Tipis tents anybody ?

[Pat Ferrett]

Hi in 2011 I saw a tipi tent at the Bentley wood fair and ever since I have wanted one, I have 2 kids and want to spend as many weekends camping this year as possible. The advantages are I can have a log burner in side to take the chill off the air as one of my girls really does'nt get on with being cold. And the space inside is unreal, modern tents just seem to plastic and carbon fibre to me.

 

I have found a few sites selling them but the prices are mind blowing to say the least, I was thinking a sail maker might be able to stitch one up.

Just thought id ask the Mega mind that is arbtalk for any ideas

[john p]

we bought a bell tent last year,brilliant,got divider with it so kids have own room,can roll sides up,really airy,was £550 but will last forever,

[Pat Ferrett]

we bought a bell tent last year,brilliant,got divider with it so kids have own room,can roll sides up,really airy,was £550 but will last forever,

 

Can you have a stove in them John ?

[john p]

yes mate,can buy or make a plate that fits to side for stack pipe,google bell tent should be some pics. get one you wont regret it,can put em up in 10 mins

[muttley9050]

Guy i live with makes and sells tipis.(worldtents.co.uk.) Heres my opinion,

Majority of cost is in canvas, but if this is well looked after can last years. Sail maker will be able to make one,but its not that simple and different seams are required, my missus is a seamstress for his company. Most people assume there round but there not there a teardrop shape. This makes the pattern quite complicated. Poles are essentially peeled spruce, and for a big tipi can be 9m+long. Do a fair few tipi erections and decking floors with removable firepit in center for his company. Nice jobs. usually schools, Anyway tipi patterns are much more complicated than youd think, and use alotof canvas and a big room to work out pattern in. Im sure if you spoke to him he'd give you a price for canvas only and you supply your own poles and specify length. But remeber always have totake massive poles with you and is not super quick to erect. need tobe pretty strong to lift the lifting pole with all canvas attatched. My opinion is youd be better with a canvas cabin. Check his site for pics. U can have a stove, raised beds, storage under beds, flatpack design, easy to move on standard roofrack, and cosy. Ask ifyou want further details on making your own, much mmore achievable with canvas cabin if you have basic carpentry skills and seemstress with industrial machine to sew canvas,pattern is simple.

Nice tents. Thats what id buy/make.

Hope this helps.

James

P.s. far more common to have open fire in tipi than stove,

pps. Tipis werent designed for this climate. and dont bode well in heavy rain without rain catchers and canvas lining.

Edited January 23, 2013 by muttley9050
forgot something

[muttley9050]

Bell tents are cool too, but dont always have enough headroom for me. Geodesic domes also ace, easy to make out of hazel etc coppice and water pipe. canvas is simple, burners are able to be fitted to any real canvas tent.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Hi in 2011 I saw a tipi tent at the Bentley wood fair and ever since I have wanted one, I have 2 kids and want to spend as many weekends camping this year as possible. The advantages are I can have a log burner in side to take the chill off the air as one of my girls really does'nt get on with being cold. And the space inside is unreal, modern tents just seem to plastic and carbon fibre to me.

 

I have found a few sites selling them but the prices are mind blowing to say the least, I was thinking a sail maker might be able to stitch one up.

Just thought id ask the Mega mind that is arbtalk for any ideas

 

great idea Pat, and you should do it, and harvest your own poles:thumbup1:

 

always loved them tentipis, great way to camp IMO

[peaman]

if you have sky discovery channel 520 and there making them for fitting stoves

[delabodge]

I`m a yurt man myself,,seen too many people get soaked in a tipi at glastonbury,,,good tips mutley,,,,,

[muttley9050]

Yurts are my favourite too, but if he was shocked at the price of a tipi,didnt seem worth mentioning them!!