Over the last years Helikon-Tex has built a strong position on the market and the company is constantly proving that they are very serious about their products. What is the main benefit of the company ? What does the company offer and what is worth to purchase ? We will reveal it in this article.
A little bit of history
To know the face of Helikon-Tex little better, we have to go back to 1983, when Helikon-Tex was established as a military surplus-retailer company. The owners maybe have had their ideas to start their own production, but they had to wait another 12 years to become a reality. No matter how modestly it sounds, the experience and knowledge of what people want the most, gave the basics to start their own production in 1995 and thanks to this, they could become a company as we know it today.
One of the milestones, that put Helikon-Tex at least 5-6 steps higher, was launching of the SFU (Special Forces Uniform). We remember well, when it was launched in 2004, it almost constantly became a short supply just as legendary UTP (Urban Tactical Pants) five years later.
Step by step the company turned into a world-leading producer of military and outdoor equipment as we know it today. But that is not all !
There is something for everybody
It has been few decades since 1983 and Helikon-Tex is more than 25 years no longer working as a military surplus-retailer company, but they focus on selling their own products of highly complex and well-thought-out lines. Let´s take a look at the most important ones.
Bushcraft line
The advantage of all lines is that you already know by the name what you can expect from them. This line specializes in products that make your stay outdoors easier. Here you can find clothing, but also gear such as mugs, bags, backpacks, fire starters and others.
Outback line
Here it is difficult to guess by the name, but it is rather an expection. Outback line is a combination of outdoor equipment that can be used as EDC. The products are highly comfortable and easy to carry (wear). The big advantage is that Helikon -Tex has decades of experience so they can produce products you will fall in love with. Outback line features outstanding pants, jackets, backpacks and many more.
Patrol line
As we have already mentioned - the name suggests a lot. Patrol line is focused on the needs of the armed forces. From backpacks to combat uniforms and many others. We have to mention, that Helikon-Tex cooperates and makes products for the Polish Army, which provides tons of informations and experiences not only for the Patrol line.
Urban line
The last one with our quick introduction of product lines would be Urban line, which we chose for its versatility. This line is a selection of clothes and equipment great for carrying EDC gear. Helikon-Tex focused not only on convenience, but above all on the effectiveness, that can be often missing. Properly chosen pockets, loops, straps and others makes it great for EDC.
That is not all
Helikon-Tex lines also include another product lines such as Medical line, Range line and others. As we have already mentioned, Helikon-Tex experiences and subsequent informations play a key role, which we can feel from every single product.
Top notch products
Helikon-Tex have quite a few iconic products which we should know. There are around 25 of them, but we have chosen the 4 most popular ones.
Helikon-Tex Hybrid Outback Pants®
If we had to choose pants for wide use that will not dissapoint us outdoors as well as for civilian use, it would be Hybrid Outback Pants. It is a very good product that offers combination of two fabrics, one durable and the other stretch. Thanks to this we get pants that are both comfortable and durable. I have owned 3 pairs personally and I could not be more satisfied with them. You can find out more on our e-shop.
OTS® VersaStrech®Lite Shorts Helikon-Tex®
If the Hybrid Outback are the most comfortable pants, then OTS are the most comfortable shorts. The main benefit is a thin VersaStrech fabric, which is still highly durable and even more breathable. Think of elastic shorts with great durability, breathability and design. From my own experience, I can guarantee that you might not want any other.
Fleece Jacket PATRIOT HF Helikon-Tex®
Jacket legendary as the Helikon-tex itself. Heavy(double) fleece, nice design and well placed pockets makes the Patriot jacket great EDC companion for the outdoors, shooting range or city wear. This jacket will last, I have owned one for 10 years now with no signs of aging or any damage. You can see full description here.
Softshell Jacket Gunfighter Windblocker Helikon-Tex®
Gunfighter has been on the market long enough to not only deserve its place but also to retain it. Decent water column is complemented with very good breathability with help of armit ventilation zippers or two-way YKK zippers. Jacket is suitable for casual every day wear, but also for outdoor use or for a shooting range.
Urban Tactical Pants® UTP® GEN III Helikon-Tex®
The last piece on our list here are UTP pants. They were already mentioned above as a one of the iconic Helikon-Tex pants. Whether it may sound exaggerated, it is true. The pants have nowdays number of variations as they are really popular. You can choose ones according to your needs with still the same great design.
High-quality, low price !
Many brands use so-called Fame Effect. Just because they are well-known brands, their pricess are quite often high, which does not have to correspond with the quality. We don´t find this with Helikon-Tex. Their poducts are afffordable. Of course not the cheapest, but they can not be cheap - development, research, work, materials, workers, marketing... They are not expensive either, which brings us to the question - are they worth it ? There are several factors to compare : satisfaction, exclusivity, investment... Helikon-Tex products are exclusive, have their patent pendings and the investment is trusted. The price is much lower compare to the quality and life span. And satisfaction ? That is up to you, but you can believe us, that you won´t be dissapointed.
What is different then ?
What did we find out? We now know, that Helikon-Tex has now almost 40 years old history, when they were gathering knowledge, experience and informations. This helps them with production of their own products, that are affordable, but of a high-quality. We also know that Helikon-Tex offers several product lines that are specifically focused (outdoor, military, atd…).
What is important for us ? If you are looking for a brand that is focused on a customer rather than themselves, Helikon-Tex is one of them. You get more than what you pay for and you will be coming back as satisfied customers.
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- Lukáš Rojek
- This long-time outdoor and military enthusiast is interested in close combat weapons and firearms. This is accompanied by sports and learning new skills. His articles for our magazine cover both easy and complex topics. You can see him presenting our products on our YouTube channel.
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