Dokicamp Unlimited Works dome tent VAST-SK100

see also:

• large dome tents
• hot tents (tents with wood stoves inside)
• Winter car glamping my way
• photography and camping main index page
• Youtube short video of it with TPU door and Winnerwell Nomad Medium stove

• the Unlimited Works Hemispherical tent VAST-SK100 sold by Dokicamp is a 3.9m diameter floor-less octagonal dome-like tent with 5 big doors and 3 windows plus a stove jack making it a very versatile shelter
• most will use a 2P tent inside it to provide an insect proof sleeping area and provide greater warmth
  • suggestion: Vidalido Land Yu 2Persons TC Cotton S-T139 Tent
• as with most tipis and dome tents, there are no awnings
  • one could use a 4x4m tarp with two tarp poles to provide an awning over the doorways and potentially add to the stability and waterproofing in adverse weather by having it pass over the tent and guying out and pegging down on the rear, windward side
  • alternatively, an 3×2.4m or larger tarp with one corner pulled up UNDER the tent fly and guyed out on the opposite side will prevent rain running down the fly into an open doorway
• a comparable sized, but less spacious tipi tent is the OneTigris Rock Fortress teepee style Hot Tent
  • both have about 12 sq m floor space but the tipi tent has much less standing height space due to the angled sides
• a comparable sized, but more spacious tunnel tent is the Mobi Garden Guan Tu V (On The Road V) hot tent / gazebo
  • being a 4×3.8m rectangle, the Guantu V has ~25% more space at 15 sq.m floor space whereas the circular nature of this tent gives only 12sqm floor space
  • in addition, both doors of the Guantu V can be used as awnings for even more space - but the view through the Guantu V mesh is not as clear and one wall has no windows at all so more thought needs to go into siting of the Guantu V when setting up - expected wind directions, views, access, etc, and it takes longer to set up and take down

• 3.9m diam x 2m tall octagonal; 12 sq m floor space; volume is very approximately 18m³ (~5-6x that of a standard 2P hike tent but only just over half that of the Guantu V)
• 68D honeycomb ripstop 2000mmPU UPF50+ silicone-processed nylon (no silicone layer)
• 5 large doors and 3 half-height elevated windows (plus 4 ceiling) are dual layered fabric inner, mesh outer and all can be opened;
  • the mesh and fabric doors can be stowed away in a large mesh pocket above each of the doors when unzipped but remain attached to centre of top of doors
• ceiling fly canopy with 4 clear TPU windows and a stove jack which can be rotated to one of the 4 ceiling window positions;
• inner sod skirt to reduce breezes, etc
• 8x 9.6mm aluminium poles with a central hub - not sure how strong this design is though.
  • the wall poles have a bent section at the top where they connect into the centre hub poles
  • the wall poles readily develop a sideways warp in use - perhaps 11mm may have been better but then it would have been much heavier
• poles are clipped on to the tent with the only sleeves being the bottom 12“ section - makes set up and pack down much faster and less fiddly than long pole sleeves as is on many tents
• 11.5kg
• packs to 75x30x30cm;
• available in khaki or green;
• bag is very spacious and made of same material as the tent - its very easy to stow the tent - as usual, just take care not to snare the mesh in the zippers!
• https://dokicamp.work/en-au/products/dome-tent-hemispherical-tent-vast-sk100 I paid $AU700 incl delivery but it is no longer on this website
• opt. TPU door ~$AU60 - get at least 3 so you can have 3 almost panorama doors!
• in Oct 2023 it is still on their Japanese website https://dokicamp.com/products/%E3%83%89%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A0%E3%83%86%E3%83%B3%E3%83%88-hemispherical-tent-vast-sk100

• the ceiling has 4 windows which are dual layered - mesh and fabric
• one of these can have a stove jack attached as shown below
• the fly cover has 4 clear TPU matching windows AND a separate stove jack window and thus the fly can be rotated to allow for the chimney to be aligned with the fly window
• for better insurance for where it passes through the tent ceiling window, use a triple shield chimney section as wind could otherwise potentially allow the tent fabric to touch the chimney
• the fly attaches to top part of wall of main tent just above the guy out points via buckles
• if you choose the ceiling window to the left of the 3 doors (so you can see the right side window of a Winnerwell Nomad wood camping stoves, the chimney will be 1.24m from the closest wall at floor level, and 1.55m from the floor of the left most of the 3 doors - and 40cm from the centre of the tent
  • this allows a 2P tent to be set up essentially parallel with the rear door, and allows easy access to stoking the stove with tent being ~45cm from the stove door
• when it is 5-10degC outside, the medium Winnerwell Nomad wood camping stoves will quickly raised the temperature to 24degC at height 1.3m and 16deg at height 20cm, this is with all doors closed except one door is 1/3rd fully open to allow fresh air and any smoke from opening the stove door to escape
• note that there is a large gap in the ceiling window where heat will escape around the chimney as the stove jack is on the fly - this can be partly reduced by using a triple shield section here for the chimney and then the ceiling window can be partly zipped closed around this.

