Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => The Knowledge => Camping It Up => Topic started by: The Family Cyclist on 10 January, 2023, 08:02:28 am
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Our old tent which is 10 years old isn't waterproof anymore despite attempts to reproof which if anything just seem to have created a condensation problem.
I'm therefore looking at a new family tent for car/canoe vamping so weight etc aren't the biggest issue. Is for 2 adults and two growing kids but will want to do for them till they won't want to camp with us anymore
I'd love a bell type tent but don't know the actual practicalities of these. We often camp for a week so something solid is needed but don't want a vast tent as we often visit smaller sites
Budgets probably around 400 to 500 as asking people for money towards for a big birthday. Will be used from April to probably early October
Oh for comparison this is what we currently have
https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/tents/p/Vango-Calisto-500/1950
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For vamping I would suggest something in lace and silk.
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;D
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The Vango Osiris Air 500 seems to be available for £400 at the moment and looks similar in design to your current tent save for the colour scheme and new air tube arrangement.
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I'd stick with Vange if I were you. Outwell are more pricey and tbh aren't significantly worth it imho. Vango tents are good, honest and affordable tents.
Outdoor action in Blackburn stock a good range of tents at decent prices. If you're anywhere near Blackburn their store is a rabbit Warren with many tents pitched indoors even big ones!
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We have a Vango Icarus 500 (no longer made), which we use for car camping ... but it's just two of us and a dog. It'll sleep 5 - if you want to be 'cosy'. The great thing is you can stand up in it and it has a 'living room' for all the junk that Mr R insists on bringing.
You might want to look at something with separate sleeping areas for the kids. Decathlon does an inflatable tent with two bedrooms (https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/inflatable-camping-tent-air-seconds-4-2-f-b-4-person-2-bedroom/_/R-p-157654?mc=8572950&c=BEIGE) - only £430. You can get a poled blackout version (https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/4-person-blackout-poled-tent-arpenaz-4-2-fresh-black/_/R-p-310022?mc=8561167) for only £250.
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We have a papa hubba 4 person that was originally purchased for a planned cycling tour taking our (3) dogs.
the tour wasn't activated in the end due to various issues ranging from Brexit, dog and people health.
We did try it in the garden a few times and it worked well, though might be a little tight for 4 bipedals.
Light, airy, decent head room.
Its in the drawer waiting to be activated on a future date when the right combo of dogs are under our care.
Its an American brand though and so as mentioned in another thread the HH may not be up to snuff for European wet weather.
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Thanks. I am still tempted by a bell tent. Anyone got any experience.
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Thanks. I am still tempted by a bell tent. Anyone got any experience.
Yep, they are heavy, once they get wet they take and age to dry, not a great deal of head room.
However, they are lovely to be in. Mrs GC can put it up on her own. Everyone likes to talk to you about it.
I bought another, small one, for mini GC so she has a room of her own.
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Have a look at the offering from Backpackinglight. Although not Bell tents some of their tepee range might be okay. Look at the Octapeak F8 in the two inner format.
https://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/shelters-3.html
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I want a megahorn just for the name
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;D ;D
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Although seriously the f8 would be perfect but not likely to be big enough or glam enough for wife's approval
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If you could get over to Upton, Bob or Rose would demonstrate either or both for you. Also they have some videos that are worth watching.
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Thanks. I am still tempted by a bell tent. Anyone got any experience.
Yes, love it, but as others have pointed out it's very heavy and a pig to dry out. We always pitch it in the back garden during the summer to provide additional shade as unlike nylon tents it stays quite cool inside.
We've camped as a family of 4 but it's a squeeze. Perfect for 2 people though which leaves plenty of room for stuff.
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If you could get over to Upton, Bob or Rose would demonstrate either or both for you. Also they have some videos that are worth watching.
Unfortunately I'm in MEMWNS/ACME territory so long way from there
Did email a bell tent seller with a new details and a little miffed not heard back yet
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I'm pleased to read a couple of positive posts about bell tents as our new 5mtr bell tent arrived last week. We're not planning a trip away with it until May although I will get out and get it pitched on the local school field before then.
