I love this tent: five years of camping with the Aero Yurt
8-6-2026
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
Pictures: Michael Restin
It’s heavy to carry, simple to set up and easy to love: the Aero Yurt by Robens is more than just a tent. It’s been with me for a good five years now, and I still love almost everything about it.
Camping is dead. Long live glamping! These days, you don’t see many people squeeze themselves into rickety pole tents, dig a latrine or shuffle to a crooked wooden shack with a roll of toilet paper under their arm. Instead, you have RVs parked side by side and rooftop tents reaching up towards the five-star sky. Even the campers on the ground want the best possible comfort. Well, that’s glamping for you.
I’d also been dreaming of a Volkswagen bus for our family holidays, had toyed with the idea of a rooftop tent, and finally, in the spring of 2021, amidst the pandemic, bought the Aero Yurt from Robens. Why? Because I’d come across a good deal (a display model) and the inflatable eight-person tent had fascinated me from the moment I set eyes on it.
The yurt is different. Its 2.70-metre-high dome is guaranteed to turn heads. Surprisingly, however, it only takes a few minutes to set up. Even at the edges, the tent is still 1.85 metres high, so you can make great use of the space. It looks natural and unobtrusive, but it doesn’t go unnoticed. Curious neighbours almost always stop by to take a peek inside. Their gaze invariably turns upwards.
Hard to haul, easy to pitch
Pitching the tent is an event in itself. The Aero Yurt comes in a huge round bag that’s 46 centimetres in diameter and one metre long. You could practically use it in a sack race. The first time I tried to hoist it onto my shoulders, I almost ended up like a beetle on its back. Its weight of just under 30 kilogrammes is quite something, and the unpadded straps make carrying it a real ordeal.
If you’re planning to cover longer distances, you’re better off using a hand truck. I usually just drag it along for a few metres after I’ve heaved it out of the car boot. The Aero Yurt will take up ample space in most cars. Unsurprisingly, if you think of all the fabric it contains. When inflated, it opens up into a 16.5-square-metre tent palace. And once you’ve lugged the giant sausage roll to your spot, the rest is done in a flash. Unpack, spread out and secure the groundsheet with a few pegs. Once that’s done, it’s time to start pumping: the eight supporting, interconnected columns of the Aero Yurt are inflated just like a SUP.
At first, I make the mistake of opening all four vents. To inflate it, you only need one, but to deflate it, it makes sense to open all four. After that, it really is straightforward and only takes around three to five minutes to fully inflate. It simply depends on how quickly or leisurely you go about it. The Aero Yurt comes with a hand pump, which is more than enough. You might be even faster with an electric one; but even manually, the eight pillars quickly start to rise.
At first, the columns are all twisted together, with the outer part upright and the middle part sagging, making the tent look like a Bundt cake. I step inside and push one of the bunched sections upwards. After that, pumping doesn’t require much force, and the Aero Yurt stands firm at 0.5 bar. Honestly, inflating a SUP is much more tiring. All that’s left to do is add a few pegs to the guy lines and air vents, and the tent’s ready to be moved into.
Material and space
When you step inside the yurt for the first time, you’ll automatically look up at the dome. A welcome detail, as camping isn't usually known for giving you much headroom. What's more, the converging columns simply look interesting. The fabric lets plenty of light through, giving everything a natural look. Another plus is that there’s nothing to trip over on the grey ground tarp made of durable polyester with slightly raised edges.
The door opens fully, or down to about 20 centimetres above the floor with the lower zip closed. Either way, the opening at least 170 centimetres tall and features a large panoramic window in the centre. There are additional windows to the left and right of it. The atmosphere is perfect whether the windows are open or closed.
The material gives the tent its natural look. It’s called HydroTex Polycotton RS – a ripstop cotton-blend fabric that combines the best of both worlds. The 35 per cent cotton content create comfortable, condensation-free conditions, even in hot weather. When it rains, the fibres swell and close the pores of the fabric, preventing water from seeping in. The 65 per cent polyester in the fabric means the tent dries quickly, retains its shape and is tear- and UV-resistant.
In the picture, you can see a significantly thicker, reinforced yarn woven into the otherwise thin base fabric every few millimetres. If the tent does happen to get ripped by a sharp branch, for example, the weave will prevent the tear from getting bigger, and the damaged area can be easily repaired. I can wholeheartedly recommend this material. It’s also breathable and often used in smaller tents.
