It's the time of year to talk Bell Tents...

[lowenergylightbulb]

I want either a bell tent, or some other canvas type frame tent. Pref 5/6 berth...

I seem to remember some people last summer buying direct from holland?

I've looked at the soulpad site - is that the 'cheapest' I'm likely to get a lovely bell tent for?

I really, really, really want one

We bought a 5m one last year - family of 6. We all fit nicely in the bedroom bit (which I recommend getting - lying and looking up at the lovely 'ceiling' is fab, but considering you're mostly asleep in that bit, it's nice to have it nice and cosy feeling and it's very easy to unhook it and fold it all in on itself in the daytime if you want).

We ordered the tarp thingy but are going to sell it actually as we couldn't get on with it - it may well be that we are just dunces! May have another go this year before we do sell it.

You dont' need the SIG as no wet gets in with the flaps in the right place, but you do need to get the doorway guy ropes at the right tautness - we found that really difficult and got rain in that way because the door was so stretched. You've reminded me to practice with that actually - will take it to my parents next week and have another go (only garden big enough for it ).

We bought two or three of those £7.99ish rugs from Ikea to 'furnish' the front half with and they look lovely - they also 'soak up' any wetness from children's waterproofs if it's a chucking it down camping trip! And we're going to get a doormat this year too.

Fairy lights are too much money to justify atm given that we're using borrowed cooking stuff and table etc.! But I will be making bunting this year

Ours was from Obelink, I'm afraid. Bought just as they were in the process of stopping doing it, I think! We got lucky!

PS. I absolutely love ours and I am so, so glad we got it

omnishambles, thanks for the offer! Bet you can't wait for the weekend!

MrsWobble - that's EXACTLY how I want to be describing mine! (although thanks to aldi and wilkinsons I have a table and cooking stuff cheaply! :D )

If only an ikea was nearer So many things I need!

Can I crash the thread to ask if anyone has re-waterproofed their bell tent yet?
After last summers horrendous weather I think ours needs doing before going this year. Any tips?

oranges, good quality canvas should not need reproofing. Canvas is inherently waterproof (the fibres swell when they get wet). If you put proofer over the top of the fabric, yes it will be waterproof (as it now has waterproof gunk all over it) but you will stop the canvas from doing what it normally does.

Cabanon recommend you clean your tent using a stiff brush (once it is pitched) and then hosing it down.

Once you start reproofing it ( as some people do if they have a very old tent), then you cannot stop. You are on the hamster wheel of fart arsing about with your canvas.

slubber - its cos the suppliers recommend doing it quite often - they say theres will only last 60 weeks of continuous use - obv not as good canvas...

Actually, on that point, omnishambles, I wanted to ask Slubber, but you might know too:

At what quality do you think it starts being better to rely on canvas's (?) (pedants, help!) natural ability vs weatherproofing it? I suspect 285 (which is what I'll be looking at) is not good enough not to waterproof - is that correct?

oo-er, technical question!

tbh Sal I don't know, there are canvas nerds and canvas nerds . There are folk who will know, and they are on ukcs.

All I know is never to touch my tencate canvas. The whole point of sleeping under this fabric (as opposed to the plastic tents which weigh SO much less) is that they breathe, so no condensation, cool when hot, hot when cool etc. If you paint or spray something all over the lovely fibres they are not going to get wet, and therefore swell up.

If I had a bell tent I would continue to use it in its nekkid state until it started to leak. First I'd give it a jolly good scrub and hose (when dirt and dust get into the fabric it obviously reduces the swellability [technical term], if it still leaked THEN I'd think about reproofing.

omnishambles 60 weeks is quite a lot of weeks you know. Are you planning on living in your tent all summer for the next 3 years?
Or maybe you already have done?

You know what, that sounds brilliant. I'm all for trying to leave it as it is before messing around. Hmm, will go and hang around UKCS again, but yes, they get preeeeeeetty obsessed.

I've got a thread question for you, btw, Slubber.

I cannot understand why you would buy a tent that needed all that faffing and fart arsing about with. Go the extra mile, spend your money on some decent canvas and let it do the job it is meant to do.

[folds arms]

[bossy]

nah - maybe 8 weeks a year it will be up...so 5 years really before it needs sorting...I couldnt aford anything better tbh - its a massive reach and overspend at the price it was...seeing as I have a perfectly lovely non-canvas tent.

I had already mentaly furnished mine with Ikea rugs!

Do people always want to borrow them? Coz my family would, and I don't want to lend it to them. I don't trust them to put it away dry, or not smoke in it.

Oh no, I don't think I'd ever lend out a bell tent. I wouldn't mind with my other tent, but a bell somehow seems more, well, personal. Toothbrushy.

Where, where, where, Riven?????????

I have a 5m Soulpad, we had used it twice already this year and have about 10 days + more to go.

There are 4 of us and a dog, we got the ultimate hybrid, it means it is quicker to go up, lay out and peg down. In goes the pole, plus a pole which holds the door area, peg out the gyts. 15 mins max, no sweating, no swearing.

Yes it is a style, BUT it does suit us as we like campfirs etc.

I like the idea of the bedroom area too.

Crunchie, I'll would you say 5m too big for 2 + toddler? Or rather, would you say 4m would be big enough? We won't use an inner (I know they say bigger with inner). Hope you don't mind me asking.

All you other bell tenters, what size do you have?

We just bought a 4m one from ebay for £299.
We decided not to get an inner but might get one later.

Ooh DuelingFanjo, how exciting!! When will it be delivered?

Oh, just have to add - I just clicked on your profile - what a fabulous dress! Wanted to figure out how many people for the 4m tent.

battery powered fairy-lights?

MisSal... it's probably coming this weekend. We did pay more than we should but it's true that soulpad and belltentuk seem to have a monopoly.

we're taking ours to Glastonbury, can't wait. Is just for the two of us so we didn't need a huge one but probably will have lots of people in it if it rains!

thank you for the compliment about the dress, my mum made it for me

Sal - I've said to you I'm after a 5m and there's only me and 6yo ds and 3yo dd. However, I do have a bf to bring as well, and if I'm honest I'd be devesated if one day I looked around and though, drat I should have gone a metre bigger.

I also phoned up a site we use to discuss and they said the jump from 4m to 5m made no difference to them at all. So 5m it is!

I'm contemplating the inner too. Just because people say it's warmer and I'd like to get more use out of it!

Ah, doesn't matter what you paid - if you find something that you really really want and you can afford it, then it's money well spent in my books!