MSR Hubba - question for owners or for Jason Livy

To all MSR Hubba or HP model owners (or Jason Livy <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />):

does the shelter get wider higher farther up from the floor? Specifically, does the cross pole actually make the shelter wider when sitting up than when laying down? If so, does anyone actually know the estimated width at the widest part? Thanks in advance,

My Hubba (2006 model) does not get wider than the floor as it goes up. However, it doesn't get much narrower - the cross pole really does a good job of making the walls about as vertical as they can be. I don't have mine set up (and am leaving on vacation in the next couple days, so won't have time to), but I've never had any trouble sitting up in it and not brushing my shoulders agains the wall. My best guess would be that it's about 20 inches wide at the top, maybe 21 or 22 at shoulder height. (The floor is about 26 inches wide, staked out.)

I don't know if they made any changes to this in the 2008 revision - that's a Jason question.

Did I mention I love my Hubba? (And that's after trying out a lot of other tents.)

I'll have to echo what Glenn said .... it doesn't get any wider, but it doesn't really taper much until you get pretty far up the sidewalls. The stated width dimension seems tight on paper, but from a practical standpoint, I don't find it to be a problem.

As a side note, I'm a tarp user for the most part, and I used and/or examined just about every 1-person shelter available before I bought my Hubba in '06. I use CF poles for a total weight of about 2 lbs 12 oz (that's everything, stakes, stuff sack, etc.) I like my Hubba, and I haven't seen anything out there I like better thus far.

Nuts - I was hoping it was a little wider thant the 26" - I just find it a little too narrow for me....

I'm probably missing something, but if 26" is too narrow when you're sitting up, isn't it also too narrow when you're lying down? In which case, the tent's a no-go for you regardless of the width at the top?

Excellent question. I am a side sleeper, so the width when laying down would be okay. However, I am quite wide (just over 22") and I suspect moving around I would be brushing the sides changing clothes, etc.

Thanks for your help!

This is probably something you've already considered, but do you live near a store that stocks the Hubba? If so, go climb in it (since it's freestanding, they shouldn't mind setting it up.) That way, you can tell for sure whether it's wide enough. (I'm assuming that you probably don't live near a store, or you'd have already thought of this. However, it never hurts to ask; I've had many Homer Simpson "Doh!" moments, myself.) I'm 20" plus across my chest, with my arms hanging at my side, and I've never noticed myself rubbing the mesh sides (close, but not rubbing.) I still think this tent might work for you; I'd hate to see you rule it out without "trying it on."

Sorry I haven't commented until know.

The cross-pole on the top of the Hubba do extend out a bit more than the floor to allow for drip-free performance (water won't drip inside the door when it's open). However, this doesn't mean that it is wider inside the tent. I think it's pretty close, but as soon as I can, I'll measure specifically what the width is when measured against the floor.

The new 2008 Hubba and Hubba HP compared to the 2007 version is identical in terms of dimensions.

I just got an '07 Hubba. What, if any, are the changes for the '08 model? I noticed a different color fly and poles, but the weight and size specs seem the same.

I tried a few other freestanding solo tents at my local REI and the MSR won for me. The Big Agnes Seedhouse SL1 is not completely freestanding and the head clearance sucks (even though the peak height is good.) I also didn't like the fabric loops for the ridge pole, I prefer clips. The REI Quarter Dome T1 was OK, but it was a little to narrow (I'm 5' 10" and 200lbs) and I didn't like the pole setup, a bit unwieldy.

Thanks,
Matt

I also tried the SL1, and found the same problems with it you did. I also found one more: the door angles back, and when the vestibule is open, it doesn't overhang the entire door. As a result, you do get water inside the tent when it rains - not much, but enough to be annoying.

The Hubba vestibule does overhang, so the tent interior stays dry. (This is the wider part of the top Jason talks about below.) The overhang doesn't really create any extra width inside the tent, but it does a good job of keeping the walls near vertical and keeping the water out.