Bell Tents

[QuackCandle]

Hey you lovely lovely people.

I'm really after one of these for this years festival:

http://www.glampingcornwall.com/communitie.../4526955623.jpg

After doing every year in a crappy horrible tent; I fancy having something a bit mad. Now all the prices I've looked at are around £250 plus.

Does anyone know anywhere that do them cheaply at all?

I'm not holding my breath and I suppose I'll have to save for the next Glasto!

x

[MissB]

Hey you lovely lovely people.

I'm really after one of these for this years festival:

http://www.glampingcornwall.com/communitie.../4526955623.jpg

After doing every year in a crappy horrible tent; I fancy having something a bit mad. Now all the prices I've looked at are around £250 plus.

Does anyone know anywhere that do them cheaply at all?

I'm not holding my breath and I suppose I'll have to save for the next Glasto!

x

[r0cky]

Basically, no... the two main suppliers in the UK; Soulpad and Belltent ship them in from Obelink in Holland, where they are much cheaper, Obelinks website sells them for EUR 195. But they won't ship to the UK because of this deal they have with the UK suppliers...

[MissB]

Interesting. They are attempting to compartmentalize the EU. That arrangement could well be illegal and breach Art 101 TFEU. Might be worth making a complaint to Competition Authority

[noodle24]

i have never seen that tent before but it is really pretty! i hope you find a cheaper one! good luck.

[r0cky]

Yeah, a lot of people have complained to them that it's against the EU trading laws but they claim they can refuse to ship to any country they want.

In fact you can actually go right through and buy one from their ebay because ebay doesnt allow you to specify between EU countries you will ship to only EU or worldwide... but they just refund you and tell you they won't ship to UK

this is relatively new, until last year loads of people were buying direct from Obelink but they got in trouble with their UK suppliers so they had to stop...

It's a HUGE mark up by Soulpad and Belltent though, totally unfair really... what with that and what they charge at their boutique camping sites at festivals (same people) they must be rolling in it!

[Rufus Gwertigan]

Hey you lovely lovely people.

I'm really after one of these for this years festival:

http://www.glampingcornwall.com/communitie.../4526955623.jpg

After doing every year in a crappy horrible tent; I fancy having something a bit mad. Now all the prices I've looked at are around £250 plus.

Does anyone know anywhere that do them cheaply at all?

I'm not holding my breath and I suppose I'll have to save for the next Glasto!

x

[glasto-worker]

There must be hundreds of Bell tents stored in Scout Halls up and down the UK -

I used to camp in one when I was 12 { 45 years ago } and I bet its still can be used today .

for people who have not used that type before the bottom walls can be tied up and it will still remain free standing . { only useful when its sunny ]

The only downside is you need a team of Boy scouts to carry one as they are bloody heavy.

[MissB]

There must be hundreds of Bell tents stored in Scout Halls up and down the UK -

I used to camp in one when I was 12 { 45 years ago } and I bet its still can be used today .

for people who have not used that type before the bottom walls can be tied up and it will still remain free standing . { only useful when its sunny ]

The only downside is you need a team of Boy scouts to carry one as they are bloody heavy.

[r0cky]

Those Bell tents are quite nice, great if it's hot with all the sides open. Our neighbours had one a couple of years back, watched them putting it up. It's probably easier to put up with a team of scouts as well. Lots of guy-lines and things to get right.

[glasto-worker]

Those Bell tents are quite nice, great if it's hot with all the sides open. Our neighbours had one a couple of years back, watched them putting it up. It's probably easier to put up with a team of scouts as well. Lots of guy-lines and things to get right.

[r0cky]

Are you on a break or have you completed your studies ?

[r0cky]

Yeah, a lot of people have complained to them that it's against the EU trading laws but they claim they can refuse to ship to any country they want.

[glasto-worker]

Was taking a break at work. Not finished yet alas, have exam end of May, and dissertation due June 21st! That's too close to Glasto for my liking.

[QuackCandle]

I have one of these

If you can pick it up you can have it for a hundred

seriously.

I's about 18 foot diameter though, and no floor.

[QuackCandle]

I have one of these

If you can pick it up you can have it for a hundred

seriously.

I's about 18 foot diameter though, and no floor.

