MSR Tent Buying Guide
Posted by Mark Richardson on Feb 02, 2024
FreeLite
The FreeLite tents have significant advantages over the Carbon Reflex, the twin pole aids stability, there's more head height and the fabrics are heavier and hence more durable. FreeLite's are ideal for ultralight backpacking and we think that the extra weight compared to a Carbon Reflex tent is worth carrying given the extra space the tent offers.
Hubba Hubba Bikepack
Designed for the adventurous cyclist whether they ride dirt or pavement, the new Hubba Hubba Bikepack tent has been meticulously designed for life on two wheels. Thoughtful features that all cyclists will appreciate married with spacious performance make this tent best-in-class.
Hubba Hubba NX
You can use this The Hubba range of tents is the most popular from the MSR range, the reason is simple - they are still very light weight but are also made from tough materials, use nearly indestructable poles and have twin pole hubs at either end making them very stable and free-standing. In addition there are large sections of fabric on the inner tent to provide a degree of privacy.
Of all the MSR tents these are the standard for ultralight and lightweight backpacking.
Access
Access tents are MSR's 4 season backpacking tent offering excellent stability in windy conditions, relatively heavy duty fabrics and increased headroom. The inner tent also haa a high amount of fabric vs mesh. Designed for backcountry ski-ing it's nevertheless an ideal tent for 4 season backpacking - if you want one tent to do it all, this could be it.
Elixir
Elixir tents are essentially a more robust, forgiveable tent than others in the range, by using heavier fabrics the Elixirs will have a longer life. They have a slightly better head height and much bigger vestibules. This makes them a heavier option but they are still light enough for backpacking, especially shorter distances. Best for general backpacking then, and car camping if you still want to keep your gear down.
We stock all the key MSR tent models and on this page we look at what they are and how they differ from each other. We also give our opinion.