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UOG TOP PICK - Wechsel Bella 1.5 person tent - Spacious, stable, free-standing and light.
The Wechsel Bella 1.5 is the only tent that we are aware of that has been developed by women for women. It was conceived in a collaboration between Wechsel and a German based club for female adventurers. The group focussed on weight, packing size, quick setup and flexible space arrangement. Key considerations included lightweight, a colour that would blend with nature and not attract insects, space in the tent for storage and room for the rucksack to be inside.
Wechsel says
Bella is a geodesic tent for 1.5 people, including a vestibule. Thanks to the external tent poles, Bella can be set up quickly. Two aluminium hubs at the poles ensure high wind stability. The additional ridge pole ensures sufficient headroom. The pack size is handy and light and optimized for BIKE PACKING so that Bella will fit perfectly in each backpack. The inner tent is equipped with mosquito mesh in the door as well as at the foot and head end. Although Bella is designed as a 1.5 person tent, it can also accommodate two people who like each other.
Our Verdict
The Bella is the only tent that we are aware of that has been developed by women for women. It was conceived in a collaboration between Wechsel and a German based club for female adventurers. The group of women who contributed to the design focussed on weight, packing size, quick setup and flexible space arrangement. Key considerations included lightweight, a colour that would blend with nature and not attract insects, space in the tent for storage and room for the rucksack to be inside.
A requirement of the design of the Bella was that it could be pitched quickly whilst also keeping the inner tent dry in heavy rain. The inner tent is already attached to the flysheet which combined with the external poles means that the whole tent can be pitched as one. This keeps the inner dry and makes pitching extremely fast. The inner can be removed and added after the fly sheet is pitched to allow a wet fly and the inner to be packed separately.
The stuff bag for the Bella allows the entire tent and poles to be carried together or alternatively the poles can be separated to perhaps strap to a bicycle frame and the stuff bag compressed down for a smaller pack size. This is optimised for “bikepacking mode” to fit the smaller stuff bag in a pannier or luggage and poles on the frame or in a frame bag.
The Bella features plenty of internal pockets to store kit when using the tent. There is plenty of room for a rucksack inside the tent when using the tent solo.
The Bella can either be used as a very generously sized one person with loads of room to keep your bag etc inside or it has room for a friend (if you’re happy to squash up), for a child or a dog. The cross pole increases headroom making the inner a more comfortable place to move around, get changed etc.
The tent is a natural looking dark green which will blend into the background when wildcamping. It also won’t attract insects like some pale or bright colours tend to.
The Bella was the winner of the Camping category at the Summer WOMENS GEAR AWARD • #she is outdoors (she-is-outdoors.com)
The Bella isn’t a tent only for women, it’s just that their needs were foremost during development. It will no doubt suit the needs of a wide range of backpackers. Who wouldn’t appreciate lightweight, small pack size, super-fast pitching and a spacious inner?
- Reviewed by Ultralight Outdoor Gear
In-depth Reviews:
Features
- Increased UV protection due to the siliconized outer side of the fly sheet
- High-quality durable PU coating on the bottom as well as on the inside of the fly sheet
- Factory taped seams on the inner tent floor
- Fly sheet fabric with very high tearing strength of 7 kg
- Reflective Dyneema guy lines
- High quality Dur Aluminium V-Pegs
- DAC aluminum poles 7001 T6
- YKK zippers specially developed for tents
- Processing of all fabrics with high stitch density
Specifications
Our weights
- Flysheet weighs: 525g
- Inner weighs: 450g
- Poles weigh: 328g
- Total weight: 1303g (excludes pegs & bags)
- Pegs x weigh: 112g
Brands specs
- Sleeps: 1
- Size Inner Tent (LxWxH): 210 x 85-115 x 95 cm
- Vestibules: 1
- Doors: 1
- Weight: 1,400 kg
- Packing Size: 50 x 15
Material & Construction
- Flysheet: Ripstop Nylon 15D, silicone / PU coated, 3.000 mm w.c., taped seams
- Inner Tent: Ripstop Nylon 15D, water resistent, breathable
- Floor: Ripstop Nylon 40D, silicone / PU coated, 5.000 mm w.c.
- Footprint/Groundsheet: PU coated, 7.000 mm w.c. (sold separately)
- Mosquitonet: Nylon Noseeum 40D
- Tentpoles: DAC Aluminium 7001 T6, bolt tip
- Tentpegs: V-profile (Aluminium)
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