When a pal and fellow gear fanatic talked about MSR had launched a bikepacking model of their long-standing Hubba Hubba tent, I didn’t suppose a lot of it at first, as I’m a hiker, not a bicycle owner. Nonetheless, my curiosity was sparked when he advised it is likely to be well-suited for backpacking, thanks to some design updates.
Because the authentic Hubba Hubba launched in 2004, it’s by no means been the lightest, least expensive, or most sturdy tent, nevertheless it strikes an important steadiness between all three, which explains why it’s nonetheless available on the market 20 years later. Having by no means used a Hubba Hubba earlier than, I used to be keen to check this newest model and took it on a number of journeys climbing within the mountains.
Key Specs & Options
The three season MSR Hubba Hubba Bikepack 1-Person Tent provides strong technical specs. Its most packed weight, together with the waterproof handlebar-mounting bag, is a aggressive 1.27 kg, with a compact packed dimension of 36 x 17 x 11 cm.
Designed particularly for bikepacking, the tent offers distinctive headroom (97 cm), quick poles (30 cm), a big inner clothesline, and a spacious vestibule space.
The rainfly, ground, and cover are all produced from 20D nylon ripstop materials with a hydrostatic head of 1200 mm. The ground has been made lighter than that of the usual Hubba Hubba, which makes use of a extra sturdy 30D ripstop nylon and has a hydrostatic head of 3000 mm.
Actual world testing
I examined the MSR Hubba Hubba Bikepack 1-Particular person tent on a number of climbing journeys within the British mountains throughout summer time and autumn, together with a summit camp, average wind situations, and each dry and moist climate. As a result of unusually dry climate throughout my camps, I haven’t but had the possibility to check the tent in a correct rainstorm. On my ultimate journey, I forgot all however just a few spare pegs, however I used to be nonetheless capable of safe an honest pitch — extra on that later.
Spectacular head room and packability
On the primary evening out, I shortly seen that the headroom and dwelling area have been fairly beneficiant in comparison with the solo backpacking tents I usually use. At six toes tall, I can comfortably sit upright and transfer round with out touching the interior partitions. I additionally typically discover light-weight solo tents a bit cramped in size, however with a size of 216 cm, there’s loads of area to stretch out, even for taller people.
As with the standard Hubba Hubba design, the ground is rectangular fairly than tapered, not like many smaller backpacking tents. This supplied ample area to retailer gear inside, conserving my pack and spare clothes dry and off the damp floor. Nonetheless, like many tents, it might profit from the choice to peg the ground in place. The vestibule can also be spacious, providing loads of room for storage and permitting for cooking within the porch space, one thing that may typically be difficult in solo backpacking tents.
A significant benefit for hikers is the redesigned DAC poles, that are quick sufficient to suit horizontally in a backpack. For backpacking, I might skip the sturdy waterproof handlebar bag, because it provides pointless weight, and go for a light-weight stuff sack as a substitute.
Pitching is a breeze
Pitching the tent may be very easy. The poles slot into eyelets at every nook of the ground, and the interior tent attaches to the poles with small clips. It takes a most of 5 minutes to pitch, and because it’s a free-standing construction, you don’t have to peg the ground out first, making it simple to maneuver round whilst you discover the perfect spot. When you connect the rainfly to the eyelets, nevertheless, you’ll have to peg out the vestibule and door.
On one journey, I forgot all however three non-MSR spare pegs. I’m not an enormous fan of the pre-supplied Mini Groundhog pegs, as they are often arduous on the arms, and also you typically don’t get sufficient of them to safe all of the man traces, which I additionally discovered. Regardless of this, I managed to attain a steady pitch utilizing rocks and my trekking poles, and the tent remained agency in reasonably sturdy winds all through the evening. That basically impressed me. The primary downside, nevertheless, is that you should pitch the interior tent first, which will increase the danger of it getting moist in case you’re organising in wet situations. This design is not stunning, because it’s a three-season tent, doubtless designed with the American market in thoughts, fairly than the usually unpredictable climate of the British mountains.
Not only for bikepacking
Different options value noting embrace the lack to pitch the flysheet all the way in which to the bottom on the ends of the tent. Whereas this permits for good air flow, it could additionally let in additional wind-blown climate. That mentioned, air flow choices are plentiful, with built-in vents at every finish, and far of the interior tent is product of mesh. It’s also possible to roll up and safe each the interior and outer doorways in advantageous climate, although I want MSR had added a second toggle to permit your complete door to be rolled up tightly, stopping it from flapping within the wind.
Talking of wind, I examined the tent in reasonably sturdy gusts (round 20-25 mph) with none points besides some deforming of the construction. I wouldn’t nevertheless advocate utilizing it in uncovered mountain areas, or when sturdy winds are forecast. When it comes to rain, some fellow gear fans have expressed considerations in regards to the skinny groundsheet, with its 1200 mm hydrostatic head. When you can see some moisture underneath stress, I didn’t encounter any points when pitching on moist floor.
Whereas the Hubba Hubba Bikepack 1 has some drawbacks, it additionally has many strengths and is well-suited to backpacking. It’s spacious, packs down small, is straightforward to pitch, and is surprisingly sturdy given its light-weight supplies. A standout function for me was the shorter poles—this revolutionary tweak makes the tent much more packable, a function I’d like to see in additional solo backpacking tents.
Abstract
Regardless of just a few drawbacks, the MSR Hubba Hubba Bikepack 1-Particular person Tent’s spectacular steadiness of weight, area, and sturdiness make it a wonderful alternative for each backpacking and bikepacking adventures.
Whereas the need of pitching the interior tent first may very well be a priority in moist climate, its beneficiant headroom and ground area, revolutionary shorter poles, and ample air flow choices improve its usability. I could select to forgo the waterproof handlebar bag for a lighter pack sooner or later, however its compact packed dimension and ease of setup guarantee I’ll proceed to depend on it for 3 season tenting in future.
About MSR
Mountain Security Analysis (MSR) is a Seattle-based outside tools firm based in 1969 by Larry Penberthy, a passionate mountaineer and engineer. Initially targeted on bettering the protection and reliability of climbing gear, MSR shortly expanded its product line to incorporate high-performance tenting and backpacking tools, corresponding to stoves, tents, water filters, and snowshoes. Identified for its innovation and dedication to high quality, MSR blends cutting-edge know-how with sensible design, making its gear extremely regarded amongst outside fans for its sturdiness, performance, and reliability in difficult situations.
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