Assembling a Bell Canopy Tent

Looking to camp in style? These 16 ft bell canopy tents are the perfect spot for campers of all experience levels. Whether you are looking to camp in your backyard or at your favorite campsite, these tents will help create a memorable experience for you. These instructions will clearly describe how you can assemble a bell canopy tent regardless of your familiarity with the product. Happy Camping!

-Written by Aaron Carter. UALR Student

• Bell Canopy Tent Set (Can be purchased online or at your local sporting goods store)
  • Tent
  • Stakes
  • Guide Lines
  • Middle Support Pole
  • A-Frame for door
  • Hammer or Mallet
• 25-30 feet of space

Choose a spot that has soft ground or dirt. For best results, make sure to select a spot that is flat.

Remove the tent from the bag and place it in your desired location. The tent can be pretty heavy and bulky so make sure to use good lifting technique when moving it.

The tent comes folded up and must be unrolled. Unroll the tent until it reaches the full 16-foot length. When stretched completely it will form a circle.

Most often you will notice that the door is zipped up. Once you find the door make sure to rotate your tent to its final position. Make sure to position your tent in a way that makes the entrance easily accessible to you or your guests.

Most often stakes come in the tent set or can be purchased at a local hardware store. Begin by securing one side of the tent with one stake. Immediately go to the opposite side of the previous stake and secure that side. Make sure to pull on the bottom of the tent as you stake it to ensure that all of the slack is out. Next, go to another side of the tent and repeat the same process one more time. Once you have four stakes-placed in a "+" formation, you can now stake the rest of the tent in no particular order. Every time you place a stake make sure to pull the slack out of the bottom of the tent.

Locate the support pole in your tent kit and begin by assembling it. It should consist of three poles that connect and form one long piece. Begin by entering the door of the tent with one side of the pole. Once you are in the tent locate the center of the roof. You will notice a circular spot with a heavy-duty canvas that signifies the proper placement of the pole. Once one end of the pole is in the designated spot continue to push the rest of the pole through the door and upwards to raise the roof of the tent. Light resistance should be felt as you continue to raise the roof and slide the bottom of the pole into a centered-position on the floor. Once this pole is placed the tent should remain standing as you prepare for the next step.

Included in the bell canopy tent kit is the A-Frame pole that is used to provide structure to the doorway. This piece is assembled like the center pole.

Once you have entered the tent with the pole. Locate the metal ring above the top corner of the door. Place the insert on top of the pole into the metal-ringed hole. Once the top is secure place the bottom of the pole into the designated pocket on the floor of the tent. Secure the pole by tieing it using the safety straps. Repeat this step again on the other side.

Using the lines included in your bell canopy tent kit, tie tension lines around the tent. For organizational purposes, it is easier to finish tieing all the lines before moving to the next step. Once all your tension lines are tied you can begin securing them to the ground with stakes. For best results, make sure to leave a little slack in your lines instead of pulling them as tight as possible. Once your lines are staked, you can go back and tighten your lines using the metal fastener attached to the ropes. The fasteners allow you to tighten your lines as needed and help you maintain a symmetrical structure with your tent.

Now is the time to examine your tent and to make your final walk around. Check that no stakes have loosened or removed themselves from the ground.