New family tent

[The Family Cyclist]

Well the tent performed admirably. It said 15 minute one man set up and can't be sure on time as stopped to assist a friend with his tent but certainly easy with one person and maybe 25 minutes but that was first attempt

Was also fairly easy to get back in bag (this being after having sat out in the sun drying after wet Saturday camping

Space is amazing and think if was on a normal site (we had a communal barn as was a big group camp) would end up being the tent to hang out in

Was also waterproof out the bag despite warnings it may need to be wetted first, well apart from when the kids undid the mesh windows and left them open in the rain. Several tents leaked, my emergency tarp went over one and one ended up in the bin Sunday morning

Only negative was wife found it cold as is a big unsegregated space so she wants to but the bedroom for it, it was down to low single figures over night

Looking forward to spending some proper length trips in it

[Goldcrank]

Sounds great. We have a 'bedroom' in our bell tent. It does close the space down quite a bit, but does keep the mozzies out and some warmth in.

The biggest positive for Mrs GC (who feels the cold) has been buying one of these; https://www.wowcamping.co.uk/productDetail/outwell-constellation-sleeping-bag-double/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIj8Hhv6CQ_gIV2t_tCh3mzwa7EAQYAyABEgKsofD_BwE



It is very much a car camping bag. But it's super warm. We used to take all the bedding off the bed and take that with us - so in terms of packed size - its huge but smaller than what we used to take.

[Joe.B]

Well the tent performed admirably. It said 15 minute one man set up and can't be sure on time as stopped to assist a friend with his tent but certainly easy with one person and maybe 25 minutes but that was first attempt

Was also fairly easy to get back in bag (this being after having sat out in the sun drying after wet Saturday camping

Space is amazing and think if was on a normal site (we had a communal barn as was a big group camp) would end up being the tent to hang out in

Was also waterproof out the bag despite warnings it may need to be wetted first, well apart from when the kids undid the mesh windows and left them open in the rain. Several tents leaked, my emergency tarp went over one and one ended up in the bin Sunday morning

Only negative was wife found it cold as is a big unsegregated space so she wants to but the bedroom for it, it was down to low single figures over night

Looking forward to spending some proper length trips in it

I've not been on YACF as much as usual lately so only just read about your 5m bell tent. Glad you've had a good first outing, I haven't even been able to test pitch ours on the local field yet as its still too water logged.

I wondered about a stove flap too and was considering making a calor gas bottle stove to suit, (my Mk1 gas bottle stove does a wonderful jub of heating my workshop). Decided against in the end as we probably wouldn't fit it all in the car anyway.

[Joe.B]

After the run of good weather that we’ve just had I’ve finally managed to get the new tent up.

It's very easy to pitch despite its weight, very roomy too.

IMG_20230420_141439896_HDR by Joe B, on Flickr

[The Family Cyclist]

That looks (with the exception of the added porch) pretty dam similar to our one. Wife bought a bedroom for ours and a half carpet (bedroom cover half) as my birthday present although it was her who was cold

[The Family Cyclist]

So the wife told me that when she ordered the inner tent she wants sure had ordered the correct one. After a few messages with bell tent Sussex they confirmed was wrong one so sent back and hopefully new inner arriving later today. Shame the weather is looking a bit poo for week ahead or would stick it up and sleep in over weekend but would have to put in outlaws garden as mines too narrow and they won't want up for a week till I can get it dry