[glasto-worker]

Re with regards ' I understand that some Bell Tents don't have floors in them, how does this affect the inside of the tent when raining etc? Does the water come in? '

Apart from a toy tent I have never seen a Bell tent with a built in ground sheet.

{ 1 } you have a heavy canvas tent

{ 2 } you have a separate ground sheet

{ 3 } you have a central tent pole. { there may be other poles but the one in your photo appears to have only one central pole }

you put the ground sheet on the ground - you then get someone to stand in the middle holding the pole and erect the tent around it .

The tent when fully stretched will cover the ground sheet otherwise you would be in trouble if it rained.

They are not sealed units so anything that is outside will crawl in and its not water tight .

You have to be careful where you pitch it otherwise you can have a stream running though it.

So am I correct in thinking that you have never camped in one ?

If you are after a sealed unit then really you should not think about buying a Bell tent.

{ Yes I know its not a bell tent but you get the message }

[QuackCandle]

Re with regards ' I understand that some Bell Tents don't have floors in them, how does this affect the inside of the tent when raining etc? Does the water come in? '

Apart from a toy tent I have never seen a Bell tent with a built in ground sheet.

{ 1 } you have a heavy canvas tent

{ 2 } you have a separate ground sheet

{ 3 } you have a central tent pole. { there may be other poles but the one in your photo appears to have only one central pole }

you put the ground sheet on the ground - you then get someone to stand in the middle holding the pole and erect the tent around it .

The tent when fully stretched will cover the ground sheet otherwise you would be in trouble if it rained.

They are not sealed units so anything that is outside will crawl in and its not water tight .

You have to be careful where you pitch it otherwise you can have a stream running though it.

So am I correct in thinking that you have never camped in one ?

If you are after a sealed unit then really you should not think about buying a Bell tent.

{ Yes I know its not a bell tent but you get the message }

Edited April 17, 2010 by QuackCandle

[glasto-worker]

Cracking looking tent but cracking price and weight although I would doubt there would be many s/h tents of that luxury kicking about.

A few years ago the WBC Camp was in West 27 which does have a good incline on it and one year it had been cut up with a tractor { tracks running down the hill } and if a person was lucky they could pitch in between the tracks but I did see some who just pitched them over the tracks although they regretted it later { it was the year where a few of the beer tents got struck by lightning so it was very wet }

In the case above it was possible to predict where the water would flow but the big advantage with the conventional tents is they are easy to move unlike bell tents where more planning has to go into it.

just outside our campsite was a staff carpark and people were calling up the AA for a tow and one AA four wheel drive truck got stuck and they had to call a larger truck to tow their tow truck out so it was amazing all my Team was able to leave. { we were using three cars but got out without a tow }

So how is your search going ?

[caramello]

Ive got a 5 metre bell tent with separate groundsheet, takes me 20 mins to put up with or without someone else - 1 central pole and 12 guy ropes; does not leak ever; stays nice and cool in the day; lotsa headroom; is heavy when wet of course but dries fairly quickly; best tent i've ever had in over 30 years of festering.

[byny]

Just a quick question, if I am looking to buy one of these which kind of material should I look out for. I see lots which say cotton or canvas.

my Dad made his own canvas tent in the 70s which we took to Glastonbury for a few years but I have no idea where it is or which one of my siblings last saw it.

As you can see, we never really knew how to put it up properly!

Edited April 17, 2010 by byny

[MissB]

Just a quick question, if I am looking to buy one of these which kind of material should I look out for. I see lots which say cotton or canvas.

my Dad made his own canvas tent in the 70s which we took to Glastonbury for a few years but I have no idea where it is or which one of my siblings last saw it.

As you can see, we never really knew how to put it up properly!

[Tortuga Tents]

Hey you lovely lovely people.

I'm really after one of these for this years festival:

http://www.glampingcornwall.com/communitie.../4526955623.jpg

After doing every year in a crappy horrible tent; I fancy having something a bit mad. Now all the prices I've looked at are around £250 plus.

Does anyone know anywhere that do them cheaply at all?

I'm not holding my breath and I suppose I'll have to save for the next Glasto!

x

[mr_bizarre]

Best of luck getting one! I've had a bell tent for 3 years now, best investment ever!

[Barefooted_raver]

my Dad made his own canvas tent in the 70s which we took to Glastonbury for a few years but I have no idea where it is or which one of my siblings last saw it.