Customer Reviews

Coleman Exponent Helios X2 Tent

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purchased this tent to take to the Grand Canyon rim for spring hike.
The weather on the rim was cold and very windy including sleet one night.
This tent was up to the challenge. It was warm and sturdy.
Great purchase. Made for a great trip.

This is not the lightest tent.
This is not the easiest or quickest tent to set up.

This tent is solid.
This tent is warm.
This tent is decently priced (for a 4 season backpacking tent)

If I'm backpacking in warm weather, this tent stays home but for cold weather, I haven't seen its equal.

This review is for the Coleman Exponent Phact X2, I feel is an incredible find. In much respect exactly the same tent as the Helios X2. There are too many similarities to the Helios, so I will only cover the differences.

- 10 guy rope tiedowns (Phact) vs 6 (Helios)
- 4000mm fly (Phact) vs 5000mm fly (Helios)
- 7001-T6 poles (Phact) vs Air Hercules FC (Helios)
- Green/Charcoal color fly (Phact) vs Orange (Helios)
- $115.69 (Phact) vs $336.26 (Helios)

I have yet to test it to the elements, but upon first inspection is a durable 4-season tent. Same pros and cons with the Helios, but I highly anticipate taking this through its paces in the coming months. Available from Amazon.co.uk.

I've owned this tent for 6 months now, using it on average twice a month. I've used it on high-altitude peaks, snow, sleet, rain, mud, sand, high-winds, and high-temperatures. It's stood up phenomenally!

Pros
- 4 huge pockets inside around the base, each is big enough to hold a Full-sized winter jacket.
- 4 small pockets inside up in the corners of the tent, perfect for flashlights, lighters, hats, etc.
- 8 main stake out points, plus 4 more for the 2 vestibules, plus 6 guy lines for a total of 20 stake out points.
- Can withstand very high winds and heavy snow loads.
- 2 large vestibules are big enough to stow 2 people's worth of gear in one vestibule and cook in the other.
- 4 strong aluminum poles which are color coded to make setup a breeze.
- In hot weather, leave the stakes, rainfly, and 2 poles at home. It's a freestanding 3 lb tent with only 2 poles!
- 2 full-size sealable mesh windows, plus 2 more sealable mesh vents at the top. Perfect for sandstorms!
- Bright neon orange rainfly is visible from space ( A con for me, I dyed my rainfly black!)

Cons
- Bulky. Tent, fly, poles and stakes take up 1/3 of my 60 liter backpack. Mostly it's the heavy-duty rainfly.
- Takes awhile to setup. 4 poles, 14 tent clips, 8 rainfly clips, and 20 stakes. I only use 8 stakes though.
- Poles are not pre-bent. Carefully bend each segment of the 2 silver poles, you don't need to bend the red ones.
- Impossible to set this tent up in a rainstorm without getting the inside soaked. Use a tarp between 2 trees.

Summary
I highly recommend this as a beginners or intermediate backpacker's 4-season tent. With the rainfly off, the light grey and silver fabric reflects a lot of the sun's heat, while the 2 windows and 2 vents provide exceptional ventilation. In cold weather, all vents zip up completely to retain heat, and the heavy-duty rainfly adds an extra layer of insulation. The 8 pockets give you excellent organization ability, and the large vestibules provide ample storage for all your gear. While heavier and bulkier than most off-the-shelf tents, the Helios X2 is far more durable than the cheaper consumer-grade tents, without the expedition-class price tag.