The tent is a three season model best suited to sheltered pitches, but you could certainly extend its range somewhat with a small handful of alternative pegs for better grip in the ground. The porch runs the side of the tent, and while the storage space beyond the doorway at the head of the tent isn’t huge, in the context of the other lightweight gear you’d be using, it’s adequate. Despite their outstanding design and obvious quality, American tents tend not to be as popular on this side of the Atlantic as they are at home. And one of the main reasons is that the needs of campers in Europe – and specifically the UK – are poles apart (excuse the pun). That’s thanks in large part to the differing weather conditions. Outdoor enthusiasts with kids have been crying out for something in between these two extremes, and with the Habitude from MSR, their prayers may have been answered.

All that mesh is obviously great for camping in hot temperatures, but not so brilliant if you are pitched up in howling winds on the side of a Lake District hill. And for that reason we’d suggest this is a good two or three-season tent, but not one for winter trips. Yes, there are lighter tents out there, but that’s not such an issue when you’re on two wheels or floating on water. And if there are two of you sharing the tent, you can spread the load between you.If you want the technical reliability Terra Nova is known for, but your budget doesn’t stretch to their expensive tents, sub-brand Wild Country is a great bet for value for money. The Helm Compact 3 is affordably-priced, providing near-premium performance for a less-than-premium price. It’s not the cheapest out there, and it’s far from the most expensive, but the mid-range price-tag gets you a solid all-rounder of a tent – and you can’t complain with that. You also get a two-year guarantee against defects in materials and workmanship, which gives you added peace of mind. Wild Country Helm Compact 3: Verdict Access is via one of the two side doors, both of which have large storage porches before you enter the inner tent. The vestibules provide somewhere to store your gear and are a sheltered space for cooking and eating. The inner tent is entirely mesh above the generous tub walls in the groundsheet, ideal for hot balmy summer nights when all you want to do is keep the insects at bay while you count stars.

In a hot, dry Californian summer, an inner tent made primarily of mesh would make perfect sense for keeping cool. In the north of Scotland it would be guaranteeing you nights of shivering.Flysheet: 20D nylon ripstop silicone PU, 3000mm HH / Inner: 20D nylon ripstop silicone/ 15D nylon mesh / Groundsheet: 30D nylon ripstop, 3000mm hydrostatic head / Poles: 2 trekking poles (not supplied) / Pegs: 9 x 15cm Y / Porches: x 2 , 28cm deep. The inner tent door opening could be a bit wider, it’s necessary to be really careful not to catch the opening when trying to get out. Although this is a 2-man, I would say it will be a tight 2-man. More a comfortable 1-man which I was hoping for. To maintain the performance and waterproofing of your tent, you need to care for and clean them properly.

As is the way with most tents that originate in the USA, the inner has a lot of mesh, which is great for ventilation in hot weather, but not so good on a blustery night in the Highlands. So, while it should be sturdy enough to cope with fairly unpleasant weather, bear in mind that the design might make it more suitable for spring and summer camping only. Ventilation is pretty decent, with vents at both ends, which can be held open with a Velcro strap and a guyline. The side door can be set up in various different ways: fully closed to keep the weather at bay, rolled up to let you to take in the view, or extended out with a hiking pole to create a larger sheltered space. Pitching is fairly easy, with interconnecting aluminium poles forming a freestanding frame which you clip the inner onto, before attaching the flysheet on top. But bear in mind this is an inner-first tent, so you do run the risk of everything getting wet if it’s raining. 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 freestanding you can shift the tent easily to get it into exactly the right position, before pegging it down and guying out.

When the wind gets up, you have four guys, each with two attachment points, so offering good stability even for a basic dome. Robens do wind tunnel tests for all their tents – this one comes out unscathed up to 105 kph (65 mph). That’s actually a Force 10 storm! Needless to say you should always seek out a sheltered spot to pitch when you can. MATERIALS Outer 68D polyester, hydrostatic head 1,200mm Groundsheet 68D polyester, hydrostatic head 1,200mm Poles 1 hubbed aluminium 8.5mm/7.9mm pole; 1 aluminium 8.5mm pole Pegs 8 At its base weight, this tent weighs just 567g, but that measurement doesn’t include the pegs and guylines. Add them in and you can expect to be carrying around 100g extra. This one person tent features a cleverly-designed, hub-connected, all-in-one skeletal pole, which forms the main structure. A smaller transverse pole then slots across the apex of this structure stretching out the peak to maximise headroom. The freestanding inner, which is pitched first, clips tightly to this skeletal pole – and the result is a shelter with near-vertical walls and maximum head and elbow room. A decent-sized side porch and minimally-tapered floor add to the sense of spaciousness. Full Specifications Whether I actually do this, or simply have it all in the door I am using, will be figured out as I go I suppose.