A cheap/cheat version of a bell tent?

[EliandmE]

I love the idea of a bell tent - we were pitched next to one last year and I had major tent envy (it was mainly the chandelier. I really want a tent with a chandelier). However we only go camping once a year so I'm not sure I can justify the expense - although in my head we would go camping every weekend if we had a bell tent - and we don't have anywhere to dry out a massive expanse of canvas. Is there a cheapo plastic equivalent that would achieve sort of the same effect (ideally with potential for a tent chandelier)? There are five of us to squeeze in. If the MN camping experts could point me in the right direction I would be eternally grateful

If it helps we've been using a Hi Gear Voyager 6 (borrowed) which is perfectly practical in every way but for the fact I can't fall in love with it.

God I'm just vain aren't I.

changes name to tent snob

I have a bell with a chandelier. We do love it very much.
Don't think I've ever seen a cheapo looky likey though. Sorry.

Ooooh tell me about your bell tent Pictish (tents are my new property porn). Do they really take ages to dry out? Do you think it was worth the money?

Worth every penny.
We've only had to take it home wet once in 5 years that we've had it. We just spread it out in the garden to dry. Took an hour maybe? If that.

there is a non-canvas bell tent here that is cheaper but I feel like one of the main nice things about the bell tent is the canvas. the heaviness of it does have some draw backs (dry time) but it also has this lovely weight to it

Arghhhh that's perfect Sparky but our of stock! We could go for the 4m version but I suspect we would outgrow it pretty quickly (2 adults plus 7, 4 and 1 year old). Although that might be the perfect excuse to upgrade to a proper canvas tent in a year or two...

Out of stock not our of stock

4m polyester bell tent
4m polycotton bell tent
5m polyester bell tent
5m polycotton bell tent

However, I don't think it would really be safe to use a chandelier in any of them.

So after much deliberation and carefully checking out all the poly/poly cotton options... I bought a canvas bell tent

Typically the next day it's pouring down outside and the top thread on this topic is all about how rubbish bell tents are!

But I'm keeping the faith - can anyone tell me about weathering? Do I really need to soak/dry several times to make it waterproof?

Thanks for all the suggestions btw, even if I did ignore them all.

A lot of people bought bell tents because they're pretty. They are also different from other tents because you live on the floor. Everything is low level.
We combat this by having cooking and dining outside under the canopy, and using inside for lounging, lolling and sleeping.

If being tidy and organised is important to you, you'll most likely prefer a different tent. If ambience tops your list, you'll love the bell.

Ooo exciting! Which one did you get? We didn't bother weathering our canvas bell tent and it didn't leak at all on our first camping trip.

On our first trip with our canvas Bell it was meant to rain lightly overnight which I thought would help weather it. Well it absolutely pissed down instead and we had no leaks at all luckily.

Oh and please do let me know if you find a cheap chandelier anywhere. I've got the led tea lights ready

We've bought the 4m from dusky deer, I'm hoping it will arrive in the next few days so I can put it up in the garden at the weekend and let it weather for 48 hours before it's first outing at Just So in a fortnight.

So now I can get on with the extremely important task of choosing bunting...

Thanks Pictish, it's definitely the aesthetics that appeal so I might take the advice from the other bell tent thread to buy a cheap pop up to store our bags etc.

The cheapest chandelier I've found is £49 from boutique camping, nowt on EBay for less

Worth every penny, if you do get one make sure you get a 5m with your size family.

Bunting : www.domesticsluttery.com/2012/05/bunting-gone-bad.html

Heh :)