Get out of LA and California in general till they clean up their act. I left 2 years ago and I'm so glad I did. I'm 65 this years. My stress level has dramatically improved
We are heading out of CA for a multitude of reasons that I don’t need to repeat! The USA provides so many great places to visit and ultimately settle down. The beauty of CA, and the wonderful small town people just aren’t enough any longer!
This isn't just a review, it's a long term use review, including repeated set up and take down. Now THAT'S thorough!!! I really appreciate the effort and planning that went into creating this video and the previous White Duck tent video. I also love all the goodies you're testing. Temperature control for vanners and tenters is extremely important - often the difference between life and death, and just plain viability. Good health and happiness to you always Bob and crew!
Bob, this canvas tent is done. You buy it and you use it. There is no making your own Teepee tent out of glued together Vinyl Coated Polyester. All the zippers, windows, and vents are all done for you. This tent is a wonderful find. There is no need to make your own. Great video. If I didn't already have a van I would use this. Thanks for testing it.
Being evicted here in Indiana and looking for a good tent. I found a campground in Hanna Indiana that would let me stay for $165 a week but I don't know if that sounds right. I'm in Starke County with my service dog. Gonna start taking out my seats in my Impala too. Just overwhelmed and scared but I know I can do this
I had a 16 ft bell canvas tent and performed just fine in a category 4 storm, so just a level below a hurricane. However, it rotted after 6 months in Hawaii. I remember the wind gusts sounding like a freight train! It was exciting!
@@janefreeman995 - me and my family lived on Kauai for five years, nearly three years in a tent. Ours was a cheapie nylon cabin tent from K-Mart. We experienced a passing by hurricane in 2014 that treated us to crazy winds and heavy rains. The wind nearly flattened the tent. The tarps we had over it for more protection, kept us dry☀️.
These are awesome tents! I had one donated to me when I was homeless in Austin TX. Handled several severe thunderstorms. The one I had was like living in a studio apartment. I'm no longer homeless but I would love to have another one, if for no other reason than to add to my "SHTF" gear.
Thank you so much for this honest review!!! I have never used a bell tent before, my ride or die tent for the last 6 or 7 years has been the rei kingdom 8. We wanted an extra tent for friends to use with us, and since our kingdom sustained some pole wind damage, we figured friends could use the kingdom 8 and we'd buy ourselves a new tent. Unfortunately kingdom 8s were discontinued, and I ahye the wonderland, so I started doing some research and fell in love with the bell tent concept. After comparing and contrasting options, I settled on the white duck regatta 16.5'. Pretty big ticket item, I have since been wrestling with worry and panic, as my husband would never forgive me for spending nearly a grand on something bad. He has been an rei employee for over a decade, and he is snobby with tents, and very brand loyal to rei tents lol your video did so much for setting my mind at ease, and it helps even more that you are a fellow AZ camper!!!! ❤️
Bob thanks for your reviews! I trust them. Based in your review of the Bluetti EB3A, I bought one for my first no build campervan trip next month! Thanks!
I had one too. I used the M1941 tent stove in it. Gas, diesel, wood or coal. Great stove I replaced it with the 10ft regatta, bell tent. Just need a cot now
I don't think I could handle something so heavy. I am 71 going on 72. They sound great but too heavy and harder to put up and pack up etc.. but great info.
White Duck also makes “springbar” type rectangular tents. We have a 7 x 9’ white duck tent that we bought after comparing to Kodiak and Springbar. It’s a great tent, and plenty of room for our queen size inflatable bed.
Thank you for your helpful comprehensive reviews! Question off topic: I see the ambulance in the background with the Aluminet shade covering on the side. Have you done a video on how you set that up? That might be nice to share since shade is always good to have. Thanks for all you do, Bob & Team! ✌🕊☮💖
Just finished a year in a canvas tent (Kodiak Flexbow), and I would recommend a nylon tent for someone with a bad back or health issues. Canvas tents are heavy (my 10x10 is 70 lbs with poles), and a giant pain when they're wet since they get heavier, and can't be stored. Nylon won't hold up to the sun or wind as well, but 20 pounds and a much smaller footprint is substantial, and it may be worth having to buy them more frequently. You may also consider making an A-frame out of a 10x20 canvas tarp, poles, and amsteel guylines. Less privacy, but if you're just using it for shade it won't matter, it's much cheaper, and it's easy to set up and drop when the wind hits.
