Bell tents

Off-topic
1

I thought to myself, if anyone know, it will be you lot…

I have three tents: a tiny single hoop bivvy which I seldom use, a good quality 2 man tent and a cheap big tent. The cheap big tent is great when I need to stand up, get changed, or sit and read - or, indeed, do anything at all other than lie down. Trouble is, it’s on its last legs.

The part of me that chooses a 700c road tyre for my unicycle, a fixed wheel for my bicycle, and an Anglo concertina for my musical instrument, is making me consider buying a traditional bell tent.

The advantages of the bell tent are big floor area, room to stand up (in the middle) and the fact that it is both traditional and unconventional.

The disadvantages: single skin (less insulation?); more pegs and guys; the door.

The door: a traditional bell tent has a laced door opening which is at the same angle as the pitched roof. I can’t see how this works when it’s raining. The roof has a fairly steep pitch, but even so, a laced up opening which goes over the living space almost to the centre sounds like a weak point.

More modern versions of the bell tent have zipped entrances and either a single additional pole or a separate A frame for the door. This deals with the potential leaky door problem, but at the cost of “traditional style” and additional weight.

As this forum is full of oddballs who hunt, shoot, fish, do wild country camping, make flint arrow heads, and do all manner of weird stuff. Is there anyone here who can give me informed advice on bell tents?

Thanks

2

From the times when I was a kid, I remember staying in tents with laced doors and I’m pretty sure there is a flap that goes over the door and the laces and protects you from the rain and wind.

Now, what a bell tent is, I’ve no idea. Google time?

3

A bell tent is a tent with a single central pole, and a roof that is more or less conical. The roof is spread by the guy lines, and the tension on the canvas and the guy lines is what keeps the pole vertical. It is just about the simplest design of tent.

4

I saw one of those tents 2 years ago in Klagenfurt. They look awesome. If I were you, I would buy it, but put an extra layer of fabric to where the stiching goes, so you have the stiching on the upper layer and the fabric on the lower.

5

Yes, I stayed in a bell tent when I was a kid. And there was a flap over the door outside. With a window in it. And I was afraid a bear would come round and have a look in.

6

The backcountry crew I run with rave about the Megamid tents.
Here’s a review, and some info;

Black diamond makes a megamid and a mega-lite. Both great tents, very waterproof and versital.
This will be my next tent too. They rock on snow because the footprint is seperate, so you can dig a deep hole and put the tent over…tons of room inside!