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I need a family tent and I’m quite taken by the idea of a bell tent.
I’ve seen a few and they all appear to be made by the same people with different resellers sticking their logos on.
We need space for two adults and three children who are currently 5, 3 and 9mths. I was quite taken by the karma 5m, which we could then equip with a stove and carpet to make a cosy home from home.
Another option would be a Robens grande klondike which is the same size, but much lighter at around 15kg packed as it’s made of Polycotton canvas. Again I can fit a stove and carpet for the full hipster glamping effect.
The third option is a 5m glawning. I could in theory attach this to our van, but in reality I doubt I ever would. But the idea of two doors appeals. The full VW scene-tax package is not really much more than the other two options when equipped with a stove and carpet.
Anyone any experience of these or others? Anything to watch for, or options to choose? The Robens seems very well made, I just worry that the Polycotton might not stand up to three bonkers kids.
We use them for Scouts & while they aren’t practical in terms of the shape, they are very easy to put up. Can’t remember the make but they are all canvas ones & very well made. If 6 clumsy teenagers can’t destroy one then your cherubs should pose it no threat.
If you can, get the porch add on, it makes getting in & out in wet weather a tidier affair, boots can stay outside etc.
Many benefits to them but you need to prepare for the space/weight of them if you have to pack them away wet. Importantly you also need a decent sized area to dry them too.... Then there is inner tents for bedrooms etc, or keep one huge space which can be great or an issue depending on your needs.
Sign up to the UK Campsite forum:
https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/default.asp
It's basically the STW of the UK camping scene. But much less argumentative I should point out! Lol👍
If it hasn't been posted on there or you can't get an answer you need them no-one can answer it....
Good luck!
5m one here, weighs about 40kg (bought a folding sack barrow to get it to the van as we live in a flat with no street parking!) but the weight is irrelevant other than that. Tent is great for what we use it for - generally stays put for between one and three weeks, we pretty much live in it in July/aug and two weeks over Easter - and when the weather is lousy there's enough space for the little 'un and a bunch of friends to play in. The inner tent doesn't get used much, unless there are a lot of mozzies or it's really cold.
Downsides - Drying. We have nowhere to lay it out, so options are 1. pack up early before the rain, 2. stay a bit longer, or 3. pack away wet and go away the following weekend - have done all 3 at one point or other
Size. It is 7m diameter including guys. Add a SWB Van and it is a squeeze to get on many pitches. Haven't used it in UK so don't know how much of a problem that'd be. THe sites we usually go to are unmarked pitches so size no issue, but have occasionally arrived somewhere unplanned with small hedged pitches. No problem leaving the van outside once it's up though.
Fully expect it to be perfectly serviceable when Jr. is too old to camp with his folks, but if I was buying now I would also look at more sensibly shaped tents like https://www.bctshop.co.uk/collections/scouting-tents/products/troop-tent?variant=1047494309 or https://www.bctshop.co.uk/collections/frontpage/products/bronte
Disclaimer - I have never attached bunting, fairy lights or used wooden furniture (but can see the point of a stove, last year Easter fell quite early and temps dipped below zero overnight down in Catalunya)
5m here.
Pros: I reckon I can get a full erection in about 20mins, size, lovely to be under, detachable base means the sides roll up for huge air movement when crazy hot.
Cons: Needs tlc during take down to ensure damp is removed from base prior to folding & stowing away, needs a big spot to dry it if you take it down damp, you may find that some camp sites need making aware of your required foot print, 3m vertical metal pole in the middle of your bedroom during lightening storms.
We got one of these towards the tail end of last year.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Boutique-Camping-Rainbow-Zipped-Ground/dp/B01D1T5DR6
Masses of space in it, and much easier to erect than our Outwell tunnel tent. That was one of the reasons we went for it as my dodgy lower back was making it difficult to setup our old tent. The 5m version that we have has room for a full sized double bed, table and chairs, with plenty of cat swinging space left over. One thing my wife did buy for it, and which is sheer genius on her part, is a 5m circular groundsheet to go underneath the tent, keeping the base dry and clean for easy packing at the end of the holiday.
