The Hilleberg Helags is a lightweight two-person tunnel tent that is designed for the warmer seasons. Read the review or watch the video!
- Weight: 2367,6 grams (Claimed 2400 grams)
- Packsize: ⌀ 23 x 52 cm / ⌀ 9 x 20 inches (Claimed 17 x 51 cm)
- Price: € 1070,00 / $ 985.00 / £ 1075.00
The Hilleberg Helags is a lightweight tunnel tent for two persons. The outer tent is arched to enhance ventilation and the mesh doors make the Helags a tent for the warmer periods of the year or warmer places.
Packed size and weight
Hilleberg always states two weight claims; one with the complete package and one with the minimum weight: outer and inner tent and the poles only. In case you chop your own pegs on location. The total weight that Hilleberg claims is 2400 grams while the minimum weight is 2100 grams.
As always I checked the weight on my calibrated scale and measured 2367,6 grams (5 lbs. 3,5. oz) for the total package which is a bit lower than Hilleberg claims; 2400 gr. / 5 lbs. 4,6. oz.. The individual items weigh: 740,4 grams (1 lbs. 10,1. oz.) for the inner tent, 903,2 grams (1 lbs. 15,8. oz.) for the outer tent, 514,5 grams (1 lbs. 2,1. oz.) for the poles, 164,7 grams (5,81. oz.) for the pouch with the pegs (16 pieces) and I weighed the stuff bag at 47,9 grams (1.69. oz.). Now you can make up for yourself what you bring on your trip.
Hilleberg Color System
At Hilleberg they have a system in dividing their tents in user categories: Blue, Yellow, Red and Black label tents. Blue label tents are group tents and the Black label ones are the strongest comfortable all-season tents. The Red label tents are all season tents where a low weight is more important than strength. Leaving the Yellow label tents: a low weight tent for the snow free months of the year. The Helags is – just like the Hilleberg Anaris and the Hilleberg Rogen 3, see the review links below – such a Yellow label tent.
Stuff bag and bits and bobs
The stuffbag that the Helags comes in is a spacious one and it is really what it is: a bag made from lightweight tent fabric and a rope with a toggle that closes it. It has no compression straps since Hilleberg does not support the concept of compression bags since compression might damage the tent inside when it has hard metal parts. It is easy to get the tent in it. For the Helags a footprint is available for € 110,00 (310 grams) and that will fit into the stuff bag too without any problems. Same for a small tarp if you would like to bring one.
Materials
For the outer tent of the Helags, Hilleberg uses its own Kerlon 1000 fabric. Kerlon 1000 is a ripstop nylon with a thickness of 20 Denier*. To make the fabric waterproof, it is treated with three layers of silicone coating: a double one on the outside and a single coating on the inside. The outer tent fabric is also treated for UV resistance during dyeing and coating.
What you should know about fabrics that have a silicone coating on the inside, is that the stitches on the seams cannot be taped as is the case with most tents that use a Polyurethane coating on the inside to make the fabric waterproof**. Hilleberg uses a flat fell seam construction and to prevent water getting through the stitching holes in the Kerlon fabric, a swell yarn is used. When the yarn gets wet it swells and seals the holes. Sometimes the hole is just too big and water can go through. If this happens – accidently with a new tent, mostly after years of use – you can seal it with Seamseal. On the inside though; on the outside it becomes quite a messy sight. The tested Helags was 100% waterproof on the seams.
Except for the doors – they are a very fine mesh – the inner tent is made out of a 10 Denier ripstop nylon and it has a durable water-repellent coating. This is handy because due to this coating condensation drops bead off the cloth easily. The floor of the inner tent is made of a 70 Denier thick nylon with a triple Polyurethane coating to make it waterproof. And to be complete: the fly has a hydrostatic head of 5000 mm water column and the groundsheet of 15,000 mm.
* 20D stands for the material thickness (D = Denier). In the world of lightweight tents, a Ripstop means that if there is a small hole or tear in the fabric, the material is more resistant to further tearing.
** Vaude is the only tent manufacturer that produces tents with a silicon fabric that is sealed with a tape.
Pegs and poles
As usual Hillberg provides good quality pegs with the Helags. Looking from above you’ll see that the 15 cm long (5.9”) pegs have a Y-shape. A little ridge hooks on to the guidelines or pitching loops. I like the fact that the pegs have a loop to pull them out of the ground, but it has proven to be helpful too when pitching the tent. The pegs provide very good grip and they have proven to be strong. The tip does not go blunt easily in the times that I have been using them in a mixed soil/rock ground.
The poles that the Hilleberg comes with are made by the Korean pole and peg manufacturer DAC. The poles are Featherlite NSL Green with a diameter of 9 mm. Each section has a length of 43 cm. ‘Green’ means that the poles are produced environmentally friendlier than is normally the case. Especially in the anodising process a lot of water is saved.
Did you know that DAC also produces folding chairs and tables under the brandname Helinox? Reviews on both here below.
