What is the Helium UL 2?
As the name subtly suggests, the Helium UL (ultralight) is a super lightweight, compressible tent for those who require a small pack size and low weight for backpacking, trekking and fast and light trips into the mountains. Weighing just 1.42kg and packing down to roughly the same size as a 2L water bottle, the Helium is perfect for minimalist campers.
What is it made from?
The Helium uses Vango's Protex 15.SRN fabric, their lightest, most compressible option for their flagship adventure tents. This fabric is made using a 15 denier ripstop nylon, offering a high level of durability with a low weight and pack size. This fabric is fully seam taped and features a 3000mm hydrostatic head, providing full wateproofing. The groundsheet is made using an even tougher 70D nylon with a 6000mm hydrostatic head, providing reliable protection and waterproofing against rough terrain and boggy ground. Finally, the inner is made from a breathable nylon to aid ventilation.
How is it constructed?
The Helium is constructed in a tunnel shape, maximising inner space yet sacrificing nothing when it comes to weight and pack size. A single pole runs over the centre of the tent, while two smaller poles at each end provide structural rigidity. Thanks to the relatively low height of the tent and tapered shape, it deals with wind extremely well provided it's pitched correctly. This construction means that as you pitch the tent into the wind, the flysheet vents allow a constant source of airflow to reduce condensation.
What are the features?
Starting from the top, high quality Yunan poles keep the weight down and are designed to last years of use, while their pre-angled shape makes inserting the pole into the sleeve that much easier. This also provides more internal space and increases durability over standard poles in high wind. Entry into the tent can be achieved by a door on either side of the tent, allowing both users to escape without crawling over the other. Inside the tent, Vango supply you with some small pockets to store essentials such as a headtorch or GPS. The guylines are made from ultra tough Dyneema, providing peace of mind in less favourable conditions, while the pegging points can be modified to work with ski's and snow anchors. Lastly, a Fast Pack stufffsack is shaped like a duffel to make packing and unpacking that much easier, especially in windy conditions.
Summary
The Helium is a feature packed, lightweight, versatile tent for two users who are conscious of their pack's weight and size. Take it walking, trekking, backpacking, travelling or adventure racing, it'll become one of your favourite bits of kit.
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Part mesh inner door
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Vents on flysheet
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Yunan poles
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Lightweight nylon outer fabric
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Fully taped seams
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O-shaped doors for one handed operation
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Internal storage pockets
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Dyneema cord guylines
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Reflective points
How to Care for Your Tent
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.
Footprint
Before even leaving the shop (or online basket) with your tent, consider a footprint. A footprint is a large water-resistant piece of material which sits underneath your tent to protect it from sharp rocks and wet ground; if this footprint gets damaged, it’s easy to replace and doesn’t cost a fortune; if your tent groundsheet gets damaged, you’ll have to spend at least twice the amount for a repair or replacement.
Don’t Abuse the Poles
The chances are your poles are made from individual aluminium sections connected by elastic; when you come to remove the poles from the tent, don’t pull them out. The best way to remove poles from their sleeve is to place the pole end against your hip and pull the fabric towards you. If you simply attempt to pull the pole out, they’ll disconnect inside, the elastic will stretch and then spring back, potentially trapping the fabric of your tent between the pole sections.
You might also be tempted to flick the poles out so that the elastic snaps them into place in a quickfire fashion. However, this is far from ideal, as if the poles don’t align when they meet, you can easily damage or weaken the end of the pole, leading to future failure which is usually on the wettest and windiest nights!
Collapse Poles From the Centre
When your poles are safely removed from the sleeve, collapse them from the centre to avoid stretching the elastic.
Stuff, Don’t Fold
You were probably told when you were in the Scouts or doing the Duke of Edinburgh Award that the best way to pack your tent away is to neatly fold it into a rectangle, the width of your storage bag, roll it around the poles and pegs and then put it all in the stuffsack. However, whilst very neat and tidy, this method of packing can create permanent creases in the fabric, weaken the waterproofing and eventually split the fabric of your tent. The best solution is to simply stuff the tent fabric into the storage bag, just like you would a sleeping bag, and pack the poles separately. Make sure to leave and end or corner at the top, so that you can easily peg it out if your next campsite is windy. The poles normally have their own stuffsack so they can be packed separately, strapped to the outside of your pack or stored inside, allowing the tent fabric to be compressed for efficient packing.
Store it Dry
Let’s assume you’ve been out with your tent and the weather has been a little on the damp side. You’ve packed your tent away when wet and now you’re back home in the warm and dry with a nice of cup of tea reflecting on your latest adventure. But what about your poor soggy tent? The worst thing you can do is to leave it packed away wet, mildew will grow and eventually rot the tent, rendering it useless. As soon as you’ve finished that cup of tea, wipe off any excess dirt and moisture with a towel, then hang the tent somewhere where it can fully air out; a nice warm spare room or a garage is perfect. Alternatively, when it stops raining, pitch the tent outside in the sunshine to dry off. Let it air for at least 24 hours and once you are sure that it is bone dry it can be packed away for storage. Note - don’t tumble dry or hang the tent over a radiator or other direct heat source.
Don’t Store in the Stuffsack
Like your sleeping bag, it’s best not to store your sleeping bag in its stuffsack unless it has to be compressed for an activity. Leave it in a large duffel bag or supermarket ‘bag for life’ in a cool, well ventilated area so it can breathe.
Avoid Tree Sap
If you’ve ever had sap on your hands, you’ll know how horrible and sticky the stuff is; it’s even harder to remove from your tent flysheet. Pitch away from trees if possible.
Don’t Leave in the Sun
The majority of tents we stock are made from nylon. Nylon is incredibly tough, lightweight and easy to care for, however it will naturally degrade if left out in harsh sunlight for extended periods of time. Try to pitch your tent in the shade or strike the tent (pack it away) during the day. Polyester tents don’t suffer from this quite as badly, but it’s still a good habit to get into.
Leave Sharp Objects Outside
Boots, cooking equipment and other sharp/abrasive objects can all be stored in the vestibule, where there is less chance of it ripping a hole in your fly or groundsheet. You may not want to pop your pet in there, but at least carry a small blanket to avoid their claws damaging your groundsheet.