Alpkit Roundhouse
Price: £549.99
Weight: 12.22kg
The Alpkit Roundhouse is a four-person organic cotton bell tent. Strictly speaking, it’s made of a polycotton blend with 65% polyester and 35% organic cotton. As well as being free from nasty chemicals, organic cotton also uses less water and produces less greenhouse gases. Thumbs up in terms of eco credentials then.
This also means the tent should stay cool in the heat, warm in the cold, and breathable all-year round. Other features include: a durable 400-denier floor that should hold up against spikey sticks and stones, FSC-certified wooden toggles (another plus for sustainability), and some tough steel poles and pegs. Alpkit also offer a handy 3-year warranty for repairs should disaster strike.
Full Specifications
4-person capacity / polycotton (100% organic cotton) canvas / 3m (diameter) x 2m (height) / additional inner option / 400-denier PU floor / integrated groundsheet / steel poles and pegs / FSC-sourced wooden toggles / oversized stuff bag with compression straps / 3-year warranty for repairs / pack size: 70 x 35 x 25cm.
Buy The Alpkit Roundhouse: £549.99 at Alpkit.com
Nordisk Asgard
Price: £530 to £1100
Weight: 4kg to 20kg
Much like the Klondike, the Nordisk Asgard comes in multiple size options including a ‘Tech Mini’ version (2 persons), the 7.1 (3 persons), the 12.6 (6 persons) and the 19.6 (10 persons). All options feature a centre pole construction, a single-walled build and an integrated groundsheet. The centre pole is additionally height-adjustable, and there’s ground level windows with mosquito nets that can open up on hot days.
Our favourite is probably the Asgard 12.16 which, with a pack size of 37 x 114cm (diameter x length), is still relatively compact for a 6-person bell tent. The head room reaches 250cm so there’s more than enough room for the height of an average-sized individual there too. There’s even a denim option available if that’s your thing…(no judgement here).
Full Specifications
Multiple size options (2P to 10P) / centre pole construction / single wall build / integrated groundsheet / ground level windows / mosquito netting used throughout / adjustable pole height / mesh door and windows / pack sack with carry handles.
Buy The Nordisk Asgard: £895 at Snowandrock.com
Stout Tent PRO Series
Price: $859 to $1459
Weight: approx. 40kg
With 13ft (3m), 16ft (5m) and 19ft (6m) options, the Stout Tent PRO tents are some very hard-wearing bell tents. They have a hefty weight too so are definitely more suited to a long-term set-up or a basecamp type of adventure. This does mean, however, that they should withstand the harsher elements better than most. According to Stout Tents, when rigged correctly, their tents will stand tall in winds of up to 60mph. Pretty impressive stuff.
The PRO series tents are made from a waterproof and mould-resistant cotton canvas and a ripstop PVC groundsheet. The trade-off for that old-school cotton canvas is the overall weight here, though if you’re a bell tent traditionalist, this mightn’t bother you too much.
Other features include: 24 inch sidewalls that can unzip from the groundsheet for airflow, bug-netted secondary doors behind the canvas outer doors, an adjustable stove jack and a relatively tall A-frame entrance.
Full Specifications
13ft, 16ft and 19ft options / 15-minute construction / 100% cotton canvas / ripstop groundsheet / bug-netted doors / adjustable stove jack (3 to 6 inch capacity) / rebar stakes / reflective ropes / A-frame entrance / 24” sidewalls that can roll up / single or double bug-proof canvas options / 5-year warranty / rental options.
Buy The Stout Tent PRO: $859 to $1459 at Stouttent.com
Naturehike Brighten Glamping Tent
Price: £280 to £967
Weight: 42kg
The Naturehike Brighten Glamping tent is another cotton canvas option, though it’s reassuringly treated with Naturehike’s own waterproofing solution and has reinforced seams throughout. With 2, 4 and 6-person options available, the 6-person tent has an expanded size of 548 x 548 x 350cm. That’s more than enough room for a grand old family adventure.
Other features include: top air vents, zipped windows, walls that can roll up to let a breeze through, and polyester mesh built into the door for protection against biting insects.
Full Specifications
Cotton waterproof-treated fabric / double stitched, fully seamed lining / thick PVC ground sheet / top air vents / zipped windows / integrated mesh / pack size: 100 x 34 x 34cm.
