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It was an exciting day when the new MSR Hubba Hubba 1P Bikepacking tent arrived at the Ultralight Outdoor Gear HQ prior to its 2024 launch. Yes, it is a single occupancy Hubba Hubba, moving away from MSR’s historic names where the Hubba Hubba was a 2-person, Mutha Hubba, 3-person etc. This bikepacking tent will also be available in a 2-person version, which has 2 entrances, but it was the solo version that I got to test in the field.

The main characteristics of a bikepacking tent compared to a backpacking tent are pole length and portability by bike, though this product could easily cross over to the backpacking world too as the shorter pole lengths with a packed size of 29cm allow the tent to be packed cross ways in a rucksack. These shorter poles allow the tent to fit between narrower drop/flared handlebars on the bike. The tent comes in a roll-top, waterproof bag with a separate pole bag that attaches to the outside of the main bag, though there is ample space in the bag for the poles to be stored inside. The bag attaches to the handlebars with 2 soft rubber stoppers that are tightened and secured with webbing and clips. One small but highly effective cord wraps around the headtube to stop the bag from swaying front to back. I found when initially attaching the tent to the bike, that the poles were positioned externally at the base of the tent bag as shown on MSR’s photographs, this resulted in the poles coming into contact with the head tube, but this was easily rectified by relocating the poles to the front of the bag.

This is MSR’s first venture into the world of Bikepacking and as with the other iconic tents in their range it has a lot of familiar characteristics. The fabrics and colour scheme are very synonymous with the existing Hubba family. The outer is a 20D ripstop nylon in dark green with a large yet very subtle darker logo on the side. The inner tent is white over red - the red floor is 20D ripstop nylon and extends well up the sides and the white upper is primarily 20D ripstop nylon fabric with a small amount of 10D polyester micromesh to help with ventilation to reduce condensation.

The short length 8.5mm DAC poles snap together to create a continuous pole set, that splits at the head and foot end creating a strong base.

Pitching the Hubba Hubba bikepacking tent is very swift with the inner pitching first with easy-to-use metal location tabs to insert the pole ends into at the corners. Large plastic clips snap the inner to the pole, even with a single gloved hand. The crossbar over the centre creates generous, internal width. The fly sheet is then positioned, attached and tensioned. The tent is free-standing, so it can be moved once erected.

Once pitched the large vestibule is very apparent creating plenty of space for storing dirty kit yet still leaving space to enter and exit the tent easily. The inner door opens via 2 zips to reveal a rectangular sleeping space and a good amount of internal storage too. 2 triangular mesh pockets, one at either end and 2 in the canopy create a diamond shape, which is framed by tensioned paracord for hanging and drying damp clothing. With an internal head height of just shy of 1 metre there is lots of room to sit up tall, great if you need to shelter for a prolonged period. The tent is symmetrical, so you can choose your sleeping orientation.

With the tent securely attached to the bike, it didn’t move, rattle or swing when riding, even over rough ground. It is light with the complete package: tent, pegs, poles, carry bag and fixings weighing 1.4kg it doesn’t affect or interfere with the handling of the bike.

I was highly impressed with every aspect of MSR’s Hubba Hubba 1P Bikepacking tent and am really looking forward to using it again over the coming months. I think it will be popular with devoted MSR users and will be a worthy competitor to the current bikepacking tents that are on the market.

Lois Fife
Lois is a keen cyclist and is always plotting a route… either for her next trip or looking for a different way to commute to work! She is regularly seen heading for the hills on a packed-up bike, be it for a quick overnight wild camp, or a longer multi-day adventure. She is currently plotting her route to walk the TGO across Scotland. She is a British Cycling level 2 leader and has been involved with MTB Guisborough encouraging the next generation of mountain bikers. Lois joined Ultralight Outdoor Gear in 2021 and is part of the Customer Service Team. She is always keen to get her hands on new kit to try in the field and share her findings on the website. Read more from Lois Fife