This WHITEDUCK Mini Regatta Canvas Bell Tent is a breathable cotton canvas shelter for all seasons and all climates, with three windows and one door.
Key features & benefits
- Breathable cotton canvas tent.
- Aluminum poles.
- One door.
- 3 Windows.
- Ventilated.
What this is about
When you think about bell-shaped cotton canvas tents, you would expect a large structure for many people, but here you have a miniature version of such tents, with 8 ft (2.5 m) diameter and a peak height of 5’ 2” (160 cm). The top picture above gives you some feeling about its size and below you have the numbers:
In spite of its size, the tent has exactly the same structure as large bell tents of this and other brands. So this is a non-freestanding single-pole construction with one door and one room. Note that even the door has an A-frame similar to what you have in large tents of this type. The door is shown below fully closed and with mesh as well.
Being a bell-shaped tent, it has a vertical wall around, and here the height is 1’ 3” (40 cm). This is high enough to have three windows, two on the sides and one on the back opposite to the door, see them below. All these openings are double-layer structures with mesh against insects and canvas panels for protection and privacy. These windows are low enough to serve also as floor vents.
Below you can see some inner details. See how the window panel can be rolled down and fixed above the floor with toggles.
Ventilation
The tent is built from a breathable material and this alone is enough to have optimal ventilation. But they have also added no less than 3 roof vents, see below how they look. They are with mesh from inside.
On the other hand, the mentioned windows are also partly covered and protected by the roof so you can keep them with mesh at least partly even when it is raining. When the sky is clear you can roll panels on the door and on windows and fixed them to the walls, and keep only mesh. So there is nothing one could object to all this, if there is perfect ventilation in a tent, this is very close to it.
Materials
The poles
The tent is supported by an aluminum center pole of 1.181” (30 mm) diameter and 0.078″ (2 mm) thickness. There are D-ring for hanging lights. The previously mentioned A-frame is a 0.748″ (19 mm) diameter and 0.047″ (1.2 mm) thickness aluminum. See how the main pole and the room look:
The fabric
The tent is built from a 100% cotton 8.5 oz and this is Army Duck canvas, they write it is rain-tested. They claim that weightless water, mildew, and UV resistant treatment was applied so that the natural breathability of cotton canvas is preserved. The seams are double-stitched, and corners are reinforced for added strength and durability.
The mesh areas are with a no-see-um mesh. The floor is a sewn-in, seam-taped snd they claim this is a biodegradable PE 7.5 oz, and it is bathtub style. I must say, I am a bit confused with this statement, polyethylene is a sort of tough plastic and I am a bit skeptical about such a statement.
Other features
- Heavy-duty 3-way zippers for maximum functionality, see them below.
- Rain cap for the door pole (see the picture below).
- A rubber mallet is included.
- A waterproof tent bag is included.
- Adjustable guy ropes: 11 of them, reflective and made of polypropylene UV resistant Dura rope.
- Triangular metal tensioners.
- 11 Heavy-duty solid steel J-pegs.
- 11 Solid steel pins, 10 inches (25 cm) long and 6 mm thick.
- Rubber base plate for the center pole.
- Elastic loops (see the picture below).
- Storage pouches, you have them on both sides of the door, see one below.
Setting the tent up
One person can easily set this tent up in under 10 minutes. It is best to see all the steps in this short video, please have a look:
Note that this is a sort of a dry setup, the inner will remain protected even if you pitch the tent when it is raining. There are some precautions related to the canvas tents in general and this manufacturer has collected some of them related to their tents, so have a look here.
Who is it for
Seasons-wise & climate-wise, the manufacturer describes the tent as 3-season one, but I am convinced you can use it in all seasons and it will work equally well no matter where you use it. It is breathable and vented, and this makes it perfect for a warm climate. Canvas gives a bit more insulation than any synthetic, the poles are strong, so you can use it even in winter.
They claim that the tent can be used against 30-40 miles/hour winds. It is essential that it is properly staked and that the ground keeps the stakes. So this cannot be sand or anything similar, and the same holds for rock or frozen ground.
Capacity-wise, they describe it as a 1-2 person tent and ideal for solo use. This is all correct, you have around 48 ft² (4.5 m²) of the floored area so the tent can accommodate two users, but this is a castle for one person.
Weight-wise, the tent is heavy with its 31 lb (14.1 kg), and it is also bulky with its packed size of 26 x 14 x 11 inches (66 x 36 x 28 cm). But this is more or less expected from a cotton-canvas tent. So, all in all, this is a car camping tent. It is funny that they describe it as a ‘lightweight and compact tent’.
Price-wise, cotton canvas tents are always pricy, but this is usually justified, they are durable and far more pleasant than any synthetic tent.
Specifications
- Official capacity: 1-2 people.
- Weight: 31 lb (14.1 kg).
- Diameter: 8 ft (2.5 m).
- Area: around 48 ft² (4.5 m²).
- Peak height: 5’ 2” (160 cm).
- Wall height: 1’ 3” (40 cm).
- Door height: 3’ 6” (110 cm).
- Packed size: 26 x 14 x 11 in (66 x 36 x 28 cm).
- Guarantee: 1-year workmanship warranty. They claim they will replace this tent, should it fail due to faulty materials or manufacture/workmanship. This should put your mind at ease.
Final thoughts, rating, pros & cons
I am really impressed with how well this WHITEDUCK Mini Regatta Canvas Bell Tent is built. They have paid attention to details, just see that pole cap, those elastic loops, zippered panels on windows with their toggles, and many other details.
It is currently unique on the market regarding its shape vs size, and its ventilation is close to perfection. By this I mean the following crucial elements: i) a naturally breathable fabric, ii) roof vents, iii) windows with mesh that double as floor vents and are partly protected by the roof eave, and iv) the mesh on the door that can be used when the sky is clear. I have included this tent in my list of best small canvas tents for camping.
Please see how I rate this tent against my standard set of criteria, it does not score great in some of them:
WHITEDUCK Mini Regatta Canvas Bell Tent
Pros
- Breathable.
- Pleasant.
- Windows.
- Vents.
Cons
- Heavy.
- Bulky.
BEST PLACEs TO BUY
Check under the category Tents for 2 people if you need more options in this capacity range. Thank you for reading, please use the comment box below in the case of questions or comments. Have a nice day.
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