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Subject Topic: Best Bell Tent for family of 5 Post Reply Post New Topic
04/9/2011 at 1:24am
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: Outwell or Kampa???
View CMP1701's Profile View Profile   Reply to CMP1701 Reply   Quote CMP1701 Quote  
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Hi All,

I am new to this forum and this is my first post.
I am not sure if the following questions have already been asked, so sorry in advance if they are repeated...

I have been looking to get a new tent, our old Sunn Camp really leaks . I was looking towards getting an Outwell Florida 5, but OH has convinced me to look into Bell Tents. I love the look of them and am really keen on getting one.

But would love to know, what is the best size for a family of 5?
Two adults & three children (16.5, 14 & 5). I am also newly pregnant but not sure how long the eldest will keep camping with us as keeps asking for his own tent...may change mind if we get a Bell Tent....
Was thinking either the 5m Deluxe or the 6m Ultimate Emperor from Belltent.co.uk or the SoulPad 5000ease.
Just not sure, I can see that we could all sleep nicely, but was wondering about the living & storage space.

Secondly I live in London and would love to see one up before I buy, as really would love to get a feel of the size. I have seen photos but it is difficult to judge head room, etc.
I am willing to travel out any direction, approximately 100 miles (2.5 hrs).

Lastly what do Bell Tent owners do in bad weather, when it comes to storage of muddy clothes and cooking?
I was thinking of the Outwell as it had a porch, which comes in handy with the kids.
Has the Bell Tent got a porch or can I make one with the Malu awning?
What about a groundsheet for it?

Thanks loads
Charmie


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04/9/2011 at 5:40am
 Location: North Yorkshire
 Outfit: Sterling Europa 460 NT
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Hi Charmie and welcome to UKCS, we're owners of a 5m Soulpad bell tent.  Usually only my husband and I sleep in it as our teenagers have their own little pup tents, however on our last night in France they slept in with us (a double airbed and a single together with our double campbed) and we managed for the night.  I'm not sure I'd want to share with them all the time.  Here is a pic of our setup in France this year.  Be prepared for people asking to have a look inside, we get that all the time now and even had a dutch couple take a pic of her

we tent to leave our shoes outside the door and we also have a kitchen tent to cook in, the tarp was a godsend when we had rain as we were able to still sit out and not get wet.  We got the biggest groundsheet we could get from B&Q but chucked it in France before we come home cause it was mafted with the rain we'd had, we just unzipped the groundsheet from the tent and packed it seperate so we can wash off the mud

 



-------------
-x- Diane -x-

May 13 - Cala Gogo, St Cyprien (didn't go, hubby too ill to travel)
May 14 Ranc Davaine
August 14 Les Sablons
August 13 - Camping Playa Brava, Pals


04/9/2011 at 1:19pm
 Location: north west
 Outfit: Emperor Bell & 4m & 5m bells
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We have 4+5 meter bell and the 6m emperor. For 5 of you I would definitely say at least the 5meter is essential. We camp with 3 kids 10,14,15 so with the 5 of us its cosy but all being together is part of our camping experience, we do use SIMs so they dont take up as much room as airbeds and can easily be stacked out of the way if needed although we rarely bother. we too use a malu as a porch and if errected correctly can handle most the weather can throw at it.

We use the 4m as a kitchen/dumping ground when the pitch size allows it and have never had to cook inside the 'living'tent, most of the time we cook outside under the tarp.



Head room is not really a problem, the centre pole is 3 meters high so there is good standing room. The Emperor only has slightly more floor space then the 5m but because of the twin poles it increases the overall headspace in the tent and makes it feel much bigger and airier. We havent really struggled for space in either of the tents but we are fairly minimal campers. If you want pure luxury and oodles of space to swing as many cats as you like the emperor and 5m can be married together to form a camping palace.
Changing to bell tents for us changed the whole camping experience, for the better. I know most teenages insist on their own pods but we all love the fact that we are all together. in the rain we all sit around and play games and cards and when we are all tucked up in bed the last thing I do is read ghost stories to everybody. WE are not a 'huggy lovey' lot and the kids are normally killing each other but when we go camping it really brings us all together and the kids now prefer to not have separate pods.



The downsides- only one I can think of is zero chance of any 'tent olympics'

I hope you find a tent you will love like we do

-------------
good things come in cookies


04/9/2011 at 6:11pm
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There are 4 of us.. Us and 2 young children, we have the 5m...( we also have the pop up kitchen tent) Its brilliant.. and the room is fine..just, a bit more living/ sitting space would be better..   after seeing pictures of the 6m .. The 6m bell tent has gone straight on my Santa list!!..
the camp beds are all very close together in our 5m .. would be nice to be sleeping away from the kids!.. and the dog .. get the 6m Id say!!   


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04/9/2011 at 9:57pm
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Hi Charmie

I have various sized bells.  Ideally I would go towards the 6m bell - however these can be a bit of a pain to order as the only dealer i know is canvas and cast, who usually have quite a long delivery time (they dont come cheap either!)

Failing that I would look at the emporer from belltent.co.uk - I don't think a standard 5m would be big enough



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05/9/2011 at 11:11am
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: Outwell or Kampa???
View CMP1701's Profile View Profile   Reply to CMP1701 Reply   Quote CMP1701 Quote  
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Thanks for your replies, loads to consider.
I visited Camping World at the weekend and though I did not see any bell tents did see a few tipee styles, so got a bit of a feel.
Was really looking to have a look at the Outwells.

dianebb72 I love your setup.
Val I am going through your blog, thanks for all the info.
Rachelle, thanks for the size info, I think your usage matches ours, so that really helps.

Paperclip, i love the idea of marrying two tents together, I saw on a post that someone did this and used one as a sleeping annexe...so cool.

Now that I know that size will not be an issue with either the 5m or preferably the 6m Emperor. I know there is a 6m from Canvas and Cast but was wondering about putting the pole up by myself and prefer the look of the Emperor.

I am still wondering about a front porch/storage area for bad weather (to withstand rain and strong winds) and hope that a bell tent is designed with one fitted, not sure I like the idea of having to pitch two tents.

I know there will be a big caravan and camping show in Birmingham in February next year, does anyone know if bell tents will be on display?
Have there been any in the past?

Also is it trying to buy the tent online from Europe?
Has anyone bought from this site:
http://www.tent-tents.com/overzichtpagina3.asp?cat=1&id=18&arid=3198

Charmie


05/9/2011 at 7:13pm
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The last link is obelink, they won't ship the bell tents to the UK -can get the malu awning and some other tents tho - click on the UK flag and it lists it in English and what is available by courier


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05/9/2011 at 7:16pm
 Location: 
 Outfit: 
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The website you posted, they wont post bell tents to the UK for some stuuuupid reason but they do post other things from their site.. so very annoying as they are so much cheaper....

do you have a facebook account? if you do there are a few bell tent pages there to like.. with hundreds of people's bell tents set up with beds etc.. it gives you a good idea of size's and living space :D



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