Pitching
Tunnel tents are easy to pitch and with the Hilleberg Helags this is no exception; it will set you back five minutes tops. The only point where you could make a mistake is shoving the wrong pole in the wrong pole sleeve. To prevent this the poles and the sleeves are color coded.
The shorter poles that go at both ends are yellow, the middle longer one… is yellow too with a red tape on the end. Typical Hilleberg color coding. On the sleeves you’ll find these colors too. The sleeves are closed at the end and on the spot where you slide the poles in you will find a plastic cup that holds the pole. Attached to the cups and tent is a strap; in this way you can adjust the tension of the fabric on the poles. Using them is key in getting the tent pitched in the proper way.
When done with the poles it’s just a matter of placing two pegs at one end, taking the loops on the other end, pulling them so the tent is stretched and placing the other two pegs. Yes, that’s all folks! When conditions are not too windy of course. With a bit more wind or foul conditions, just place the remaining pegs and guy lines. The peg goes in a very solid metal ring that is connected to a strap with a metal adjuster. Solid and putting more or less pressure on the pegs and tent fabric works like a dream.
By the way: the Helags does not need a lot of space for pitching.
Note: Because it has lines connected to the outer tent on the point where both poles ends go, you need to take a bit care when packing the tent. Otherwise these lines will tangle up with other parts (guy lines, toggles) and then fast pitching is not that fast.
- ➡️ Note: I made a Expert Advice How To pitch the Helags 2 video. Just follow the link.
Fly solo, inner tent solo
Most of the times when I pitch a tent, the inner tent is in the outer tent and so I pitch them simultaneously. The inner tent is connected to the outer tent with a toggle system that is user friendly. But… it is possible to pitch the Helags in more than one way.
It is also possible to pitch the inner tent on its own. According to Hillberg you will need an extra set of 4 pole holders (€ 33,00) but I managed in soft ground to do without. Hilleberg does not recommend this btw. With warm dry weather this is ideal since you get all the ventilation you need and still are protected against insects. Since the inner tent is made from DWR-treated ripstop nylon, morning dew is not a problem. Dew drops falling from trees are not a problem either. Hilleberg does also have a full mesh inner tent available. The Kaitum 2/Helags 2 Mesh Inner Tent costs € 330,00.
Next to the pitching of the inner tent on its own, the outer tent can be pitched solo too. In this way it functions as a shelter that will fit four persons.
Inner tent for 2
Like with the weights, I always check if the measurements of the manufacturer are correct. Hilleberg claims an inner tent that measures 120 cm/47in at the most narrow point and 140 cm/55 in at its widest spot and it is 220 cm/86 in long. The rectangular shape for two mattresses is 220 cm by 120 cm (86 in x 47 in). The height that Hillberg states is 86 cm/33 in at the lower ends and 100 cm/39 in in the middle.
My measurements are 125/142 cm by 214 cm. The height that Hilleberg states is 105 cm; I measure 102. The slight difference between me and Hilleberg are too small to make a point of and have probably got to do with the bit different way of pitching or maybe even temperature. The space is big enough for two adults but it helps if you are not taller than 190 cm. For me and my wife – both around 170 cm – the space is fine. We can even put some luggage in the tent. The mattresses we use are 50 cm wide and 200 cm long and 5 cm thick.
The bathtub height of the waterproof floor varies between 22 cm in the middle of the longest sides and 12 at the entrances. With heavy downpours occurring more frequently, this height can prove to be very needed at times. The height of the bathtub walls prevent wind and rain getting to the inner tent at the sides. This is important because of the arched construction of the outer tent sides.
Inner tent entrance
The Hilleberg Helags is a symmetrical tent so on both ends you’ll find a large mesh door. The door has a two way zipper from YKK. With the zipper fully open the entry is super and getting in and out the inner tent is not a problem. The outer tent can make it challenging, but more on that later. The door can be rolled away and secured aside with a loop and toggle system or stuffed out of the way in a pocket to its side.
Inner tent features
I mentioned two pockets already: the ones next to the doors. Well there are two more so every corner has a pocket. The only other feature is a ‘washing’ line in the ridge of the tent. It has a toggle in the middle so you can vary the height a little bit. It is handy for drying some freshly washed stuff, a wet towel or airing out some pairs of socks.
Vestibules
Like I mentioned above: the outer tent does influence getting in the inner tent. Let me explain. Again, the Hilleberg Helags is a symmetrical tent so the vestibules on both sides are the same size. Standing in front the YKK zipper is on the left side. The pulling tabs are big and very user friendly. Sliding it upwards opens the door. Near the ground this opening is 95 cm but narrows to the top so if you are a big person, you’ll need to crawl in. Removing the left front loop/peg will give you a more comfortable entree.