I had the Kodiak. Great tent. I was in driving rain and wind more than once. The thing barely moved. Of course, this one looks good too. I’m just not in places where I can use a tent. Maybe again in the future. Thanks for the great video info.
Hi Bob. I appreciate your doing these tent videos. I had never thought of that as an option. I was wondering where you keep your solar panels during severe rain and wind storms? I live in the FL panhandle. We have hurricanes and tornadoes here. I am not familiar with Arizona extreme weather, except my daughter had lived in Tempe,AZ for a while. She told me about the dirt tornadoes that spring up suddenly. She was on the freeway when she saw the first one happen. Also, what about bears and other animals, if cooking inside the tent?
I have a 16 foot bell tent (by Stout Tents). It is amazing! 16 foot is perfect size. I even take it along with my Hiker Trailer just to have an "additional room" or "studio" for doing work. Great review. The tent shown might look crowded, but you only need to sleep in it. How big does it really need to be? Great review!
I like the 10 by 14 Kodiak. It looks like I could set it up running parallel to my van with the awning creating a breezeway in between the tent opening and my side doors. It would more than double my living space while in camp!
That's a good looking tent. My only concern is, does it have a floor in it? Bob mentioned it being a disaster when he bought a tent without a floor in one of his tent videos.
A comment about those (single hose) portable ac units. If you know how they work...they have to draw air in from the room, run it by the coils, and exhaust it out the pipe, creating a vacuum inside the room. Essentially, for whatever cold air flows out of the machine, it draws in warm air from windows,doors,seams, everywhere else, and is terribly inefficient. Love the channel.
A $700 tent that lasts 10 years is $70/yr. A $50 tent that lasts a year is still cheaper. Also, those solar panels just sitting on the ground would be gone in 60 seconds from the winds where I live in Arizona. Love your videos Bob! Tents can be a great option for some.
Great info really would prefer a springbar rectangular yet as you said shedding wind is essential so really looking forward to your comparison of both in a wind storm.🌺🌻🌺
(Yoga mats) Use them on the floor use them on your table nothing on your table will slip. your floor will stay clean. You can pick up the whole (yoga mat) And dump it outside if there's dirt on it. Thanks for the Vid WhoopX²!!
On the air conditioner there is one competition the zero breeze will never win and that is the rate of heat removal, it's size limited, the big one will kill it as far as ability to remove heat i would expect by at least a factor of 2 I mean just look at the btu ratings.
Live in an apartment. Moved over the winter holidays. Twice power went out. Then the gas HVAC unit went out over the weekend. Can get the arthritic me and my elderly cat okay taken care of during the day bundling up. But the nights are too cold for me to have decent night's sleep. Have a tent on the list for the bedroom. Place my mattress inside to help retain heat. Minimally, save on the winter heating bills. Seems like usually I am the only connecting neighbor in this and all my other past apartments, can sweat out the heat more than others, but flipflops during the winter when it comes to turning on the expensive heat. Seems like I heat up everyone else as well the heat runs through the entire apartments. Can hear usually my heat unit running. As for portable heaters, this complex does not allow them. Gotta' get creative.
Although this tent looks Great I’m concerned as a single disabled woman if it’s actually Safe out in the desert or out in the woods or like slab city????
I am selling my popup camper that I live in full time and am buying myself a bell tent to live in. I live on a friend of mines 5 acres. I have water hookup and electricity also. I found a great little wood cook stove to put in there and all the furniture I need to make it my home. I have been thinking about this for 2 years. It has 3 times more room than my camper and it has a 9 or 10 foot ceiling.
Nice! Thank you! Bob, do you still have your van as well? Woukd this or the other tents mentioned be reasonable weight for backpackers? I'll watch the other tent video though which may answer that.
They are good tents, but they are incredibly heavy and take up a lot of space in your vehicle. They are better suited for 4 season and/or long term camping when you have a larger vehicle with enough space to store it. For 3 season camping, or camping out of a sedan, there are better options for weight, cost, and comfort.
Bob, this sure looks perfect to me. About to turn 69, I think I would have a more relaxing life in this tent than living here near LA.
