What is the Hubba Hubba?
The MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2 person tent is an ultralight freestanding 3 season tent that provides masses of internal space, two vestibules, loads of ventilation and an incredibly easy pitching system. The MSR Hubba range of tents have been worldwide best-sellers for years and this new 2 person version continues the tried and trusted design with improvements in flysheet and pole durability.
What is it made from?
The flysheet is made from a tough yet lightweight 20D ripstop nylon with MSR's Durashield polyurethane and Silicone coating to provide a waterproof fabric with a hydrostatic head of 1200mm. The inner is also made from 20D nylon and features a sewn in 30D ripstop nylon groundsheet with a Durashield polyurethane coating with a hydrostatic head of 3000mm. DAC Featherlite Poles are used for the unified pole system and the Hubba Hubba is supplied with 6 MSR MiniGroudhog pegs and 2 guy ropes with aluminium sliders.
What is the construction?
MSR have designed the Hubba Hubba NX 2 as an inner pitch first tent; it uses a unified pole system (all the sections are joined together) to make pitching fast and simple thanks to the colour coded poles and attachment points. Once the tent is pitched you get a fantastically spacious inner tent with a non-tapered groundsheet that provides ample room for two persons; the near vertical side wall and large ceiling area really help to create a light and airy atmosphere within the tent. Large mesh panels from part of the inner tent walls to aid with ventilation and to enhance the light interior. Once the inner is pitched simply throw over the flysheet and secure with pegs and guy lines.
What are the features?
Once fully pitched this tent offers ample sleeping room for two people thanks to the rectangular floor and there are two doors with covered storage areas to keep your kit dry or for sheltered cooking. The doors themselves feature a clever rain gutter along each zip which stops water from dripping onto you as get in and out of the tent. Ventilation is maintained through the cross-ventilating fly sheet, twin vents can be propped open using the built in kickstands to maximise air flow across the inner tent, reducing condensation to keep the interior dry and comfortable. You can also roll up the door once it is zipped to improve ventilation further.
If you really want to travel light and keep your packsize weight to a minimum you can just pitch the flysheet to provide a stable and waterproof shelter. One of the best features of this tent is the stuffsack, MSR have supplied you with a wide mouth stuff sack that is so much easier to get the tent in than the normal tube type sacks that can be a pain to get a wet tent into. The wide mouth stuff sack opens up like a duffel so you just roll up the tent and drop it in using the compression straps to squash it up small.
To protect your new investment, we'd recommend also purchasing a footprint: MSR Universal Footprint 2 Person
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Optimized symmetrical geometry and non-tapered floor
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Large, easy-entry D-shaped StayDry door and vestibule
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Side entry zipper orientation
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Rainfly kickstand vent
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Adjustable rainfly (roll-up vestibule)
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Adjustable integrated stake-out loops
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Lightweight reflective guy-outs
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Durable high-tenacity nylon fabrics
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Reinforced Infinity bar tacks and lap-felled seams
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Durashield-coated rainfly and bathtub-style floor
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Wide Mouth compression stuff sack with pull handle
How to Care for Your Tent
We know that purchasing a tent is a big investment, that’s why we have such a wide range of options to suit different activities, weather conditions and people, allowing you to choose the perfect one for you. Taking care of your brand new tent can be the difference between heading out for an adventure in the mountains, or having to fork out for a hefty repair bill, or even worse, another replacement tent. Below are our best tips to care for your tent.
Footprint
Before even leaving the shop (or online basket) with your tent, consider a footprint. A footprint is a large water-resistant piece of material which sits underneath your tent to protect it from sharp rocks and wet ground; if this footprint gets damaged, it’s easy to replace and doesn’t cost a fortune; if your tent groundsheet gets damaged, you’ll have to spend at least twice the amount for a repair or replacement.
Don’t Abuse the Poles
The chances are your poles are made from individual aluminium sections connected by elastic; when you come to remove the poles from the tent, don’t pull them out. The best way to remove poles from their sleeve is to place the pole end against your hip and pull the fabric towards you. If you simply attempt to pull the pole out, they’ll disconnect inside, the elastic will stretch and then spring back, potentially trapping the fabric of your tent between the pole sections.
You might also be tempted to flick the poles out so that the elastic snaps them into place in a quickfire fashion. However, this is far from ideal, as if the poles don’t align when they meet, you can easily damage or weaken the end of the pole, leading to future failure which is usually on the wettest and windiest nights!
Collapse Poles From the Centre
When your poles are safely removed from the sleeve, collapse them from the centre to avoid stretching the elastic.
Stuff, Don’t Fold
You were probably told when you were in the Scouts or doing the Duke of Edinburgh Award that the best way to pack your tent away is to neatly fold it into a rectangle, the width of your storage bag, roll it around the poles and pegs and then put it all in the stuffsack. However, whilst very neat and tidy, this method of packing can create permanent creases in the fabric, weaken the waterproofing and eventually split the fabric of your tent. The best solution is to simply stuff the tent fabric into the storage bag, just like you would a sleeping bag, and pack the poles separately. Make sure to leave and end or corner at the top, so that you can easily peg it out if your next campsite is windy. The poles normally have their own stuffsack so they can be packed separately, strapped to the outside of your pack or stored inside, allowing the tent fabric to be compressed for efficient packing.
Store it Dry
Let’s assume you’ve been out with your tent and the weather has been a little on the damp side. You’ve packed your tent away when wet and now you’re back home in the warm and dry with a nice of cup of tea reflecting on your latest adventure. But what about your poor soggy tent? The worst thing you can do is to leave it packed away wet, mildew will grow and eventually rot the tent, rendering it useless. As soon as you’ve finished that cup of tea, wipe off any excess dirt and moisture with a towel, then hang the tent somewhere where it can fully air out; a nice warm spare room or a garage is perfect. Alternatively, when it stops raining, pitch the tent outside in the sunshine to dry off. Let it air for at least 24 hours and once you are sure that it is bone dry it can be packed away for storage. Note - don’t tumble dry or hang the tent over a radiator or other direct heat source.
Don’t Store in the Stuffsack
Like your sleeping bag, it’s best not to store your sleeping bag in its stuffsack unless it has to be compressed for an activity. Leave it in a large duffel bag or supermarket ‘bag for life’ in a cool, well ventilated area so it can breathe.
Avoid Tree Sap
If you’ve ever had sap on your hands, you’ll know how horrible and sticky the stuff is; it’s even harder to remove from your tent flysheet. Pitch away from trees if possible.
Don’t Leave in the Sun
The majority of tents we stock are made from nylon. Nylon is incredibly tough, lightweight and easy to care for, however it will naturally degrade if left out in harsh sunlight for extended periods of time. Try to pitch your tent in the shade or strike the tent (pack it away) during the day. Polyester tents don’t suffer from this quite as badly, but it’s still a good habit to get into.
Leave Sharp Objects Outside
Boots, cooking equipment and other sharp/abrasive objects can all be stored in the vestibule, where there is less chance of it ripping a hole in your fly or groundsheet. You may not want to pop your pet in there, but at least carry a small blanket to avoid their claws damaging your groundsheet.