NB. the stove jack is part of the fly NOT the tent itself

• this tent comes with an internal skirt which has very important functions when used correctly by weighing it down:
  • reduces chance of strong winds getting under the tent and compromising the tent
  • reduces dust ingress into the tent
  • reduces larger animals getting into the tent such as snakes and some vermin although these may only need a gap of an inch or so
• it has additional advantages over a external snow skirt:
  • outside rain does not pool on top of it so it dries out more quickly
• BUT:
  • it can't be used as a snow skirt - although these are not really needed as snow can be piled up on the outside of the tent
  • if rain does fall onto it at one of the doors, the water tends to run around the sod cloth to pool at the lowest point - and in the process could wet gear you don't want wet

• much more usable interior space as there is no centre pole and ceiling is flatter giving more standing height area and reducing ceiling hot air spots when using a stove
• not as tall as a tipi (same diameter tipi is usually 2.4m tall whereas this is 2m tall so this may have some benefit in strong winds)
• much greater ventilation and view options - most tipis have only 1-2 doors and no windows
• better privacy options - can zip up the doors half height while still giving ventilation and a wide view out
• freestanding so you can move it or rotate it once set up (tipis need to be firmly pegged out to set up)
• option of clear tpu doors to reduce the wind chill and rain but still see out and connect with nature
• ceiling windows for viewing the night sky
• better mosquito protection - all doors and windows have mesh layer (tipis generally do not have mesh doors)
• ceiling has a separate fly for perhaps better rain and warmth protection

• can be a faster set up and pack up as no long sleeves to get the poles through (10min vs 20-30min)
• circular arrangement means it will work no matter which way the wind blows whereas the tunnel tents are really only optimised for some wind directions
• much more privacy, ventilation, vision and door options
• windows can have the mesh and fabric unzipped for a clear view (many tunnel tents have a fixed mesh component in the windows)
• ceiling windows (although some tunnel tents do have these)
• optional clear TPU doors (although some tunnel tents do have these but they are much wider)

• poles are joined and taken apart under tension, which might be hard for a solo woman
• much heavier (but still relatively light) at 11.5kg (similar tipi would come in at about 3.5kg which means one could hike with a tipi)
• more expensive as there are lots of mesh, zips and poles
• takes longer to set up as there are 8 poles not just one centre pole as with a tipi
• may take longer to dry out as more zips and fabric
• may need the ground to be more flat given the rigid outer frame (a tipi is much more forgiving on a sloping site)
• may be less stable in strong winds than a fully guyed out tipi
  • had no issues with 40kph gusts with only 3 guys in place - hardly moved so should cope with 60kph gusts when fully guyed out
  • this perhaps could be partially mitigated by guying out a strong tarp over the top which could also allow a rain awning option
• cannot be used without poles - a tipi can potentially be suspended by the centre loop to a strong structure and this allows for an even lighter hiking option

• maybe less stable in strong winds
• no awning option
• can't back your car into it and access the hatch in the same way
• much less usable space as it is circular not rectangular

• should be protected from strong winds
• ensure it is not under a large branch which may fall (this is particularly an issue in Australia with Eucalypts)
• ensure it is not a river bed subject to flash flooding from a remote downpour
• should be fairly flat
• where the inside of the tent will be should be higher ground than outside the tent so that water will not pool inside the tent if it rains

• optionally, attach the fly
  • fly has 4 clear TPU windows to match the tent's ceiling windows PLUS it has a velcro attached stove jack (which you will need to cut to size for your chimney) with fabric external zip cover
  • fly attaches via buckles to main tent
  • when using the stove, you place it through an open tent ceiling window and then the fly needs to be rotated so that the stove jack sits over the chimney - in this position, you will not be able to see through the other ceiling windows as the clear TPU windows are now rotated away from them
• optionally, attach door TPU windows if you have bought them
  • these attach by a large plastic zipper starting from the LEFT BOTTOM corner of the door when standing outside the tent
  • these do not create a full seal as there is no seal at the bottom so a breeze can get through

