ActiveOutdoorsMSR Hubba Hubba Bikepack 2 review: Lightweight, storm-proof shelter with room to stretchA superb tent, tweaked to make it perfect for pedal-powered adventurersWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)T3 VerdictMSR’s family of Hubba Hubba hiking tents are much-beloved shelters in the backpacking world. The design is popular for its combination of lightweight packability and high performance levels in all kinds of conditions. The Bikepack 2 is essentially the same ace tent as the 2-person Hubba Hubba for backpackers, but with pruned poles and a brilliant waterproof bag tailor-made to go straight on the bars of your bike. Used properly it’s a great shelter, that’s very easy to carry when you’re rolling around trails instead of roaming them, but take extra care with the poles.Reasons to buy+Smart design+Two doors and vestibules+Excellent interior and awning space+Fantastic waterproof handlebar bag specifically designed for bikepacking+Natural-coloured fly perfect for stealth camping+Good extra features (gear lofts, pockets, clothes line, rain gutter)Reasons to avoid-Not the lightest 2-person tent around-Shorter poles sections has marginally increased weight and reduced strength-No recycled content used-Can’t be pitched outer first-Not the highest HH ratingWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
ActiveOutdoorsMSR Hubba Hubba Bikepack 2 review: Lightweight, storm-proof shelter with room to stretchA superb tent, tweaked to make it perfect for pedal-powered adventurersWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)T3 VerdictMSR’s family of Hubba Hubba hiking tents are much-beloved shelters in the backpacking world. The design is popular for its combination of lightweight packability and high performance levels in all kinds of conditions. The Bikepack 2 is essentially the same ace tent as the 2-person Hubba Hubba for backpackers, but with pruned poles and a brilliant waterproof bag tailor-made to go straight on the bars of your bike. Used properly it’s a great shelter, that’s very easy to carry when you’re rolling around trails instead of roaming them, but take extra care with the poles.Reasons to buy+Smart design+Two doors and vestibules+Excellent interior and awning space+Fantastic waterproof handlebar bag specifically designed for bikepacking+Natural-coloured fly perfect for stealth camping+Good extra features (gear lofts, pockets, clothes line, rain gutter)Reasons to avoid-Not the lightest 2-person tent around-Shorter poles sections has marginally increased weight and reduced strength-No recycled content used-Can’t be pitched outer first-Not the highest HH ratingWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
A superb tent, tweaked to make it perfect for pedal-powered adventurers
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)T3 VerdictMSR’s family of Hubba Hubba hiking tents are much-beloved shelters in the backpacking world. The design is popular for its combination of lightweight packability and high performance levels in all kinds of conditions. The Bikepack 2 is essentially the same ace tent as the 2-person Hubba Hubba for backpackers, but with pruned poles and a brilliant waterproof bag tailor-made to go straight on the bars of your bike. Used properly it’s a great shelter, that’s very easy to carry when you’re rolling around trails instead of roaming them, but take extra care with the poles.Reasons to buy+Smart design+Two doors and vestibules+Excellent interior and awning space+Fantastic waterproof handlebar bag specifically designed for bikepacking+Natural-coloured fly perfect for stealth camping+Good extra features (gear lofts, pockets, clothes line, rain gutter)Reasons to avoid-Not the lightest 2-person tent around-Shorter poles sections has marginally increased weight and reduced strength-No recycled content used-Can’t be pitched outer first-Not the highest HH rating
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
T3 VerdictMSR’s family of Hubba Hubba hiking tents are much-beloved shelters in the backpacking world. The design is popular for its combination of lightweight packability and high performance levels in all kinds of conditions. The Bikepack 2 is essentially the same ace tent as the 2-person Hubba Hubba for backpackers, but with pruned poles and a brilliant waterproof bag tailor-made to go straight on the bars of your bike. Used properly it’s a great shelter, that’s very easy to carry when you’re rolling around trails instead of roaming them, but take extra care with the poles.Reasons to buy+Smart design+Two doors and vestibules+Excellent interior and awning space+Fantastic waterproof handlebar bag specifically designed for bikepacking+Natural-coloured fly perfect for stealth camping+Good extra features (gear lofts, pockets, clothes line, rain gutter)Reasons to avoid-Not the lightest 2-person tent around-Shorter poles sections has marginally increased weight and reduced strength-No recycled content used-Can’t be pitched outer first-Not the highest HH rating
T3 VerdictMSR’s family of Hubba Hubba hiking tents are much-beloved shelters in the backpacking world. The design is popular for its combination of lightweight packability and high performance levels in all kinds of conditions. The Bikepack 2 is essentially the same ace tent as the 2-person Hubba Hubba for backpackers, but with pruned poles and a brilliant waterproof bag tailor-made to go straight on the bars of your bike. Used properly it’s a great shelter, that’s very easy to carry when you’re rolling around trails instead of roaming them, but take extra care with the poles.
