, in fact the opposite, why did I resist for so long!

We all sleep in the inner and DH said at the weekend that the girls were awake for quite a while but just chilling in their beds (something they never do at home!) Now if thats not a benefit I don;t know what is!

Poppyjen, do not let his mother talk you into it, you will regret it, huge resentments, next you'll be refusing o spend christmas with the ILs, she'll take over the children and you'll be divorced (OK slight exaggeration but isn;t that how all the MIL stories go?!)

It's ordered!!!!

Ordered on Friday night but there's a slight delay as Soulpad are on holiday until the 1st July (I trust they're camping!).

Poppyjen, do not buy second hand horror, please. I found a very large glass of wine or two helped Mr Winefairy to come to the right decision. And I managed to resist any mention of fairy lights and bunting until it was a done deal!

tee hee winefairy, good plan!

Think he's convinced, I caught him looking at photos of bell tents on the internet last night....sheepish look on his face (is this the new porn?)

Please do let us know how you get on when you try it out

Definitely porn!

Laughing at it being the new porn! You're so right, though.

Just a little update though, Poppyjen. Soulpad emailed this morning, having returned from their hols, to say that the 5m hybrid was actually now out of stock so we had a complimentary upgrade to the 5m hybrid G which has the built in flap thing for the stove....and should have cost £514.49! It's still not showing as out of stock so if you did order soon you would probably get the same deal.

Perhaps time to open the wine?

oooh, good plan - DH not home from work yet (team meeting apparently ) but when he walks in the door I will indeed open the wine