Geodesic camping tents are becoming more and more popular every year,
In this guide, we will define what a geodesic tent is, what are the pros and cons of geodesic tents, and finally, we will review the best geodesic tents available right now.
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Geodesic dome tent definition
A geodesic dome tent is any tent based on the Geodesic polyhedron shape, these tents aren’t always dome-shaped and there are many subtypes of the geodesic tents, the two main ones are the full geodesic and the semi-geodesic.
Geodesic dome tents have additional poles to make their structure more strength and resistance to wind and heavy and harsh weather conditions in general.
These tents are in most cases domes with additional poles organized in a formation that forms a geodesic shape, this formation gives more support to the fabric of the tent and can also support the weight of the snow (if you are camping with an ordinary tent during snow you need to wake every couple of hours to get rid of the accumulated snow on the roof. if you don’t do that, the additional weight might damage the poles of your tent).
Geodesic tents are, in general, shorter than the other types of tents, they are made this way to minimize wind resistance, this fact can make them unsuitable for tall people.
What is the best Geodesic dome tent?
Eureka K-2 XT geodesic dome tent review
The Eureka K-2 XT is one of the best 3 person geodesic tents available right now, its multiple features are currently unrivaled by any other tent.
This 52 square meter tent is capable of withstanding many harsh weather elements which makes it the perfect four-season geodesic tent.
The internal space is good for 3 adults and perfect for two, generally, campers carry some of their gear inside the tent where they sleep.
This is a freestanding tent, which means that it doesn’t need any additional robes to make it read, all the poles needed are included with it.
And just like any four-season tent, you can use the provided rain fly called “the storm shield” to keep rain and snow from getting inside this tent, sadly this tent is not great for watching stars at summer nights due to the lack of the see-through mesh. With that said, this rain fly can also act as additional storage for your gear and tools, and it can also conserve the heat inside during winter.
You can find different zippers on the roof and the walls, you can use these zippers to get more airflow inside the tent and also to remove the excess humidity.
If you get this tent from Amazon (check the link below), you will get an additional organizer wall with 14 pockets, four gear loft loops, and one flashlight loop. This is helpful for campers that like to have a multirole tent that can be used in different environments.
View Eureka K-2 XT geodesic dome tent on Amazon
Heimplanet The Cave Inflatable Geodesic Tent
The second tent in this list is considered to be the best inflatable geodesic tent, the Heimplanet The Cave tent is based on the same geodesic structure but is different than the Eureka K-2 XT because of the usage of inflatable poles that gives this tent its structure.
All you need to set this tent is a pump like the Heimplanet Double Action Hand Pump, and you are ready for camping.
It spaceship style is one of the biggest selling factors of this tent, but that doesn’t mean that it is bad in other areas, its is very durable, if a part of its structure is damaged, you don’t need to get a new tent, you can easily repair and replace that one damaged diamond-shaped part.
Condensation can be a problem sometimes, during summer, you can open one of the five windows to allow air to ventilate the excess humidity, but during winter, the cold temperature outside will make it difficult to open windows at night, you can use a tent dehumidifier to solve this problem.
The internal layer in watertight and can conserve the heat inside it, this, in combination with the geodesic shape is the reason why many experts keep recommending this tent for campers during trips in snowy mountains.
This structure can resist wind of speed up to 110mph and it is also water-resistant.
Even if it is inflatable, it is very stable due to its geodesic structure. We tried it in the Toubkal mountain in high-speed wind conditions and its performance was very satisfying.
View Heimplanet The Cave Inflatable Geodesic Tent on Amazon
Nemo Chogori 2P Mountaineering Tent
The Nemo Chogori is designed to be set in a very short time, setting your tent quickly when you are tired while camping on a snowy mountain with a strong wind, or camping just after the beginning of the strong surprising rainstorm.
This tent is 25 lighter than the average geodesic tent and it is also stronger because of the usage of the Silicon 20D Nylon fabric.
Its aluminum poles can withstand a high level of stress exerted by wind or the extra weight of the snow.
If you are camping with a large group, you can put multiple Chogori tents together to form a bigger extreme wind-resistant tent.
View Nemo Chogori 2P Mountaineering Tent on Amazon
Vital Domes Vital 24 Survival Shelter
This huge dome geodesic tent is considered to be the best 24 person tent available right now, it is primarily for people who like to camp in a harsh weather area, but without the limits of small or large ordinary tents.
This is a huge tent, it can fit a group of 8 to 14 adults sleeping inside of it, this number is taking into account the gear needed for each of them. If you have somewhere else to store your gear, you can fit 24 persons inside of it.
Its 420 square foot space allows you to put many royal size beds or mattresses inside of it.
View Vital Domes Vital 24 Survival Shelter on Amazon
Pros and cons of geodesic tents
Pros of geodesic tents
- Geodesic tents are the best choice for camping in extreme weather conditions like heavy rain and snow, even at the top of the mountains.
- More stable due to the geodesic shape and low profile.
- A longer span of life.
Cons of geodesic tents
- Their limited internal space makes them unsuitable for large groups of campers.
- They are more expensive than other types of tents due to the cost of the additional poles.
- Heavier, difficult to carry on a backpack.
- The extra poles need more to be setup.
FAQ
Are geodesic tents good?
Geodesic tents are very practical in situations where wind might be too strong, or the ground on the camping site is too hard or rocky.
What is the first geodesic tent?
The first geodesic tent is the 1975 North face made by Bob Gillis.
What is the lifespan of a geodesic dome tent?
The structure of the geodesic tent allows most of them to work for at least 5 years without any problem. inflatable tents are less durable, but most of them can be repaired without the need of buying a new one.
What is the lightest geodesic tent?
The best lightweight geodesic tent is the wild country tristar 3.
What is the difference between a geodesic and a semi-geodesic tent?
Semi-geodesic tents use similar principles but generally fewer poles for slightly less extreme conditions. Nevertheless, they are still normally produced in small sizes for those who are likely to pitch them on mountains or in windy, exposed terrain.
Tunnel vs geodesic tents
Geodesic tents are more stable than Tunnel tents, they (geodesic tents) are self-supported, they do not need any robes to be ready, this is useful if you need to relocate your tent faster.
The weight of these tents is also different, geodesic tents are heavier due to the number of additional poles.
Tunnel tent has more space and they are lighter than their geodesic cousins.
Types of geodesic tents
- Inflatable geodesic tents
- Fully geodesic tent
- Freestanding geodesic tent
- Geodesic hiking tent
- Lightweight geodesic tent
- Light geodesic tent
- Geodesic mountain tent
- Semi geodesic tent
- Portable geodesic dome tent
- Geodesic tent with porch
- Metallic geodesic tent
- Silver geodesic tent
- Geodesic backpacking tent
- Geodesic canvas tent
- Geodesic canopy tent
Best geodesic tent brands
- kangri geodesic mountain tent.
- Alaskan guide geodesic dome tent.
- Heimplanet inflatable geodesic dome tent.
- everest1953 geodesic expedition tent.
- Vango geodesic tent.
- cabela’s Alaskan guide geodesic tent.
- kangri geodesic mountain tent.
- Nordkap geodesic tent.
- Robens geodesic tent.
- Geodesic dome tent north face.
- Coleman geodesic tent.