Some more details on the zipper construction: The zipper is covered with a strip of rubbery material that prevents rain getting onto the zipper. At the bottom I can secure the zipper from sliding upwards accidentally due to hard wind. This system is positioned on the outside and with a little effort it is possible to lock the zipper also from inside the tent.
The vestibules are 95 cm deep and that is large enough to store a backpack on one side and still be able to enter the tent without a hassle. I would not advise you to cook in or under the vestibule; it’s just not high enough. When opened to the larger entree, the vestibule is a good windblocker for a stove. In case of severe bad weather you can cook – BE CAREFUL! – inside the tent/vestibule with a door on the small opening. The trick is to detach one (or two of the inner tent corners and fold it backwards. In this way one creates a larger sheltered cooking space.
Vestibule out of the way
One of the best features of the Hilleberg Helags is the fact that I can fold the vestibule away totally. It’s just a matter of using the guy lines next to the vestibules and placing them facing forward. In this way it takes all the stress of the pegs at the vestibule. Open the zipper, take away the vestibule pegs (or just the straps and rings) and roll the vestibule fabric to the right. The Helags has multiple toggles so in any configuration the fabric is stored neatly. Of course you can do this on both ends.
What I like about this construction is that when fully rolled aside, I have a wonderful panoramic view in front of me. Best way of enjoying nature without being eaten by mosquitoes or midges. Also it provides better ventilation and with both ends open… super ventilation.
Ventilation and condensation
So what about ventilation and condensation under normal circumstances with both doors closed? Well… the arches sides do help in getting more wind moving around and condensation is less than with tents that extend to the ground. But still condensation occurs less or more depending on temperature, wind conditions, the people in the tent and what you do in the tent. I can’t remember that I did test a lightweight test that did not suffer from condensation; in certain weather conditions condensation will even happen under traps that are open all around. Would I like to see some ventilation openings on both ends…no, then I’ll just buy a Hilleberg Nallo.
One thing that always improves getting less condensation is a footprint that covers the whole tent area. Hilleberg only offers a footprint for the area of the inner tent. .
Weatherproof
Since Hilleberg designed the tent for more summery like conditions, I mainly used it for this. But warm weather or not rain will still fall and wind will blow and it has proven to be waterproof. Windproof it is too but you will need to remember that it is a tunnel tent and not a dome. With wind on the front or back the Hilleberg Helags has no issues. The guy lines help here a lot when the conditions get more challenging.
When high winds hit the tent from the side, the fabric gets pushed in and also moves around a lot. Setting op de stormlines on the middle pole in the right way helps. I don’t think this is a negative point because it is part of the tunnel construction characteristics. It also is a consequence of material choice.
Bear in mind that siliconized outer tent fabric is also sensitive to temperature changes. With warm weather it looks nice and tensioned and when night comes, the fabric slacks. Re-tensioning is simply needed. Same when a dry day turns into a wet day.
Because the inner tent go’s from vestibule to vestibule, it sometimes happens that wind will blow some rain inside when you open the door in the vestibule. I have noticed that the mesh fabric of the doors of the inner tent is so fine that raindrops have a hard time passing the fabric. The Hilleberg is fine in bad weather when conditions are not too cold. For bad weather days in a row… It would not be my choice since I find the vestibules on the small side and the entrances not sheltered enough. I tried winter camping in the snow with the Helags… feel free to try it too but although the tent performed quite well, I will not do this again.
Reflective material
Although the guy lines look like they are red with a reflective thread woven into it, this is not the case. I have asked Hilleberg why they do not use reflective guy lines and the reason is that the reflective yarn is more heavy and quite costly. But if you want them – I like them at night – they are available as an accessory. The Helags does have small pieces of reflective material. They are situated in the middle of all three pole sleeves and they work well.
Verdict
Hilleberg has been very generous to me; they allowed me to test the Helags for two full warm weather seasons. In that periode the tent has shown me where it is good at and where it performs less. I like the weight and the packed size. Yes, there are tents with a smaller packsize out there that weigh less too, but… lighter materials and constructions… Materials are well chosen and sturdy. Pitching the Hilly is easy and adjusting the fabrics tension with the straps goess free of hassle. Packing up the tent takes some careful folding not to get the lines underneath the tent tangled with other things.
With warmer weather it is a fine tent. The ventilation with vestibules (partly) open is fine and condensation less than I usually have. The tent has proven waterproof and windproof when pitched in the wind direction. The inner space is big enough for two big adults. But for them getting in and out the tent can be a challenge. The extras in the inner tent are minimal (4 pockets, washing line) but ok. Best is the setup with one vestibule totally out of the way; the panoramic view that you get from lying in bed is super.
Things that I would like to see differently are a red pole in the middle instead of a piece of red tape and an optional footprint that covers the whole tent area.
The Hilleberg Helags 2 retails for € 1070,00 / $ 985.00 / £ 1075.00 and that is what you pay for a Hilleberg quality tent these days. I rate the Hilleberg Helags at 9,2 out of 10 total.
Information: www.hilleberg.com
