91 Reviews of the Bear Lake 6Showing
01 to 10Page:12345678910By: YesanothertentReason:I own(ed) oneMade in:2007Rating:
I recently bought this tent second hand for a really really good price and the previous owner had only used it a few times abroad. I decided to buy the older model as I was led to believe that on later/newer models you cannot unzip some or most of the windows like you can on this. . I have had many many different tents over the years but never a polycotton one.
The first thing I will say is that this is an absolutely first class tent. We have just got back from very heavy rain/flooding and high winds in the Lake District and it never let a drop of rain in and withstood some very strong winds throughout most of the nights. When we have been camping over the years when we have been out at the on-site entertainment complex we have always dreaded coming back to a cold tent if the weather was bad but I can honestly say this tent really surprised us. It kept us extremely cosy & very comfortable and was a real pleasure to go back to.
The tent does take a while to put up & peg out but once its up it really feels solid - the downside to the tent is that we had to pack up wet and it was so so heavy 2 of us struggled to lift it. There was no chance of it going back in the bag due to it being so wet and big/ expanded and we had to fold it as best we could but it was like a massive pallet / parcel size and we struggled to lift it. It was a good job we had come in 2 vehicles and that my other half had a small van as otherwise we would have really struggled. You definitely need car & trailer or x2 vehicles to transport. I love this tent and its definitely a keeper but for longer stays - ideally 10-14 days.
I will be using a bell tent for long weekend stays due to them being very quick to erect but I am very much looking forward to taking the Bear Lake 6 on a 2 week trip next year to Cornwall.
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Everything about this text is great except for the weight.
We are a family of five and have owned one since 2011.
It is heavy and takes around a hour to put up but once up it is very robust warm in the evening and cool in the day.
We take the view that if we are staying three or more night we will use the bear lake if not a smaller tent.
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What a beautiful tent but it had a few down sides for me.
It was VERY heavy and came in two bags which took up a lot of room in the car.
It was a struggle to get up when it was just me and my wife and having to zip in the groundsheet was not the most easy of jobs (trying to locate and match coloured zips, turning it whilst still kneeling on it)
Having said that - once up, it was the Rolls Royce of tents getting many comments from other slightly envyous campers.
The canvas material was great for keeping out the early morning light and the tent seemed to stay everso slightly warmer at night?.
I loved it but the effort needed to erect and dismantle it along with its two carry bags and weight were too much.
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Fantastic tent - Excellent strength and quality, plenty of room for tables, camp stoves, kitchen utensils etc. Side awning brilliant, loads of ventilation, very well thought out and designed. Does need 2 to erect but not difficult so much as sheer size. Being a woman :) I would say this tent is not for 6 people, although it would sleep 6 and my hubby advises that it is not a luxury hotel! I found it perfect for 2 and plenty roomy enough, but would definitely struggle with more than 4! Still, overall very happy and had a fab time camping this summer.
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I thought it's time to write a review on our tent as it has been a year since we purchased it. First things first what a tent. It has been used in all weather and has not let us down.
(Looks) it's a great looking tent with its tinted windows and large canopy over the front entrance it really stands out on the campsite and still looks as good now as it did when it was new.
(Pitching) it can be pitched single handedly JUST but is far easier with two people. Outwell state 30 minutes to pitch but we've not managed to get anywhere near that more like an hour. The tent it's self goes up quite quickly it's just the pegging out that take the time so many pegging points and guylines 50 plus but and this is a big but fully pegged out you end up with a tent which is rock solid.
(Overall) this is a fantastic tent that has stood upto all the weather this summer has thrown at it strong winds , rain , hail and one massive thunderstorm not letting a drop in ever. The tent is very well ventilated which makes it very comfortable to live and sleep in.
I can highly recommend this tent yes it not cheap but if you shop around you can find them for as little as £849.99. The tent has served us well so far and I'm sure that it well for years to come.
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Fantastic tent that is still going strong after 8 summers of camping! Really well made and very hardwearing.
This tent is a fortress against British weather - extremely sturdy in high winds and no leaks in absolute downpours.
It is relatively easy to pitch (2 people minimum - but much easier now the children can help).
The zip-in bathtub groundsheet is really strong.The standing water around the tent would probably have to be about 3 inches deep before you get worried! The optional footprint groundsheet is useful in helping the bottom of the zip-in groundsheet stay a bit cleaner and less likely to get damaged.
The polycotton material seems cooler in hot weather and warmer in cooler weather than my polyester PU tent. The downside of polycotton is that it is quite heavy (even more so when wet), but the advantages definitely outweigh the disadvantages on this one!
