In-depth review: White Duck’s new Regatta Bell Tent makes an excellent base camp for fishing and hunting • Outdoor Canada

Canvas tents have lengthy been the shelter of alternative for base camps. Their spacious interiors and four-season designs maintain backcountry explorers, hunters, trappers and anglers dry and heat within the worst climate. White Duck Open air, which  presents a variety of canvas tents, just lately launched a restricted version Realtree EDGE Regatta bell tent, and I’ve spent the final 5 months testing it. The camo model has the premium options of the unique Regatta bell tent with camo canvas physique. Realtree EDGE simply blends into the woodlands, and the darkish color delivers extra advantages I realized throughout my discipline checks.

THE SPECS

High quality supplies and craftsmanship are evident all through the Regatta. The whole lot is effectively made. Its storage bag, stakes, mallet, poles and gear roll shout high quality. I’ve little doubt it would final a very long time. The Regatta makes use of what White Duck calls DYNADUCK material—an 8.5-ounce military duck cotton canvas with a water-repellent, mould-resistant, UV-resistant end.

Due to its tall profile and steep roof part, rain flows off the material shortly, and the end ensures that moisture beads on the floor slightly than soaking in. The bell-shaped roof extends previous the decrease straight-walled part, making a drip edge that protects the decrease part from rain. On one current journey it rained for six hours, and we stayed dry and cozy inside. The tub-style ground saved water flowing throughout our campsite from coming into the tent. I used to be impressed!

The tent’s double-stitched seams and strengthened corners are made to final, whereas heavy-duty zippers open and shut its doorways and home windows with out binding. The tent has a triangle-shaped door with a zipper within the heart and alongside the underside, permitting all or solely half of the door to be opened. Hook-and-loop closures safe the door with out zipping, good for sooner entry within the bug-free shoulder seasons. The Regatta has a pre-installed heat-resistant silicone-coated range jack with a 5-inch pre-cut sample. We by no means used it this summer time, however I’m eyeing the potential of utilizing it for chilly fall and winter nights.

White Duck integrated a shock-absorbing grounding system that gives stability in opposition to excessive winds. That is one severely strong system. Every tie-out has a thick black wire, a reflective thread for nighttime visibility, and an easy-to-use tensioner. The Regatta consists of stout but gentle two-piece galvanized metal poles for comfort at camp. I really feel the spherical form additionally cuts the wind. As soon as it was arrange, the by no means wavered within the wind.

The sewn-in groundsheet retains gear clear and dry, stopping the creepy crawlies from biting at night time. Strolling on it’s a little noisy, however that’s a small trade-off for waterproof sturdiness. A sound-dampening workaround is to position a wool blanket on the ground. Different extras embody a built-in cable outlet, utility pockets, and roof vents. Pondering again to the rainstorm, condensation by no means accrued within the tent, so I clearly the roof vents did their job of sustaining air circulation.

SETUP

The tent has clear directions, and setting it up is intuitive and quick. Our first time solely took 20 minutes, and now that I do know what I’m doing, two folks can set it up in beneath quarter-hour. The toughest half is discovering a patch of floor that accommodates the tent’s massive footprint.

The tent has pins to safe the underside to the bottom and heavy-duty “J-pegs” (rebar stakes) for attaching its man strains. It additionally features a rubber mallet. The mallet labored effectively in mushy soil. Nonetheless, my hardened axe ballot labored higher in tougher floor.

SIZE

The Realtree EDGE Regatta is available in three diameters: 13-, 16-, and 20-foot. I selected the 13 mannequin for my first bell tent. The inside ground house and stand-up headspace are luxurious for somebody used to a low-profile, four-person dome tent. It simply held my household and equipment with loads of room for my two massive canines. I even had house to arrange a small camp desk for enjoying video games.

This mannequin options an 8’2” centrE pole, and a 6’6” door, providing plentiful head house each contained in the tent and strolling by the doorway. It’s robust to explain the scale of the tent till it’s totally arrange and able to transfer in. My youngsters’ preliminary reactions had been, “It’s large!” and, “We might match all the scouts on this tent!” They’re not unsuitable. It’s extremely spacious, and that’s probably the greatest causes to decide on a tent like this for prolonged stays open air.

NICE FEATURES

The 13’ Regatta has three massive D-shaped home windows close to the bottom, permitting ample airflow and 4 roof vents for extra circulation. {The electrical} cable outlet is a handy manner of introducing energy for lights and shops for electronics. (Although I favor a standard camp, so I saved it zipped closed)

Reflective thread within the help ropes is a intelligent addition for nighttime security. Two storage pouches on both aspect had been the proper place to stash my headlamp, truck keys, bear spray and different necessities.

WHY CAMO?   

Camouflage is a well-liked alternative amongst hunters, so having a tent material cloaked in a flexible sample, like Realtree EDGE, is an efficient alternative for deer, elk, or duck camps—and anytime you need to mix into the forest. That is the tent I’m utilizing for elk camp this yr. The works independently or might be brushed in additional conceal the the tent.

The camo mannequin’s darker material (in comparison with white) additionally blocks extra early morning gentle if you’re attempting to sleep. It is a huge deal in the summertime, particularly within the northern latitudes, the place the solar is up by 4 a.m. or earlier!

Darkish colors heat within the solar, radiating warmth contained in the tent. I appreciated this within the spring and fall when the additional heat is welcome. Like most tents, the within air will get scorching in the summertime by mid-morning. Nonetheless the massive home windows, screened door and roof vents assist regulate the temperature and make it comfy most days.

CONCLUSIONS

The White Duck Open air, Realtree EDGE Regatta bell tents are made to final. I like the standard supplies and workmanship all through the tent and its equipment. Regatta bell tents are fast to arrange, and their staking and man line system maintain the tent safe even in sturdy winds.

Realtree EDGE blends into the woods. Whether or not searching, stealth tenting or just sharing my out of doors way of life, the camo Regatta fits me completely. I selected the Regatta 13’, sized for teams of 4-6. I’d contemplate a bigger dimension or a second tent for bigger teams. In case you’re available in the market for a canvas tent and have camo coursing by your veins, contemplate the White Duck Realtree EDGE Regatta.