Wild Country Helm Compact 2 Tent RRP £260

Product Information

MATERIALS Outer 15D silicone nylon ripstop, hydrostatic head 3,000mm Groundsheet 20D polyurethane nylon rip-stop, hydrostatic head 3,000mm Poles Air and alloy micro pole Pegs Alloy Y pegs

Materials Outer 75gm 20D ripstop Nylon, X-tex lamination, 20,000mm; porch wall 51gm 30D 6.6 ripstop Nylon, silicon-coated both sides, 5,000mm Inner 25gm 20D 6.6 ripstop Nylon, DWR treated, mesh window Groundsheet 75gm 50D PU Nylon taffeta, 5,000mm Poles DAC 9.35mm Featherlite alloy Pegs 8 Lightning pegs, 11gms each, square section alloy; 4 Flash pegs, 7gms each, rectangular section alloy Inside, there’s an impressive amount of headroom and floorspace, plus two decent sized porches for storing gear. Despite their outstanding design and obvious quality, American tents tend not to be as popular on this side of the Atlantic as they are at home. And one of the main reasons is that the needs of campers in Europe – and specifically the UK – are poles apart (excuse the pun). That’s thanks in large part to the differing weather conditions. This one person tent features a cleverly-designed, hub-connected, all-in-one skeletal pole, which forms the main structure. A smaller transverse pole then slots across the apex of this structure stretching out the peak to maximise headroom. The freestanding inner, which is pitched first, clips tightly to this skeletal pole – and the result is a shelter with near-vertical walls and maximum head and elbow room. A decent-sized side porch and minimally-tapered floor add to the sense of spaciousness. Full Specifications Pitching is fairly easy, with interconnecting aluminium poles forming a freestanding frame which you clip the inner onto, before attaching the flysheet on top. But bear in mind this is an inner-first tent, so you do run the risk of everything getting wet if it’s raining.We rather liked the credit printed on the flysheet: “architecture by Jake Lah.” This is a nod to the founder and boss of Korean company DAC, and a reminder that without poles, a tent is just a pile of loose fabric.

When the wind gets up, you have four guys, each with two attachment points, so offering good stability even for a basic dome. Robens do wind tunnel tests for all their tents – this one comes out unscathed up to 105 kph (65 mph). That’s actually a Force 10 storm! Needless to say you should always seek out a sheltered spot to pitch when you can. Like all of the products that Vaude manufactures, the Taurus SUL tent is completely PVC-free and instead, uses waterproof tent fabrics made from triple silicone coated nylon which is siliconised on both sides. This gives it high UV reflection and increased tear resistance, ensuring sustainability through longevity without resorting to more harmful treatments.Its easy to put up (inner tent & flysheet pitch together) and only takes 2 mins once you’ve done it once (I love tents like this - especially when putting up tents when its raining - I don't like pitching them separately) It has 2 poles which are clearly colour coded and you won't even need to read the instructions to put it up! The hubbed poles and colour-coded clips make pitching straightforward, although consulting the instructions for the first pitch would be advisable. The liveability factor is good – it’s spacious for a solo tent, with steep walls and that cross pole adding up to lots of headroom. Great ventilation with a mesh panel on the inner door, plus a smaller mesh door with a cover at the rear of the inner.

Pitching: Some tents, particularly from US brands, are pitched inner first – which isn't ideal if it's raining (and let's face it, it probably will be!). Others are pitched outer first or all-as-one, enabling the inner to be kept dry while the flysheet is pegged out. Ease of pitching is another important consideration. Comfort: The most comfortable tents have roomy interiors with vertical walls and ample head and shoulder room. It's not necessarily essential, but the ability to sit up and move around without touching the inner is desirable. Lower profile tents will have aggressively tapered walls, which can feel cramped and claustrophobic.The Helm 2 Compact is a free standing, stable dome design (although requires pegging out to stretch the tent base) The Aurora is also fitted with clips for Nemo’s Pawprint liner – a neat optional extra that means you can take your dog with you without worrying that he’ll damage the tent floor with his claws. Speaking of protecting the tent floor, the Aurora comes with a footprint to form a barrier with the ground below the tent. Access is via one of the two side doors, both of which have large storage porches before you enter the inner tent. The vestibules provide somewhere to store your gear and are a sheltered space for cooking and eating. It’s a hybrid tarp / tent design that features a single skin of silicon coated polyester upper that’s suspended off a trekking pole. This upper is pegged down at the edge and corners to form a hexagonal shape around its base. When your poles are safely removed from the sleeve, collapse them from the centre to avoid stretching the elastic.

Putting the Helm up is straightforward, with the flysheet and inner pitching together. The alloy poles slide into sleeves to create a dome shape. And as it’s freestanding you can shift the tent easily to get it into exactly the right position, before pegging it down and guying out. As is the way with most tents that originate in the USA, the inner has a lot of mesh, which is great for ventilation in hot weather, but not so good on a blustery night in the Highlands. So, while it should be sturdy enough to cope with fairly unpleasant weather, bear in mind that the design might make it more suitable for spring and summer camping only. The Helm Compact 3 is affordably-priced, providing near-premium performance for a less-than-premium price.”The dome style tends to provides more stability than a tunnel design, which is obviously good for camping in autumn and early winter – or any time when there could be high winds. The tent is also free from PFCs and instead uses specifically-developed durable water repellent coating that is much kinder to the planet. Sierra Designs says the fabrics used through the Meteor 3000 now come from recycled sources as well. There’s extra storage space under the rear flysheet which can be accessed from a small door in the inner.