White Duck Outdoors (Avalon Bell Tent): Definitive Review (2024)
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Welcome to the definitive White Duck Outdoors Avalon Canvas Bell Tent (with Stove Jack) review 2024.
Bit of a mouth full – but boy this is one great tent.
We took the 10 best tents in their category on a road trip to test them back to back. We thoroughly loved every minute of testing this particular bad boy.
Here’s a little taster of the metrics we used to test this tent and what’s to come later:
- Comfort and livability
- Versatility and ease of use
- Weather resistance and durability
- Lots more…
(All the things you need to know when you’re thinking about buying a tent).
Our conclusion after pitting it against the best products in its class?
We loved this tent so much we awarded it our Editor’s Choice in this category.
Let’s find out why.
- Manufacturer: White Duck
- Capacity: Up to 8 people
- Dimensions: 9’ height, 16’5” diameter
- Material: Premium cotton army duck canvas
- Weight: Not stated
Bottom Line : A versatile, beautiful and well-made tent, perfect for group glamping, extended hunting trips, or a birthday celebration in your backyard
Pros
- Made from high-quality 100% cotton canvas
- Fire retardant finish
- Mesh door and windows
- Easy setup
- Integrated groundsheet
Cons
- Large when packed up
- The central pole can get in the way
Our Verdict: White Duck Outdoors (Avalon Bell Tent)
The White Duck Canvas Tent is a seriously versatile tent that’ll keep you warm and cozy, whatever the weather.
If you’ve been searching for a high-quality tent with a stove jack, made from premium materials… look no further.
What’s more, this tent is TopNotch at accommodating the whole family in comfort.
You can look forward to an easy and stress-free pitch, thanks to one central pole.
The roll-up walls mean it’s easy to control the amount of ventilation coming into your tent once the stove is lit. While the mesh windows mean you can keep those pesky bugs out at the same time.
However, there are a few issues to bear in mind…
Due to its size, this tent is pretty large once packed up.
Just make sure to leave enough room when you’re packing to accommodate it.
You’ll also need to supply your own suitable stove.
With that said, this tent still comes out on top for us when it comes to combining premium quality materials and intelligent design.
That’s why we awarded it our TopNotch Editor’s Choice.
Related:
Our Analysis, Comparisons & Test Results
This premium tent is one of 10 of the best tents in its category. We tested it in a range of locations and weather conditions from our sunny back garden (for a kid’s sleepover!) to a snowshoeing trip in the backcountry.
And everyone who stayed in this tent loved it.
When reviewing these tents, we scored them against a range of different metrics. These are designed to help us (and you!) figure out which tent will best suit your requirements.
After our expeditions, we think this is an amazing tent for any trip where you need a combination of space, ease of setup, and protection from the elements.
However, if you’re backpacking it’s going to be way too heavy. In that case, we recommend the OneTigris Smokey HUT Ultralight Hot Tent.
Now let’s take a look at those metrics, and dive deeper into exactly why this tent topped the table as our Editor’s Choice.
Livability
It’s not often a tent scores 10/10 for livability.
But that’s exactly what’s happened in this case.
It was the only tent in our review to do so.
Want to know why?
The large floor size means there’s plenty of room for everyone to spread out in comfort.
Livability Rating
And the intelligent bell-shaped design, with vertical walls, means there’s very little loss of headspace across the whole tent.
The windows and roof vents help to allow in plenty of light, but very importantly, they also mean you can tailor the amount of ventilation for your stove.
As for the number of windows?
This tent comes with 8 large windows, all of which are protected by tough PVC and bug mesh.
This tent is also equipped with utility pockets. There are four of these spread around the tent. Meaning it’s easy to keep smaller items such as cell phones, cameras, and charging cables safe and easy to find.
Bottom line?
We’d happily live in this tent with our family, whatever the weather. And that’s really saying something!
Weather Resistance
Once again, this 4 season tent lies at the top of the leaderboard when it comes to weather resistance.
Made from a Grade-A 100% cotton canvas, the White Duck Premium Canvas Tent with Stove Jack is both waterproof AND breathable.