Get out of LA and California in general till they clean up their act. I left 2 years ago and I'm so glad I did. I'm 65 this years. My stress level has dramatically improved
Definitely get out of LA. I much prefer San Diego or up north in the redwoods.
You will, definitely! It is a great life. Greetings from a "normal" teacher, who changed her life with the influence of Bobs advices.
Where are you in LA?
Leave.
We are heading out of CA for a multitude of reasons that I don’t need to repeat! The USA provides so many great places to visit and ultimately settle down. The beauty of CA, and the wonderful small town people just aren’t enough any longer!
Thank you
This isn't just a review, it's a long term use review, including repeated set up and take down. Now THAT'S thorough!!! I really appreciate the effort and planning that went into creating this video and the previous White Duck tent video. I also love all the goodies you're testing. Temperature control for vanners and tenters is extremely important - often the difference between life and death, and just plain viability. Good health and happiness to you always Bob and crew!
Bob, this canvas tent is done. You buy it and you use it. There is no making your own Teepee tent out of glued together Vinyl Coated Polyester. All the zippers, windows, and vents are all done for you. This tent is a wonderful find. There is no need to make your own. Great video. If I didn't already have a van I would use this. Thanks for testing it.
Being evicted here in Indiana and looking for a good tent. I found a campground in Hanna Indiana that would let me stay for $165 a week but I don't know if that sounds right. I'm in Starke County with my service dog. Gonna start taking out my seats in my Impala too. Just overwhelmed and scared but I know I can do this
Thanks for this helpful video Bob as always.
Your awsome
White Duck offers a tarp that sets up over the entrance.
It would be nice to see how that holds up in the wind.
Thanks, been waiting for this review!
I had a 16 ft bell canvas tent and performed just fine in a category 4 storm, so just a level below a hurricane. However, it rotted after 6 months in Hawaii. I remember the wind gusts sounding like a freight train! It was exciting!
@@janefreeman995 - me and my family lived on Kauai for five years, nearly three years in a tent. Ours was a cheapie nylon cabin tent from K-Mart. We experienced a passing by hurricane in 2014 that treated us to crazy winds and heavy rains. The wind nearly flattened the tent. The tarps we had over it for more protection, kept us dry☀️.
Thanks Bob
These are awesome tents! I had one donated to me when I was homeless in Austin TX. Handled several severe thunderstorms. The one I had was like living in a studio apartment. I'm no longer homeless but I would love to have another one, if for no other reason than to add to my "SHTF" gear.
💯👍
Excellent Tents. Years of hard use. Do it. ps-good review!
Thank you so much for this honest review!!! I have never used a bell tent before, my ride or die tent for the last 6 or 7 years has been the rei kingdom 8. We wanted an extra tent for friends to use with us, and since our kingdom sustained some pole wind damage, we figured friends could use the kingdom 8 and we'd buy ourselves a new tent. Unfortunately kingdom 8s were discontinued, and I ahye the wonderland, so I started doing some research and fell in love with the bell tent concept. After comparing and contrasting options, I settled on the white duck regatta 16.5'. Pretty big ticket item, I have since been wrestling with worry and panic, as my husband would never forgive me for spending nearly a grand on something bad. He has been an rei employee for over a decade, and he is snobby with tents, and very brand loyal to rei tents lol your video did so much for setting my mind at ease, and it helps even more that you are a fellow AZ camper!!!! ❤️
Bob thanks for your reviews! I trust them. Based in your review of the Bluetti EB3A, I bought one for my first no build campervan trip next month! Thanks!
I started my tent camping as a child in my Dads army bell tent, very heavy canvas. What fun we had. Never leaked even in British weather 😂
Excellent information, thanks Bob, that’s the one I prefer
I used to have a ten man army arctic tent. It was soooo comfortable with a wood stove going.
I had one too. I used the M1941 tent stove in it. Gas, diesel, wood or coal. Great stove
I replaced it with the 10ft regatta, bell tent. Just need a cot now
I don't think I could handle something so heavy. I am 71 going on 72. They sound great but too heavy and harder to put up and pack up etc.. but great info.
White Duck also makes “springbar” type rectangular tents. We have a 7 x 9’ white duck tent that we bought after comparing to Kodiak and Springbar. It’s a great tent, and plenty of room for our queen size inflatable bed.
Bob Wells is the man!
