We purchased our Bell Tent over a year ago and we are seeing their popularity increase and their presence dominating festivals and campsites. With their demand increasing we wanted to review our Bell Tent and suggest places where you can find your own and give you a couple of hints and tips on how to care for them.

Overview:

Bell Tents offer all the joys of camping under canvas without all the hassle associated with other canvas tents. They pack down small and take 1 person less than 15 minutes to put up or take down.

Features:

• Lightweight but strong
• Only weighs a total of 16.5kg
• All packs down into matching canvas bag (approx 90cm - 30cm - 30cm)
• Beautiful cream colour
• Material is treated to be water, UV and mould resistant for a recommended up to 60 weeks of constant use
• An A frame-covered entrance. Unlike some bell tents this has an A frame entrance which creates a porch to stop the rain coming in.
• Takes 2 people around 8 minutes to erect
• Can be erected by one person in around 12 minutes
• Waterproof ground sheet is octagonal, made to measure and is pegged down to stop it being blown about
• The walls have an 8 inch colour matched rubber flap that tucks under the ground sheet to create and wind and rain resistant seal
• Sides roll up on hot days to let the breeze through
• Beautifully made, quality build
• 4 x Unzippable windows / air vents complete with mosquito nets
• Heavy duty zipped front door for fast access and a secure seal

Review:

Bell Tents are ‘the’ tried and tested tent. Based on a 19th century design which has stood the test of time and originally used by the military. Later largely used by the Scouts or families camping in the 1930’s Bell Tents are seeing a surge in popularity with the glamorous campers and festival goers.

The design is simple; natural poly-cotton canvas hangs down from a central pole and is held in place with guy ropes, creating a delightful old-fashioned shape. Bell Tents are strong enough to withstand all that the elements can throw at it, they are fully waterproof and when the sun is shining you can roll up the sides enjoy the breeze and let the outside in.

Depending on who you order your Bell Tent through you may have to thread the guy ropes. Once this is done the tent is so easy to put up and can be done by one person. It should take one person around 12 minutes to put up and about 8 minutes for two people. The Ground Sheet is pegged out first, with the canvas then laid out on the ground sheet, matching up the rubber loops to the pegs, this is then pegged out. There is one central pole and an A frame door, which pitches the tent, and allows for the guy ropes to be pegged out. This is such a simple tent to erect and should prevent the most heated of tent pitching arguments.

The Bell Tent is a spacious and airy tent, perfect for all weather camping. The canvas keeping you cool on the hottest of days and warmer on chilly nights. Once you have cured your tent (see top tips below) the Bell Tent will be perfectly waterproof and will stand up to the strongest of winds. Our Bell Tent was the only tent still securely standing, apart from the neighbouring Yurt, at Eweleaze Farm on the cliff top pitch after gale force winds last August. The Bell Tent doesn’t bend like tents with carbon fibre poles. The only thing I will strongly suggest is investing in some decent pegs or ground anchors.

On summer days the windows can be opened for extra ventilation, or the sides can be rolled up creating a shelter from the sun and allowing the breeze to blow in under the sides whilst you chillax. The Bell Tent is the ultimate canvas tent and after having one we will never look back.

Top Tips:

• Purchase decent pegs for the guy ropes, either Delta Ground Anchor Pegs or a wooden peg set.
• Do not put the porch frame together before putting it in to the tent when erecting the tent
• Always put your tent away dry, if you can’t make sure you take it out when you get home and ensure it dries thoroughly. When drying out ensure the canvas is not touching anything where the dye may come out.
• Most canvas bell tents are mildew treated but if you are concerned and any signs of mildew start to appear, give the tent a good clean and use a mildew treatment to solve the issue. Allow to dry thoroughly then re-waterproof. Albion Canvas have a good selction of products for canvas tents http://www.albioncanvas.co.uk/p444548/Mould-amp-Mildew-Stain-remover.html
• Newly manufactured tents need to be weathered, or cured, before use, to seal all seams. This just means that you need to put the tent up in your garden before your first trip, and allow it to get wet; either from rain or dew, or use a garden hose. There wasn’t much advice around when we first got our Bell Tent, and on our first trip to a windswept and rainy Eweleaze farm we had to put up with a leaky tent. But the next day the canvas dried out, and with the next evenings rain it was ok. Once wetted the canvas will swell and should seal all small holes. It should also be remembered that canvas is a breathable fabric and is not therefore 100% waterproof. However with care you will have very few problems, and if you do have problems with any leaky seams or un-waterproofed patches look to Albion Canvas for their canvas products www.albioncanvas.co.uk
• Most Bell Tent canvas do not come fire retardant materials so if you are worried about this it is worth considering another style of tent.
• Always make sure your mudflaps are pushed uner your groundsheet in rainy weather and peg down the front door once you are in to prevent leakage.
• When you book your pitch check with the campsite owner that your Bell Tent will fit in the pitch
• Fo canvas care this site has a useful feature from RexGrant http://rexgrant.webs.com/tents.htm
• If you need replacement groundsheets SoulPad sell them separately
• If you are worried about bugs, buy yourself an inner tent as these have sewn in ground sheets. However camping is never bug free.
• If you are thinking of purchasing a Wood-burning Stove and Flu Kit use the flap from the tent bag to cover the hole where the flu goes through when the stove is not being used.

Recommended for: Everyone! Festival goers, families, romantic breaks away, scouts, group camping, garden parties, out of season camping, shelter on a summers day.

RRP: around £270 but strongly varies depending on weight of canvas and supplier

Available from www.belltent.co.uk www.soulpad.co.uk www.canvasandcast.com or www.belltent.biz www.albioncanvas.co.uk if you fancy translating or finding some bargains www.obelink.nl www.canvascamp.com