MSR Hubba Hubba Bikepacking Tent

There are few tents more iconic than MSR’s venerable Hubba Hubba. I think I bought my first (yes, I’ve bought more than one) back in 2004. They were lightweight (sub 2kg), but more importantly, thanks to their innovative pole design, they had absolutely loads of liveable space and headroom, and roomy vestibules too. It truly says something about just how groundbreaking the design was that—not only are these tents still around twenty years on—the key aspects of their design remain unchanged.

But not everything remains the same. New materials allowed the NX series of the Hubba Hubba (introduced in 2014) to shave weight further still. And this year, 2024, has seen a new iteration: the Hubba Hubba Bikepack. The regular version of the Hubba Hubba has always been popular with bikepackers, myself included, but recognising this, MSR decided to create a bikepacking-specific version, with shorter poles to make it easier to fit into panniers or a frame bag or on your handlebars. Speaking of which, it also comes with a waterproof stuff sack that’s also a handlebar bag, replete with the necessary spacers, meaning you don’t have to fork out a different handlebar luggage option. And here’s how we know MSR have genuinely been thinking about bikepackers, and about getting their feedback: The fly colour was changed to stealth green. Anyone who’s bikepacked much knows how important it is on occasion to fly under the radar; this tent helps you remain surreptitious.

Minimum weight for the two-person version is 1.4kg; for the 1P, it’s a scant 900g. That’s despite having strong DAC poles. These poles, at 31cm, are seriously short, BTW, barely longer than the height of a page of Wild, and holding the tent in your hands, it’s hard not to be impressed by its compactness. Those shorter pole sections aren’t just advantageous for bikepackers; kayakers and packrafters will appreciate them too. You can learn more at msrgear.com

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