wall tent -vs- portable yurts

[pdxkevin]

I have recently heard about some portable yurt kits. Sounds like a fun undertaking for a spring project.

Anyone made one or know about them? I hear that they are quick to put up and can be insulated. What would the advantages be between the wall tent and the portable yurt?

Anyone one where you could get a kit relatively locally?

[skein]

I've been using one for years. My wife and I can set it up in about 20 minutes, and they are great! Ours is 16' in diameter, has four windows with screens, and the covering is impervious to the elements. It all fits very comfortably in the bed of the pickup with room to spare.

I will tell you that it's heavy, though, with the frame weighing about 125 lbs. Other than that, there are NO drawbacks.

Skein

[Gun Rod Bow]

My 14' by 16' wall tent weighs 60# and packs over the panier boxes on my mule.

As far as insulation goes my colapsible wood stove can turn it into a sweat lodge when it's 15 degrees outside.

If you use a Yurt, would you need a string of Yaks to carry it?

[MarlinMark]

15X21 Beckel Canvas Wall tent. One window and two doors. Cylinder Stove, outfitter model. Works great and there is more than enough room in my pickup for the rest of the gear.

Mark

[bllelk]

I gotta share this...
I was invited by one of my buddies to go hunting with him and his crew of old timers in Eastern Idaho.
What do I need to bring? Not much, just a sleeping bag? Tent? no. Water cans? No. Folding chair, rollup table? No. Flashlight/lantern? Not really.
Everything you would expect to need on a week long trip wasn't needed.
So I hopped in the Bronco and headed off. A lot later that day, we came around the final bend and I thought the circus was in town!!! Rigs everywhere, everything was lit with strings of lights. Two huge tents! :shocked:
They had one huge army tent that held everybody all sixteen of us. Barrel stove, gas grill, three picnic tables. Chairs all around. Everybody had their own bunk. Carpet on the floor. Outside there was carpet to the latrine tent lined with split logs. The latrine/bath tent had two heads made of sheet metal with real seats and lids. Piles of wood all split and stacked.
At four in the morning the generator fired up, the lights came on and everyone woke up to a warm tent and a great meal.
Turns out these guys went up a week early just to set everything up and it was an annual event for them for years. I was just about the youngest and I was in my early fifties at that time.
I'd never camped that way before and never again since.
For them it wasn't the killing, the trip was it's own reward.
By the way, my buddy Don, the leader of the pack, was turned in by the locals for running an unlicensed hunting camp.

Top that Skien

[skein]

Pretty tough, Bllelk, pretty tough. I do have a wood floor, carpet, a futon, and a refrigerator though. But that's only when we're gonna set up for a while.

Geez, I guess I better get a generator. Or start going with you. :grin:

And to think, I used to carry my whole camp on my back....

Skein

[bllelk]

Skien:
That was a one time only event for me. I went back to my old style of eating cold oatmeal over a smoky fire in the dark. When the kids quit me on that deal we started showing a little class and went with the wall tent.
Now our wall tent is a 34' motorhome Slowpie and I just bought. I think that last trip when we had to tie the tent to the picnic table took a little of her enthusiasim for sleeping on the ground away.
I really think you hit on something with the yurt. [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img]