PDA

View Full Version : Question for MSR Hubba owners...



tcbonline
04-09-2008, 16:36
Is the accessory footprint sold with the MSR Hubba necessary? How does the tent floor stand up with regard to durability and susceptibility to punctures? And is it waterproof without the footprint?

Thanks for any feedback.

Blissful
04-09-2008, 17:21
I have the hubba hubba. I used a tyvek ground cloth at times which did help especially on saturated and rainy tent pads. Tent is quite durable, IMO, but I always clear the ground of debris since I don't want to sleep on it.

napster
04-09-2008, 17:32
I have the older model MSR without the floor also. My dog and I stayed completly dry during an all day and nite down pour up Shinnin Rock Wilderness.No problem
N......

Lellers
04-09-2008, 18:04
I have the Hubba, and I don't use the footprint. I just clear the area and set up without it. Never been wet. I do carry a bit of tape for any repairs that may come up. But 2 years of use and I've had no problems.

Jim Adams
04-10-2008, 02:04
i use tyvek as a groind cloth...but my hubba is dry w/o it.

geek

Dirtygaiters
04-11-2008, 01:54
NO. The bottom is water-resistant, not waterproof, and it's made of polyester-taffeta, the same material prom dresses are made out of. Prom dresses are not waterproof! I've had the bottom of my Hubba soak through starting with the edges many times, even with a Tyvek ground sheet.


WRONG! Well, not about the prom dresses. The floor material is 70 denier nylon taffeta with a polyurethane coating. NOTE: taffeta refers to the weave of the fabric (i.e. ripstop has a "grid" of thicker threads , taffeta has an even surface). Why would MSR make the tent with a bathtub floor and taped seams if they used a floor fabric that was not waterproof. That makes no sense. It is also contrary with my experience testing my own Hubba.

Dirtygaiters
04-11-2008, 01:57
Is the accessory footprint sold with the MSR Hubba necessary? How does the tent floor stand up with regard to durability and susceptibility to punctures?

They market the footprint to protect the floor from abrasion, but they use a pretty durable material already in the floor of the tent. If you're going to bring anything, bring tyvek, but IMO, as long as you aren't pitching your tent on volcanic cinders or broken glass, you shouldn't have any problems with the floor. I generally clear a good space for my tent, but have occasionally pitched it on gravel bars. The floor still looks like new after a couple years of doing this.

fonsie
04-11-2008, 08:54
The information was my mistake. I read "water-resistant polyester-taffeta" in the description on their web site but that refers to the footprint, not the tent floor. The floors of the two Hubbas I've owned were definitely not waterproof. Both quickly soaked through in storms, both the first time they got wet. Not fun to wake up to. I have no idea why they'd make a tent with a bathtub that's not waterproof. For that matter, why make a footprint that isn't waterproof? (I understand the bathtub is supposed to be waterproof but doesn't it make sense that a footprint should be waterproof in and of itself?)

Sounds like you got the defectid one...I been out in countless storms with mine for 2 years and never had a problem... I use the seadhouse sl2 now but my nephew and a buddie of mine till put the hubba in usage.

Mrs Baggins
04-12-2008, 07:19
We do use the MSR footprint for the Hubba. I was just at Wesser shelter in a heavy downpour. Next morning packed up my tent and the ground under it was completely dry. I've never had a wet tent with my Hubba. The footprint is so light and so easy to just roll up with the tent and has the corner tabs for the pole to hold it all together if you want to lift the tent and carry it somewhere else.

Earl Grey
04-12-2008, 08:20
I have the footprint for my Hubba and used it on my thru last year. Whether or not it helped I dont know as I never did not use it. I have a hubba hubba now and dont plan on using the footprint. We'll see how it goes.