I've been looking to go back to a double-walled freestanding solo tent for certain types of trips (perhaps another discussion) and have been looking seriously at the 2011 Hubba. I'm actually pretty impressed with this shelter based on playing with it so far. Yes, it's 3 pounds, made by a major manufacturer, and…gasp…probably mentioned a lot in Backpacker Magazine! Have I gone mad?
Here's where I'm coming from:
*Compared to the Contrail I used to own, the MSR is about 1 pound heavier. My Contrail was 2pounds, including seam sealing and stakes/stuffsack. Given I'm getting away from trekking poles, I guess I should figure in the weight of a single pole for the Contrail, another ~2ounces. So, by weight, the MSR is about 13 oz. heavier (I weighed one, poles, fly, and body, plus 6 Ti shepherd stakes) and it was 2 pounds, 15 ounces.
*Versus my old Contrail, that 13 ounces is getting me:
-Less setup hassle. Yes, I've seen the videos on Youtube of people pitching Contrails super-fast, but no offense, I'm not into practicing in my yard with a shelter. The MSR felt way less fidgety to get a taught pitch, especially if you're dealing with uneven ground and soft soil. My Contrail always felt fussy, even after 30+ nights of use.
-Freestanding shelter. I forgot how easy freestanding tents are- no worries about soft soil/sand, no concerns that if one stake fails the whole shelter goes down. Set it up and move it around to the best spot before committing.
-No condensation issues. Being a double-wall, the MSR is much easier in this regard. I had some wet, clammy, soaked footbox nights in that Contrail.
-I feel like it's actually more LIVABLE space. Granted, the Contrail is REALLY roomy, but at 6'2", I was only able to sit up right in front at the peak and any deviation had me rubbing against wet walls. Since the shelter slopes radically down to your feet, half the room is useless unless laying down. By contrast, as narrow as the MSR inner is, it actually felt roomy. The walls are very vertical all around (actually sloping outward in places, making it nearly 100% usable space.
-The big side entry with overhang is sweet. It also appears to be a good, dry entry. This is what has me looking at the MSR over a Seedhouse SL1 or Fly Creek. You don't feel like you're crawling into a tunnel, making it feel roomier when sitting/working/cooking half in the tent/half in the vestibule.
-The fly and poles can be set up first, and it appears to me that it's possible the inner can be clipped in from underneath…solving the double-wall rain dilemma.
-I like the idea of the mesh inner only for stargazing/laying around in bug country- can't do this in a Contrail or pyramid type shelter.
-Versus the floorless shelters/tarps I've used over the years, in certain situations floorless becomes a pain (muddy, wet ground or on wet sand). I want a shelter with a nice bathtub floor that fully seals; no dirt, no drafts, etc. The bathtub on the MSR is nearly 12 inches all the way around (except for the door/vestibule side).
-I was considering a BD Firstlight, but it lacks an integrated vestibule for cooking and doesn't have the advantages of using it inner-only. I'm also concerned about the BD's durability when camping in brushy areas while hunting. It also looks a bit short for a 6'2" person without rubbing wet walls.
So all in all, it seems to me the Hubba often gets overlooked by many around here.
I've always felt the best shelter is no shelter. But when one is needed, I'm finding my shelter choices for certain trips coming full circle; in some cases, adding some weight may actually increase the simplicity of the overall experience: a no-fuss, all conditions, freestanding, double-walled shelter may fit the bill.
What's saving a single pound if it doesn't get you anything tangible?
By adding a pound back into my kit, I can see real benefits/conveniences.
