You’d be forgiven for thinking Helinox only makes camp furniture. The South Korean brand is virtually synonymous with lightweight, packable chairs, tables, and cots that assemble like freestanding tents.
What you might not know is that across the pond (the really big pond) in Japan, Korea, and elsewhere, Helinox is also known for its tents and shelters.
But this week, for the first time ever, Helinox has launched a very limited selection of these tents in the North American market — and they have a unique, Helinox-specific twist. Part of the brand’s “Tactical” collection, the Cot Tents pitch on top of a Helinox packable cot, to keep the shelter elevated above the ground.
Sound strange? Here are the details.
Editor’s note: Before you read on, note that these tents are in extremely limited quantities. The tents launched on May 6, and some items have already sold out. Helinox does not know when or if these tents will be restocked in North America.
Helinox Tactical Cot Tent
The Tactical Cot Tent range comprises three shelter options: Mesh, Fabric, and Solo Fly. It’s pretty intuitive. The Mesh shelter provides maximum breathability and the option for stargazing. It’s tailored to warm weather camping.
The Fabric tent body mirrors the overall design, minus almost all of the mesh. In its place, this structure employs 70D ripstop nylon to preserve more warmth inside the tent in harsher conditions.
Finally, the Solo Fly, as it sounds, provides a barrier against precipitation and deploys with either the Mesh or Fabric Tent options. According to Helinox, the shelters are light and packable enough to support car camping and moto-touring adventures.
At about 3.5 pounds for the Mesh or Fabric shelters and another 3 pounds for the rainfly, they are unsuitable for ultralight backpacking. What’s more, the tent bodies are specifically made to attach to a Helinox Cot (Cot One Convertible, Cot One Convertible Insulated, Tactical Cot Convertible, High Cot HDB, or High Cot One).
Design and Features
Spoiler alert: The Solo Fly has already sold out. But the Fabric and Mesh tent bodies are still available. Both measure 75 inches long and are affixed to a Helinox tent. J-stakes guy into the ground, further supporting the structure and holding it in place.
This is not a family camping solution; these tents cater to solo campers (and sleepers). Both tents have dual doors and four interior mesh storage pockets — two on the ceiling and two on the sides. The Mesh tent is made of 40D hexagon poly mesh, while the Fabric uses 70D nylon ripstop. Both have a PU-coated, water-repellent 70D nylon taffeta floor.
While this is an unorthodox approach to pitching a tent, it could provide a novel solution to camping on lumpy, uneven, wet, or otherwise untenable ground.
The Fabric and Mesh tents both retail for $280.
Giant Tunnel Tent
While the Cot Tents may be the most eye-catching, Helinox also launched a massive, freestanding tunnel tent — the Tactical Field Tunnel Tent. This 140-square-foot structure stands 7 feet tall and weighs almost 30 pounds.
Helinox touts the Field Tunnel Tent for cooking, sleeping, hanging out, and even parking a motorcycle. It has front and rear split doors, each with available full mesh configurations, and two side windows along the tent body.
The tent body is made of PU-coated, weather-protective 75D ripstop nylon and is assembled with DAC aluminum poles. It stakes out with 20 J-stakes and a dozen guylines. Similar to other tunnel tents we’ve seen, the tent relies on four horseshoe-shaped U-poles for the main body structure, and six X-frames that add support.
This sprawling camp cathedral costs $2,950.
So if “elevated” solo camping sounds appealing, hustle over to Helinox now — these tents are in very limited quantities, and there’s no guarantee they’ll hit North American shores again.