Obviously, the inside heats up sometimes, but the indoor climate is nothing like you get in those stuffy polyester domes. Plus, the main material is really durable, and I haven’t had to patch it up yet. The only exception is the insect screen on one of the three ventilation openings just above the floor. That type of mesh fabric is much more susceptible to damage from sharp objects.
Sturdy even in windy conditions
At almost three metres tall without the support of a frame and almost no vertical outer walls, wind was my biggest concern with the Aero Yurt. Would the air columns start to wobble and sway? Would being inside the tent be scary? Not at all. Sure, the rain lashes and pelts down against the domed roof, but the yurt stands firm. When properly tensioned, it should withstand gusts of up to 95 kilometres per hour.
Thanks to its octagonal shape, the tent doesn’t present a large surface area for the wind to catch from any direction, and the air tubes absorb any impact. It’s like a self-righting toy that returns to its original position. To date, we’ve never felt unsafe inside.
Handy and less handy features
Up to eight people should be able to lay out their sleeping mats on the floor. We actually exceeded that number for a kids’ birthday party, but the yurt really comes into its own for glamping, not camping. If you’re four people, there’s not only room for luxurious beds, but also for a table, chairs and guests. The advantages and disadvantages of the design are pretty obvious.
Handy:
- There’s lots of space.
Less handy:
- There’s lots of space.
There’s no awning, so when it rains, all your camping activities move inside. Sometimes I wish there were at least a small awning so I could leave my shoes outside. Instead, everything ends up inside, where a drop cloth serves as a place to plonk my shoes. To create storage space and keep the room from looking cluttered with things lying around, I now store as much as possible under these beds.
What I miss most are a few loops for hanging a lamp, fairy lights or a jacket. It would also allow you to partition off an area or, better yet, make it darker. When the sun rises at 5:30 a.m., the yurt gets pretty bright. And when it gets dark, you need your camping lantern. Your only other option to hang up the lamp are the zipper pulls at the air chambers. You could attach a bungee cord there to hang it from the ceiling.
I’ve come to terms with the setup. Perhaps there are no hooks deliberately, to prevent people from putting excessive strain on the structure. Maybe the space would lose some of its charm if it were divided and covered. If you want dimmed lighting and separate sleeping areas, you won’t enjoy this yurt. Unless you pitch a pop-up tent inside. There’s plenty of room, after all. Why not use it creatively?
We’ve used the spacious room with its high walls as a kids’ cinema, a party den and an office. I wouldn’t change a thing. Except maybe adding a hook or two…
Deflating and packing up
I’d only recommend using an Aero Yurt with teenagers to a limited extent. Keep in mind that all you need to do is open one valve for it to collapse. All it takes in one cheeky prankster to deflate the tent with a loud pfffffft.
With the tent deflated, all that’s left is to put it back in its bag. Fold it a few times, roll it up, squeeze out the remaining air (or pump it out) and stuff it all back into the bag. You can do this alone, but it’s easier if there’s someone there to help. You’ll probably feel a little lost if you’re using it alone anyway. The Aero Yurt is best enjoyed with others, after all.
In a nutshell
Spacious and super sturdy – the Aero Yurt is a great family tent
Robens Aero Yurt long-term test: is this air tent worth its price? It spans over sixteen square metres and is 1.85 metres high at the edge alone. Under the dome, the height is a whopping 2.70 metres, making it stand out like a small campsite cathedral. And yet it never looks out of place, as its cotton-blend fabric creates a pleasant atmosphere both indoors and outdoors.
Despite its size, I can pitch and pack it down on my own in a matter of minutes – a breeze thanks to the included pump. But don’t underestimate its pack size and weight: before you get to enjoy your camping trip, you’ll have to lug almost 30 kilos to the campsite.
No pain, no gain. With the Aero Yurt, you’ll have the prettiest, largest and potentially most expensive tent in sight. You can comfortably fit up to eight people in it. Ideally, they should like each other, as the yurt’s biggest advantage is also its biggest drawback: a spacious area with nowhere to hide.
Pro
- Feels huge
- Cotton-blend fabric
- Three large panoramic windows
- Very stable even in windy conditions
- Easy to pitch: inflate and move in
- Very large space
Contra
- No pegs, no awning
- Very large space
Michael Restin
Senior Editor
Michael.Restin@digitecgalaxus.chSimple writer and dad of two who likes to be on the move, wading through everyday family life. Juggling several balls, I'll occasionally drop one. It could be a ball, or a remark. Or both.
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