Bell tent Aficionados, would you mind talking to me about inner tents / stoves please?

[ProdigalMNer]

Ok, so we're probably going to have sell the vw camper but still need to be able to camp.

Have been gushing over looking at bell tents (5m) but am confused about one or two things. Can you put 2 inner tents (quarter size) in any of them and still use a stove? (This is assuming we can actually afford one anyway!)

We camp from March to October so warmth is important (as far as is possible when camping!) and from past experience of awnings inner tents can improve the temperature but what do others think?

I'd be very interested to hear your opinions, and also expreiences with Soul Pad / Canvas and Cast , have ruled out Belltent UK as seen too much negative press.

TIA .

We're lucky that we have a massive garden so I can repitch it to dry. But with last years weather it was out for a while before drying.

I'm worrying now that as we've bought a dog it'll get weeed up if in the garden so God knows what I'll do.

It's a total bugger to get back in the car when soaking wet. I camp with just dd and I reckon the weight easily doubles when wet. I gave up any idea of getting it back in its bag and just stuffed it bit by bit into the car for the trip home.

Hadn't even thought about the dog... that's a good point Beaver!
God, if only we could have enough decent weather not to have to worry...

Every camping trip we have ever had (many) has resulted in stupid, wet nylon awnings... Oh dear, I really am not good at making decisions .

We have a 5m soul pad bell.
We didn't have inners as we wanted it spacious inside.
It is a PITA to dry but worth it for feeling for lovely feeling of camping under canvas. We tend to dry indoors hung over banister for two days.

I've got two bags now so I can store the main tent separate from the zip off groundsheet.

Thanks, MM, do you have a stove? I can't decide whether they are really worth the extra money/ weight/ faff (/warmth?!) .

Two bags seems like a very good idea Beaver. Slightly scared by mildew horror stories I've read.

Have you seen the frontier stove? here

Cheaper than the soulpad one and gets good reviews.

That looks really good Beaver , thanks for the link! Can't believe how compact it is when folded too.

Hi Prodigal - things have moved on over lunch time but to answer your question, we only used our inner once mainly because of the loss of the feeling of space. The time we did use it was last June bank holiday and it wasn't that cold anyway at night so was not a great test. We were away in the bell tent the first May bank holiday this year and it was cold at night but we all still managed to sleep soundly at night without being cold even without the inner. With 4DC and two adults in one tent you might find you are warm enough anyway.

Another alternative is to put a pop up tent inside the bell and get the children to sleep inside that. There should be room and that might keep them warmer but you can take it down in the day and have the space to enjoy.

Also, we used to have a VW camper too. We had an awning originally and then got the bell and started sleeping in that. As a result, the VW became just a vehicle to transport stuff, which was one of the reasons we ended up selling ours. The other was that it kept breaking down and was becoming a money pit. Although we loved it, I don't honestly regret selling. It was becoming a millstone and made me feel guilty when we didn't go away in it enough. DD asks about it occasionally still though

On the fridge point, we got a Coleman Xtreme recently and used it this weekend (no EHU). We were away for the whole weekend and ice we bought on Friday was still frozen (if in slightly smaller pieces) when we got home on Monday. Not a test of the the full 5 day claim admittedly but still not bad for £60 I didn't think. It might be an alternative to a fridge or iceytek if they are a bit pricey?

Prod we couldn't fit a stove into our car, I didn't want to cut a hole in our tent and I could not do with the faff. Plus, we're buying a Clearview woodburner for our cottage so couldn't justify the expense IYSWIM. We do have the soul pad brazier thing though which is brilliant for a full size camp fire. It does leave scorch mark on grass though.

Oooh thanks, everyone.

That's really helpful MPFT. Transporting the stove and then finding the wood to burn in it when camping has made me consider the feasibility of the set up.. and without the stove we could get a half inner and that would solve that problem too but like most of you, I do think the major appeal of the spacious bell will be lost with the inners anyway.

Really appreciate all your thoughts, seems Soulpad are a popular choice from everything I've seen too.

We love,love,love our soul pad. We have the one with the zippy off groundsheet, which I don't actually unzip that much as it is a bit of a faff when tent is up but it's great for separating groundsheet from tent when drying etc.

Also, go to B&Q and get cheap blue large groundsheet thingy that builders use for I don't know what, lay it under tent when pitching, otherwise come putting tent away you will ruin nice cream bell with mud and worms when rolling up. Sling cheap blue groundsheet thingy in bin bag away from beautiful bell.

MM Does the zippy off groundsheet also zip off completely? I was thinking this would be the best way to keep muck away from beautiful cream canvas?

Zippy groundsheet zips off completely.

Thank you.

Prod, it makes drying easier at home, otherwise you're going to have to spend time with cloths wiping bottom of bell tent groundsheet rather then just hanging it to air before packing away. When we get home we just chuck blue thing outside,dry it and then roughly fold it. Plus our car is so small DH likes to pack bell groundsheet and canvas into same bag to actually fit it into our car.

As viva says it does zip off completely.

Be prepared to feel when bird plops on your bell...

Oh no ... I'll need to find a supersized umbrella to prevent bird droppings!! Can you imagine if it was the sort following a bird eating blackberries or suchlike??!!! ... I haven't even bought a flippin' bell tent yet but that very thought is enough to make me feel apoplectic!!

I actually got over it pretty quickly when it first happened but I was at bird population in general. LOL

I daren't wipe it off though as didn't want to mess up waterproofing...so I just left it which I'm not sure I should have done? I don't know really!

I think the rain will take off the bird poo soon enough. Has always worked with ours anyway. TBH it is the mud stains which upset me more as some of them do stick. You have to try to think of bells like trainers. Noone wants shiny white ones - they improve the more you use them

Lol @ birdpoo dilemma MM .

Although I'm quite sure I would not be if it happened at all!

prod you need one of these Thermarest dreamtime to make your bell tent experience luxury I bought one and had to send it back when I saw the pack size I unrolled it though and it looked amazingly comfortable!
m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=hnF1WTcZdC4&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DhnF1WTcZdC4

I'm tempted to order it again and cram it into car regardless.