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I haven;t bought an inner for my bell tent. More expense and don't like idea of cutting space in half.

However was pondering on what we could rig up so that we could put kids to bed in evening and still sit inside tent if we wish, in some privacy. Thought about trying to tie a blanket somehow....

Then while putting away our Vango Alpha from the garden this morning (kids were wanting to play in it), I realised that I could literally plonk the inner part of that in the bell tent to snuggle the kids in. Easy to pop up, easy to pop away in daytime, so that the space can be opened up again. And as the Alpha pitches inner first, the poles thread through it, so it just stands alone - no guys needed, and doesn't take up much space! And would take up about a quarter corner of the tent rather than half of it, and gives them slightly more warmth and mossie protection at night too! Figure it would work with any 2/3 berth dome tent that pitches inner first! and is small enough. The vango alphas seem to have the right length to just fit in a 4m bell

Hi maddeus,

I have a five meter bell tent, and find it to big to heat on a budget. I have a double skin canvas dome tent, ( supplied by another kind ukcampsite member) that is free standing inside for either very cold days or just to sleep in at night. As you said, in the morning just pop out the poles and store untill required. I have also used a sheet cliped to the middle pole top and bottom with those big spring clips, and then held to the side using the tie up tapes on the side walls.

I have also just got a very heavy duty four meter bell tent, and I'm hoping to get away for a couple of nights sunday monday, for a first camp.

  Thank you maddeus,

you've just solved the problem thats been floating round my head for weeks now. I'm going away on Tuesday in my new bell tent, I thought a hundred pounds for an inner was too much, however I feel the cold at night , so dilemma !

 I was trying to work out if any of my tents had an inner that could be adapted or if a small pop up to use at night would be the answer , but you're right a small tent which pitches inner first could do it.

 Off now to Argos to pick up a Coleman Japura , still cheaper than an inner, just have to hope it fits ok !!  I'll let you know.

Hope the coleman does fit. I googled about after my revelation, and discovered that if it was a 4m bell tent then basically the inner itself needs to be pretty much 2m or thereabouts to fit in, unless it goes sideways along the back. The vango alpha 300 inner in about 210 cms, and the vango alpha 200 inner is 200 cm. Good enough, esp as they are soft enough to cope with being little squished by the pole

 Hi again maddeus,

 Bought the Coleman and tried it out this afternoon. First time I've had the bell tent up and its HUGE. Well maybe not huge but I was taken aback by how big and tall it is, obviously reading the dimensions before I bought it meant nothing.

 Anyway, the Japura fits in just fine, unfortunately the pole of the bell tent is right in the middle of the small tents door, hope this is not a recipe for a 'too much wine, midnight pee , collapse of tent' thread when I come home !!!

wahey glad it fits. guess you could turn it a bit so that the opening opens to the side more..maybe?

you'll have to take a chamber pot contraption to bed with you to be on the safe side..