MSR Hubba HP long term review
For a few years now I've had a MSR Hubba HP that I've carted around Scotland and the Lakes. I've taken it out in the fells of Cumbria, up into the middle of nowhere in Scotland and just thrown it up out of the back of my car. The little tent has coped admirably through all weather and proved a worthy companion.
The tent sports fancy hubbed DAC poles (well pole) that give it plenty of room inside. Conventionally it can be pitched inner-first but
with the additional footprint it can be pitched outer-first if it's really peeing down or even without the inner if by some miracle it's warm and there's no midges. Not in Scotland then, but an interesting light weight option. Pitched normally it weighs in at 1.3kg which isn't ground breaking but is rather good as a balance of space, weight and price.
Whats Good?
The Hubba HP is one of the easiest tents to put up that I've taken into the mountains. The single hubbed pole goes up intuitively and easily. Hooking up the inner and attaching the outer takes no time and pegging it out finishes the job easily even in bad weather. In fact it's rather well put together and despite not being a four season tent feels sturdy in pretty rough weather. I am yet to be cold in the Hubba HP even on a frosty night. The inner tent offers the added protection needed in Europe that is missing from some North American manufacturers' offerings.
There is an amazing amount of head room for a small tent, especially a one man tent. There's more than enough space to get changed and sit up reading a book. At six foot I'm not spectacularly tall but find there's more than enough room for me to stretch out. The floor dimensions give room for broad shoulders adding to a combination a world away from many of the coffin-like one man tents out there. The vestibule is also spacious giving you plenty of room for kit when Scotland is being predictably wet but when the weather perks up it opens up wide to reveal the view around you (even if it is the back bumper of a mini).
What's Bad?
Pegs and guy lines: it's a wonder to me that you can sell a tent for upward of two hundred pounds but not give it a full compliment of either. Annoyingly once you've added more the Hubba will stand up to solid Highland three season conditions too. It's silly how good the tent is so why not give us them?! In decently strong wind the outer tent sits a little high off the ground and it does come through... but then again this is how the Hubba HP ventilates well. All in all it's no deal breaker: you just have to use some common sense when choosing where you pitch.
Quality
Great. I wish I had lots to say, but the thin feeling fabrics have proved strong and I'm yet to break anything. The zips are reassuringly sturdy and the poles strike the right balance in weight and strength. Adding in the footprint gives you added peace of mind at a just about acceptable price point.
Alternatives
The Hubba series and its spin offs continue to this day and if you look in the right places new Hubba HPs are still available. The NX looks to be the the most fitting of the current models and eyeing them in the shops they seem entirely usable in a similar way, but maybe not quite as warm. Maybe that's a positive for some though. I think most people looking to the Hubba HP for use in the UK will have been considering tents like the Hilleberg Akto or offerings from Terra Nova. At the price point I found it hard to go that far and still had money left for petrol to get me where I wanted to camp.
The verdict
A great tent, a trusty companion, well made, does the job well.