Bit of a warning for any other Belltenters out there. Hopefully you won't be as daft as us!
After 5 days camping bliss in Arisaig, we packed up in very heavy rain and headed to Comrie for a further 5 days where disaster struck..... supporting pole on the Belltent BENT IN HALF!!!!! The wet canvas was too much for the pole when trying to pitch. We have only has the tent a year.
Thankfully the amazing George at Comrie Croft Campsite and some fellow campers came to our rescue. George went off to his workshop and made us a new pole. Human kindness at it's best.
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Good grief!! I've been afraid of that happening in the wind so I take a spare pole, but I didn't think of the effect of the weight of wet canvas.
When you say it bent in half, do you mean it came apart at the joint or did it break through?
Good for Comrie Croft! They seem to get more than their fair share of rain - at least, they do when I visit - and then the mud on the woodland pitches is awful. What do you think of the new tea room?
The original pole was 28mm Metal(perhaps steel?) I notice on the Karma website that their new poles are now 32mm thick.
I had been looking at getting a spare wooden pole from RL Trims before we went, but stupidly decided against!
The new pole is a single length of timber which has been rounded at the top end. Can't give measurements as it's at my parents. Timber left over from the new tearoom build, lucky us.
It drove home with it on our roof rack secured with ball bungees with a rag tied to the end, we have a trailer behind us anyway. Don't think it would be safe if you didn't have the length from the trailer.
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The pole bent at the middle joint when we were trying to pitch the tent up. The tent was sodden and very heavy.
The lower meadow at comrie was great not too muddy, though Comrie town had severe flooding when we were there. No leaks in the Belltent at least, nearly everyone else was rained off home.
The tea room was a nice treat on the day we were leaving, got all packed up then stuffed our faces before driving home.
Have you camped on the woodland pitches in your Bell? I didn't think they would fit? The twins are only 3 and like being near the chickens anyway. Don't think I like the idea of muddy dog running in and out of the tent also!
Quote: Originally posted by moomintash on 31/8/2012The pole bent at the middle joint when we were trying to pitch the tent up. The tent was sodden and very heavy.
The lower meadow at comrie was great not too muddy, though Comrie town had severe flooding when we were there. No leaks in the Belltent at least, nearly everyone else was rained off home.
The tea room was a nice treat on the day we were leaving, got all packed up then stuffed our faces before driving home.
Have you camped on the woodland pitches in your Bell? I didn't think they would fit? The twins are only 3 and like being near the chickens anyway. Don't think I like the idea of muddy dog running in and out of the tent also!
There are only one or two pitches which will take the 4m bell. I was on pitch 9 last September, but it's under a broad-leaved tree so shady. The rain bounced the mud up onto the canvas and the ground in front became a bog.
I took a smaller tent to pitch 11 last month and had the same mud problem. The forecast was reasonable until the day I went, then there was a weather warning for rain! I would try the top meadow next time as it's grass and not shaded. Lovely views too.
------------- Sarah
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Sarah: I might leave the woodland pitches until the boys are a bit older, wouldn't be able to take the 5m Bell, but hubby has a retro canvas Blue/Orange ebay special which would be good in the woods. The upper meadow looks stunning also.
No charge for the wood for the pole either! Comrie Croft is run by a great group of folk. George the camping guy is my hero of the year!
Oh no, thats awful - have you contacted Karma Canvas? Their customer service is great and they might be happy to supply a thicker replacement. Our tent from them came with the thicker version and its like a scaffolding pole its so thick. After reading about other bell tent owners concerns I also have a spare king pole handy to strap to it if it ever looks under strain but so far so good.
This was the response from Karma Canvas(I sent them a message on their Facebook page):
So sorry to hear of your recent experience. We do however stock spares so pls drop an e-mail to info at karmacanvas.co.uk and we'll send prices and delivery info etc. Thanks.
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They ought to replace it for nothing, since it wasn't strong enough for the job. You were only using it to pitch the tent, which is what it's meant for after all. If you'd had a woodburning stove in there when it gave way, the consequences could have been dreadful.
I've made a spare pole for my Cabanon Guadeloupe out of 20mm solid stainless steel bar. It's in 3 sections with 8mm studs to screw them together. An hurricane wouldn't bend it! The original pole has never bent but thought I'd make a spare. Plus I was bored at work so it gave me something to do! Lol.
When my soulpad pole bent, they sent me a better one for free the same day. I'd try hard for a FOC replacement. If they insist on you paying, I would go to another supplier, that way at least they won't profit from shoddy manufacture. Hope youy get it sorted.
------------- Canvas tent, paraffin light, petrol stove. Heaven
I'd rather be kayaking.
Spent up, not pent up, just had my new tent up.
Raking up an old thread here,
Why are the centre poles so flimsy?
They might be 32mm in diameter but that doesn't account for much when it's only 1mm thick., the joints also have too much play.
1st thing I did was make a new pole for mine, out of sch10 stainless tube, held together with 1¼ threaded studs at the 2 joints.
Much much more substantial, and I welded coat hooks onto it