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Subject Topic: Karma Canvas Belltent pole BENT IN HALF! Post Reply Post New Topic
31/8/2012 at 11:29am
 Location: Fife
 Outfit: Karma Canvas 5m Belltent
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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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31/8/2012 at 12:36pm
 Location: Notts Derbyshire
 Outfit: Soulpad 5000tribe Vango 450
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A Warning and a good advert for single pole tents ! As if it had been any other form of tent you'd have been on your way home early !

A question ? What was the orginal pole made from and how thick ? whats the replacement like ?

rob



31/8/2012 at 12:47pm
 Location: Aberdeenshire
 Outfit: Several tents and a hammock
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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! 17 They seem to get more than their fair share of rain - at least, they do when I visit 17 - and then the mud on the woodland pitches is awful. What do you think of the new tea room?



-------------
Sarah


31/8/2012 at 1:19pm
 Location: Fife
 Outfit: Karma Canvas 5m Belltent
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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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31/8/2012 at 1:22pm
 Location: Fife
 Outfit: Karma Canvas 5m Belltent
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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!   


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31/8/2012 at 1:37pm
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: 5M Bell Outwel WL5 Rosas Q Base II
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Thanks for the warning!


31/8/2012 at 1:51pm
 Location: Aberdeenshire
 Outfit: Several tents and a hammock
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Quote: Originally posted by moomintash on 31/8/2012
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!   


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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31/8/2012 at 2:09pm
 Location: North Wiltshire
 Outfit: Elddis & 3 tents
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Wow now that is service from a campsite owner. I bet the new wooden pole is far stronger than the old metal one anyway.


31/8/2012 at 2:17pm
 Location: Fife
 Outfit: Karma Canvas 5m Belltent
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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!


31/8/2012 at 9:21pm
 Location: Norfolk
 Outfit: 5m bell tent & Vango Peace tepee
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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.


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31/8/2012 at 9:27pm
 Location: Fife
 Outfit: Karma Canvas 5m Belltent
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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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02/9/2012 at 1:00pm
 Location: Aberdeenshire
 Outfit: Several tents and a hammock
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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.



-------------
Sarah


02/9/2012 at 2:23pm
 Location: Barnsley
 Outfit: Cabanon Guadeloupe
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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.


03/9/2012 at 7:27pm
 Location: E Yorkshire
 Outfit: None Entered
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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.


via mobile 15/8/2019 at 8:56am
 Location: west yorks
 Outfit:  Vango inspire 600xl 5m bell tent
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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



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