Our is quite an old model (2007) - with the flat front. We had an additional section added to the original front porch (by a fantastic awning repair company in Ipswich). This made the front porch a much more useful space, for sitting and eating under (Outwell did not make the front extension back then). We are still protected from the rain or sun, but retain the 'open' feel that I think would be lost if the sides came down to the ground.
The Bear Lake 6 is very comfortable four a family of 4 with lots of kit (!) - I would imagine that 4 people in the large pod would be very tight.
The main living space is also pretty roomy. We love the carpet - I was very sceptical of the idea at first - but it does make the tent feel cosy! Having said that, we do put a small waterproof groundsheet under the table with the electric kettle on it to contain any spills etc though.
Looking at the newer models, Outwell does seem to have added some useful features, such as the universal pod (we have two separate ones), the pockets on the section between the pod doors and the rail/wardrobe in the living space.
Having owned this tent for some time, I certainly don't regret buying it and have yet to suffer from 'tent envy' !
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Purchased the Bear Lake 6 second hand and what a fabulous bargain we've had. We have spent several nights out in fairly horrendous wind and rain without any leaks or movement. The zipped in ground sheet is brilliant and avoids reliving the horrors of my youth in canvas tents with slugs crawling up the inside! The tent is plenty big enough for 4 of us, integrated Velcro's for lights are perfect. The husband (a camping novice) and I managed to get the tent up quickly and easily in about 45 minutes with another 45 to peg down and kit it out.Perfect with the rain clouds rolling in! The tent bags are large and heavy, I have a large 4x4 and they dominate the space, will be investing in a roof box though as this tent is too good not to keep.
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Just back from our first trip in the BL and am totally won over by it.
It was totally solid in the nasty weather we had and dried out quickly.
Bags of space for just the two of us and made the holiday an absolute joy as it was so comfortable.
The bedroom pods are so dark that I slept much better than previous years with the Montana 6 white/grey pods and the tent overall was so much quieter, especially in the high winds we had howling through the gorge on several days.
My only quibbles with it is that I'd like a mesh zip net on the front door and I'd like Outwell to make the roof protector for this model, two things that would make camping in France even better.
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First full year of owning and camping in the Bear Lake 6 and so far we have spent three weeks in it.
Like most people here we spent a fair amount of time researching and looking at tents deciding that the BL6 had the best combination of features, extensions, add-ons and quality at the right price for a young family of 4-5 whilst still being manageable and able to pitch in a reasonable time.
We have camped from minus 6 to 30 degrees and with a little help of heating and down bags in the cold and the plethora of ventilation options on the warm we have been every point entirely comfortable. Let's face it, it's a long way from the Eurohike dome tents of my recent but fast receding youth.
Coupled with the front extension that we see as an absolute requirement, weve thought it the best buy of the last couple of years because its been so much fun and such a comfortable, capable tent.
It is easy to and quick to pitch, we get the tent up with the extension in little over 30 minutes, but add at least another 30-60 minutes to complete fitting out and furnishing the tent. Its practical and for those of us who have a Mk1 BL6, the side / horizontal supporting bars make a big difference to the experience.
So, to balance the good stuff:
Does it really need that many guys and pegging points? No.
The RRP of our model was around £1300. Is it worth £1300? No.
The multitude of features, ventilation and window door combinations might mean that you spend a fair amount of time managing the tent.
Dont believe anybody who tells you polycotton is difficult to look after and hard to dry when taking home a wet tent, its not, and its far easier than polyester on both counts.
Were delighted with our bit of kit.
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Completely brilliant tent! We love 'The Bear'!
It took us a while to decide whether to upgrade and invest what is, let's face it, a lot of money in a tent. But we are so glad we did, and it was worth every penny.
The other reviews cover it all, but most noticeable and impressive features are lack of noise in wind, the feeling of space particularly when all curtains are open, and the usefulness of having slightly darker sleeping compartments (particularly if you've got kids). Also, it just looks brilliant! The material is quality to the eye and to the touch. We definitely noticed the temperature being more manageable too, and weren't sure we would. Much better than our old standard polyester tent.
Despite our concerns it's also quite easy to put up after a practice, but you need two people to do it efficiently.
We are a family of 4 (2 young kids) and have just returned from a week in Devon. It was fantastic, plenty of room for all our stuff. On a rainy evening we hosted curry night with our friends and sat 8 of us in some comfort, so there's plenty of room for us to grow into it as the kids grow up and plenty of room If the weather is iffy. We had some wind and rain and the tent easily took it all in its stride!
If you are tempted, I would recommend you definitely have a look and feel of the Bear Lake 6. If you are going to use it regularly it will pay for itself in no time in happy, comfortable holidays!
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