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Topic: Belltent price so different, which one?

EveB

06/4/2013 at 5:36pm
Location: West Berkshire
Outfit: Vango Vail 700 Bell Tent 5m Standard

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We want to buy a 4m Belltent with a zig and we have been looking at Belltent, Soulpad and Karma Canvas and the prices vary by approx £100 for the same 4m tent. Obviously the cheapest option is the most attractive but is this the best buy? My Nana always said "buy cheap, buy twice" and I can hear her voice ringing in my ears as I go for the Karma Canvas tent (although that still isn't "cheap")!!

I have found some reviews for Karma Canvas but not as many as Soulpad or Belltent. Any advice will be greatly received, thank you.

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scotsgordon

06/4/2013 at 6:14pm
Location: Swansea
Outfit: Hobby 650 UFF

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I had same problem about a year ago when looking for a bell tent. From what I could gather Belltent and Soulpad are as near identical as makes no difference. Don't know about Karma. If you want something a bit funky Boutique camping do different coloured tents. I eventually went with your nan's viewpoint and went with a Canvas and Cast tent. It is a heavier canvas and has wooden poles as standard but it wasn't cheap!
Pictures on my profile and in the tent review section under "other tents".

Gordon

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real men shouldn't be crying into their beer, they should be drinking whisky.

Wilts camper

07/4/2013 at 12:19am
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Karma Bell Tent 5m

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Just this last Tuesday we went for it and purchased a 5meter zig Bell Tent from Karma ... Arrived on Thursday morning! Very impressed. Today we pitched it in a friends garden this afternoon. Very happy Bunnys here! Still to try it for real very soon.... Please please let next wked be that time! Spent the last 6 months saving for it so lots of time to research which one to get. Karma was the cheapest but that wasn't the reason we went for it but it did help ! Fly screen was one of the pluses .Once I have had a couple of camps in it will write a review.

Happy Bell tent purchasing !

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Wilts camper

armchaircamper

07/4/2013 at 12:53am
Location: Aberdeenshire
Outfit: Several tents and a hammock

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Very similar comments to Wilts camper. I've recently bought the 5m zig from Karma Canvas as well. The specifications were the same as Belltent and Soulpad with the addition of the insect mesh door so I don't know why there's such a difference in price. I haven't used mine yet either, but am very impressed with what I've seen. It seems the same quality as my 4m from Belltent.

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Sarah

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Tynxuk

07/4/2013 at 8:20am
Location: Sunny Suffolk (West)
Outfit: inflatable dome Palamos6 frame tent

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I have a 4m 'my cool tent' bell tent which I bought as a return (company no longer exist) and other than working out how an odd flap sits had no problem with it. We then went on to buy a 5m from soulpad before Xmas mainly because they are local but also because they sent a 10% discount code via email shortly after I signed up to their newsletter. We used it last weekend and are happy with it

EveB

08/4/2013 at 9:56am
Location: West Berkshire
Outfit: Vango Vail 700 Bell Tent 5m Standard

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Thank you so much for the replies, it does help. It is ridiculous how much time I have put into thinking about buying the belltent!! I love the Canvas and Cast tent, I did look at those too but they are the Waitrose equivalent in supermarket world compared to Soulpad etc and I can't afford to shop at Waitrose!!

I am very jealous of those who have the 4m AND the 5m, how great to have both. I am going to go for the 4m after much deliberation, the main reason being is the weight. I want to be able to take the kids camping on my own when my husband is working, we have a Vango that weighs 33kg and I can barely lift it into the boot let alone put it up on my own! Apparently the Belltent is one of the easiest tents to put up solely and as I am only 5ft I need it to be the easiest tent! I am going to get the canopy as well so all our kitchen stuff will be outside which should help with the inside space.

I hope I don't regret buying the 4m instead of the 5m but I have to be practical and consider the weight of the tent too. Arrgh here I go again, should I go for the 4m or 5m now I have decided to buy from Karma Canvas...it's hard work buying a tent!!

armchaircamper

08/4/2013 at 11:09am
Location: Aberdeenshire
Outfit: Several tents and a hammock

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You don't have to carry the entire tent as one heavy weight. I split the weight into three packages - canvas, groundsheet and poles. The 4m is very manageable then, with the 5m a bit heavier obviously. Oh, and I've bought a small trolley from Belltent just in case I have to carry all my stuff any distance to a pitch. These might be options for you, rather than spending all that money on a 4m then wishing you'd gone for the 5m. Can't comment yet on how easy it is to put up the weight of the 5m but check out other threads.

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Sarah

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P-T Family

08/4/2013 at 5:06pm
Location: Norfolk
Outfit: 5m bell tent & Vango Peace tepee

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I can put my 5m up on my own and I'm a petite 5'2". I make the other half lug it in and out of the car but would probably separate the groundsheet if I was on my own. Used my Karma Canvas tent all last year and couldn't fault it and love how quick it is put up and take down - on arriving onsite my youngest needed the loo urgently and by the time we got back my other half had pretty much put it up! My xmas present was a Wenka tarp from E-bay although not had a chance to use it yet.

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