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Topic: bell tent footprint- to cut or not to cut

jadeyem

05/8/2012 at 5:35pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Belltent

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Hi all,

my husband and I have a 5m bell tent. We are going camping tomorrow morning and, on the strength of the continuing poor weather reports, I got a tarp to use as a footprint. This is because we have a sewn in groundsheet and find it is quite difficult to put the tent away at the end of a trip without a clean surface and without our canvas getting filthy from the bottom of the tent. So... the tarp I bought was a quite high quality one, 5m square. I had intended to cut it into a 5m round shape and use the clingons to pin it down where I would inevitably cut out the eyelets.

However, now it's here I'm wondering if I'll damage the integrity of it (it has a very nice sturdy sewn edge). I've wondering if it will be just as well to fold it under at the edges? I could still use the clingons to hold the folds in place?

If any of you have round tents and any tips/advice I'd appreciate it. Only a few hours of light for me to procrastinate about doing it today! Unless of course we do it in situ when we get there! :)

Jade

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robnchar

05/8/2012 at 5:50pm
Location: Notts Derbyshire
Outfit: Soulpad 5000tribe Vango 450

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Don't cut it just fold it under .it's what we do with our 5metre tipi with sig . Why does the canvas get filthy ? What we do is spread tarp out then just roll the tent out on top then tuck the corners in as we peg out . Never needed to peg the tarp

jadeyem

05/8/2012 at 5:55pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Belltent

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Filthy may be somewhat an exaggeration! But it gets muddy water on it from the bottom of the SIG when we fold it up to go into the bag. And being canvas, I think it would be better the dryer it could be packed away so we don't get mould/mildew. As ever, the bag is only just big enough to fit so needs lots of folding/rolling/smooshing!

So- with your footprint do you find folding is enough then? Does it leave enough eyelets for you to secure it to the ground?

robnchar

05/8/2012 at 6:03pm
Location: Notts Derbyshire
Outfit: Soulpad 5000tribe Vango 450

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I was editing lol . We never peg the footprint tarp on any tent . I suppose a couple just hold it while you spread the tent but never leave any in .
All ways make sure your canvas is totally dry when packing away .. I think 2 days would be the longest I'd leave ours before I'd get it out

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jadeyem

05/8/2012 at 6:07pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Belltent

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thanks.. we'll try the folding thing tomorrow then. Husband is ecstatic I'm not dragging him to the park to peg out and measure/cut it with me!

Worrying now about the tiny bits of moisture that may have been packed away with the tent. It would have been real small amounts though (we took the tent down during the phase of blistering heat we had a few weeks ago so it was just condensation on the bottom of the SIG).

Stupid how protective you are when your tent is new!

Thanks for the very speedy advice.

robnchar

05/8/2012 at 6:21pm
Location: Notts Derbyshire
Outfit: Soulpad 5000tribe Vango 450

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It will be fine lol do you fold to the centre half way then half again then then the two halves in to one and roll towards the door . If you get what I mean ? Oh and of course wiping it down as you go .

Welcome to the forum by the way . What make Bell do you have ?

jadeyem

05/8/2012 at 7:01pm
Location: None Entered
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Got it from Belltent.co.uk (I think)!! Looked at sooo many for so long!

Will write down the folding advice too.. god knows how we got it in the bag in the end!

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blueacer

05/8/2012 at 8:17pm
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We bought the 5m groundsheet that is the same shape as the bell tent more expensive I know but easily shows where the tent is going to go and enables you to judge guy lengths obsticals etc. makes pitching easy. we always peg it down as if the wind gets up the tent comes down without the groundsheet going up :-)

I would suggest see how you get on before you start cutting.

Regards M

rotterdam0892

06/8/2012 at 8:38pm
Location: Bath
Outfit: bell tent 4m hybrid

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We bought a spare ground sheet from the company we purchased our tent from. Easy and just the right size. It does save a lot of hassle when packing up. You can always use your tarp for something else

jadeyem

12/8/2012 at 11:04pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Belltent

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thanks for all the replies guys.. folding it seemed to go great so will stick with that on our next trip!

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