MSR Hubba tent

I found a good deal on line for a Hubba tent, but can't find one locally to climb into and really see its size. I am planning on doing several 2-5 day hikes now and have a goal to hike the AT as a thru-hike in the next 5-10 years.
I am 5'6" and normal weight.
Anyone have any thoughts on this tent?
I am also considering a Hubba Hubba, which would be great for the room, but don't know if it is worth the extra 1+lb.

Thanks,

I haven't personally used one, but I have looked at them at REI. Way too narrow for me, at 26". And I'm 5' 7" and skinny.

I personally like mine, and I understand why it's one of the most popular tents (both the Hubba & the Hubba Hubba) out there. The tent is fairly long and narrow and I've got a few inches to spare on the length being 5'10". One of my hiking buds says he touches the ends being 6'3", so it may not work for taller folks.

As a side note, I use carbon-fiber poles which bring my total weight down to 2 lbs 12 oz (tent, fly, poles, stakes, stuff sack). I'm a tarp user generally, but at this weight it gets used more and more .... especially since I do most of my hiking between October & April when wind and inclement weather can be more of a consideration.

Just my 2 cents worth ......

At 6'1" and 210 lbs I found the Hubba sufficient in length - the sides are close to vertical. The head room is exceptional for a solo tent, but the width was not. I only had about an inch and a half of room side to side and that was without a bag. I think if you are less than 6ft 1-2", not that wide of shoulders and / or sleep on your side, you should be fine. Based on your personal dimensions, it looks like a great deal. Go for it.

The Hubba is "OK" for a freestanding tent but I prefer my lighter and MUCH rooomier TarpTent Contrail.

For a freestanding tent look at the TarpTent Rainbow or even Double Rainbow.

Eric

You say you "use" carbon fiber poles - I assume you mean that you do not use the poles that come with the tent. How do you find the right size carbon fiber poles? Can you buy carbon-fiber poles that would fit other tents that originally have other type poles? Where do I buy carbon fiber poles?

Carbon Fiber Poles

I have been contemplating them for my BD One Shot tent. I would save about 6 ounces. But they're not cheap and they are not as strong as the stock poles. Some folks on other boards say they break too easily.

From anecdotal evidence, CF poles are very good resisting vertical but not lateral pressure. So (IMHO) the more the poles are required to bend in a particular design, the sooner they will fragment. This seems to be exacerbated at below freezing.
Franco

I still have the factory aluminum poles, but I haven't used them since I bought the CF poles. I keep them just in case I expect to encounter some really high winds, which may be a weakness in some CF pole designs. They're manufactured by FIBRAPLEX, which have pole sets for most popular backpacking tents.

I noticed the regular price for the Hubba CF set is currently $144 - I caught mine on sale factory direct for about $114 if I recall correctly. FIBRAPLEX used to sell on Ebay at slightly reduced prices, but I haven't seen any listings lately.

I own a Hubba and really like it, I'm 72" and wide so its tight but thats the only complaint I have

I have one and, after trying out other makes and models, keep returning to the Hubba as my tent of choice. It's not overly wide, but that can be an advantage: you don't roll off your sleeping pad, and it will fit into some narrow spots that other tents won't. I've always found it wide enough for me (6'0", 225 pounds), and the fact that you simply sit up, without scooting around, to get to the high point in the tent, is really nice.

As far as "try before you buy," have you thought of ordering one or both tents from REI, leaving the tags on, setting them up in your living room (it works because they're free standing) and sending back the one(s) you don't like? All you're out is the shipping - which is probably cheaper than the gas to drive to the nearest outdoor store.

Glenn,

I thought you sold your Hubba after getting the SL1 because the latter was superior in your opinion?

Yeah, well, further use of the SL1 convinced me back. (And I ended up giving my original Hubba away to a youth group, then buying another; don't tell Karol, OK?) <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

The SL1 is a very good tent, make no mistake; and it was very hard to overlook the fact that it's half a pound or more lighter than the Hubba. But, in my seemingly endless angst about what gear I really like, the SL1 came up short for me in the last month or so in several categories (as did most of the other gear with which I attempted to replace my mostly MSR gear to save an extra pound.) My "final" choice of the Hubba is not due to objective design or performance issues, but I guess more of a "fits my style" issue.

First, the SL1 is not freestanding. In Kentucky's Red River Gorge, there are some lovely exposed sandstone cliffs that I like to camp on: great views, sunsets, etc. However, to camp there, you need a tent that is freestanding since you can't put in stakes. (Ignore the fact that all rainflys need stakes to deploy the vestibule; if it's bad enough weather to need the fly on, I'm not camping in such an exposed spot.) The SL1 requires 2 stakes in the front to be fully deployed; I found you can also, with some fiddling, use your hiking pole to do this. So, the SL1 can be freestanding, like the Hubba, but the Hubba does so pretty much hassle-free.

Second, the SL1 uses those funny cloth loops instead of clips. I keep getting annoyed when I insert the pole through 3 of the loops, then discover I missed the first one. Also, you can pitch the Hubba's fly first, then attach the body underneath since it uses clips - a real advantage when it's raining; you can't do that with the SL1. Again, the Hubba wins on simplicity in use and less need to waste time cursing.

Third, I appreciate the SL1's floor arrangement: more room near the head and less near the feet means plenty of room to stow gear. However, it also means I'm more likely to mis-align my pad and pack (pad extension) by rolling around at night. The advantage is also offset by the need to leave some space clear so you can spin around as you get into the tent from the end. The Hubba has adequate (but not as much) space to store my gear, but it's narrower design means my pad stays put at night, and it's side entry means you're not moving around gear to get in.

Finally, I kept missing how easy the side entry, couple extra inches of height, and curved shape of the Hubba made it to get into, out of, and move around in, a tent. The end entry of the SL1 is not a pain by any stretch, but there is a little more scooting and twisting to get in and out of it. Once in, you have to scoot toward the front of the tent as you lie down, since the high point of the tent is at the door; you reverse the motion as you sit up. Again, it's not overly annoying, but it's still easier to use the Hubba: just get in, lie down, and sit up.

There was one minor design issue: one rainy morning, I discovered that you had to be more careful getting in and out of the SL1; the vestibule opens in such a way that you will get some dripping into the body of the tent. This doesn't happen with the Hubba, and it's not serious with the SL1. But it's there.

In the end, I'd be happy with the SL1 if the Hubba didn't exist. It's a really neat little tent. If I needed to absolutely minimize the weight of my load, I'd still reach for the SL1 (and don't intend to get rid of it.) But, when that half pound wasn't critical, which it usually isn't, I've found that I prefer the Hubba. (That is, if I have the Hubba with me, I don't wish I had brought the SL1. If I'm using the SL1 on a laid-back weekend trip, I always find myself wishing for the Hubba.)

It's that close a decision. And, keep watching: I may change my mind again in a couple of months. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

I hear ya! I too have purchased gear and then sold it for another, newer piece of gear, only to go back to my original choice.

Good thing we aren't talking about exotic cars, eh?

Thanks for the perspective.

Glenn and everyone else,
Thank you for all your input. It has really made it easier to decide. The thought that having a bigger tent might make it hard to find a place to put it up in some situations is a very interesting idea and one I had not thought of.
Janet

I use the mutha hubba with my family. Yes, this one is heavy. Of course, the hubba is much lighter. Living in the south, I really appreciate the ventiliation for the summer though it keeps you plenty warm in cold temps too.