Which bell tent

[shakemyhead]

We have a small pop top camper and would like a bell tent now we have a dog and dc1 ( 15 mon).

I am thinking of a. 4m bell tent with zip in groundsheet. Will I get both on a pitch? Is it warm enough for sleeping without the inner ?

What company would be better? How do you dry yours. If going on a solo trip ( with just the baby. ) will I get it up by myself and back into bag?

No more children so will the. 4 m suffice?

Cost not the biggest issue really - just weight space ( pack size etc. ) anything else to consider. ?

A campervan doesn't take up anymore floor space than a ford mondeo so you should get van and bell tent on a pitch.

I have a 5m zip out soulpad which I can pitch on my own and pack on my own. I got a spare storage bag and store the tent separate from the groundsheet.

I've always had an inner so don't know about warmth without one. Why aren't you sleeping in the camper van? I'd do that and use the tent for day space.

I dried mine by pitching it in the garden.

I have a 5m separate groundsheet and it is the easiest tent ever to put up.
A 4m should be a easy peasy.
I have the separate groundsheet not the zip in because it's easier to dry, easier to keep clean( all that lovely cream canvas) bugs don't bother me and delight ds and if it rains so much that mud and water gets in, well I am packing up and going home.

4m should be ample for you, almost cathedral like with no inner.

You should be able to pack up, even wet and heave around a 4m, tbh the 5m wet is too heavy for me so I got a foldaway luggage trolley to lug it around.

With the separate ground sheet I can fold away without the canvas touching the mud. And then I hang it over the climbing frame to dry, but I live in the Far, Far East where(whisper) it was just a bit drier!

We have a 5m zip in with 2 kids, plenty of room and very very easy to put up/down.

In terms of where to get it, we got ours from belltent (camping with soul) but I found their customer service pretty shocking if I'm honest. Have since used soulpad for other stuff and found them much better.

Never used an inner and have camped from April-October without being too cold.

I wanted the malu awning from camping with soul which might be useful for you to link your bell to the camper. Wasn't prepared to pay the camping with soul price for it, so ordered it direct from obelink in holland at a much much reduced price. (Had to order it from their German site using google translate as they're not allowed to sell it in this country)

tarp much cheaper than camping with soul

Hi we got ours from www.BakerandBell.com - slightly cheaper than other brands but very good quality and really happy with it and very good customer service. Would def go for zipin groundsheet as much quicker to put up than separate groundsheet model that friends have got. Have 2 children, plenty of room, never use an inner as like the open plan

I've a 5m zig soulpad and love it.
I think an inner spoils the feel of the tents.
You can pitch and strike on your own, but you will never get it back in the bag. ( we have a builders sack for ours - much easier)
I dry it in the garden then lie it out in the spare room for a few days, to make sure it is bone dry.
It's warm enough btw.

I have a sewn in groundsheet version from soulpad. And a tent inner, but that's because I camp with toddlers and a dog, and prefer the extra security of a tent inner, ie is going to take them longer to escape.

I have a 5m Soulpad zig with quarter inner. Love it! :)

Another fan of the 5M soulpad. My friend got the 4m which is tiny in comparison. V easy to put up on my own. Heavy to carry around though and bulky in the car….

So, blownin, I now have a tarp to match the 5m tent. :). Happy days to come!

Gah, I'm having a bit of a flap over which bell tent to get. I would love some advice

It normally just going to be me and my daughter(5yr old) using the tent, which occasionally 1/2 other people. We are using it for festivals and summer camping.

Should i get the 4m or the 5m? I think I want the 5m, but will it be too big for just the 2 of us? Is it worth the extra money? I'm gonna get a little pulley cart to ferry it round so I'm not too worried on weight, but I do have a small car.

Also, where should I get it from?? Ive heard good things about zig? Do I need to buy all the expensive accessories or can I get cheaper stuff to go in?

I am a complete camping newbie, I've never been in my life, so any lists of what people have/take would be lovely!!

(sorry for the long post!)

TIA

This might be useful, guidance from Baker and Bell about size and poss lay out of 4 and 5 m bell tents.

Lozcal, if you think you would like the 5m, get the 5m. You will only spend your time wishing you did have the extra space if you don't. DH and I managed fine with a 4m when it was just us, but still it is lovely to have that extra space.

And if you are occasionally going to have others with you, you will definitely need more space. We took another adult with us once in our 4m and we definitely felt the squeeze once we had everything else in.

Seriously, if you can afford the 5m, go for it.