Our Family’s Experience with the White Duck Avalon Bell Tent
If you’re looking for a real review of the White Duck Bell Tent by people who purchased it and use it, you’re in the right spot! Find out why we bought this large canvas tent and what we think of it after using it for our family.
My mom’s cabin on the Boulder River near Big Timber, Montana has been in our family for multiple generations. It’s a special place. But it’s also very small and sleeping arrangements can be tricky when all my siblings and our spouses and kids visit at the same time.
My mom wanted something sturdier and comfier than a regular tent so it felt more like an extension of the cabin instead of just backyard camping.
After lots of research, she settled on the White Duck Outdoors Avalon Bell Tent.
We recently got to put it to use at the cabin and we all loved it! I peppered my mom with questions since I’m now intrigued to get one of these bell tents for my island cabin in the Pacific Northwest.
I’m also sharing her answers with you! Read on for pros and cons about the White Duck Avalon Bell Tent, and what it’s like to actually set it up and use it.
Why Did You Buy a White Duck Tent?
White Duck Tents have the highest side walls of any she could find online. The canvas is heavy-duty and will stand up to the elements and the test of time. White Duck also has excellent reviews and a good price point.
—> Click here to read the reviews!
In addition, the waterproof factor and ease of setup played a part in choosing a White Duck Tent.
Only having two poles to deal with for the Avalon tent was also a huge selling point.
My mom also liked the tall door to the tent. Being tall herself, she wanted to be able to stand up to go into it without having to crouch down or stoop too much.
Which Canvas Tent Did You Get and Why?
Nancy purchased the 13’ Avalon Bell tent because she worried the 16.5’ bell tent might be a tad too big for the space in front of the cabin where she planned to set it up. Plus, she knew it would often be kids and adults sleeping in it.
If she was expecting more adults or wanted to get a blow-up queen mattress to use in the tent to turn it into a true glamping experience for guests, then she probably would have gotten the 16’ tent even though it would take up extra space. But for our needs at the cabin, she decided the 13′ one would work great.
Specs of the White Duck Avalon Bell Tent:
- Click here to see specs for the 13′ Avalon Tent
- And click here for info on the 16.5′ Avalon Tent
- There’s also a 20′ Avalon Tent here that can comfortably sleep up to 10 adults!
Can You Stand Up in the White Duck Outdoors Bell Tent?
Yes! I’m 5’9 and could easily stand up and walk around the tent. The middle part is even higher.
Pro Tip: Latch a carabiner to the top of the middle pole to hang stuff out of reach of little kids.
What is the Floor of the Avalon Bell Tent like?
When I was studying the floor of the Avalon Bell Tent for this review, I found that it was a smooth, thick tarp that beautifully merges with the wall of the bell tent.
The floor is made of 16 oz. heavy-duty polyvinyl material so it is waterproof and extra durable against any pointy sticks or rocks it might be laid across.
This merge of the walls and floor via a zipper connecting the two helps create a barrier against water and bugs.
How Easy Is It to Set Up a White Duck Canvas Tent?
It’s surprisingly easy. Setting up the Avalon Bell Tent takes one person about 15-20 minutes in our experience.
It’s a little trickier on rocky ground because you have to make sure there aren’t any big rocks where you want to put a stake, but a breeze to set up on the grass.
Pro Tip: Daisy chain a brightly colored rope down the black rope or get a pool noodle to cover them.
How Hard is the Avalon Bell Tent to Take Down and Store?
My mom said it’s surprisingly easy to take down and roll up. She said the bag is generous, but since the canvas makes it heavier for her to be able to easily maneuver it on her own, she left the tent out of the bag to store in her basement. But she said two people should be able to easily get it back in the storage bag.
This was definitely the case when we used it for the first time at the cabin. My brother-in-law was easily able to put it up and take it down all on his own. Then he just had someone hold the bag while he put the tent into it. And voila! It was all done.
How Did Everyone Sleep in Our White Duck Canvas Tent?
Now for the most important question! Our review of actually sleeping in the White Duck Avalon Bell Tent.
My sister and brother-in-law and their kids got to put the tent to use at the cabin first. They have four kids, ages 7, 5 (twins!), and 2. There was plenty of room for everyone. Plus, the Avalon Bell Tent could have easily fit another adult or two.
They used thick sleeping pads for extra comfort, similar to these top-rated, self-inflating sleeping pads.
My brother-in-law said everyone slept amazing. The colder weather meant the kids cuddled up in their sleeping bags and the periodic rain sprinkling down on the roof of the tent lulled everyone to sleep. And yes, the tent stayed dry!
During the day, it was even nice for naps or lounging and reading a book. The tent stays cool if you open the front to let air in since the heat travels out through the vents at the top.
How Sturdy is the White Duck Avalon Tent?
This is one well-made tent! The material feels heavy duty and it doesn’t feel like it’s going to immediately flop over if you push on it like most tents.
The canvas part of the tent is zipped to the bottom as I mentioned earlier. We like this aspect. Since we’ve learned from other tents that rips are more likely to happen on the bottom, we like that the bottom can be replaced without having to replace the whole thing. However, thanks to the heavy-duty material, rips should be easy to avoid with some common sense.
The zippered bottom also keeps the ridge along the bottom curved and slightly elevated to help keep water out.
One con of this construction? It’s hard (but doable) to close the bottom zipper once the tent is set up. My nephew was playing with the zipper and opened it a bit and it was hard to get closed again. But just tell the kiddos not to play with the zippers and it shouldn’t be a problem.
White Duck Bell Tent Accessories and Add-Ons
You can glam up your bell tent from White Duck Outdoors with some cool accessories.
—> Click here to see all the White Duck Bell Tent accessories!
At the top of our list to add to the tent is the awning. You can connect it to the door so you have a covered outdoor area to sit under.
—> Check out the Avalon Bell Tent Awning here.
I love the idea of bringing foldable Adirondack chairs like these ones to set up under the awning with a little table for drinks. What a relaxing place to enjoy a morning cup of coffee or an evening glass of wine!
This White Duck Bell Tent was one of the best purchases made for our cabin. And it’s neat that it can be folded up small and brought in the car on other adventures if we so desire. All in all, we highly recommend the Avalon Bell Tent by White Duck Outdoors!
Button: Click here to read more reviews for the Avalon Bell Tent
