Hello Folks - considering purchasing a Bell Tent (just got back from a week's camping in Cornwall and was hugely impressed with the Bell Tents I saw).
having difficulty deciding which model to get though. Can someone explain to me/reassure me that the free standing groundsheet on the std model is up to the job ie little/no water ingress or should I go for the ZIG? I quite like the idea of having the option to roll the sides up in summer for the kids to lark about with etc..
How does the std model design work? peg out groundsheet, tent sits on top (obviously) but then there is a flap that folds under the ground sheet? how do you get this flap around the pegs in the ground sheet? are you left with little gaps?
thanks
Ben
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Hi Ben_Buckle, I have both a standard and a zig and to be honest they both perform very well. The standard takes slightly longer to pitch and is a little bit more of a faff but there isnt really any gaps if pitched correctly...however. Daughter borrowed it with the grandkids and the little ones did find it hilarious to try to escape through the flaps in the morning once they realised they could and our dog did the same! Water getting in hasnt been a problem but we havent used it this year and not sure how it would cope with the amount of water at ground level that we have had this year. No problems with the zig though.
Personally I prefer the zig as you get the best of both worlds, the security of a dry tent, easy pitch and no escapes combined with the ability to roll up the sides and separate the ground sheet when packing in the rain/mud. If you can afford it I would recommend the zig.
Hi Ben
We have the 4 ft bell with a sewn in g/s. It's like a huge envelope which you have to crawl in to insert the pole. Then you just peg it down all the way round - dead easy! Have never felt the urge to roll up the walls on a tent - walls are there for a reason - but the little windows are useful. It takes us about 30 minutes from start to wine pouring.Have had no trouble with rain even in this summer's deluges on Dartmoor. Belltent.co.uk are great - ours came within days of ordering and the people on the phone answered all our - probably stupid - questions very patiently.
Happy camping!
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Topic: Bell Tent advice please!