Buy The Naturehike Brighten Glamping Tent: ££280 to £967 at Naturehike.com
Quest Adventure Bell Tent
Price: £599
Weight: 34kg
The Quest Adventure Bell will hold up to four people and has a height of 300cm. The flysheet is made from a 100% cotton canvas (285gms) whilst the groundsheet is made from a PVC that can be zipped away if you fancy a canopy option in the the summer. The sides will also roll up and there are inners and tarps available to buy separately.
The frame itself is made from steel – as well as the pegs – so the tent’s built to last in that sense. The guy lines are also pre-attached to create an overall assembling time of six minutes apparently. Not bad at all given its size.
Full Specifications
4-person capacity / 100% cotton canvas flysheet / zipped 540g PVC groundsheet / steel frame / pre-attached guylines / assembling time: 6 minutes or less / zipped mesh windows / roll-up sides /additional inner and tarps available / pack size: 98 x 35 x 35cm / dimensions: 500 (length) x 300cm (height).
Buy The Quest Adventure Bell Tent: £599 at Attwoolls.co.uk
Karma 5M Bell Tent
Price: £539
Weight: 36kg
Karma canvas are a company based in the West Midlands, and have a huge amount of bell tents to choose from. They also do bell tent stoves if you’re looking to do some hot tenting this year, as well as a rental service if you’re not sure you’re ready to commit to the bell tent life just yet.
The 5M Bell Tent has an 8-person capacity, and is built with an 100% organic cotton canvas. Like most bell tents, the groundsheet and windows are zipped in so can be removed, whilst the windows are also all fitted with a mosquito mesh lining for further protection. The Fireproof option also has a pre-cut stove hole with a Velcro-secured canvas cover, and reassuringly, a PROBAN® treatment for fireproofing to industry standards. Here’s our favourite fire pits if you’re interested.
Full Specifications
8-person capacity / 100% organic 360gsm cotton canvas / zipped-in waterproof groundsheet (580gsm grams/m2) / mosquito mesh door / pre-cut stove hole with velcro-secured canvas cover / thick 32mm central pole / double stitched seams with reinforced tension points / 4 zipped windows with mosquito mesh lining / 3 meshed vents / 6mm reflective guy ropes / wooden guy sliders / water, UV, mould and fire proof / treated with PROBAN® for fireproofing / 10-15 minute assembling time / power cord access at tent entrance / pack size: 90 x 30 x 30cm / height: 300cm /one-year warranty.
Buy The Karma 5M Bell Tent: £539 at Karmacanvas.co.uk
Teton Sports Sierra 12
Price: £1017.91
Weight: 25.4kg
Based at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains in Utah, Teton Sports produce a whole host of different outdoor products. The Sierra 12 here is one of their canvas tent options with a 6 person capacity, though it can probably hold more at a squeeze.
It’s made from a waterproof cotton canvas with a zip-away interwoven polymer fabric floor. It operates a 1 central pole 1 door pole system and has reinforced corners and seams and built-in vents throughout. There’s also multiple easy access e-ports for electronics and an additional lifetime warranty to add to its durability. It’s also worth noting that there are smaller and larger options of the Sierra tent available.
Full Specifications
6-person + capacity / 1 central pole and 1 door pole / waterproof cotton canvas / zip-away groundsheet / built-in vents / power cord access / lifetime warranty / packed size: 35.5″ x 15.5″ x 15″.
Buy The Teton Sports Sierra 12: £1017.91 at Amazon.co.uk
Whiteduck 8’ Mini Regatta
Price: £459.99
Weight: 14.06kg
As the smallest option on this round-up, the Whiteduck 8’ Mini Regatta is slightly more portable than your average bell tent. It has a 2-person capacity with 2.5 metres of floor space and a centre height of 160cm (roughly 5ft 2 inches). In this sense, it’s probably not ideal if you sit on the taller end of the scale.
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It’s built with a DYNADUCK cotton canvas which is water repellent, and has a mould and UV resistant finish. The groundsheet is sewn in so cannot be removed, whilst the seams are double-stitched and have reinforced corners for added strength. You’ll also find vents on the roof and bug mesh on the doors and windows.
Full Specifications
2-person capacity / 8’ to 16’ options / aluminium centre pole / A-frame door / biodegradable sewn-in PE groundsheet / roof vents / bug mesh on doors and windows / double-stitched seams with reinforced corners / water repellent, mould & UV resistant finish / reflective ropes / metal tension adjusters / 2.5m floor space / centre height: 160cm / door height: 110cm / wall height: 40cm.
Buy The Whiteduck 8’ Mini Regatta: £459.99 at Whiteduckoutdoors.co.uk
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