A tent is on the wish list, & thank you for continuing to provide great suggestions!
Really appreciate the work you and team have put in to really test this tent. Thanks so much.
I am convinced I want this tent
Oh boy I hope my fairy godmother brings me one of these! 🥰
Loved the sized of the tent. Not taking up a lot of space. It is standing small but you can stand up inside.👍
Thank you for your helpful comprehensive reviews! Question off topic: I see the ambulance in the background with the Aluminet shade covering on the side. Have you done a video on how you set that up? That might be nice to share since shade is always good to have. Thanks for all you do, Bob & Team! ✌🕊☮💖
I think tents are a great, economical way to go if you can't get a van, camper or cargo trailer right away. Always enjoy your videos, Bob!! 👍 👍
This man always says "video" like someone told him he couldn't. I love it.
Just finished a year in a canvas tent (Kodiak Flexbow), and I would recommend a nylon tent for someone with a bad back or health issues. Canvas tents are heavy (my 10x10 is 70 lbs with poles), and a giant pain when they're wet since they get heavier, and can't be stored. Nylon won't hold up to the sun or wind as well, but 20 pounds and a much smaller footprint is substantial, and it may be worth having to buy them more frequently. You may also consider making an A-frame out of a 10x20 canvas tarp, poles, and amsteel guylines. Less privacy, but if you're just using it for shade it won't matter, it's much cheaper, and it's easy to set up and drop when the wind hits.
Can’t beat canvas for coziness
People mention you A LOT, finally popped up in my feed and sub'd. Stay safe and hydrated!
I had the Kodiak. Great tent. I was in driving rain and wind more than once. The thing barely moved. Of course, this one looks good too. I’m just not in places where I can use a tent. Maybe again in the future. Thanks for the great video info.
Good looking tent and and I’m not a camping person. I do enjoy watching Bob and yes I am a fan.❤
Thank you Bob, it's a very nice well made tent. I remember the video you did with a friend of mine Kandy.😊
I made a viking tent that worked out very well for me using canvas.
I bought the 10 ft. green regatta tent. I live near the grand canyon.
Love the tent.
Bob sets up a tent and bam! He sets up a solar power plant! lol
Hi Bob. I appreciate your doing these tent videos. I had never thought of that as an option. I was wondering where you keep your solar panels during severe rain and wind storms? I live in the FL panhandle. We have hurricanes and tornadoes here. I am not familiar with Arizona extreme weather, except my daughter had lived in Tempe,AZ for a while. She told me about the dirt tornadoes that spring up suddenly. She was on the freeway when she saw the first one happen. Also, what about bears and other animals, if cooking inside the tent?
Oh my gosh! I’m 67 and just learning this now … I love shrimp but avoid it because I dread deveining😂. Thank you for this! Going to try this!
Thank you Bob for the wonderful review. 💕
Solar is good
Your awesome
Love it!
Love this in depth review! I can't wait for you to see how well it holds heat in the winter.
I had a canvas bell tent, I loved it so much..
I have a 16 foot bell tent (by Stout Tents). It is amazing! 16 foot is perfect size. I even take it along with my Hiker Trailer just to have an "additional room" or "studio" for doing work. Great review. The tent shown might look crowded, but you only need to sleep in it. How big does it really need to be? Great review!
I like the 10 by 14 Kodiak. It looks like I could set it up running parallel to my van with the awning creating a breezeway in between the tent opening and my side doors. It would more than double my living space while in camp!
Great idea!!
That's a good looking tent. My only concern is, does it have a floor in it? Bob mentioned it being a disaster when he bought a tent without a floor in one of his tent videos.
Reminds me of a yurt! Shorter side walls. 😊
Bob, have you investigated using a pop up insulated ice shack for nomad use?
good video subject
Thankyou Bob..Looks Amazing..🦋🍑🤟😎🌟
Im sending you my ❤
Love your videos Tessie
Yes, im trying to build a yent to park my truck in it and have my office and sypplies in it while i have inventory
Thanks for the info Bob. Excellent video as always.
I have a Gazelle screen tent. It doesn’t have a floor but I do have wind/rain panels.
Yippee!!!
