Wild Country Helm Compact 2 Tent RRP £260

Product Information

Suitable for 3 season camping, the dome style provides more stability than a single hoop 2person design such as the Zephyros 2. The mesh panels on both inner doors, combined with the external corner vents, provide plenty of ventilation in warm weather.And the space between the two outer doors and the inner tent gives you a great deal of gear storage space, as well as a sheltered spot for cooking. The name ‘super bivy’ is a spot-on description of this. Big Sky have come up with a shelter that you could arguably say comes with all of the benefits of a bivy bag without the claustrophobic downsides. It’s very similar in design to the Six Moon Designs Wisp Bivy – also reviewed here, only it has an extra mini pole and it’s a bit lighter, presumably because it doesn’t have the mesh vents along the base that the SMD Lunar Solo has.

We were really impressed by the amount of internal space – it’s wide enough for two campers to share the space and having doors on both sides makes access easier. The inner tent’s steep walls means there is plenty of room to sit up inside. We recommend using a footprint which sits under the groundsheet and porch area to help prolong the life of your tent. A footprint for the Helm Compact 2 is available."The flysheet and inner tent pitch together and the inner is made from a breathable material. Inside the sleeping area, there is a large ventilation panel to deal with any condensation issues.

There’s only a single entrance, but it has a decent-sized porch plus a handy rear storage area with an unusual ‘hatch’ in the mesh inner that allows you to reach through and stash small items of kit. The end walls are also fairly steep, especially at the head of the tent, which means you ought to be able to lie out comfortably even if you’re well over 6 foot tall. The width isn’t class-leading by any stretch, but should still accommodate all but the chunkiest sleeping mats.When your poles are safely removed from the sleeve, collapse them from the centre to avoid stretching the elastic. When all the poles are in position, you can move the tent to exactly where you want it then peg out the corners and guylines. Make sure you get the sides as taut as possible to reduce the noise of fabric flapping in the wind, and to ensure there’s no danger of the outer wall touching the inner. We know that purchasing a tent is a big investment, that’s why we have such a wide range of options to suit different activities, weather conditions and people, allowing you to choose the perfect one for you. Taking care of your brand new tent can be the difference between heading out for an adventure in the mountains, or having to fork out for a hefty repair bill, or even worse, another replacement tent. Below are our best tips to care for your tent.

MATERIALS Outer 68D poly taffeta, hydrostatic head 3,000mm Groundsheet 68D poly taffeta, hydrostatic head 3,000mm Poles DAC Pressfit Aluminum Pegs 10 In warmer conditions, the large, zipped ventilation panels at each end let you create a good airflow, keeping temperatures down and minimising condensation. Overall this is an excellent and reliable lightweight tent that won’t cost the earth – in either sense.

The tent has a single main pole, which forms an arch towards the front, while two short, upright poles create the rigidity at the front and rear. Both the aluminium poles are strong but flexible. The flysheet and inner go up together, and after a practice run in the garden, I found pitching straightforward and really easy. I’m 6ft 0ins tall and this is not really long enough inside. My feet touch the end whilst my face is uncomfortably close to the wall at the other end, remember that the walls are not vertical – they slope towards the centre of the tent, so whilst the footprint appears on paper to be adequate, the full length is not useable. If you are say, 5ft 10ins or less, it would be fine. 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 The Helm Compact 1 has a mesh panel on the inner door plus a small mesh door with cover at the rear of the inner (which also allows access to the rear storage space) , providing several options for ventilation depending on weather conditions.