MSR Hubba Hubba HD 1-Person Backpacking Tent

Love a lightweight shelter but hate that most of them aren’t freestanding? Well, if that is the case, you are going to love this tent. True freestanding functionality with an incredibly spacious interior. What more could a person ask for?

Just the Facts:

Made for heavy-duty weather protection and livability, the Hubba Hubba HD is the perfect shelter for enjoying time in camp despite unpredictable forecasts.

The Outside: The symmetrical tent design means you can set up the Hubba faster than you thought possible, perfect when you want to get inside and get dry as fast as possible. Durable and light DAC poles, a heavy-duty PFAS-free water-repellent coating and taped seams keep the Hubba stable and dry. The rainfly features large vestibules for storing any gear you don’t want inside. The easy in-and-out vestibule door features a StayDry™ rain gutter to catch any drips, while an updated kickstand vent add more airflow. Extra guy lines are included to let you customize your setup and add even more stability if the wind kicks up. Premium metal corner hardware is easy to use and super durable; eight included Mini-Groundhog™ stakes are strong and lightweight.

The Inside: The interior is a roomy 20 sq. feet (1.82 sq. m) with no taper to accommodate modern rectangular sleeping pads, plenty of room to relax and wait out the elements. The tent body is mostly solid nylon fabric for maximum weather protection, with just enough solution-dyed micromesh for breathability and bug protection. A durable, no-curve tent door feature zippers that are easy to use with one hand. They also zip close to a single point, so you always know where to open the door, even in the dark. Tech-friendly pockets feature cable ports at the corners for headphones and charging cords. A large overhead gear loft pocket is perfect for a headlamp, sunglasses and other quick-access items, and an included clothesline lets you dry out damp clothes.

The Bottom Line: The spacious solo Hubba Hubba HD tent is your lightweight ticket to a comfortable camp, no matter what the forecast has in store.

Specs:

Capacity: 1

Minimum Weight: 2 lb 10 oz (1.20 kg)

Packaged Weight: 3 lb (1.36 kg)

Floor & Vestibule Area: 20 + 8.5 sq ft (1.82 + .79 sq m)

Interior Peak Height: 39 in (.99 m)

Packed Size: 20 x 5 in (51 x 13 cm)

Number of Doors: 1

Poles: 1 DAC NFL 8.7 mm

Rainfly Fabric: Solution-dyed 20D ripstop nylon 3000mm polyether urethane & PFAS-free silicone

Canopy Fabric: Solution-dyed 20D polyester micromesh / 20D ripstop nylon & PFAS-free DWR

Floor Fabric: Solution-dyed 30D ripstop nylon 6000mm polyether urethane & PFAS-free DWR

Country of Origin: Made in Vietnam

My Story:

Well, here we go with another great MSR review. This time, we are looking at the Hubba Hubba HD 1-Person Backpacking Tent.

This is a very spacious single-person shelter. Yeah, nothing unique about that, I know—but don’t judge too quickly. This bad boy is packed with features that make it stand out!

The first thing I was looking for in this tent was a freestanding design. I have a plethora of shelters that require trekking poles, stakes, strings, and a little extra effort to get everything just right. I love those shelters, but sometimes an outdoor enthusiast just needs a good freestanding option. That was the main reason I pursued this specific tent.

The other features that drew me in were the overall weight, coming in at around 3 pounds, and the amount of usable space. This isn’t exactly ultralight, but it is a very acceptable weight for a freestanding shelter—especially one as spacious as this tent.

I love the 39-inch peak height and the 20 square feet of floor space. Combined, they make this one of the most spacious and functional one-person tents in my arsenal.

First Trip: Glacier National Park

My first use of this tent actually wasn’t even me.

We went on a rafting trip in Glacier National Park, where our primary tent setup consisted of a rooftop tent and vestibule. The vestibule provided a perfect covered area to set up the Hubba underneath.

This proved to be a great plan because the rain was relentless.

I had plenty of confidence in the rainfly, but my daughter Claire was a little too nervous to sleep away from us. A ranger told us they had seen a bear nearby, and that was all it took. So, instead of testing the tent against the rain, it ended up solving another very annoying outdoor problem: mosquitoes!

The tent worked wonders, and Claire made it through the trip unbitten.

That doesn’t mean we were completely without drama.

During disassembly, we suffered a very rare failure. A section of the tent pole must have been compromised because, while trying to disconnect one of the floor clips, the pole broke in two.

Now I was able to test not only the tent, but MSR’s customer service as well.

After a simple email, a replacement pole was on its way to my house. The repair was extremely easy, and before long, I was ready to get back out into the wild.

Eagle Cap Wilderness

My next trip came much later than I wanted.

Summer in the Pacific Northwest had been plagued by wildfires, and many of my favorite places to hike were unsafe or inaccessible. When I was finally able to get back out, I made my way into Oregon’s Eagle Cap Wilderness.

After four nights in this amazing place, I was feeling very confident in the Hubba Hubba HD.

It proved comfortable on a multiday trip, offered plenty of usable space for one person, and remained simple and functional around camp. After several nights of living out of it, I was really beginning to appreciate just how well-designed this shelter is.

Still, I had one more testing area to check off before I could really call this a thoroughly tested product.

One More Trip

I took the tent into Idaho on a scouting trip. This trip was completed without incident, and the additional time in the tent only strengthened my appreciation for this shelter.

After three trips, I’m confident in my assessment of the Hubba Hubba HD.

I love the space, the simplicity of setup, and the abundance of storage pockets. It provides a ton of functionality without becoming overly complicated.

I also have to give MSR some credit for something that usually doesn’t get much attention: the storage bag!

Gone are the days of taking a tent out of its bag and immediately realizing you have absolutely no hope of ever getting it back inside.

The storage sack on this tent is fantastic. It’s simple, functional, and actually makes packing the tent back up easy.

It may sound like a small detail, but after fighting with enough undersized tent sacks over the years, I appreciate it.

Find it Here:

https://cascadedesigns.com/products/hubba-hubba-hd-1-person-backpacking-tent

What could be done better?

The only real concern I want to point out is that the bathtub floor on this tent is VERY thin.

Obviously, this is part of keeping the overall weight down, and that tradeoff makes sense. Still, it is something you should be aware of, particularly if you regularly camp on rocky or abrasive terrain.

As with most lightweight backpacking tents, I would strongly recommend using a footprint. A little extra protection underneath the tent seems well worth it to me.

Outside of that concern, the Hubba Hubba HD performs exactly as advertised. It is a true freestanding shelter that provides an impressive amount of space while remaining light enough to comfortably take into the backcountry.

After three very different trips, I’m sold.

The MSR Hubba Hubba HD 1-Person has earned a spot in my arsenal.