MSR Hubba Hubba 2 Tent Review

JUMP TO: SPECS  |  PROS & CONS  |  HOW IT PERFORMED  |  FEATURES  |  ACCESSORIES  |  SUMMARY

Author: Steve Edgerton | Updated: Oct 31, 2023
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The MSR Hubba Hubba 2 is perhaps the bestselling backpacking tent series of all time. Over 20 years since the first iteration, the latest Hubba Hubba 2 preserves the model’s famous livability and versatility while trimming the fat. The result? One of the lightest double-walled and fully freestanding tents around. 

The Hubba Hubba is light compared to just about any other backpacking tent you’ll find at your local REI. However, it is by no means ultralight, despite a price tag comparable to the best ultralight tents from cottage brands. This is the only significant drawback of the Hubba Hubba: paying ultralight prices for middling performance in weight and packability.

That said, very few ultralight tents are double-walled and fully freestanding: a combination that results in better ventilation, better weather resistance, and easier setup. The Hubba Hubba provides these benefits while being impressively light — just not ultralight. As a result, backpackers eager to cut some pack weight but hesitant to give up the functionality of a traditional backpacking tent will find the balanced design of the Hubba Hubba especially appealing. It is a classic all-around backpacking tent if there ever was one.

SPECS

 

WEIGHT: 3.25 lbs / 1.47 kg

INTERIOR DIMENSIONS (LENGTH X WIDTH X MAX HEIGHT): 84 x 50 x 40 in / 213 x 127 x 102 cm

DOORS: 2

PACKED SIZE: 19 x 4.5 in / 48.2 x 11.4 cm

MATERIAL: 20D ripstop nylon, Easton Syclone poles

 

 

PROS

  • Lightweight, fully freestanding tent with easy setup

  • Two large doors/vestibules offer excellent access, ventilation, and storage space

  • Roomy and comfortable for two people

CONS

  • Too heavy to be ultralight while still being expensive

  • Fly setup is unintuitive

 

HOW IT PERFORMED

SETUP: The Hubba Hubba is easy to pitch anywhere. A web-like single pole is accompanied by a single strut across the top. The only source of frustration was the rather unintuitive fly setup. It is not immediately obvious where it should be positioned and how to properly secure it onto the strut across the top of the tent. The MSR logo also deceives — the faded side of the logo faces outward, going against instinct. But once I knew what I was looking for, I could easily get the tent up and good to go in less than five minutes.

 

The MSR logo on the fly appears inside-out when installed properly, which resulted in some unnecessary confusion when first pitching the tent.

 

WEIGHT AND PACKABILITY: Though not as light and small as ultralight tents in its price range, at just over 3 lbs, the Hubba Hubba is impressively light compared to other double-walled freestanding tents. It is easily the most packable traditional backpacking tent I have used.

 

For a freestanding, double-walled tent, the Hubba Hubba is as light and packable as it gets.

 

VENTILATION: One of the chief advantages of double-walled tents is their superior ventilation. The double door design of the Hubba Hubba further maximizes airflow to effectively eliminate condensation in most conditions. If you often hike in hot and humid climates, then that alone could be worth the weight penalty over single-walled, condensation-prone ultralight tents.

DURABILITY: The 20D ripstop nylon construction has proved its mettle, standing up to rocky ground and dog claws, and I’m not exactly over-cautious to avoid rips and tears. Some users have noted that the Easton Syclone poles are fragile and shed splinters, but I have experienced no issues, albeit only after three multiday trips out with the tent. 

WEATHER RESISTANCE: The tent is seam-sealed and features a 1,200 mm Durashield polyurethane and silicone coating. It performed well in the two sustained rainstorms I’ve experienced in the tent. The tent does not sag or saturate with water, and I did not have any water beading through the seams of the fly or bathtub floor. In high winds, the poles feel reassuringly stable.

LIVABILITY: The highlight of the Hubba Hubba is its livability. It is generously long and decently wide and tall for a two-person tent. It is plenty of tent for two people and even a small dog. The two vestibules add to its livability. There is plenty of space to stash packs and shoes entirely out of your way and out of the elements. 

 

The Hubba Hubba is comfy for two and positively luxurious for one.

 

NOTABLE FEATURES

FREESTANDING DESIGN: The Hubba Hubba is completely freestanding. That means it is functional without stakes or guylines to pitch the tent and provide structure. Freestanding tents are a godsend for campsites on hard ground or with scarce tree cover. You get a foolproof setup anywhere you camp with the Hubba Hubba.

DUAL VESTIBULE: The rainfly has two large side-entry vestibules. Both offer generous room for keeping gear dry and out of the way. The doors can be zipped fully shut or rolled open to maximize ventilation while still covering a portion of the vestibule area.

 

Each vestibule adds generous storage potential without impeding entering/exiting the tent.

 

POCKETS: There are two mesh pockets at opposing ends of the tent’s interior. They feature ports for headphones and charging cords. The pockets are complemented by two small overhead mesh pockets.

 

There is a large mesh pocket on either end of the tent, plus two more above the doors.

 

WATERPROOFING: A 1,200 mm DuraShield™ DWR coating and taped seams keep the tent dry so you can ride out the weather in comfort. Both vestibule doors have rain gutters to funnel water off and away from the tent footprint.

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

MSR UNIVERSAL FOOTPRINT: MSR’s Universal Footprint adds protection from abrasive and wet ground and is one of the easiest ways to extend the lifetime of the Hubba Hubba.

ALTERNATIVE TENT STAKES: The included MSR tent stakes are not particularly effective on hard ground. Consider grabbing 6-8 Vargo Ti Shepherds Hooks for better ultralight performance in rocky or compact soils commonly found in the subalpine and at higher latitudes.

SUMMARY

The Hubba Hubba 2 is an enduring, iconic tent for a good reason. It does everything you want a three-season tent to do well: setup is near effortless on any surface, it is well-ventilated, it provides solid weather resistance, and it offers appropriate living and storage space for two humans and all of their gear, which not all two-person tents can equally boast.

The Hubba Hubba does cost more than many tents that rival its performance, but the packability and weight of the Hubba Hubba are far superior to almost all other freestanding double-walled tents. While significantly lighter tent options still exist, they almost all involve compromises you don’t need to make with the Hubba Hubba. Those compromises start to make sense for fast and light adventures or long thru-hikes, where every gram matters. But for the vast majority of backcountry outings, the Hubba Hubba is the best of both worlds — reliable performance in an efficient package.

DISCLOSURE

MSR provided me with a free sample for this review – but the views expressed here are all my own. The review might also contain affiliate links, which help us keep churning out more content.

MORE INFORMATION

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Happy hiking and take care out there in the wild!