Helinox Tactical Field Tunnel Tent: Premium Quality and Innovative Features

The Helinox Tactical Field Tunnel Tent is a versatile, floorless, and freestanding shelter with premium DAC aluminum poles, impressive height, and excellent ventilation. It offers space, durability, and comfort, and it is ideal for those seeking a high-quality, adaptable camping solution.

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Key features & benefits

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What this is about

This Helinox Tactical Field Tunnel Tent is new on the US and EU market, but it has been on the Asian market for at least four years already.

If you are not familiar with Helinox, this is a South Korean brand. They have the tent there under the name Helinox Tactical Field Tunnel 4.35. This number in the name is the length of the tent.

As you realize from its official name, this is a tunnel type tent of a particular type. Namely, it is floorless, so this is just a shell, but it is large enough so that you can add any other smaller mesh tent inside, to have a full protection from insects and other creatures.

Yet another particular feature is that the tent is fully freestanding. There are no many tunnel-type tent with such a design. They have achieved this by adding a set of those X-crossed poles visible in the picture above that connect the main loops.   

The tent’s peak height is impressive 86.5 inches (220 cm), so you have stand-up height in a big part of it.

The doors and windows

The tent has two doors on its opposite narrow sides, see the pictures below. They are gigantic, and they are also full double-layer. This means that you have separate zippered mesh door plus a zippered panel, and the same is on the other door.

The panel and mesh on the doors are with three vertical zippers, one in the middle and two on the sides. With this, you can roll two pieces independently as shown in the picture, and attach them under the roof.

There are also windows, one on each of the longer sides of the tunnel structure. Here too you have two layers, a separate zippered mesh and a zippered panel.   

They are completely at the ground level, so they can double also as low doors for kids, and as low vents. Below you see how they completely close when needed.

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Materials

The poles, stakes, and guylines: You have four main loop poles, and 6 sets of the mentioned short poles. The latter include two poles each that are pre-attached as shown in the picture.

The main poles are enormously thick and they attach to the tent’s base through grommets. On the roof you have very long and a bit annoying sleeves, and clips on the sides.

These are top quality DAC poles, Helinox is the only outdoor furniture brand to exclusively use DAC poles, not surprising because these two companies have the same owner(s). This is DAC’s proprietary aluminum alloy that maximizes strength and minimizes weight.

You have nylon resin hubs that merge strength with durability, plus eight pole clips along the bottom that ensure that the tent fabric is secure and stays taut. Below you can see these details.

The 12 guylines are pre-attached and this will make the setup easier, see one in the picture below. You also have 20 J-stakes to anchor the tent and ropes.

The fabric: They use a 75D polyester ripstop to withstand the elements, and they also claim that both sides of the fabric are PU-coated to aid with sun shielding and water repellency.

There is also a statement about a double-sided pigment that adds to durability. The nylon fine mesh is with a 60D value.

So these are strong materials, but they did not provide any information about waterproof rating. I have asked them and received a reply that it is 1500 mm. This is not much, but I do not think you will ever need more.

The picture below shows large pull loops on zippers. The carry bag is made of a 600D polyester.

Ventilation

You have already seen about the huge doors and side double-layer windows. With this you can create as much air circulation as you want.

But there are also long high vents above the doors, the same on both ends of the tent as you see in the picture below.

So even if you have to keep the doors closed, you can still have exit points for vapor. These vents are also fully closable with zippered panels for situation when you feel cold.

Please see a bit more in this video:

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Who is the Helinox Tactical Field Tunnel Tent for

Regarding best use and area, you have around 140 ft² (13 m²) of the covered floorless space, and you can use it any way you want. The tent is designed to be your camping hub.

You can place inside one or two freestanding canopy tents so that you have protection from insects. The remaining space can then be used for sitting, cooking, and for your daily activities.

They write even about enough room to keep a motorcycle out of the elements or dock your mid-size vehicle under the open entrance. No doubt the tent can be used for this as well.

Now, how many people can fit in?

This will depend on how you plan to use this tent. To have protection from insects, you need an inner tent. There are many great freestanding options, perhaps you already have one at home, so use it inside without its own fly.

Just as an example, you can put inside the Coleman Camp Burst Dark Room 4-Person Tent and this will create a dark-rest sleeping space. 

You can find yet another freestanding tunnel type tent and put it inside without its own fly. This will add insects protection and you will have a floored area.

Examples? Check the dimensions of the Big Agnes Bunk House 8 Tent and REI Co-op Wonderland 6 Tent. They will fit in easily.

If you want to sleep off-ground, you can use any of their cot-tent options, with a mesh canopy or with a taffeta canopy. 

All in all, it is difficult to rate this tent correctly regarding its capacity, but it can accommodate 8 people with full protection if you put an inner 8-person freestanding tent inside.

Regarding seasons & climate, there is no doubt that this tent can be used in any season and climate. In warm and dry weather, you can keep the doors and windows with mesh and have protection from flying insects while making the tent fully ventilated.

When you feel cold, this all is fully closable. Note that you can use inside any smaller taffeta tent to feel warmer, or even a smaller insulated tent like the Crua Culla 2 Person Insulated Air Tent or even the 5-person Crua Culla Family Insulated Air Beam Tent. So this shelter can be used for expeditions in cold areas.

Regarding the weight, this tent is heavy with its 30 lb (13.6 kg). This holds in particular in view of the fact that there is neither inner tent nor floor.

The packed size is also not its best feature. When packed, it measures (L x D) 31.5 x 13 inches (80 x 33 cm).

Clearly, this is for car camping, and you should not plan to carry it long distances. It comes with a duffle carry bag that has dual top zippers so it opens wide and it is easy to take the tent out and to pack it again.

Regarding the price, clearly this tent is not for people on a budget. The price is very high but you have premium materials and the best possible poles.

Note also that with this tent you also have their 5-year warranty, not many outdoor brands can match that. 

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Specifications

• Weight: 30 lb (13.6 kg).
• Dimensions: 171.3 x 118.1 in (435 x 300 cm).
• Inner floorless area: 140 ft² (13 m²).
• Peak height: 86.5 in (220 cm).
• Packed size (L x D): 31.5 x 13 in (80 x 33 cm).

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Final thoughts, rating, pros & cons

Below you can see how this tent stands against my standard rating criteria that I apply consistently to all of them here in the site so that you can easily compare. Note that I rate it as an 8-person tent, but rating it properly is difficult because this is just a floorless shell.

 

BEST PLACEs TO BUY:

Helinox

For more tents of this shape please check in the category Tunnel Tents. Let me know if you have questions, there is a comment box below.  Thank you for reading.