F A Q

How long will the Lotus Belle tent last?

The life of a canvas tent is totally dependent on how well you look after it and who is using the tent.  Rental companies tend to use our tents for 3-5 years - they are obviously a lot harder on the tents as they build them up in different places each week and need to repack and transport them. We would expect a Lotus Belle tent used in a glamping site or privately to last at least 5-10 years, if well looked after hopefully much longer.  One of the advantages of the Lotus Belle tents is that the separate pieces can be replaced if necessary. 

We also have a range of accessories which can provide additional UV and rain protection for your tent and are recommended when using your tent in extreme weather conditions.

Will it fit in the boot of my car?

Yes! Finally a ‘yurt’ that you can take camping. It folds up and fits into a large carry bag that measures 120cm x 40cm x 40cm.

The Banana Bag (an optional extra) enables you to fold down the walls of the tent without removing the steel poles and therefore saves time both when pitching and taking the tent down. The banana bag measures 200cm x 30cm x 30cm so may not fit so easily in all cars.

Will I be able to carry it across a festival site on my own?

No, they're heavy. The 4m tents weigh 55kg, 5m tents weigh 68kg. You'll need to have some help to take it to your campsite, although you might be able to manage a 4m tent using a sack truck if you're feeling fit. We do however have the 3m ‘Lotus Air Bud’ which, at 26kg, or the 4.6m 'Lotus Air Belle' which have been specifically designed for short getaways and are much more manageable. 

How much space will I need to pitch it?

In general you need approximately 1.5m around the tent for the guy ropes, so 3m in total in addition to the floor space.  So you ideally need 7m of pitching space for a 4m tent, 8m for the 5m tent, and 9m for the 6m tent. The pitching footprint can be greatly reduced by using rigid upright posts and spanning the "tentacles" over the posts.

How long does it take to put up?

The first time you set up the tent you’ll need to tie on the guy ropes and insert the curved steel poles into the canvas wall. This process takes less than an hour. One person can then pitch the tent in about one 45 minutes; or with two people only 20-30 minutes. 

Here you can see an 8 year old boy putting up a 4m tent in about 20 minutes.

How do I put it up?

All Lotus Belle tents come with instructions. Alternatively take a look at the You Tube demonstration here.

Can I fit a burner flue (stove chimney) in the tent? Does it come with a flue hole?

Yes, you can fit a stove in your tent - it’s easy to fit one yourself with the addition of the flashing plates provided with the burner kit, please click HERE to see the range of Anevay Stoves that we sell - for permanent/ extended use we recommend the Traveler stove or Fin Tan Stove, or for short camping trips we suggest the Frontier.

How do I clean my tent?

If your tent is dirty then, rather than sending it to be professionally cleaned, consider the less expensive and kinder option for your tent (and the environment) and do it yourself by hand.

Mud splatter - once the canvas is completely dry, most soiling can be easily brushed off. Any remaining marks can be remove by washing with a mild detergent so as not to damage the waterproofing and treatment in the canvas. Use a microfibre cloth to work away any stains and smears until they are gone.

Tree sap or Algae - There is no eco friendly answer that we have found, so our current best practice is to use a reputable weed killer, and spray over the affected canvas. Wait ten minutes then rinse this off with a light hosing (do not pressure wash as this will blast the proofing from the canvas).

Mould - mix a solution of 1 part clove oil, available from most health food shops, with 3 parts water. Spray over the affected areas. You won't notice any difference but it will kill all the mould spores. Over time sunshine will bleach the mottled darkened patches away. Again, once dry, you can brush any residue off the material.

Your canvas is treated to be waterproof, flame retardant, and rot proof. If you wash your tent thoroughly and regularly, you will wash off some of the treatment, and as such you will need to re-proof it with waterproofing solutions. You don’t need to do this every time you wash the tent, just one coat at the end of the season will be fine. Nikwax offers our recommended waterproofing solution.

Do you have further questions? Then please contact us at info@lotusbelle.de