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Well I keep changing my mind about this subject. The more I read up on  it the more I change my mind.

I had finaly decided on a Soulpad Tipi, but then I realised that if I bought the same 5 mtr Dia bell tent, it gave a lot more room for the same foot print. I had forgotton that the bell tents have side walls, so the usable space is far greater. The middle of the roof is lower, but the roof slopes at a shallower angle, so the standing head room towards  the middle area of the tent is about the same. (if that makes sence)  With a tipi the outer edges are not really usable but with the bell tent you can go up to the sides at nearly two feet, so tables bags etc are out of the way, also the door can be left open during most rain without it entering the tent, not so with a tipi. (other than Outwell) I was designing plastic drop down doors etc but I really think the Bell is the way to go. (So I am)

We have a tentipi and 2 belltents. The Tentipi is more expensive and more robust than the bell tents - but is smaller and darker. The belltents came from the BellTent Company (on Ebay). Good quality and excellent service. We love our belltents but use the Tentipi when we need a smaller tent. It packs up small enough to carry in a large (ok, very large) backpack. The Belltent Company also make a tipi tent similar to the tentipi but cheaper. If you want something for extreme conditions the tentipi is your baby. Recommended and used by Ray Mears they are made for Scandinavian conditions. However for that hippy festival feel a bell tent will do. Its a good idea to put it up and soak the canvas before you take it out for the first time. This is to allow the seams to shrink slightly and will make it more waterproof. As with all canvas tents you will need to reproof it - and never, never put it away wet. if you do make sure you get it out as soon as poss and get it dried as they will mildew easily.

It looks like whether, or when, canvas tents need waterproofing or re-proofing is a contentious topic.  There's a really interesting thread on it here

Here

The gist of it is that the mechanics of waterproofing with canvas are that the fibres swell up when wet, closing up any small gaps - presumably this is how it worked before any re-proofing products were popular?  Someone on the above thread mentions that canvas should only need waterproofing when it's really old and the fabric has worn thin.  When I bought my canvas tent, the manufacturer told me it would only need re-proofing if it had got mildewy, presumably because the mildew 'eats' some of the cotton fibres and therefore the fabric is left too thin, so it doesn't swell up enough to keep water out.  At least that's the theory, but I don't have the experience to go with it!

Quote: Originally posted by alvis1955 on 18/3/2009

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We have a tentipi and 2 belltents.

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