A comment about those (single hose) portable ac units. If you know how they work...they have to draw air in from the room, run it by the coils, and exhaust it out the pipe, creating a vacuum inside the room. Essentially, for whatever cold air flows out of the machine, it draws in warm air from windows,doors,seams, everywhere else, and is terribly inefficient. Love the channel.
Amazing video just what i was looking for.
A $700 tent that lasts 10 years is $70/yr. A $50 tent that lasts a year is still cheaper. Also, those solar panels just sitting on the ground would be gone in 60 seconds from the winds where I live in Arizona. Love your videos Bob! Tents can be a great option for some.
True but sometimes the $50 tents don’t even last a year. It really just depends.
Love it!
Great info really would prefer a springbar rectangular yet as you said shedding wind is essential so really looking forward to your comparison of both in a wind storm.🌺🌻🌺
looks good
awesome 👌
Solo definitely 10' x 10'. 13' is significantly heavier.
Love your videos!
Bob i like this tent, if i'd/ you camp all year and even have some rainy periods or even some snow, which design would hold up better?
Great idea how hard are they to. Set up?
Yur red Bluetti is the eb-55. I have one of those with my 200Max. I use the eb-55 on the small items to conserve on my 200Max
(Yoga mats) Use them on the floor use them on your table nothing on your table will slip. your floor will stay clean. You can pick up the whole (yoga mat) And dump it outside if there's dirt on it. Thanks for the Vid WhoopX²!!
Thanks for review Bob! Does it have a waterproof bathtub, for standing water, such as 3", 4", 5" 6" or more in height?
I would have liked to see what the door looks like. Did it have windows? How heavy is it for women?
thank you
On the air conditioner there is one competition the zero breeze will never win and that is the rate of heat removal, it's size limited, the big one will kill it as far as ability to remove heat i would expect by at least a factor of 2 I mean just look at the btu ratings.
enjoyed your video , very informative but is it waterproof . I camp in the rain a lot and I need something that will keep me dry .
Live in an apartment. Moved over the winter holidays. Twice power went out. Then the gas HVAC unit went out over the weekend. Can get the arthritic me and my elderly cat okay taken care of during the day bundling up. But the nights are too cold for me to have decent night's sleep. Have a tent on the list for the bedroom. Place my mattress inside to help retain heat. Minimally, save on the winter heating bills. Seems like usually I am the only connecting neighbor in this and all my other past apartments, can sweat out the heat more than others, but flipflops during the winter when it comes to turning on the expensive heat. Seems like I heat up everyone else as well the heat runs through the entire apartments. Can hear usually my heat unit running. As for portable heaters, this complex does not allow them. Gotta' get creative.
Honey you get an electric heater if you want one. To hell with them. That’s my opinion
Although this tent looks Great I’m concerned as a single disabled woman if it’s actually Safe out in the desert or out in the woods or like slab city????
Look ar the Crua system - insulated tents seem like a better solution instead of heating and cooling the crap out of them
How many BTU’s is your AC unit, how many combined watts from the Bluetti, and how long were they able to run the AC for?
Could someone set one of these up in Quartzsite (or any other LTVA campground) ? Could this be an alternative to buying an RV/van/trailer?
I am selling my popup camper that I live in full time and am buying myself a bell tent to live in. I live on a friend of mines 5 acres. I have water hookup and electricity also. I found a great little wood cook stove to put in there and all the furniture I need to make it my home. I have been thinking about this for 2 years. It has 3 times more room than my camper and it has a 9 or 10 foot ceiling.
Nice! Thank you! Bob, do you still have your van as well? Woukd this or the other tents mentioned be reasonable weight for backpackers? I'll watch the other tent video though which may answer that.
Been going to burning man for a couple years, wanting to get a yurt tent. But need something that is good for high winds, heat, and rain, any ideas?
They are good tents, but they are incredibly heavy and take up a lot of space in your vehicle. They are better suited for 4 season and/or long term camping when you have a larger vehicle with enough space to store it. For 3 season camping, or camping out of a sedan, there are better options for weight, cost, and comfort.
QUACK QUACK !
$699 is actually not a bad price for a canvas bell tent
Bob, have you investigated using a pop up insulated ice shack for nomad use?
I would be interested in it
looking forward to your comparison to say 10x14 Kodiak springbar tent: stored size and weight, speed of setup, wind resistance, and of course space.
Is it illegal for people to live in a tent?