Reviews > Shelters > Tents > MSR Hubba Hubba > Clifford Haynes > Long Term Report

MSR
HUBBA HUBBA 
Fast And Light Tent
Long Term Report
1/9/2004

Personal Stats:

Backpacking Background:
I am from and live in Maine. I have been hiking, backpacking, and canoe camping for over 45 years. I average 2 to 3 days a week in the woods year round.

I can't really say that I have a backpacking style. I take what I need or want, depending upon what I plan to do on the outing. Even before my knees became a problem, I could never see being in a big rush. It is my opinion that camping is part of backpacking, and should be enjoyed at least as much as the hiking. In areas where there is a lot of hiker traffic, I tend to pack heavier in order to minimize impact. I just like being out in the woods, and exploring.

Product Information:

* as determined by tester from test tent

Product Description:
The MSR Hubba Hubba Fast and Light Tent is a double wall, free standing, two person tent. The modular design of the Hubba Hubba allows the tent to be used in several different configurations. The lightest configuration is the rain fly and poles alone, essentially a freestanding tarp. An optional footprint can be added to the fly / pole configuration which provides the user protection from the ground (a floor). The Hubba Hubba's heaviest configuration is as a double walled tent with the optional footprint providing additional protection to the tents main body floor.

Main Body:
The Hubba Hubba's main body consists of a rectangular red coated nylon floor tub and black micromesh netting upper shell. There are metal grommets in each (outside) corner of the floor tub, into which the ends of the >----< shaped pole are inserted. There are ten plastic clips sewn into the reinforced seams of the micromesh screen to attach the tent body to the pole skeleton. A second short pole is placed across the main pole and into grommets in the top of the mesh to spread the roof of the tent.  When the pole ends have been inserted into the grommets, the pole skeleton is >--|--< shaped and quite ridged. There is a zipper D shaped door on one side of the micromesh main body which can be rolled and held open by a toggle and ring arrangement.  In each end of the main body there is a large mesh pocket.

The Fly:
The burnt orange fly is made from 30-denier ripstop nylon with PU (polyurethane) and silicon coating. Like the Hubba Hubba's main body, the fly also has 6 grommets which are slid over the ends of the tent poles to hold the fly in place. The vestibule is created by staking out the back and front of the tent. The vestibule can be rolled back and held open (rolled up) by a toggle and ring (much nicer and less hassle than just ties). As previously mentioned the fly can be used in a tarp arrangement without the Hubba Hubba's main body. 

The Poles:
The poles are Featherlite SL by DAC, and have a lifetime guarantee. The main pole assembly is 14 pole sections and two hubs shock corded together. When the main pole section is extended (snapped together), it forms a >-----< shape. The second pole assembly is three pole sections shock corded together and slightly arched. The pole ends that pass though the tents grommets have knobs machined into them to keep the grommet from sliding off the pole ends.

Footprint:
The Hubba Hubba Footprint is a rectangular (actually the edges of the sides and ends are a bit concaved when stretched out) piece of nylon fabric. It is waterproof and custom fit to protect the Hubba Hubba's floor from abrasions and punctures. Each of the four corners of the footprint has a short section on webbing attached (at the point of the corner), with a grommet and staking loop in the end. The grommets accept the tent pole ends when using the foot print and fly, and the stakeout loops match the loops on the tent body. The foot print comes with a breathable micromesh storage bag.

* The Footprint arrived after the Initial Report was submitted.

Tent Pegs:
MSR provided six tent pegs with the Hubba Hubba. The pegs are lightweight aluminum and about 6.25 in (15.8 cm) long.

Long Term Report:

I have to admit when I applied for this test, I was sort of dreading leaving my hammock at home and sleeping on the ground, but my wife and I have enjoyed spending time in the Hubba Hubba. During the test, we enjoyed over 100 nights in the Hubba Hubba.

One of the things I like the most about the Hubba Hubba is it's versatility. I have frequently left the tent body at home and used just the tent's fly, footprint and poles when I hiked solo to reduce weight. I also found this configuration handy for day trips in the kayaks or on the moped. Getting caught in the rain an hour or more from home while ridding a moped can take the fun out of the ride very quickly, but with the Hubba Hubba a down pour was just an excuse for a break, snack, and a nap. On hot muggy nights we enjoyed setting up the Hubba Hubba without the fly. The screen kept the bugs out while we enjoyed the night breeze, and if rain developed during the night it wasn't difficult to quickly attach the rain fly.

The Hubba Hubba has performed well for me in the rain. I have used it several times in very heavy rain and found it to be secure and dry. On one occasion wind blown spray entered the tent (under the fly) but was not significant enough to be a problem. We were camped on bedrock on an exposed mountaintop during a thunderstorm with very high wind. Several other tents in the same area were blown down during the storm. The Hubba Hubba is one of the sturdiest tent that I have ever used in heavy wind. The Poles flex but don't buckle, and the fly is tight and doesn't flap excessively.

Unfortunately I haven't had the opportunity to try the Hubba Hubba in heavy snow. The heaviest overnight snowfall I have experienced while camping in the Hubba Hubba was 6" (15 cm) of wet sticky snow. Most of the snow slid off the Hubba Hubba's rain fly resulting in very little snow loading. Thus far this winter we don't have sufficient snow cover to easily build snow shelters, so I have been using the fly, footprint and pole configuration of the Hubba Hubba on most of my outings.

The coldest temperature that I have used the Hubba Hubba during was 13 F (-10 C). While I had some frost inside the fly due to condensation, in the fly footprint and pole configuration (which was easily shaken off before packing up the next morning), I don't consider it an issue. When I used the complete tent at these temperatures, I experienced what I considered significant frost buildup on the tent body screen. The heavy frost on the tent screen resulted in the screen freezing while it was packed during the day. It is my opinion that this was due to insufficient ventilation , so since then I have only used the Hubba Hubba in the fly configuration.

A careful inspection of the Hubba Hubba for this report revealed no signs of wear or damage in the last six months of use. I could find no broken of snagged threads in the seams or damage to the tent body's screening. All of the stake and tie out loops are in good shape and show no sign of damage or wear. The corners of the door zipper shows no tearing or fraying, and the zippers still operate smoothly. The poles still look like new and the internal shock cord does not appear worn or frayed. The Hubba Hubba has been easy to clean by wiping with a damp cloth, and only the footprint shows any sign of use staining.

The vestibule is in my opinion a bit small considering there is only the one side entrance. It is large enough for our packs and boots, but only barely. I haven't experienced any leakage through the vestibule zipper and was able to leave the vestibule open during rainy  weather for ventilation. Ventilation is the only thing I don't like about the Hubba Hubba. I find that in hot weather, when using the complete tent, I can't get enough ventilation. Even with the vestibule open, if I don't pick a camping location with a breeze the tent is too hot and stuffy. 

Field Information:

Testing was conducted while backpacking, kayaking, canoeing and moped camping in western and northern Maine, at elevations between 300 ft (92 m) and 4000 ft (1200 m). The temperature during field-testing was between 13 F (-10 C) and 90 F (32 C). Precipitation experienced during testing consisted of light to heavy rain, sleet, and snow. I would estimate maximum wind speed during use at a maximum of about 50 mph (80 kph).

I  would like to thank MSR and BackpackGearTest for the opportunity to participate in this test.

Reviews > Shelters > Tents > MSR Hubba Hubba > Clifford Haynes > Long Term Report