WILD COUNTRY HELM COMPACT 2
The Helm has been a lightweight camping favourite for a few years. It ticks all the boxes for a good backpacking or wild camping shelter; a spacious, two-man dome that is quick and easy to pitch and enjoys plenty of storage space.
But when Wild Country introduced the Compact version for 2020, it went up a level or two. The shortened poles allow a much smaller pack size, measuring just 32cm by 21cm, so it’s ideal for when packing space is at a premium; say on a cycle camping trip.
Inside, there’s an impressive amount of headroom and floorspace, plus two decentsized porches for storing gear.
As you would expect from Wild Country – the same people behind Terra Nova lightweight tents – the materials used and the workmanship involved are of an exceptionally high standard.
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 free-standing, you can shift the tent easily to get it into exactly the right position, before pegging it down and guying out.
The dome style tends to provide 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 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 Helm Compact is easy to pack away, too, with a side opening tarp-style tent bag – simply roll the tent into the bag and pull the cords tight.