Buying a canvas tent is quite an investment. Part of taking care of it is waterproofing. Here is our step-by step guide on how to waterproof a canvas tent.
The White Duck Regatta Canvas Bell Tent is a spacious, 4-season luxury, windproof and waterproof glamping tent made of 100% breathable canvas cotton. It has three windows and a 5″ stove jack opening.
Contents
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Comfort and Space
With four different sizes, the Regatta Bell tent fits 2 to 8 people depending on the size of the tent you buy.
The smallest size measures 8 feet / 2.5 meters while the largest size measures 16.5 feet / 5 meters. This review is for the middle size, the 10 feet / 3-meter tent that can fit up to 4 people. The tent is bell-shaped with an average wall height of 2′ 7″ / 78.74 cm, which is higher than normal tent walls.
The sloping walls characteristic of bell tents sacrifices some shoulder space compared to cabin-style tents with more vertical walls. However, the smaller living space means that this tent is easier to heat during winter.
The White Duck Regatta Canvas Bell tent consists of one large room or living space and does not allow the option of privacy amongst those living inside, compared to some other tents that allow for partitions.
In addition, the Regatta has a center pole in the middle of the entrance which gets in the way, especially when loading and unloading gear. In contrast, most other tents have an A-frame setup that keeps the poles in the entrance out of the way.
You can extend your living space with an awning that can be purchased separately.
Breathability and Ventilation
This Regatta Bell Tent has three windows, which is uncommon in regular bell tents as the walls are usually on the shorter side. This bell tent, however, has a slightly longer wall length to be able to add windows for improved ventilation.
It also has a door with mesh layering so you can pull the canvas door back with no risk of bugs entering the tent. The mesh lining is also present on the windows to provide proper ventilation and keep out insects.
There are four strategically-placed roof vents for extra ventilation and a stove jack made of fire retardant material for your wood stove in winter.
Weather Resistance
To protect against harsh weather conditions, the high-quality DYNADUCK fabric with 8.5 oz army duck canvas and a water repellent, UV-resistant finish is perfect. Even in heavy rains, the interior of the Regatta will stay bone dry!
This tent also includes a high-quality sewn-in PE groundsheet to protect the floor and keep rainwater out. Windows and doors are dual-layered. The double-stitched seams with reinforced corners add extra protection against harsh weather conditions.
Durability
The zippers used for this tent are heavy-duty, waterproof 3-way zippers that you can rely on. The flooring is a sewn-in biodegradable PE groundsheet and the tent body is high-quality 100% cotton DYNADUCK fabric.
All these features ensure the longevity of the tent, which makes the price worth it. The poles used for the center pole and door pole are galvanized steel. The door pole has a 25mm diameter and 1.2mm thickness while the center pole has a 38mm diameter and 1.2mm thickness.
Galvanized steel poles ensure durability and allow maximum resistance against harsh weather.
Ease of Use
Setting this tent up is easy as everything is packed in a very organized manner. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to set this tent. You can even do it alone, but getting the center and entrance poles up might be trickier.
- Firstly, take the tent out of the bag and lay it on the ground.
- Lay out all the components from the bag, onto the ground neatly.
- Position the tent in whatever direction you feel the door should face.
- Get started on loosely staking the cotton straps to the ground using the tent pins provided.
- The best way to have a base to work around is by locating the center pole and positioning it within the inner center of the tent roof.
- Push it upwards to raise the roof.
- Next, position and place the door pole by placing the spike at the top through the grommet and the base of the pole on the floor.
- The spike at the top of the pole is to be covered by the rain cap provided.
- Zip the door closed and use the pegs to stake all the guy ropes.
- With the help of the metal tension adjusters, adjust and tighten the guy lines so they are tight and secure.
- Hammer all the pins and pegs into the ground to ensure the tent is secure.
That’s it! Your tent is up and ready to use. No extra poles are needed or any additional support.
The Regatta Bell tent has an internal frame, which gives the advantage of enjoying the fresh air on a hot summer night. Since only 2 poles are used, it is very easy to figure out which pole goes where according to their height.
Packed Size and Weight
The White Duck Regatta Bell tent has various sizes, each size packaging varying in weight. The 10’ Regatta Bell tent has a total weight of 51 lbs / 23kg whilst the largest size 16’ Regatta Bell tent has a total weight of 83 lbs / 40kg.
Compared to the White Duck Avalon and the White Duck Alpha camping tent, this Regatta Bell Tent is the lightest in weight, as it does not contain as many poles as the other two tents have.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Completely weather-proof
- Premium bug mesh on doors and windows
- Waterproof and UV-resistant canvas
- Heavy-duty zippers and double-stitched seams
- Maximum ventilation
- High walls
- An electrical cable outlet for easy access to devices
- Easy to assemble
- Fewer parts than most bell tents
- 3 windows for ventilation and sunlight
- Sewn-in flooring
Cons
- Expensive due to their various features and quality fabric
- A pole is right in the middle of the entrance. Other tents use an A-shaped frame, which does not get in the way.
Rating
| Comfort and Space | 9/10 |
| Weather Resistance | 9.5/10 |
| Durability | 8.5/10 |
| Ease of Setup | 8.5/10 |
| Size and Weight | 8/10 |
