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Topic: Bell / Tipi Tent Info

Liztd

04/2/2015 at 10:04am
Location: None Entered
Outfit: None Entered

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I am looking for a new tent I can put up on my own with 2 young kids but that dad could join us for too later in the trip and had my eyes opened to the idea of a bell tent or tipi tent from posts on here.

Does anyone have anything they think is really important to have (or not have)?

For example I've had a look at a few online and fancy one that is sturdily waterproof but can also have the walls lifted up to provide ventilation and a sunshade area in the summer (optimistic I know!).

Is it also worth having an inner tent like in a traditional tunnel tent? I've never slept in one and know in our other tent the living space is much colder than the cosy sleeping area and adding an inner tent means getting a much larger tent which I worry I may not be able to put up on my own!

Are they also easy to take down and pack away (our biggest gripe with the airbeam we have).

Any thoughts and words of advice greatly appreciated as I'm thinking of getting one instead of paying for a yurt stay over the holidays. If it's really that easy it won't mean most of a day wasted taking the thing apart and we can use it lots more during the summer :o)

Thanks in advance

Post last edited on 04/02/2015 11:15:30

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robnchar

05/2/2015 at 1:18am
Location: Notts Derbyshire
Outfit: Soulpad 5000tribe Vango 450

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Hi. Personally in this country i would always go for sewn in ground sheet. having woken up to the feeling of being on a water bed because of the amount of rain that fell in the early hours but knowing all your gear is dry is priceless. A zip in ground sheet is a good option if packing or drying space is an issue. depending on the size you go for they can be very heavy when wet and being able to split it up would help. An inner tent can be very useful for keeping bugs out and keeping a little warmer. Our Solpad tipi doesn't have an inner tent we have never thought we needed one though. We use a woodburning stove in ours so very cozy. in the summer its equally cool with both the shape and top vent helping to draw cool area in an warm air out.
We've had ours 5 year and had no problems apart from the original pole snapping in 60mph + wind at newyear a couple of years ago. We replaced the pole with a huge wooden one but the original pole had done well considering the type of use we have put it through.
Ours Tipi is probably the last big tent we will buy. With the right care i can see it still in use in 20 years.

quilly101

05/2/2015 at 3:00pm
Location: Herts
Outfit: Karsten 350 Pod CA EA FW RA COMBI

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We have a 5m bell. Easy to put up and down, my wife can do it on her own, we also have an inner, only used it once, but haven't been away in any temps less than 10 degrees, so haven't needed it. Inner takes up a lot of space, but if you have any heating I wouldn't think you'd need an inner.

chrisinhove

08/2/2015 at 8:56am
Location: Sussex
Outfit: Macpac Vango Outwell Coleman Robens

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We have both an Outwell Indian Lake tipi (now discontinued but offered by Robens, with a lighter ZIG) and a Robens Klondike bell tent.

Both are excellent, but the big tipi is a handful to erect. The Klondike is far easier, being lower and lighter, whilst still having loads of space/volume, and much easier for trips of shorter duration.

Being treated polycotton, the outer doesn't wet-out / saturate like conventional cotton canvas allegedly can, and is much lighter. Also, never underestimate the advantages of a zip-in-groundsheet.

The inner is by no means essential, but I would recommend it for cooler weather or if privacy is important.

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geoffprinter

08/2/2015 at 9:18am
Location: Kent
Outfit: 5m Bell Tent & Olpro Pop Tent.

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5 metre Bell here. Karma Canvas with zig and my wife can erect it on her own even with the zig attached, Hopefully getting a front awning this season, which should give us our ideal set up.

foggers

01/6/2015 at 10:01am
Location: Sheffield
Outfit: Cabanon Guadeloupe Zephyros3

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I really like the look of the Robens Klondike. My partner is disabled so we need a tent that I can handle alone, which is warm and snug. Does anyone know what the dimensions of the inner are? Would need to fit a double mat in there.

CharlieD123

01/6/2015 at 3:10pm
Location: None Entered
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What's your budget? I guess the main attraction for a tipi tent is that the kids will love it.

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PaulaMB

01/6/2015 at 3:58pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Outfit: Albatros-Safir 7-Trisar 3-Octapeak F8

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We have recently bought a Tentipi - I presume that pitching the Robens one works on the same principle.

I can put it up alone in 10 minutes but then have to add the groundsheet.

Think about the weight, not sure about anything other than the one we have but we chose the Tentipi for ease of pitch and weight amongst other things, the 4.5m one weighs 7kg.

batgirl007

26/7/2016 at 2:49pm
Location: South Wales
Outfit: Outwell Bear Lake 4

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Sorry to revive an old thread, but I'm interested in chrisinhove's mention of having both an Indian Lake and a Klondike. We are on the brink of buying a Robens Kiowa, which seems to be very similar to the Indian Lake but with the fiddly roof/chimney bit pre-attached. We have a decent tunnel tent, but it takes close to an hour to pitch/strike single-handed (and one of us needs to be on toddler chasing duty at all times) so we are looking for something quicker to put up, that still gives us plenty of space.
How long does the Indian Lake take to pitch? Is the Klondike large enough for a family of four for a week? Any more hints or tips?
Thanks

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