T3 Verdict
MSR’s family of Hubba Hubba hiking tents are much-beloved shelters in the backpacking world. The design is popular for its combination of lightweight packability and high performance levels in all kinds of conditions. The Bikepack 2 is essentially the same ace tent as the 2-person Hubba Hubba for backpackers, but with pruned poles and a brilliant waterproof bag tailor-made to go straight on the bars of your bike. Used properly it’s a great shelter, that’s very easy to carry when you’re rolling around trails instead of roaming them, but take extra care with the poles.
Reasons to buy+Smart design+Two doors and vestibules+Excellent interior and awning space+Fantastic waterproof handlebar bag specifically designed for bikepacking+Natural-coloured fly perfect for stealth camping+Good extra features (gear lofts, pockets, clothes line, rain gutter)Reasons to avoid-Not the lightest 2-person tent around-Shorter poles sections has marginally increased weight and reduced strength-No recycled content used-Can’t be pitched outer first-Not the highest HH rating
Reasons to buy+Smart design+Two doors and vestibules+Excellent interior and awning space+Fantastic waterproof handlebar bag specifically designed for bikepacking+Natural-coloured fly perfect for stealth camping+Good extra features (gear lofts, pockets, clothes line, rain gutter)
Smart design
Two doors and vestibules
Excellent interior and awning space
Fantastic waterproof handlebar bag specifically designed for bikepacking
Natural-coloured fly perfect for stealth camping
Good extra features (gear lofts, pockets, clothes line, rain gutter)
Reasons to avoid-Not the lightest 2-person tent around-Shorter poles sections has marginally increased weight and reduced strength-No recycled content used-Can’t be pitched outer first-Not the highest HH rating
Not the lightest 2-person tent around
Shorter poles sections has marginally increased weight and reduced strength
No recycled content used
Can’t be pitched outer first
Not the highest HH rating
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
MSR Hubba Hubba Bikepack 2 Person Tent deals
1 Amazon customer review☆☆☆☆☆
1 Amazon customer review☆☆☆☆☆
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MSR is an acronym for Mountain Safety Research, but in the outdoor world it’s also generally accepted as shorthand for top-quality camping and adventure gear.
The MSR Hubba Hubba tent has been around for over 20 years, and aside from the occasional tweak, the basic design (built around an innovative pole hub skeleton) has remained the same because it performs (and sells) well – even if it doesn’t boast the highesthydrostatic headratings or lowest carry weight.
There are various iterations of the Hubba Hubba available now – to suit different kinds of camper, adventuring alone or in groups. The one I’ve been testing here is the version of the shelter made for those who like togo bikepacking, which comes with a tailor-made waterproof bar bag to make packing the tent on your bike extremely quick and easy.
MSR Hubba Hubba Bikepack 2 review
Price and availability
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
The MSR Hubba Hubba Bikepack 2-Person Tent is available now, online and from numerous high street adventure outlets, for a full recommended retail price of £590 in the UK, from $580 in the US and AU$1,200 in Australia.
Specifications
Design and materials
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
MSR list the ‘minimum weight’ of the Bikepack 2 tent as1.4kg (3lb 1oz), but as far as I can see, this would involve dispensing with the bag, which would be like castrating its USP. With the bag it tips the scales at 1.71kg (3lb 12oz) – there are definitely lighter2-person tentsout there, but when it comes tobikepacking, I’m happy to carry a few extra grams if the gear is easy to fit on the frame, seat or bars, and this tent ticks that box perfectly.
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
(Image credit: Pat KInsella)
(Image credit: Pat KInsella)
The 20D ripstop flysheet is made from nylon, making it tough and lightweight, but it does only have a hydrostatic head of 1,200mm, which is perfectly decent, but many other backpacking tents offer more comprehensive waterproof cover. Door zips are all simple and intuitive to use, and the vestibules feature ‘StayDry’ rain gutters to keep the rain off while you’re cooking and sorting kit.
