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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.

Aaarrghhh.... Help me decide! Sprayway or Bell tent?

201 replies

PerArduaAdNauseum · 09/05/2010 19:29

5m bell tent or Sprayway Valley 4 (polycotton)?

It's got to be cloth or canvas - can't stand any more billowy nylon in my face.

And I seem to be getting more and more claustrophobic - can't stand having the ceiling in my face (and I'm looking lustfully at double height airbeds now).

So - me, DH and DS (6). For use twice a year for a week or so, possibly the odd festival.

I love the ease of pitch of a belltent, but have never actually been in one since I was a brownie. How in your face are the walls when you're lying down? And if we had the double in the middle of the tent would there be space to curtain off DS to the side for privacy? We'd get one of the inners, as first trip of the year is always end of May with big temperature diff night/day. Does it still feel that luxurious? Have been thinking about a bell tent for about a year now...

However, we were in a sprayway today and it was rather lovely. Just the right size (assuming we can put DS in a puptent in a year or so) and nice and upright. But heavy (steel poles!) and looks like a bitch to erect. It was rather lovely though - and probably a lot easier to find a pitch for in the under-prepared private field we're headed for.

I don't know.

If we got the bell tent, we'd also take it to the local common for picnics. I make it sound like a dog don't I...

If we got the sprayway it would all be a lot neater...

Help me o wise and wonderful campers...

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bramblebooks · 10/05/2010 17:01

Narrows eyes.
Considers not unwrapping slubber before ignition sequence commences.
Opens emergency camping g& t can and reclines in fancy schmancy new camping chair (streamlined back and sleek).

Slubberdegullion · 10/05/2010 17:09

linky linky of new streamlined chair pliz

bramblebooks · 10/05/2010 17:39

Nom nom. Blacks recliner. Nom. Cupholder for wine. Feety up bit

Slubberdegullion · 10/05/2010 17:47

ooooh

recliner

I'd love a bit of reclining action. Sadly the mice only ate the chairs enough to make them look shabby but did not make them unusable.

bramblebooks · 10/05/2010 17:50

Yes but if they peed on them as they are wont to do, and you sit on chairs you will smell of eau de pissoir souris. You owe it to health and hygiene to get reclining action with gin holder.

Slubberdegullion · 10/05/2010 17:54

I scrubbed them with milton, so far no odors. We have yet to sit on them though so you never know the weight of my buttocks might release the stench.

PerArduaAdNauseum · 10/05/2010 21:09

Oh blimey, you go to work for a bit and look what happens to your innocent littel camping thread...

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Slubberdegullion · 10/05/2010 21:12

It's Sal's fault. She asked me about pegs...

sorry PerArdua

MisSalLaneous · 10/05/2010 21:21

Sorry PerArdua! I had to keep Slubber occupied though, as she was making enemies left, right and centre.

PerArduaAdNauseum · 10/05/2010 21:29

S'OK. I'm intrigued by anchors...

But really - head says sprayway, heart's now saying Touareg... What to do...?

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PerArduaAdNauseum · 10/05/2010 21:30

Oh and fireandlife - OK, you've convinced me that you've bought your bell tent for utterly serious reasons

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PerArduaAdNauseum · 10/05/2010 22:10

Oh gods, you have to help - DH now looking at Oztents on ebay... Aargh....

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PerArduaAdNauseum · 10/05/2010 22:57

I would love an Oztent but we can't afford one. And they're a bit military looking. Wouldn't work with electric candles...

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fireandlife · 11/05/2010 08:50

PerArdua - all very serious this bell tent thing! I've just got to find the patience to wait for it!

Slubberdegullion · 11/05/2010 19:58

So.... have we made a decision yet?

PerArduaAdNauseum · 11/05/2010 20:42

Ohhhh, probably the touareg.

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Slubberdegullion · 11/05/2010 20:50

probably!

fgs

gwan get the touareg, then you'll be the inbetweeny bell tent-cum-pyramide owner.

MisSalLaneous · 11/05/2010 20:57

Ooh, just seen this. So when will you decide, PerArdua? How exciting!

PerArduaAdNauseum · 11/05/2010 21:19

Well. am concentrating on drinking scotch and sobbing lightly this evening, might put the order in tomorrow. Will send then some questions so I can measure up for muslin curtain dividers - they sent me a picture of the inners they'll be selling but they looked screamingly claustrophobic.

And then I'll maybe go shop for some accessories.

I'm going to buy it aren't I? Eek!

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Slubberdegullion · 11/05/2010 21:21

These accessories of which you speak....there's not a tea light chandelier on your list is there?

Cos if there is I'm voting for the sprayway.

PerArduaAdNauseum · 11/05/2010 21:24

Erm - not this year anyway! I'm more thinking things to hang in a storage style, and wooden boxes to double as night-stands (always spend much of camping hol looking for my glasses or being terrified I'll roll onto them in the night).

And maybe some thin rugs...

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MisSalLaneous · 11/05/2010 21:30

Ha, in your heart you've already decided! Cool, very exciting, keep us updated.

Slubberdegullion · 11/05/2010 21:38

sturdy boxes sound good

Come tell us when you've bought it.

fireandlife · 12/05/2010 13:46

Ooooooo, the Toureag looks lovely. How wonderfully exciting. I'm sure pockety things will be really useful. I've got some forged iron thingies from ALbion Canvas which somehow miraculously stay on the central wooden pole of the tent. I was imagining hanging the lantern (very sensible plastic camping lantern!!) on one and perhaps a pocket thing on the other. Anyway, I hope it fits because as we know, I'm still waiting! Was browsing some lovely De Waard extravaganzas last night - mmmmmmmmm, can't want something else when the Bell Tent isn't even here yet and we certainnly couldn't afford De Waard!!

PerArduaAdNauseum · 12/05/2010 20:56

Oh fireandlife - I looked at those forged iron whatsits and went hmmm... I think I've still got a slightly broken ikea chandelier that could be adapted to electric tealights... hmm...

But tell me about those De Waard extravaganzas?

Anyway, DH ordering tonight. We'll do a test-erect as soon as we can and I may post photos...

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