kodiak 10x14 vs hexayurt which should i go with?

sambojones · Post by **sambojones** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 10:05 am

i already have a full size hexayurt with an ac and honda genny but the hexayurt is big, bulky, and a bit of a bitch to set up so i was thinking to buy a kodiak 10x14 since it would take up less space and be easier to set up/tear down. what do yall think? can i live in a kodiak as comfortably as i did in a yurt and how hard do yall think it would be to hook up my ac to the kodiak without letting in a shitload of dust in or ruining the tent

Undecided · Post by **Undecided** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 1:21 pm

I cannot speak from exp, but we just picked up the 10x10 deluxe tent and it is quality business. Am very much looking forward to living out of it for a week.

Trishntek · Post by **Trishntek** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 9:49 am

The comfort comparison is apples and oranges. If I had the space, time, etc, I would go with the hexayurt. Shit it you already have one, why switch?

I do have a Kodiak 10x14 and love it! I'm looking forward to trying my little swamp cooler with it.

The hexayurt is much quieter than any tent can possibly be. Transporting them is the biggest challenge I see and simply do not see them as a viable option for me.

CapSmashy · Post by **CapSmashy** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 9:15 am

A better option would be to run an evap cooler in your Kodiak, no modification to the tent necessary. We ran one in ours the 2 years we used the Kodiaks and it does an excellent job of cooling the tent down. The canvas helps hold the cooler air inside.

For putting an ac unit inside, all you would need to have is a stand fro the air conditioner unit so it sits off the ground and seal the door flap around the frame of the A/C. with duct tape. If you wanted to get really industrious with it, make a wall out of the same kind of insulation board you made your hexayurt out of with a cut out for the A/C to pass through and sit on the stand.

Make it the width of the "back" door of the Kodiak and simply roll the door open and seal the tent to the wall by taping it down inside and outside.

sambojones · Post by **sambojones** » Thu Jun 16, 2011 12:06 am

Trishntek wrote:The comfort comparison is apples and oranges. If I had the space, time, etc, I would go with the hexayurt. Shit it you already have one, why switch?

I do have a Kodiak 10x14 and love it! I'm looking forward to trying my little swamp cooler with it.

The hexayurt is much quieter than any tent can possibly be. Transporting them is the biggest challenge I see and simply do not see them as a viable option for me.

Thanks for the input Trishntek I didn't really think too much about the sound factor I guess I've just taken it for granted. The biggest things for me are that the yurt takes up a ton of space and is kind of a bitch to set up. I've ordered a kodiak to see how I like it i got a 6014 deluxe for $405 shipped so if i don't like it i figure i can sell it for as much or use it for other camping outside of burns. what i'm mainly after in getting the kodiak is ease of set up and tear down and saving some space.

CapSmashy wrote:A better option would be to run an evap cooler in your Kodiak, no modification to the tent necessary. We ran one in ours the 2 years we used the Kodiaks and it does an excellent job of cooling the tent down. The canvas helps hold the cooler air inside.

For putting an ac unit inside, all you would need to have is a stand fro the air conditioner unit so it sits off the ground and seal the door flap around the frame of the A/C. with duct tape. If you wanted to get really industrious with it, make a wall out of the same kind of insulation board you made your hexayurt out of with a cut out for the A/C to pass through and sit on the stand.

Make it the width of the "back" door of the Kodiak and simply roll the door open and seal the tent to the wall by taping it down inside and outside.

thanks for the suggestions CapSmashy I didn't really think about running an evap cooler i might look into that. and the insulation wall is so simple it's genius i'm gonna have to set up my tent when it arrives and see how i can make it work.

silad · Post by **silad** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 12:39 pm

I never used the hexayurt but I have a Springbar 10x14 similar to the Kodiak. I cut / taped some Reflectix insulation, and clipped it to the top edge of the tent and guyed it down to the rebar tent stakes, then I rigged some 70% shade cloth over that. It was great, I was able to sleep in til 11-12 each day no problem. I also really like that evap cooler idea as well, may have to add that into the mix too this year.

dragonpilot · Post by **dragonpilot** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 5:10 pm

What does one use to power an evaporative cooler...small generator? Or will one run off a deep cycle battery? What kind of power does a decent cooler draw?

And as long as we're on the subject, what are some recommended coolers to consider and prices?

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 5:54 pm

If you're not building your own, then you have these.

http://www.swampy.net/

If you are running a genny and you bring enough water.

http://www.amazon.com/Champion-Cooler-2 ... _top_855_0

How big is the space you want to cool?

You can build a cooler large enough for any space a lot cheaper.

Packoderm · Post by **Packoderm** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 8:13 pm

FIGJAM wrote: If you are running a genny and you bring enough water.

http://www.amazon.com/Champion-Cooler-2 ... _top_855_0

How big is the space you want to cool?

You can build a cooler large enough for any space a lot cheaper.

People are selling swamp coolers on craigslist for as low as $60.

.

Post by **Elderberry** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 12:05 am

We bought one from this company before we got the air conditioner. We really didn't like it. It made it feel more muggy than cool. Not the unit's fault, I'm sure. http://www.air-n-water.com/swamp-cooler ... rative.htm

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 5:31 am

jkisha wrote:We bought one from this company before we got the air conditioner. We really didn't like it. It made it feel more muggy than cool. Not the unit's fault, I'm sure. http://www.air-n-water.com/swamp-cooler ... rative.htm

Yeah, that looks like the ones that just set in the room.

No dry air intake , so it just builds up the humidity.

Trishntek · Post by **Trishntek** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 6:00 am

dragonpilot wrote:What does one use to power an evaporative cooler...small generator? Or will one run off a deep cycle battery? What kind of power does a decent cooler draw?