The spacious inner is rectangle-shaped, and there are two doors leading out to the twin vestibules. There are good pockets and an excellent gear loft in this tent, so it’s easy to keep kit organised, and you can hangtorchesor littlecamping lanternsup for some illumination. The Hubba Hubba even comes with a clothesline, so you can hang soggycycling topsandriding shortsup once you reach camp.
On the trail
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
I have been testing the Hubba Hubba Bikepack tent during pedal powered adventures across Dartmoor,wild campingon the glorious commonswhile I still (legally) can. I didn’t begin trail testing the tent until the tailend of the summer season, and so most of my escapades have been in autumn, during some pretty feisty weather conditions.
The overall geodesic-dome shape of all MSR Hubba Hubba tents means they can cope with fairly ferocious winds (if you face the tent correctly) – which I was especially happy about during one night in particular, when I was pitched up atop Black Hill, between Haytor and Hound Tor and a storm came to visit during the night. The cross pole design means the tent does flap about a bit, but it stayed standing, even with a comprised spine (more about that below).
Designing a bag (and pimping the poles) so that the Hubba Hubba Bikepack tent fits on the bars of any bike is a stroke of absolute genius. I love bikepacking, but fitting the bigger items – chiefly mybest sleeping bagand agood lightweight tent– into the limited space available in frame and saddle bags is always a massive, time-consuming challenge, so being able to simply attach your tent to bike bars in seconds is superb.
The spacers work well and the waterproof construction of the bag both protects the tents and makes it easy to clean when you inevitably get it filthy out on the trails. This waterproof bag makes it a good tent for canoe camping too, and the reduced sized poles means it also fits in many panniers.
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
I have to admit user error here, because I absolutely made a mistake, but I don’t think I was exerting enough pressure on the pole for it to fail like it did, and I was surprised and disappointed that a DAC product would be so weak. (And not a little worried that I was in for a long, uncomfortable night.) Ultimately I was able to splint the damaged section and the tent held up fine, despite the stormy conditions, which is a testament to the design and quality of the other components.
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
But back to the positives, of which there are many. The inner is a true rectangle shape, instead of tapering, and I much prefer this in a two-person tent – it gives each person a proper amount of space, and means you can sleep top-and-tail if you prefer to arrange yourselves thus (not everyone wants to breath the same air in close quarters with a platonic bikepacking partner).
I also love the dual door and double vestibule design, which gives each person their own entry and exit (so you don’t need to wake each other up or climb over your tent buddy to answer late-night calls of nature). It’s also excellent for storing packs and kit, keeping things organised and for preparing and (carefully) cooking food in wet weather.
I am also a big fan of the natural green colour of the fly sheet on this tent, which allows you to stealth camp – something that will come in extra handy across my Dartmoor playground if the courts side against wild campers. In dry conditions (if we ever get any), the Hubba Hubba can be pitched and used without the fly, and the mesh material means you can lay back and stare at the stars while you drift off. Lovely.
Verdict
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
(Image credit: Pat Kinsella)
The concept of tailor-making a tent for bikepacking is one I love and applaud, and as you would expect, MSR has made a great stab at it with the Hubba Hubba Bikepack 2. The brand has basically just taken its best-selling backpacking shelter, made some minor tweaks and designed a clever bag that makes it very easy to transport the tent on the bike.
This alone instantly warms the heart of every pedal-powered camper out there, all of whom have laboured for hours trying to squeeze tent bits into tiny frame and saddle bags. However, some of these seemingly small alterations – to the poles in particular – have potentially introduced a weakness.
Overall, though, While MSR have had some criticism in the past for sacrificing durability and strength to lessen the carry weight of their tents (and, as described, I had my own dramas with one pole section), the overall design of the Hubba Hubba shelter remains one of the very best on the market. Just make sure you have the poles in the right holes (it’s really not that hard).
Also consider
For a lighter 2-person tent,Sea to Summit’s Alto TR2is well worth a look, as is the award-winningMeteor Lite from Sierra Designs. If you’re flying solo on your bikepacking escapade, and want a lighter 1-person tent, consider the superlightVango F10 Neon UL1or the excellentAlpkit Soloist.
MSR Hubba Hubba Bikepack 2 Person Tent: Price Comparison
1 Amazon customer review☆☆☆☆☆
1 Amazon customer review☆☆☆☆☆
☆☆☆☆☆
$579.95View$579.95View$579.95View
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