| 953 | Hubba Hubba NX updated review |
2014-09-15 |
Hubba without fly
In the spring ('14) we purchased a new tent, the new (or updated) MSR Hubba Hubba (NX) - 2 person. Since we knew that we were going to use and depend on the tent for the next few years, we had to pick a tent that best met our needs. (See the link to our choosing the Hubba Hubba.) After purchasing the Hubba, we set the tent in the backyard and played with it, we still had not used it as an everyday sleeping quarters until the summer. Though we initially liked the tent, we wanted to give a follow-up review at the end of the summer.
Choosing gear for a few weekend trips per year is different that choosing gear that you will use daily. If you are living in the tent, any problems you find will nag you until you begin shopping for a replacement. We were planning to sleep in the Hubba for about 50 nights in a row, enough time to put it to the test.
Hubba Hubba under the Zing Tarp
So for a few updated Hubba Hubba notes ...
We would have preferred a different color than the dark red. I really don't like red!
One of the (included) micro-stakes broke after a couple of easy whacks with a rock. We didn't use those stakes again.
We used the tent as a campground and backcountry tent.
There was ample room, but we did not have the dog in the tent, yet. (We are hoping that the tent will also work well when the puppy is old enough to join us on trips.)
Our Thermarest Dreamtime mats (big mats) filled the floor.
The Hubba's floor is symmetric, but the fly is supposed to be set in one direction - so the door and fly align. We actually set the fly in both directions (even if by mistake) and it worked well both ways.
There is color coded webbing to make it easy to align the fly or to at least let you know when you set it wrong!
We cut a piece of Tyvek to use as a lightweight ground cloth, but we always used the MSR ground cloth instead.
The venting in the tent was great. We did have a bit of condensation but nothing abnormal.
Once wet, the tent dried out quickly.
Because the tent uses tent pole clips instead of sleeves, it was easy to set the tent even when wet.
The Hubba hummed in the wind. We always staked the tent out.
It was incredibly easy to pitch the tent in the wind. On a few occasions I set the tent by myself (Amy was doing other chores) in heavy wind. No problems.
In the rain the Hubba also excelled. No leaks and the splatter (from rain hitting the ground close to the fly) until splashed dirt onto the red color and not inside the tent.
The rain gutter really worked. I am surprised no one else uses a gutter.
Backcountry the tent was a little bit heavy, but still reasonable. We accepted the heavier weight for a sturdy tent. (Our field weight was probably around 60 ounces - 3 3/4 pounds.)
In campgrounds we set the Hubba under our Zing tarp. The set up made for a huge vestibule!
Hubba Hubba at Camp
After a summer's use, we thought the Hubba was an excellent tent that met all of our needs.
Happy We Bought a Hubba trails
REI and Backcountry stock the MSR Hubba series tents. (See links in the right margin)