And as long as we're on the subject, what are some recommended coolers to consider and prices?

Ours is just a 5 gallon bucket size with an 8 inch computer fan and a small 12V sump pump. The whole thing draws 0.38 amps from a 12V battery.

In more practical terms, that is less than 5 watts.

sambojones · Post by **sambojones** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 10:14 am

ups dropped off my kodiak a couple of days ago and it's a heavy duty mofo... it was pretty easy to set up with just one person took me maybe 15 minutes, but i think i could do it much faster next time. The ease of set up, and packed size are really impressive... it definitely doesn't have the sound dampening of the yurt, but i can manage with some ear plugs i'm sure. i still can't decide which I want so i'm gonna keep em both

I'll make a swamp cooler for the tent (thanks for the super informative post figjam) and keep the ac for the yurt... I have a couple of friends coming with me this year so if they don't have a good tent yet they can stay in the kodiak. i was thinking that if i wasn't satisfied with the tent i could return it or resell it, but for how impressively big and heavy duty it is i'm gonna keep it as a backup for the burn and use it for non burn camping as well.

just a lil over two months left i'm starting to get really fucking pumped!

Byrd · Post by **Byrd** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 4:16 pm

Any feedback on the tent vs hexayurt????

DrYes · Post by **DrYes** » Tue Jun 24, 2014 12:06 am

I recently got a Kodiak 10x14, and am looking forward to trying it out on the playa this year.

BBadger · Post by **BBadger** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 5:09 pm

Three years and a day after the last post in this thread and now you want the feedback?

Byrd · Post by **Byrd** » Wed Jul 02, 2014 6:51 pm

Yea I do... I have struggled to find a good testimonial on the hexayurt vs canvas tent as far as to how much cooler the hexayurt stays into the morning/afternoon.

I am planning on making a swamp cooler either way and have the capabilities to transport either option. The canvas tent seems like a better investment as I can take it to other events, it will be easier to set up and tear down, takes up much less room to transport (I will be paying by by volume of gears transported, so the tent will be much cheaper to transport), and will potentially last me many more years than a hexayurt. That being said, if I am going to be able to sleep/nap into the heat of the day much more comfortably in a hexayurt, it may be worth all the hassle.

Being well rested is absolutely key to my happiness on the playa and I have a feeling I wont be going to sleep shortly after sun down so being able to sleep during sunlight is essential. I've done events where I've been woken up at 8:30 sweating my ass off in my tent/solar oven and it is absolutely miserable. <--- That ultimately is what I am trying to avoid.

So yea, if I could get some sort of gauge as to how much more comfortable one might be in a hexayurt, I will have all the information I need to make my decision. Thanks!

VultureChow · Post by **VultureChow** » Wed Jul 02, 2014 7:03 pm

An unshaded Kodiak canvas tent is a sauna by 8am.

I love my tent, but it does not stay cool. Aluminet wrapped around it like a burrito has extended comfortable sleeping time by a few hours, but you won't catch me in there after 10am.

I can't speak to a hexayurt having never been in one, but I would guess they are much cooler.

Pootzen · Post by **Pootzen** » Sun Jul 13, 2014 8:23 pm

VultureChow wrote:An unshaded Kodiak canvas tent is a sauna by 8am.

I love my tent, but it does not stay cool. Aluminet wrapped around it like a burrito has extended comfortable sleeping time by a few hours, but you won't catch me in there after 10am.

This was the case for me last year. Going to either try to purchase an A/C, Aluminet shade, or build a FigJam evap cooler this year. Or just give up on it and buy an RV...

1durphul · Post by **1durphul** » Sun Jul 13, 2014 9:24 pm

I switched to a canvas tent (Spring bar 10x14) a couple of years ago. It is FANTASTIC for remaining dust free. However, the airtight nature means it also heats up. I wish there were some sort of way to have a cloth that air could move through, but dust couldn't. Maybe an air conditioning filter over the rear zip down window??

Freedyjay · Post by **Freedyjay** » Tue Jul 15, 2014 10:20 pm

So I may be in a lucky situation where I can borrow a friend's hexayurt or bring my Costco Carport with my tent underneath (the lucky is in having these options rather than having to create a new shade structure.) Not a Kodiak tent, although thinking of getting one.

How hot does the hexayurt get without a swamp cooler? I thought they were much cooler than having a tent (with Costco Carport OR a Monkey Hut) and therefore worth all the effort in transporting them. Is all the swamp cooler love on the boards due in part to people enjoying building stuff or are hexayurt's really not that cool (temperature wise. Super cool otherwise.)

Fan C · Post by **Fan C** » Tue Jul 15, 2014 10:56 pm

Our swamp cooler pump died on wednesday so no more 65* inside the hexayurt. However even with just the fan a little nap from 3pm to 6-7pm was real nice. Last year had real mild heat though... cooler than home in socal.

I'll be able to tell you how a tent under a carport works in around 45 days or so.

kodiak 10x14 vs hexayurt which should i go with?

kodiak 10x14 vs hexayurt which should i go with?

Re: kodiak 10x14 vs hexayurt which should i go with?

Re: kodiak 10x14 vs hexayurt which should i go with?

Re: kodiak 10x14 vs hexayurt which should i go with?

Re: kodiak 10x14 vs hexayurt which should i go with?

Re: kodiak 10x14 vs hexayurt which should i go with?

Re: kodiak 10x14 vs hexayurt which should i go with?

Re: kodiak 10x14 vs hexayurt which should i go with?

Re: kodiak 10x14 vs hexayurt which should i go with?

Re: kodiak 10x14 vs hexayurt which should i go with?