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Hello there.

I have a question if anybody can help me. Please excuse my total lack of tent techy speak.

I have just purchased a Bear Lake 6 and erected it in the garden. One annoying thing I have found is that because the sheeving for the cross support is made out of mesh fabric, it catches on the release mechanisms on the alloy cross support poles when they are slid through.

On closer inspection of the outwell website and other pictures on the web, the fabric should not be mesh fabric.

My question is,

 - have I be sold a 2006 model (the website clained 2007)
 - does the outwell website show a 2006 model and the fabric was chaged to mesh at 2007?

either way the mesh is a bit of a pain but I would like to know for piece of mind.

Other than this the tent is a cracking bit of kit.

Hi there

We had a Bear Lake 6 and were assured it was the 2007 model - the answer to your question is, yes, ours had the mesh also.  Unfortunately, we had a faulty tent, so have no longer got it as we had a refund.

P.S. I found that the mesh was awkward to push the poles through and had wondered why they had used that type of fabric, as it was difficult trying not to snag it.....I thought there might have been a good explanation to have the mesh there.

Thanks for the reply. At least I know that I have a 2007 model (not that I know there is much difference).

The decision to use mesh is a bit of a funny one considering the snagging and the fact that all the pictures show normal fabric. Like you say, there's probably a good reason for it - water draining possibly.

Thanks again

I would suspect the photos are of early pre-production models.

Definately if mesh wasn't used there would be a big problem with water pooling up behind the sleeve.

Steve

I have a 2007 BL6 and put it up for the first time yesterday. Mine also has the mesh and it can catch on the pole release tabs. I didn't think it was too much of a problem.

Mine didn't have the tight front door problem - although I didn't peg it fully out. I found that the instructions to put it up were rubbish. Trying to lift the tent from the back pole with all the poles in their sleeves was a nightmare. I think I will insert 1 pole at a time - starting from the back.

Overall, I am well chuffed with the tent.

Quote: Originally posted by Janners Hat on 29/7/2007

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I have a 2007 BL6 and put it up for the first time yesterday. Mine also has the mesh and it can catch on the pole release tabs. I didn't think it was too much of a problem.

Mine didn't have the tight front door problem - although I didn't peg it fully out. I found that the instructions to put it up were rubbish. Trying to lift the tent from the back pole with all the poles in their sleeves was a nightmare. I think I will insert 1 pole at a time - starting from the back.

Overall, I am well chuffed with the tent.

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Yea the poles just get a little stuck on the push buttons, but not a significant problem.  I'm glad you're happy with the Bear Lake after having read your concerns on another thread.

We just had a week in our Bear Lake; rain, wind and mud!

The tent was fantastic.  It handled considerable rain and kept us dry and comfortable all week.  When I lifted the carpet after one week the groundsheet was bone dry all round the tent.  We did get some rain seeping through the seams at the bottom of the curtains and wetting them.  However once the tent dried out I gave these seams a quick spray with fabsil and the problem has gone.

The big plus for me is that I find the tent much more comfortable to sleep in than the Monty 4 we've got and our old leaky Nebraska.  Virtually no condensation and quiet in the wind.

I've found it's worthwhile putting a 5M x 4M cheap tarp down first if the conditions are poor otherwise you end up dropping the tent into the muddy ground when you pack up.  

I must admit I find the Bear Lake tricky to pitch too.  The aluminium poles are flexible and that just makes things harder.  A few practices are needed.  I'm not going to try putting the poles in one at a time though as they're one piece and I think they would be difficult to manoevre into the sleeves if the tent was upright.

Steve 

Steve,

I've noticed a couple of threads on here which identify wet curtains.

Where did you spray the fabsil? Was it on the inside where the curtains attached to the outer? Or was it on the ouside of the tent at the bottom of the windows?

Did the fabsil stain the tent? Or would it affect the waterproofing?

The first time the tent got wet I noticed a tiny wet spot on the ceiling in one place.  Once the tent had dried out the tent remained bone dry at every panel and seam, except for those that the curtains attached to:-

Midway through the week we had prolonged and heavy rain and it was very windy.  The four side curtains became damp all along the point at which they were sewn into the tent.   I dropped the curtains down to dry them out and next time it rained (several times) these seams did not let in any water and the curtains stayed dry.

When I removed the front canopy it allowed the three front windows to get much more rain onto them and I got the same wet curtain problem.  However when these dried out and the tent got wet again they were much better but still a little bit damp.  To make doubly sure I sprayed just these front three with Fabsil all along the stitch holes on the outside of the tent.  I wiped the overspray from the plastic of the windows.  The fabric under the curtains did go quite dark immediately after spraying and I was a bit worried it may have left a mark.  However once dry there was no sign of where I had sprayed.

When I got home I errected the tent to make sure it was clean and well aired.  I sprayed the front windows all along the seams with a hosepipe for several minutes and no water soaked into the curtains.

It appears that although weathering isn't essential to keep you comfortable in this tent its performance is improved once the tent has had some good rain on it and dried out.  Also the curtains that became wet all dried out without leaving any marks on them.

I think there's still a chance of some damp spots on the front windows because outwell have stitched them at the bottom of the PVC window.  Any slight condensation will run down and wet the curtains.  Perhaps they would have been better sticthed at the top?

Steve

Steve,

Many thanks for the advice.

I may be being daft, but are you saying that on the first occassion the 4 side curtains got wet - you dropped them down and they dried out. After that no rain got on the curtains whether they were up or down? If that is so, it sounds like it was when you used to have to "proof" the old canvas tents. Outwell told me you didn't need to do that but I have heard conflicting stories. Did you Fabsil the sides or just the front?

Any other tips or comments?

Yes I only used Fabsil on the front.  The side curtains got wet the first time heavy rain fell on them.  On the outside of the tent you could see the stitching and seam area became quite saturated whilst similar seams on the rest of the tent did not.  It rained virtually every day after that and the side curtains did not become wet again.

I bought a can of fabsil knowing it was going to be a wet week.  After having a leaky Monty 4 then a Nebraska I wasn't taking any chances.

I can't see any harm in spraying all the curtain seems if desired.

Steve