Hubs Geodesic Dome Kit Review: Pro’s, Con’s, Where To Buy?

DIY geodesic domes have become increasingly popular as eco-friendly, sturdy, and scalable structures for different projects. Hubs Geodesic Dome Kit is one of the many geodesic dome hubs DIY products in the market containing all the tools you need to build a geodesic dome kit greenhouse, chicken coop, entertainment space or a geodesic dome climber for kids.

The Hubs tagline is “geodesic domes made simple,” and based on all the reviews and videos online, this product offers easy installation and flexible design at affordable costs.  The main feature of Hubs is the ball connector which snaps together into a hub for easy install. You can build a 2v geodesic dome in as fast as 20 minutes!

Hubs Geodesic Dome Kit: What They Are Offering

Hub’s Geodesic Dome Kit includes a set of geodesic dome connector hubs that snap together to make building a basic geodesic dome fast, easy, and fun for everyone.

2v Geodesic Dome Kit-Hubs Geodesic Dome Kit

Click Here To See Real People’s Reviews

What’s in the box?

  • 6 pcs 5-way hubs
  • 20 pcs 6-way hubs
  • 150 pcs ball connectors
  • 150 pcs wood screws
  • 26 pcs locking plates
  • 26 pcs hub screws
  • 25 pcs wing nuts
  • 1 pc hanging eyelet
  • 1 pc Allen key

The kit has geodesic dome PVC hubs, but it does NOT include the sticks or the Hubs geodesic dome cover. It does include ideas for the sticks, the recommended length and diameter, and where you can get your sticks made. Sticks can be made from roofing batten, hazel poles, oiled oak, etc.

You can inquire at your local DIY centers, carpenters, or wood workers for bespoke materials. The Hubs ball connectors can work with any type of wood for this wooden geodesic dome kit as they can be quickly screwed into the end with a standard PZ2 drill bit.

Hubs Geodesic Dome Kit - dome sizes

You can use this online geodesic dome calculator to know which dimensions you need.

For other materials like bamboo, plastic, or a metal geodesic dome kit, you can fill the ends with resin or rubber where you can screw on the ball connectors.

Other materials you will need include a crosshead, a bit or screwdriver for attaching the ball connectors, and a saw for cutting the sticks (if you prefer making your own struts).

Hubs Geodomes: Getting Started

Using the Hubs ball connectors which lock into 5-way or 6-way hubs, you can build a dome of any size depending on your needs.

Hubs Geodesic Dome Kit - Customer Review 1

Since the strut angles can be adjusted from the hub using the ball connectors, from a basic 2v dome or a Hubs geodesic dome kit 3v, you can create an Igloo entrance for a larger area or connect one or more domes for a bigger structure.

Hubs Geodesic Dome Kit - Customer Review 1

These are the basic Hubs geodesic dome instructions to get you started:

  1. Place the 5-way hub in the middle of your setup.
  2. Connect the struts to create your first pentagon.
  3. Add the next layer of your geodome and watch as it begins to take shape.
  4. Keep adding the layers depending on the dome frequency you are building.
  5. And you’re done!

Pro tip: Don’t tighten the hub until all struts are in proper alignment and angle, so you can adjust easily along the way.

Customer Feedback About Hubs

Buyers of the Hubs Geodesic Dome Kit praise the product for its sturdiness, easy installation, lightweight, good packaging, and design.

Alec Hah was able to build his geodome pretty cheap using PVC pipes as struts. He also liked that it was “really lightweight.” Mark likewise liked the product and found it to be a good tool for teaching architecture.

Other buyers, meanwhile, found that Hubs “seemed a bit expensive” especially since one customer noted how the sticks overall was cheaper than the entire kit. Another feedback was that larger domes may be harder to set up. One customer wrote that “anything over 4 feet” will be a nightmare to install, and you may want to spend the extra money on metal for those projects.

Finally, Lisa B.  suggests building the dome “exactly where you want” since it will be harder to move after that putting it together.

Product Comparison

To find out whether Hubs is the right DIY geodome product for you, here is a comparison with two other popular geodesic dome kits in the market.

  Hubs Ekodome Natural Frequency
Price From $199 From $499 From $400
Diameter 3—5 m

(9.10—16.4 ft)

2.8—8.8 m

(9.18—28.8 ft)

2.4—4.9 m

(8—16 ft)

Inclusions 26 hubs, 150 ball connectors, screws, metal work, full instructions 50 aluminum struts and strut caps, 11 hubs, rubber seals, bolts and screws, door frame, cover panel templates, CAD, and technical documents for bldg. permits fastening hardware, 26 ABS Hub Connectors, assembly instructions
Unique Features Lightweight (5.73 lbs) Weather-resistant, patent-pending aluminum struts, weatherproof integrated EPDM seal Weather-resistant, 1 year warranty

You can check out our more comprehensive geodesic dome kit product comparison to find the best geodesic dome kit for your needs.

Where to Buy a Hubs Geodesic Dome Kit

Hubs Geodesic Dome Kit Review photo

Hubs provide shipping for almost all countries in the world, including hubs geodesic dome kit Canada and geodesic dome hubs Australia.

You can buy their product on Amazon which can ship anywhere in the world.

Conclusion

Unlike other geodome kits, the biggest downside of the Hubs Geodesic Dome kit is that it does not include geodome cover or struts which means you must improvise the struts or cover yourself or source them from your local hardware store or bespoke from local carpenters. Satisfied customers do not see this as an issue, especially given the affordable cost of the kit.

DIY geodesic dome kit uses

Overall, Hubs Geodesic Dome kit is a good option for smaller, basic projects like chicken coops, fruit cages, or play spaces. For bigger projects like a full greenhouse, glamping shelter, or playground, Ekodome and Natural Frequency are much sturdier and more flexible options. Check out the full comparison article here. 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *