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   Camping under canvas -  Tent talk. Advice, info and recommendations 		Share   Post on X / Twitter  Share on Facebook  Email
Subject Topic: a-frame bell tent touching canvas
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Personturnpike
05/6/2017 at 11:50am
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I can't put my 5m bell tent up without some of the top of the a-frame touching canvas. It's in contact both sides at the top for around 30/40cm or more.

Is that normal? It seems to be the cause of leaks in bad weather.

Thanks!
Carl.


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Personarmchaircamper
10/6/2017 at 10:52pm
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I can't say I've noticed whether mine touches the frame or not. I haven't had a problem anyway.

I wonder if the rain is coming in through the hole that the top of the A frame goes through? Do you have a raincap to put over the top of the spike?



-------------
Sarah


Personturnpike
11/6/2017 at 8:58am
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Hi, yes I've got the rain cap on thanks. The water is coming through the canvas where the poles are in contact. As far as I can see, if you have something touching the canvas, rain will eventually come through. So the a frame design can't really work if you have prolonged wet weather.


Personarmchaircamper
11/6/2017 at 9:23am
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You'll just have to put a cloth or something at the bottom of the poles to soak up any water that runs down. Just as long as it's not your bed that's touching the sides when it rains!

-------------
Sarah


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Personarmchaircamper
11/6/2017 at 9:36am
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I've just had a thought. If you pull the guy rope above the door a bit tighter would it maybe alter the angle of the A-frame in relation to the canvas by tipping it slightly forwards at the top?

-------------
Sarah


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Personturnpike
11/6/2017 at 10:26am
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Yeah you're right. I've been testing it and you can put the tent up in a way (properly :-) ) that means less of the a frame touches.

It might have been worse for us because we were attaching an awning instead of the guy rope, so it probably sagged. Now I use the guy rope as well as the awning.

I think it's impossible to not have some of the first section of both poles in contact though.

We do wrap tea towels around the bottom of each pole. It seems unless there's something wrong with my a frame or tent, there's just a limit to how much rain they can withstand because of the a frame design.

2 or 3 days solid Pembrokeshire rain in an exposed position was too much!

I'm going to see if there are any other canvas tents which don't suffer this problem (maybe a toureg).

I wonder if you can replace the a frame with a pole (at least for bad weather).

Post last edited on 11/06/2017 10:30:23

Post last edited on 11/06/2017 10:32:09


Personstumpjumper
11/6/2017 at 1:36pm
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Pyramids don't suffer in that way, I've never had a leak from the Eldorado or the Palamos, even in the worst of weather. There are bells that don't have an A-frame, they are the traditional type with dutch lacing doors.

-------------
Current tents in use: 5m Bell, Obelink Palamos 6, Vango Tornado 300 Vango Force 10 Mk3, Hypercamp Eldorado & Orange Raclet


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Personturnpike
11/6/2017 at 7:41pm
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How come pyramids don't have this problem? Don't they have a-frame poles touching the canvas? Or just better canvas? Cheers.


Personfoggers
11/6/2017 at 8:44pm
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In prolonged rain the contact of poles against the canvas will cause some wicking. I remember it with my dear old frame tent 30 years ago! I just used to wipe around the poles and places where the water pooled.

I have a pyramid now and expect that the cross bar at the top of the door frame may do the same, though we have not experienced it with our Guadeloupe yet.



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