I really like it, especially as it's really easy to find when I'm stumbling back from the pub.
I had a notionally nine-person Tentipi a few years back and it was brilliant. Huge enough for spacious, modern open-plan living, erm, with loads of room for tables, chairs, two bikes, workstand, phat sleeping mats etc. Used it as a team base tent at Mayhem and my mates almost burned it down with a firebox.
Was decently airy and cool in hot conditions. Chilly in cool conditions being single skin and huge volume. Was very quick and easy to pitch with just one central pole and perimeter pegs and guys. But it was big and heavy and, as above, i fit got wet, drying it was a nightmare. You need a big outdoors space where you can pitch it.
With the Tentipi, although it wasn't mine, I was always acutely aware that it cost about £1K and was potentially very easy to steal if you left it alone. Then again, that's the case with all expensive tents. I
What is brilliant about them is that they have a completely different vibe to conventional family tents, a bit more cool and a little bit special.
4m and it's brilliant apart from needing the tlc mentioned, especially when wet. I was lucky enough to have a big garden to air it out. Also had a frontier stove, easy fit and really awesome thing to have, right down to being able to bake bread in it.
What is brilliant about them is that they have a completely different vibe to conventional family tents, a bit more cool and a little bit special.
Most definitely this.
We have a Blacks Of Greenock Solace 1 which is a 4m bell tent.
https://www.blacksofgreenock.co.uk/tents/8-solace-i-tent.html#.XIeBJij7RPY
These have a slight design modification to increase the height of the door opening which is usually pretty low on bell tents. They come with an inner tent and decent groundsheet which is a bonus. We paid a bit more for a canopy that attaches to the front which is great for outdoor cooking under cover. There are pro's and cons as alisted above but for family camping where your staying put for long weekends or longer they are great.
There's a bit of a review here...
https://www.blacksofgreenock.co.uk/content/13-solace-tested-and-reviewed
A word of warning thou when using the stove make sure well Ventilated as a dying fire will give off some deadly fumes.
Re- family killed by using a BBQ in a tent.
We've got one, it is one of those indian army copies. It's great, really nice place to hang out, sleep eat etc. Especially in the morning when you get up, standing up is a joy in a tent.
As above downsides are weight, size of the packed tent in the boot and storage, and drying when wet. Despite only camping in scotland drying hasn't really been a problem but you can't ignore it.
I can't help thinking a nylon one would be worth a look but probably not as nice to be in, I don't know.
Not had any experience with their bell tents but I bought a load of Robens outdoor cookware (stainless billys, cast iron skillets etc) and it was total junk - sent the whole lot back.
We have Helsport Varanger tipi a at work. It's light nylon, but you can get poly cotton. You can get inner or separate groundsheet.
Tip: it's cheaper to get a flight to Sweden and buy one there...!
Ours was just under £500 with groundsheet but not inner.
Benefit over a cotton bell tent - it fits in a 60lt rucksack. It dries quickly. It's easy to put up and take down singlehanded.
Cotton one isn't hard to put up singlehandedly. Not the central pole anyway. Hard part is banging in 3 pegs at each 'corner', so total 30 or so, no fun in hard ground. Then getting them out again.
They seem great in high winds. The shape supposedly forces the wind to flow around - IME it doesn't. It 'catches' and billows in, worryingly like a sail. But doesn't budge, we've had winds over 100kmh that flattened several tents on site, me sitting nervously inside checking wind rating for tent online, but pretty solid for such a big thing.
Thanks for the info. Bought a canvas one which should arrive in the next few days. Looking forward to trying it out over Easter.
Have a spare CO alarm, which I’ll use if we get a stove.
Too late for OP, but we use one of these and they’re fantastic, so much easier to put up, smaller pack size and lighter than a ordinary family tent:
https://www.tamarackoutdoors.co.uk/PBSCProduct.asp?ItmID=26203521
Heliport Varanger 12-14