• NB. even if it has not rained overnight, it is likely there will be internal condensation due to moisture in the ground which needs to be dried out either on site or at home
• the extended 2 hour process which dries the tent
  • wake up and light the fire
  • boil water on fire for cup of coffee and 1-2L water for hot shower
  • have breakfast then make a cup of coffee
  • allow wood stove to die out so it is ready to handle in 30-45minutes by which time internal tent condensation should be fairly dry
  • toilet break then have hot shower inside the tent (or outside if no-one else around)
  • start packing up your bedding / mattress and any other gear such as firewood, flooring if used
  • unpeg and remove guy ropes if not too windy (else leave til later)
  • pack up the wood stove when cool enough
  • pack up your inner tent (this could be done before the stove is packed up but is more difficult with stove in the way and does risk damage to inner tent if stove is very hot still)
  • then pack up tent as below
• tent pack up - this part is actually very fast - less than 15min
  • unclip and remove the fly and pack away in bag
  • unclip all clips from poles apart from the highest clip (you won't be able to reach it anyway)
  • remove all tent pegs (can leave one in until last if it is windy)
  • remove all poles one by one by pulling out of their sleeves (place a foot on the bottom tag of the sleeve to aid this), THEN detach from the centre hub pole and place poles on ground
  • tent will now fall to the ground
  • unclip the central hub and dismantle poles of the hub
  • pack all the poles away in pole bag and place in main carry bag
  • fold the tent inwards until width is about the width of the carry bag then roll it up and place in carry bag (optionally apply the compression strap)
  • when you get home, hang it up to dry fully so you don't get mould

• the doors are protected from rain if the TPU is in place, or the external fabric is in place, but if you want mesh layer, or an open door, the rain will enter, so here are some suggestions to mitigate this if it is warm, humid and raining and you want ventilation
• use a light weight 4x4m tarp to cover the whole ceiling
  • use of the tent fly is not needed but can be used still
  • this can provide some coverage to all doors (or at least 4 doors)
  • this can be placed over the tent and then adjusted to need with options of use of tall tent poles to give view and more shelter outside
  • to ensure adequate ventilation, the eyelets are best guyed out rather than just clamped to the tent frame
• use a smaller light weight tarp UNDER the fly so rain drains from it onto the tarp
  • you need the tent fly in place
  • this will provide coverage for only one door but means you can use a small 1.4mx2m tarp
  • attach a guy rope to a corner and pull the guy rope under the tent fly to the opposite side of tent and guy out with the corner sufficiently pulled up under the fly to cover the whole doorway
  • guy out the front of the tarp, preferably using a tall tent pole

• strong winds over 60kph may be problematic
  • central pole hub may not be strong enough to survive strong winds - manufacturer does warn about strong winds
  • you will need to have it well guyed out and perhaps consider further strengthening in winds and rain by adding a strong tarp over the top and tied down
• door zips
  • the zip fabric layer for the doors zip from both side bottoms up towards the centre at the top where it can be stowed with a toggle so you are not standing on it when opened
  • but this does mean:
    • you cannot create a lower half of the door covered with fabric for privacy - if you want upper level ventilation and lower level privacy you will have to rely upon the windows to achieve that
  • zips also frequently catch on material so you need to take care
• chimney passing through ceiling window:
  • you MUST use a triple shield chimney section to avoid risk of sides of ceiling window touching the chimney itself if it gets windy or the stove is moved
  • it is not mosquito proof and can lose warm tent air as there is a relatively large ceiling window gap - this can be reduced by using a triple shield chimney section which allows zipping up most of the window - but then, mosquitoes are not usually an issue in winter when you will be mainly using the stove
  • the large gap means you would need to use the fly if rain is expected
• the optional clear TPU doors do not create a full seal as there is no zip at the bottom although if pitched tight there is little breeze to get through
• waterhead rating is only 2000mm
  • this seems to suffice for its designed purpose, although comparable tents in 2023 now generally have 3000-4000mm waterhead ratings.
  • I had no significant issues in 30mm rain in an afternoon - just some minor water getting through bottom of doors onto the mud skirt (also, if using TPU doors ensure the bottoms are outside so rain does not run onto mud skirts inside.
  • NB. even with spark arrester, stove embers are likely to burn small holes in the fly which can be easily sealed with tent tape reduce these by not running stove too hot
• mesh is probably not No-See-Um proof but then the mesh gives better visibility than most
• can't leave doors or windows open during rain as no awnings to stop rain ingress
  • a work-around is to set up a small tarp (eg. 2x2m) to cover one door with corner of the tarp being pulled up under the tent fly (anchored by guy rope to opposite side) so that the full width of the door is covered
  • see above for my solutions
• pole sleeves are not strong enough
  • I have one hole just above the thicker part 2/3rds of the way down so more care is needed setting up
  • I have another hole at the end of one sleeve although this does not seem to affect function but the pole does poke through the end so more care is needed when setting up or taking down
• as with all floor-less tents, internal condensation occurs overnight when camping over moist grounds which impacts packing up and visibility through the TPU doors
  • this quickly evaporates in the sun or if you light the wood stove for 30minutes or so in the morning
• personally, when using an internal 2P tent plus a wood stove, I would like it to be ~0.5m wider and with stronger poles
  • the Vidalido Land Yu 2Persons TC Cotton S-T139 Tent fits very snuggly and a wider tent would give a bit more space to place it further from the stove and give you better access to zips on the windows
  • whilst the poles seem to do a great job, a larger tent would be better off with 11mm poles