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Topic: Bell Tent Buyer`s Diary!
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10/2/2013 at 11:09pm
Location: Norwich Norfolk Outfit: Retro 70s Canvas Frame Tent
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Hi all,
I am SO EXCITED! We are off to the SoulPad Showroom tomorrow to have a look at their bell tents with a view to buying one in March for ourselves.
I had started to make a list of products 'to buy' and lists of URLs etc when it struck me that some of you may be looking to buy the same things or could help me to decide on what to buy so I thought I would create this thread as a sort of 'diary' of our journey through buying a new tent. I'll try and detail the decisions we had to make, what we decided and how we came to that decision. I see a huge amount of threads on bell tents on here and I'm a bit of an obsessive researcher so I thought this might help some people...
First, a bit of background...
I'm Kevin and my partner is Chris. We camp with our 2-year-old dog, Duke, who just loves being outside and being with us both 24/7! We live in Norfolk and mainly camp around the area as we have family here who like to visit us 'in camp', although we are hoping for a few weeks further afield this year.
I drive a Toyota Corolla and the dog goes in the boot so we only have the back seats and a bit of the boot in which to fit our gear. Needless to say, I'm looking into a HandiRack and HandiHoldall for this season!
We bought a cheapy 2nd hand frame tent last year and the bare minimum of low-cost gear just so we could try out camping as the OH had never done it before. Needless to say, in the couple of times we went away we really did enjoy ourselves and we can't wait to get out there again but this time with a bit more 'style'!
The Tent - As I said, we're going over to the SoulPad showroom tomorrow morning to have a look at their tents. I need to see the 4m and 5m next to each other to see what size we need and visualise how we'll use each space. I don't want to get a 5m if there'll be vast amounts of empty space, but at the same time I don't want a 4m if it'll feel cramped on those bad-weather days when everything is inside.
Since they're local and come highly recommended on here, I'm leaning towards buying from SoulPad. However, I'm going to make a trip down to the Bell Tent UK showroom too sometime soon as I want to look around an Emperor and a Touareg to see if any of those are more appropriate for us - I like the idea of increased headroom!
I'm also loving the look of the Malu Awning and think I'll get one no matter which tent I buy - I will probably use it as a cooking shelter and a place to say out of the hot mid-day sun! (In England?! I can dream...)
Carpet - Whilst I love the look of the coir matting, there's no way we could get those with the weight and packed size. Currently looking at the Bell Tent UK Eco Handloomed Rugs as they could be a viable option for us. There's a shop here in Norwich called The People Tree who sell something similar so I need to price those up and decide which is best! The only *slight* worry I have is 'slippage' - I hope the rugs won't be sliding all over the place as it'll be a nightmare with the dog! However, I think you can get some non-slip rug stuff that should help them stay put.
Heating - Whilst the romantic idea of a woodburning stove is extremely appealing, cost is a massive factor here. The only stove and flue we could afford is the Frontier and there are many reports on here saying that they are just not big enough for a 5m bell tent. Since we'll be using EHU anyway, the best option seems to be a fan heater with thermostat.
Lighting - We already have a Maplin Camping Lantern (which is brilliant, and on sale atm!) for a main light, so I intend to supplement that with a homemade tealight chandelier as per this thread, as well as some Solar Fairy Lights and a Feuerhand Paraffin Lantern I already own (and love!) I would absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE a Chrome Petromax with Reflector but we'll see about that once I've bought everything else and see what's left of my bonus!
Bedding - Having used a 'ready bed' as an airbed last year, we are absolutely certain of 2 things: 1. We need a bed which is raised off the ground and 2. We want to use a duvet rather than a sleeping bag.
I'm hoping to try out the SoulPad ZonkPad bed tomorrow so I'll report back on what it's like. (Though you can get it cheaper on eBay - listed as an Anywhere Bed)
Probably going to get a 10.5 tog microfibre duvet and pillows (since they're smaller than 'normal' ones) and pack them in a vacuum storage bag for transport. We have a handheld Dyson I'll be taking to camp with us so no problem getting the air out again to bring them home.
I'm also currently debating internally about whether to get an electric blanket or not to make sure we're extra toasty! Anyone who has experience, I'd love to hear what you think.
Cooking - I already own a Cadac Safari Chef (which I intend to run on a Campingaz 907) and a Cobb BBQ. I love them both, but for different things. Each camp, I'll choose which one to take based on the meals I plan to eat!
We do have a double stove but I don't like lugging around big gas bottles so we'll be using 2 suitcase stoves placed on a kitchen unit in the awning for use.
We were lucky to get an Aldi Coolbox last year on sale and it does a fab job of keeping things cold when it's plugged in so we'll be using that as a 'fridge'.
Furniture - Still looking for a couple of decent low-down but transportable tables. Up for any suggestions you may have...
For sitting, I love moon chairs but most don't pack down well. When in GO the other day, I saw the Hi Gear Miami Chairs which are a cross between a moon chair and a standard camping chair and pack size was fairly reasonable! So I think we'll have a couple of those and get a couple of throws from The People Tree to cover them with.
Now, being two grown men those folding tables with attached stools for eating were NEVER going to be any good for us. So, we've got our eyes on a Sunncamp Table and Bench Set for eating on. Reviews on here seem to be good and the price is fairly reasonable.
Other Stuff - Of course, we'll need a windbreak. Having used two of those garish bright-striped beach windbreaks last year, I intend on getting my sewing machine out and making a new windbreak to fit on the existing poles.
Bunting is also an absolute must so we'll be looking for some of that on Folksy and support an artisan maker rather than buying mass-produced.
So, that's it so far. I'm sorry if I've 'gone on' a bit too much but I wanted to get all this stuff written down so I can refer to it later!
Do let me know if you have any comments or suggestions :)
Cheers,
Kevin
Post last edited on 10/02/2013 23:16:41
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11/2/2013 at 9:47pm
Location: Nearly always sunny Scunny Outfit: Nigor WikiUp 3 and others
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Joined: 10/5/2004 Diamond Member
Forum Posts: 5560 Tent Reviews: 9
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P-T Family - the Touareg has only got 18 guy-ropes, 3 more than a bell tent. It's those Hypercamp pyramids that have loads of them. Doesn't take long to peg out the Touareg at all. Kevie192 - I think you have made your mind up that you want a 5m Bell tent now. Good choice. You will have more floor space with this. Footprint wise, the Touareg is a bit bigger than a 4m Bell but a lot smaller than a 5m Bell. Though I love the front and back doors on the Touareg. Wish they would make a bigger one.
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