Please talk to me about SoulPads...

[Fillyjonk]

In particular

1. Do they pack away huge

1. Can I put one up on my own

1. Any problems with them on normal campsites? Are they too huge? Do they use normal pegs?

1. Whatever are they? They sound fascinating!

Have googled... surely you'll never get one of those in the back of a fabia with 3 children and the rest of your stuff? (I have a fabia too...) They look lovely though

I thought this thread was going to be about reuseable sanpro when I clicked btw

1. I've got one in my hallway that I haven't put up yet No space in our garden! It's going up for the first time on Sunday.

Search this topic for 'bell tents' and you'll find loads of info about them. They're not as huge as I thought they'd be packed up. I'll measure it for you in a bit.

I understand from my research that you can put them up on your own, but they're heavy so not so easy for little people!

And they're no bigger than most 8 man tents so shouldn't be a problem on any campsite.

Search for 'bell tents' on www.ukcampsite.co.uk and on www.thehappycampers.co.uk.

And order it from www.obelink.nl - it's in Dutch but you can find lots of tips on ordering from there on the various websites I've mentioned, and you'll pay around £100 less

very easy to put up, but large and takes up a lot of boot space.
Absolutely the most wonderful space to camp in.

BUT you CANNOT call it a soulpad!!!!
It's a bell tent. Plain & simple, that's what it is. Calling it a Soulpad is so.....
just don't do it. PLEASE!?

Ok, so they look great, but HOW exactly do you keep the midges out???

The SIG ones have a secondary mosquito netting door
(although we've not got a SIG one, so can't tell you how good that is)

We've got one and we do use a small trailer, mainly because we like to use foam mattreses in the tent!
They can be put up by one person, just make sure you find somewhere flat (you will need a larger site, as if you had a trailer tent)
Peg out the bottom (ours in an all-in-one), then you will need to crawl in with the pole.
Find the reinforced center, put the rubber end in the center and stand up with the pole and VOILA! instant tent.
Then just go outside and peg out the guy ropes (i would recommend using special pegs for windy conditions).
The only thing with the type of material is that if it is taken down wet, you MUST make sure it is totally dry before storing it away.
We are lucky to have a garage, where we can open it up and let it dry.
Also if it is taken down wet, it is very heavy due to the canvas.
I would also take along a can of waterproofing wax if you know there is going to be heavy rain whilst you are camping as they need to be reproofed after any heavy storms.
Last year we went camping in North Wales and there was a big gale and all the other normal tents blew away and ours was one of the ones to survive!
So they are good in windy conditions!
Hope you enjoy camping in it, you may get people comenting on your Tipi .
One familly camping next to us, kept trying to look in, so we just said, come in and have a look.
But they are wonderfull to wake up in, it is the closest thing to camping in a tipi but without the hassle of poles!
Enjoy!

Oh Riven Don't tell me the inner is worth it now I've splashed out on our lovely mattress (which is also worth it IMHO )

So was it fab? Our instructions are in Dutch!

instructions and slideshow here if it helps

Thanks Paisley - I've seen that already and plan on having it open on my laptop when I put it up the first time

I would think you could print off the pdf file too
But I guess if you're with your laptop you could also post here

Ripeberry can I ask you about the waterproofing wax.

I own a canvas tent (a pyramide rather than a bell tent) and the golden rule from Cabanon is that you NEVER touch/re-proof new canvas.

Canvas is waterproof because the fibres swell when they get wet, if you put chemicals/wax on the top it stops the swelling, yes you get a waterproof tent, but you don't have a breathable tent any more (one of the main reasons for buying canvas). There should be no need to reproof after wet weather.

Is the bell tent canvas different?

Some folk will re-proof older canvas tents (although there is much teeth sucking about this on ukcs when re-proofing comes up) but a new tent, nope just never pack it away wet and it'll keep working perfectly.

Can I ask about the first time it rains? I have a soul pad and it has rained and rained since it arrived so we haven't put it up yet. We are going camping soon, am I going to get wet if I haven't run a hose over it before we go away (thus making the fibres swell).

oo-er, I'm not a bell tent person, I'm a pyramide person

When we hosed our tent for the first time I sat inside and all I got was a very fine mist coming through, so I go a tinsy bit damp but nowt more than that.

OK so it shouldn't be a huge disaster if we can't have a go before we go away. Thank you! It doesn't say on the instructions that it needs to be hosed - I've just heard people say that.

The bell-tents are great the first time it rains as they are 'factory fresh'
When we were lying in our Soulpad, during a very heavy rainstorm that had been going on for over 3hrs, we noticed a patch that was almost see-through compared to the cream colour of the rest of the canvas.
Then this 'patch' started to leak (it was high up).
So when we got home, it spread it out to dry (took 3 days) and then used the spray, you can get it from camping shops, it's made for canvas trailer tents.
Since re-proofing it we've not had any problems or 'see-through' patches.
But if you are going to use your Soulpad in the Autumn or Winter it is best to re-proof it.
We have used a convector heater in our tent, when we were on a serviced pitch, made it nice and cozy

Thanks all!

Ok here is my big question

I do not have a big enough garden to put it out in.

I live in Wales, and thus can expect frequent showers.

So am a bit worried about drying it out...Any thoughts?

flamingo am hmming about the inner, I think I'd like the option of one-does yours definately have the fixings for the inner?

And is it much cheaper even with shipping?

We have the inner. Shipping was free from soul pad - I looked into the dutch sites but found soul pad really helpful ( couldn't get belltent.co.uk to reply to my emails). Zoe took lots of time to reply to my daft questions.

We have a postage stamp garden unless we arrive home in a heatwave I plan to dry inside. Over the stairs if ds1 will let me ( I doubt it) so will probably take over a room.

Filly - yes has the fixings. Ask Riven - she's got the same tent and an inner from belltent.co.uk I think

And yes, still much cheaper from Holland even with the shipping

Our plan is to do drying out at my parents house or hang it over our climbing frame and hope we can peg it out enough for it to dry.

Our stairs are closed in. I guess I could probably spread it out in the sitting room for the day if we were going out...

The instructions from the soulpad website say to not put it away wet for more than 2 days, so you've got some leeway.

Packing up on warm dry days is the best But the last few times we've either had very heavy dew or it's been raining.