The rain flap front door also means you can batten down the hatches when bad weather comes your way.
Weather Resistance Rating
The canvas is mildew, mold, and UV resistant.
You can be confident it’s going to last for years.
The integrated groundsheet can easily be zipped on or off. In cold weather, this groundsheet provides excellent insulation from cold ground temperatures.
It also stops rain in its tracks.
What else?
The reinforced, double-stitched seams also do a great job of keeping out the weather.
In short, come rain or shine you’ll be impressed with how well this tent holds up.
Durability
In the durability metric, it’s another 10/10 for the White Duck Tent.
The only tent in our review to achieve top marks in this category.
Tents are one of our biggest expenses you’ll incur when buying camping equipment, so we all want to know that our new tent is going to last more than just a few seasons.
Durability Rating
The central galvanized steel pole is well made and built to last. The zippers are manufactured by YKK, known for their durability. They’re military-grade, too.
The 100% cotton canvas used on this test is also army grade so you can be confident it’s going to stand up to plenty of use.
Let me tell you more.
The Camping and Caravanning Club recommend canvas as one of the best tent materials in terms of durability.
Your canvas tent could outlast a nylon one by two or more decades.
That’s seriously impressive.
The groundsheet is also made from a heavy-duty, 16 ounce PVC.
Guaranteed to stand up to a heavy flow of people coming and going.
With a hook eye groundsheet at the front, it’s easier to keep flat.
This means you won’t trip over it, making it less likely that it’ll tear.
The bottom line?
It’s very rare to see a tent as durable as this one.
Ease Of Use
Here’s where the White Duck falls down the ratings a little bit.
With that said, it still scored a very respectable 9/10 in our Ease Of Use category.
Want to know more about why it didn’t score higher?
While the central pole does make this tent relatively easy to put up, it’s still a heavy tent.
Ease Of Use Rating
While it’s possible to put this tent up single-handed, we found it hard to keep the central pole stabilized while getting the correct tension on the guy lines.
It’s much quicker (and easier!) if you can rope in a few people to help.
In this case, we found 3 people to be the magic number.
Given that this is a large family tent, you’re probably likely to have the extra hands available.
Versatility
In the versatility metric, we considered how useful this tent would be at adapting to a range of different outings.
While you might be buying it with one particular trip in mind, it’s always good to know whether your chosen purchase could adapt to suit multiple types of vacation.
Again, the White Duck Tent scored well here, with only one other tent getting a higher score.
Versatility Rating
This tent will perform equally well on a backcountry hunting trip in the winter as it will for a summer wedding where you need some extra accommodation in your backyard.
Conclusion: White Duck Outdoors Avalon Bell Tent
You made it!
We’re nearly at the end of our review of the white duck outdoors tent.
Now you’ve read this far, you should have a super clear idea of how well this tent performed.
For livability and durability, you honestly can’t get any better.
If you have a large family or are planning a reunion with friends, rest assured this tent is the perfect choice.
The range of intelligent design features, combined with the use of premium materials throughout, means this tent will soon become a firm favorite.
It certainly has for us.
By combining all these points, we hope that it’s easy for you to see why the White Duck Tent is our TopNotch Editor’s Choice.
And to round this up, this tent offers a winning combination of space, ease of use, and the ability to safely use a stove inside your tent.
If it’s been your mission to find the most comfortable large tent with a stove jack, but also a touch of luxury, look no further, this is the tent for you.
Other Versions
While we tested the 8 person White Duck Outdoor Tent it’s also available in two other sizes.
Here are the main differences between them:
- 6 person tent:
- Diameter 13’1” Height 8’6”
- 8 windows
- Door height 5’10”
- 8 person tent:
- Diameter 16’5” Height 9’10”
- 10 windows
- Door height 6’2”
- 10 person tent:
- Diameter 20’ Height 11’2”
- 12 windows
- Door height 6’6”
As you can see, the larger tents have a higher door. This can be a great advantage if your group is on the taller side.
But the 10 person tent is going to be quite a mission to pitch.
Rest assured though, that all the features such as durability, weather resistance, and livability will be the same no matter the size of tent you choose.
Happy Glamping!
