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 Topic: About to buy a bell tent, few quick qs
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11/5/2012 at 11:50pm
Location: midlands
Outfit: Royal Toulous 9 Vango Icarus 6 5m bell
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Hello all
I've been considering a bell tent for a couple of years, and after a scary experience in a vango Icarus in windy weather last year I want something easier to put up and take down single handed, less noisy and less hot when (if)the sun should come out. I'm thinking a 5m zig, liking the Karma for the mesh door option-what do folks think? We will be 1 or 2 adults with a ten year old and six year old, all on single airbeds.
One of my concerns...obviously this is a big tent....if it has to be taken down in the rain, how do you dry it? Is it easier just to pitch in garden again and wait for a dry day to pack up properly, or do people try to dry in the house?
Another query...on some websites they offer fireproofing...I won't have a stove and unlikely to cook inside..is it advisable anyway, or not really needed?
Thanks!
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12/5/2012 at 12:37am
Location: Aberdeenshire
Outfit: Several tents and a hammock
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I always spread out my 4m in the house after I've been camping, whether it's wet or not, as I'm a bit paranoid about putting it away damp. I have no problem draping it over a table and chairs or a bed. 5m is obviously larger but I'm sure you'd be able to dry it indoors as long as it's turned frequently to make sure it's all dry. The advantage of the ZIG is that the groundsheet can be removed and deal with separately. The 5m should be a good size for you - the 4m would be too small.
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Sarah
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12/5/2012 at 8:06am
Location: Devizes Wiltshire
Outfit: MWB2BVW2BCrafter2
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I don't have a bell tent, however, my Escala 4 is a canvas pyramid tent, and it needs to be spread out in the garage when I come home after a trip to dry properly before packing it away.
It needs to turned from time to time to aid drying.
The need to do this is probably the only disadvantage of having a canvas tent for me.
However, the advantages such as the tent being more stable and quieter in the wind, yet cooler in the sun, ample of space, etc. etc. outweigh this inconvenience.
DK 
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12/5/2012 at 8:34am
Location: Derbyshire
Outfit: None Entered
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Theres 1 or 2 sites that also do a footprint for the 5m bell im sure to save your zig or sig being packed away dirty with your canvas.
http://www.greenoutdoor.co.uk/products/bell-tent-groundsheet
The above im sure did a carpet too.
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12/5/2012 at 8:43am
Location: Aberdeenshire
Outfit: Several tents and a hammock
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I always pack the groundsheet separately in one of these. It's waterproof so no muddy water leaks through and it makes it easier to pack the canvas in its own bag as there's more room.
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Sarah
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12/5/2012 at 1:17pm
Location: Surrey
Outfit: Alaska Bedouin 280 De waard & Jambore
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I bought a spare groundsheet from Soulpad to use as a footprint for less than half of the price of the Greenoutdoor one.
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12/5/2012 at 1:54pm
Location: midlands
Outfit: Royal Toulous 9 Vango Icarus 6 5m bell
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Brilliant tips folks, thanks. My next post was going to be about footprints but you've covered that!
I was wondering if anyone had seen the Karma this year, with the mesh that you can zip over the doors if wished . Seems like a great idea....are there any disadvantages? If not, and nobody has any strong advice against them, I think that will be the one I go for.
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12/5/2012 at 6:04pm
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Anne A has the Karma tent with the door mesh.
I threaded a net curtain onto the A frame poles of the 5m Soulpad tent and that worked well - it doesn't zip up but hangs nicely and you don't have to keep unzipping it if you want to go in and out. Also, you can buy mesh panels to go round the skirts of the soulpad if you want to lift the canvas skirts in warm weather.
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12/5/2012 at 8:59pm
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-Hi We have a 5m bell from belltent so no mesh doors - think its a fab idea and would be the one i would have gone for We just use a cheap blue tarp cut slightly smaller as a footprint, seems to work for us We have been lucky and the tent has yet to get wet....will need to dry inside and just keep turning it when our luck runs out!!
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12/5/2012 at 9:41pm
Location: midlands
Outfit: Royal Toulous 9 Vango Icarus 6 5m bell
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Thanks again for the tips. I had wondered about cutting down a tarp from lidl as a footprint...think I'll try that before splashing out on a more official version. And the net over the a.frame sounds like a great idea. I always find myself nagging the kids about climbing in And out of half-unzipped doorways and inners, pulling on the tent. With a nice drapey net that could all be avoided. Because I haven't actually seen a bell tent yet I can't really picture how to add these little improvements.
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13/5/2012 at 6:29am
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Quote: Originally posted by jayner on 12/5/2012
I bought a spare groundsheet from Soulpad to use as a footprint for less than half of the price of the Greenoutdoor one.
Just checked their web site, what a fab idea. We currently use a cheapo tarp cut to shape but when it reaches the end of its useful days, I'll look into getting this from soulpad. Thanks for this tip, and defo cheaper than green outdoors.
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13/5/2012 at 10:09am
Location: midlands
Outfit: Royal Toulous 9 Vango Icarus 6 5m bell
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OK I'm going for it - the Karma with zig I think. Also I've put in a offer for one of the tarps/awnings mentioned on another thread, and invested in a utility for cooking and storage. It's never all going to fit in the car.....
Now I need to sell my Icarus setup from last year to fund all this!
Thanks again for all the advice.
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