Someone mentioned the megahorn; we've been using one for the last 5 years. It's very spacious for 2 and although not especially lightweight you can cycle tour with it, essential for us as Mrs B won't tour in a tent that she can't stand up in.
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I'm pleased to read a couple of positive posts about bell tents as our new 5mtr bell tent arrived last week. We're not planning a trip away with it until May although I will get out and get it pitched on the local school field before then.
Someone mentioned the megahorn; we've been using one for the last 5 years. It's very spacious for 2 and although not especially lightweight you can cycle tour with it, essential for us as Mrs B won't tour in a tent that she can't stand up in.
What tent did you go for, I contacted I think was canvas tent shop with some questions and they essentially copy and pasted details off their website which I wasn't overly impressed with
Don't suppose you're anywhere near Essex as would quite like to look at a megahorn
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We went for this one:
https://belltent.co.uk/products/5m-deluxe-bell-tent
With this porch extension:
https://belltent.co.uk/products/bell-tent-porch
We had a good look round a similar tent at a tandem Club rally last year and decided that it was the tent for us.
although they are not cheap they're not especially expensive either, similar to a mid-range Outwell, should be very long lasting too.
We're up in Newcastle so nowhere near you I'm afraid.
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We went for this one:
https://belltent.co.uk/products/5m-deluxe-bell-tent
With this porch extension:
https://belltent.co.uk/products/bell-tent-porch
We had a good look round a similar tent at a tandem Club rally last year and decided that it was the tent for us.
although they are not cheap they're not especially expensive either, similar to a mid-range Outwell, should be very long lasting too.
We're up in Newcastle so nowhere near you I'm afraid.
Does it come with a team of Sherpas to carry it for you?
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We went for this one:
https://belltent.co.uk/products/5m-deluxe-bell-tent
With this porch extension:
https://belltent.co.uk/products/bell-tent-porch
We had a good look round a similar tent at a tandem Club rally last year and decided that it was the tent for us.
although they are not cheap they're not especially expensive either, similar to a mid-range Outwell, should be very long lasting too.
We're up in Newcastle so nowhere near you I'm afraid.
Does it come with a team of Sherpas to carry it for you?
Believe it or not we bought it as a downsizing exercise.
We've always used a large car trailer when going way with the big tent but when we switched to leasing an EV I didn't want to fork out for a towbar on a car I'd be keeping for 3 years.
We've been using a Burguhs Air 8 and corresponding porch extension since 2016, packed up its dimensions are immense and use too much of the reduced boot space.
When packed the bell tent is heavy, though I can happily live with that because it's much more compact than the air tent was.
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That's really interesting to know. I've seen people packing up their air tents into the wheelie bags, but I'd not really thought of it as being any more bulky than the bell tent, the inner, the awning and any other bits and pieces.
I am however thinking of getting a smaller more compact tent for some of our family camping. Sadly, Mrs GC has said that the amount of 'stand up space' in the bell tent is too little - so all of the tents I've been considering are very much out of the question.
Enjoy your new tent!
A
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The size of some packed tents does worry me especially as at somepoint will get a smaller car (currently a chrysler mini van).
This really does make me tempted by the octapeak but might not be glam enough for the wife. Do need to make a decision fairly soon as camping end of next month
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As I need to get my arse in gear or try and fit a family of four in my bivvy bag can I ask does anyone have any experience of oxford fabric. Seems lighter and less prone to rot but not sure if it's going to be less resilient and breathable compared to heavier bell tent canvas?
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After much deliberation just ordered a 5 metre one from belltentsussex.co.uk. Was slightly tempted by one with stove flap but currently out of stock and need for end of month
Will report back on how it goes
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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
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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
(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.
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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.
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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.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52837305789_69856dc508_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ov41bR)IMG_20230420_141439896_HDR (https://flic.kr/p/2ov41bR) by Joe B (https://www.flickr.com/photos/84858164@N02/), on Flickr
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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
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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