Jake Lah

JakeLah

Founder of DAC Poles and co-founder of Helinox (with his son, Young), Jake Lah’s engineering mastery and relentless curiosity have made him a quiet force behind many of the world’s best outdoor shelters.

01.The King Of Tents

Influencing Every Corner of the Tent Industry

Jake Lah grew up surrounded by tents. His mother, a pioneer of the Girl Scouts in Korea, led summer campouts with Jake following closely along. Those early experiences were rooted in connection and curiosity. Long before he became a founder or innovator, Jake was immersed in a lifestyle that shaped his approach to design.

Though he studied humanities—not engineering—Jake was drawn to the challenge of building something world-class. When he discovered high-strength aluminum, he knew it was a material worth mastering. That drive led to the creation of DAC Poles (동아알루미늄), a company dedicated to designing and manufacturing high-performance tent poles, furniture frames, and trekking poles. Known for their commitment to innovation, DAC developed their own proprietary aluminum alloy, TH72M, and a more sustainable anodization process. Jake spent years refining what would become DAC Poles—lightweight, exceptionally strong, and trusted by the world’s top outdoor brands. Once the tubing was perfected, he asked: What’s next? That question led him to tent poles—and ultimately, to reshaping modern outdoor shelters.

Nonadome Tent

The Helinox Nonadome was inspired by The North Face’s Dome 8. Dome 8 was the first shelter to feature a nonagon-shaped floor and central hub system. The Nonadome is a simplified evolution of that design.

The North Face Dome 8

Helinox Nonadome

J.Para

A large, umbrella-like sunshade.

Roughly the size of a parachute, the J.Para is highly sensitive to even light wind. It took over three years to solve this stability challenge. Despite its scale, the J.Para remains lightweight and can be set up by two people in under 30 minutes.

In emergency situations, it can be transported quickly and easily assembled, providing a temporary outdoor shelter. It offers a comfortable and inviting space for group gatherings and events.

Cosmos Dome Tent

The Cosmos Dome Tent was originally developed for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and was used during the torch relay at a Mt. Everest base camp.

Geodesic Dome

The first Geodome Dome was created for the 2002 Korea–Japan World Cup.

Jake wanted to contribute something special for this event. He began cutting pieces of paper into hexagons to see if he could build a tent shaped like a soccer ball. Several well-known brands—including mont-bell and Vaude—joined the project.

“Ideas start with a need.
Bringing ideas to life is the challenge.”

JakeLah

Jake never stopped questioning how tents were made—or how they could be made better. That mindset sparked a breakthrough. Bulky family tents inspired the idea of lighter, more accessible shelters. Then ultralight backpackers pushed him further, inspiring the Featherlite pole. That single innovation prompted a full reconsideration of tent structure, fabric, and pack weight. A 5kg tent became a 2kg shelter—with no sacrifice in strength—setting a new standard for performance and portability.

02.Innovation

From Field-Tested Extremes to the Factory Floor

At DAC, quality isn’t outsourced—it’s built in-house, refined down to the gram. Under Jake’s leadership, precision, control, and pride define every step, with each detail shaped by hands that know exactly what they’re building. That’s why DAC poles are trusted by the world’s leading outdoor brands—and why Helinox furniture performs wherever you take it.

Innovation at work. The first wind test at the DAC factory, 1994.

DAC Wind Lab

Jake even built a wind lab to test shelter performance against extreme conditions. He wanted real answers: How strong should a tent be in high winds? And how do you know when you've built it right?

One of DAC’s greatest differentiators: we own our factory. That gives us complete control over quality, speed, and ethics. Craftsmanship stays consistent. And our responsibility—to both the product and the people—is something we take seriously.

“Our environmental policy started with bringing nature into the factory.”

JakeLah

Jake’s vision extended to the factory itself—planting trees, installing skylights, and transforming a gray industrial space into something alive. The biggest challenge came later: removing toxic chemicals from the aluminum anodizing process. DAC spent nearly a decade creating a safer alternative, with no roadmap to follow. Today, the work continues through our (re) collection, where poles are crafted using aluminum reclaimed from factory scraps. For Jake, true sustainability isn’t a slogan—it’s quiet, persistent work that becomes the new standard.

03.Enduring Past

A Legacy of Asking Why

Jake has always asked the hard questions: Why does this exist? How could it be made better? What’s next? That mindset turned tent poles into a movement, and outdoor gear into a lifestyle. Our equipment is designed to be structurally sound, tension-balanced, and field-proven in addition to being aesthetically pleasing.

Lighter. Smarter. Stronger. Featherlite poles revolutionized backpacking—setting a new standard for weight and performance.

Comfort, anywhere.Chair One redefined outdoor furniture, making lightweight comfort part of every adventure.

Jake Lah’s legacy isn’t just in products—it’s in the culture of engineering, ethics, and curiosity he’s instilled at DAC Poles and Helinox. As the industry continues to evolve, his influence is everywhere: in the gear we carry, the comfort we expect, and the belief that better is always possible. And even now, Jake sees the work as just beginning.

Chair Zero

$139.95

Chair Zero L

$159.95

Cot One Convertible L

$399.95

Beach Chair

$169.95

Passeport

$127.50

“I am so grateful that I have had the chance to spend over 36 years in the outdoor industry. There are so many wonderful people.”

JakeLah