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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.

Original poster

Tempted to buy a bell tent

35 replies

nibblingfingernails · 17/07/2016 10:39

Have camped before, but not for a few years - Will I regret it? Its just me and 3 DD's

Roughly how big are they when in bag? I have rather a small car so size when packed up is essential.

OP posts:
CuppaTeaAndAJammieDodger · 17/07/2016 10:54

We have a 5m one (which I think you'd need to comfortably fit 4 of you in) with a zipped in groundsheet. I'll be honest, it is VERY heavy (approx 40kg - DH can just about lift it up on to his shoulders to carry but I can't), it's pretty big (approx 1.2m X 50cm) so goes in our roof box.

It is an absolute breeze to put up (much easier than a normal tent), and really lovely to camp in (cooler in hot weather and warmer in cold). But in all honesty, if there's only one adult (unless you've got a strapping teenager to help you out of course) I think you'll find it difficult.

NorbertDentressangle · 17/07/2016 10:58

A friend of mine has one and although I love it , it has it's downsides which to me would be the sheer weight and size of it when packed up and also the fact that you can't go and get changed for example in a separate pod area.

It's a doddle to put up though apparently.

Original poster
nibblingfingernails · 17/07/2016 11:18

Hmm..... its the packed u size and weight that I need to know, and that is worrying me. It will be going in the car so wouldn't have to worry about getting it on the roof.

Good to know its easy to put up!

Am looking at other tents but just wanted something with character and sort of feminine andsomethingthatexDHwouldhaveneveragreedtoinamillionyears! Grin

OP posts:
CuppaTeaAndAJammieDodger · 17/07/2016 12:50

It only goes in the roof box as it doesn't fit in the car (and we have an estate) once the camping equipment is in. The problem isn't getting it in the toolbox, it's carrying it out there!

I am the first to profess the virtues of a bell tent - but I really don't think it would be practical considering your circumstances, have you thought about a good inflatable tent?

CuppaTeaAndAJammieDodger · 17/07/2016 12:50

roof box not toolbox!

Original poster
nibblingfingernails · 17/07/2016 14:06

I did look at the inflatable tents - this one www.decathlon.co.uk/air-seconds-family-63-xl-inflatable-tent-6-man-id_8300026.html

OP posts:
CatherineDeB · 17/07/2016 14:07

One of our tents is too heavy for me to handle, I reckon it is 40kg split between two bags. I can't manage the canvas alone.

Soul pad make a light version - peg in groundsheet rather than zip or sewn in. Our tipi has a toggle in floor which then pegs out with the tent p, it is fine but you do get the odd bug!

soulpad.co.uk/products/soulpad-4000-lite

CuppaTeaAndAJammieDodger · 17/07/2016 18:17

That sounds good CatherineDeB - much lighter!

PuraVida · 17/07/2016 20:11

We love ours. It is very heavy though but we keep the poles separately and you could always keep the groundsheet separately too though it would take longer to pitch. I'm not much interested in camping but the lovely tent makes it fun

MilesHuntsWig · 17/07/2016 20:27

My friend swears by her 5m soul pad bell tent, she got one recently and loves it for reasons above (big, can stand in it, cool in heat, warm in cold). Her and her DH are scout masters so have a lot of camping experience and they reckon this is the best one they've had.

Stopattwo · 19/07/2016 20:06

I adore our bell tent but agree with pp about the weight. I can't carry it, dh has to! It is extremely quick and easy to put up and you can buy an inner tent which splits the tent into half (a living area and two sleep pods). We've gone a bit crazy with it tbh, we've also got a huge mat which covers half the tent floor, rugs, fairy lights, cushions to sit on. I used to hate camping but love it now!

Stopattwo · 19/07/2016 20:10

You could always get one of these so you don't have to carry everything!

m.ebay.co.uk/itm/171919639264

CatherineDeB · 19/07/2016 20:30

We have got something similar because we prefer to camp where cars aren't allowed, you stI'll have to be able to lift the canvas in and out of the car, which I can't do!

Blu · 19/07/2016 21:44

Is it fiddly pitching and zipping in a ZIG? I imagine a bad tempered 15 mins on my knees finding the right start point for the zip and having to swivel tent or groundsheet until they meet, and then crawling round zipping it up without jamming....

PopGoesTheWeaz · 19/07/2016 22:49

Even with a trolly, ours (ZIG) is just really heavy to manoever into place and when wet it feels like it doubles in weight.

That said, I've only recently discovered that the SIGs are only about 22 kilos. If you carried the pole separately that becomes very manageable I think.

Ive also beeg eyeing up the touareg tent which again, if you get with a SIG seems to be a manageable weight.

PopGoesTheWeaz · 19/07/2016 22:50

ps, had our zig 5 meter bell for 4 years now and not zipped up the sides once. Does anyone else actually do it? I've never seen it done to be honest and we are usually one of many bell tent on site.

Stopattwo · 20/07/2016 19:08

We quite often zip up the sides to let air circulate on a warm day but only if we're using the inner sleep tent because I don't like the idea of bugs in my bed!

PopGoesTheWeaz · 20/07/2016 19:41

we don't have an inner, so i feel like if we rolled up the sides all of our stuff would be very much on display. I may need to work on the glampification of our kit before it tackle that.

Original poster
nibblingfingernails · 20/07/2016 21:02

I am still no clearer!

OP posts:
muddyboots · 23/07/2016 00:18

I thought I wanted a Bell Tent then after a bit of thinking and considering of the finances I bought this
www.obelink.co.uk/eldorado.html

Still has character and a sort of feminine charm but cheaper and lighter than a Bell Tent. I'm a single parent and I can carry it very small distances if I harumph it on my shoulder.

CatherineDeB · 23/07/2016 05:51

We had an Eldorado as our weekend tent and for when I camped alone with DD and the dog for years, fab tent. Ours was a long time ago, didn't have a seen in groundsheet apart from the bedroom bit.

I nearly posted about it before but didn't because the op was confused Grin.

cutefluffyunicorn · 23/07/2016 17:30

we are currently camping in our 10T mojave [https://www.bell-tents.co.uk/products/10t-mojave-400-4m-bell-tent-8-person-pyramid-round-with-sewn-in-ground-sheet]]
which is super light, packs up small and my 10 and 11 year old can set it all up on their own!! I am away with my 3 dds aged 14, 11 and 10 and packed everything including kids into my tiny Nissan Micra! I do love it!
BUT is obviously NOT cotton/canvas, and as for once it has turned out to be a baking hot weekend it is BOILING inside and I am thinking I may need to invest in a proper bell!
(last year it was fab though cause it wasnt so hot)

HiccupHaddockHorrendous · 01/08/2016 18:15

I've just upgraded from a 3m to a 4m bell tent.
I always pack the ground sheet separately because the canvas is almost always dry when packing up but the groundsheet often needs to dry out once we're home.
I have the inner tent but without it, you'd easily fit 4 people in.
I can pitch, by myself, in around 15 mins (including zipping the groundsheet).
So much easier than any other tent I've owned.

lisaneedsarest · 01/08/2016 18:22

I've just bought one of these www.coleman.eu/uk/p-26459-cortes-octagon-8.aspx
It is fairly lightweight and even comes in a bag with wheels. Super easy to put up - I did it by myself in 20 minutes.
Not as beautiful as a bell tent and not cotton but a bit different and easy to put up!

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