View Full Version : Tarptent vs Hubba
B-Rabbit
09-03-2011, 11:17
Just wondering what you guys think. Tarptent Rainbow vs MSR Hubba for a through hike?
i used a TT Contrail for the south 1,000 mi. It was great in many ways, very light 24 oz., kept me warm and had sufficent air in summer. the best tent I have tried, and I own 4.
skinewmexico
09-03-2011, 15:47
This should start a holy war. I predict 4 posts until someone uses the "m" word.
wcgornto
09-03-2011, 15:47
I carried a Big Agnes Copper Spur 1 on my thru hike (same weight as the Hubba). In the future, I would carry a 1.5 pound lighter, pole supported tent 100% of the time over a 3 pound freestanding tent. I slept in shelters a lot and just didn't rely on the tent enough to justify the extra pound and a half. I never used my tent out of need south of Mohican Outdoor Center in NJ.
B-Rabbit
09-03-2011, 15:49
I am a little worried about a tent that uses trekking poles... What happens if you take a spill and break one of your poles?
B-Rabbit
09-03-2011, 15:52
I plan on tenting the majority of the trip...but I guess that might change along the way.
Chubbs4U
09-03-2011, 16:13
This could start a holy war is right. I have a tarptent and I dont need to use trekking poles (rainbow)
bigcranky
09-03-2011, 16:16
I am a little worried about a tent that uses trekking poles... What happens if you take a spill and break one of your poles?
I've done that, unfortunately. In our case we have two hikers, so four poles, so it wasn't a problem. If I were hiking on the AT and broke a pole, I would plan to tent near the next shelter, and just ask another hiker to borrow a pole for the evening. If that doesn't work, rig something with a stick. Not ideal, but it'll work until you reach town.
bigcranky
09-03-2011, 16:16
Oh, and to answer the original question, Tarptent - any of their solo shelters. I have a Moment, but the Rainbow is great too.
B-Rabbit
09-03-2011, 16:19
Sorry... Not trying to start a holy war... Just trying to make a big decision.... Keep it clean. Chubbs...any problems with moisture in heavy weather?
Chubbs4U
09-03-2011, 16:47
I havent had any problems really. Been in a couple of storms but nothing id call heavy. I do also have the inner lining so that also helps a bit. I went with the rainbow because its real light, easy to setup and could sleep 2 in a pinch, maybe me and my gf I was thinking. I personally did a lot of research before I picked my tent. If you look at my profile you can find the link. Also if you have ay other info you could give "we" could help you pick what you want; money, weight you want, 1 or 2 person, etc. I did recently look into these but Im not buying anything else for a bit. The skyscape and zpack makes great things.
http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/tents.html
http://www.zpacks.com/
MSR Hubba for me. I like having all the features. It's my home away from home. Go Hubba!
I am a little worried about a tent that uses trekking poles... What happens if you take a spill and break one of your poles?
Pick up a stick in the woods.
As others have mentioned, unless you plan to use your tent regularly, go with the lightest you can find. Most folks only use the tent occasionally, so carrying the extra oz or lbs is silly. I carry the Gossamer Gear The One if I want full bug protection and a floor, the Six Moon design Wild Oasis most of the time. It offers partial bug protection which works pretty well for the typical bug problems. These two weigh in at 16 oz and 14 oz respectively and have held up to wind, snow, sleet, and torrential downpours very adequately.
There are LOTS of light weight shelter options out there.
I use the rainbow as a two person tent with my girlfriend... we are both tall and slim. That being said, the inner dimensions of the hubba is much smaller then the tarptent rainbow and it is also heaver.I find the liner for the rainbow to be a bit superfluous and ill-fitting so i wouldn't completely recommend it but the rainbow as a hole would be a great thru-tent and it literally takes 1-2 minutes to set up after you get into the groove.
Argh, unfixable typos above! Just worth mentioning, the gossamer gear “the one” is out of stock but realistically discontinued as spinnaker took a massive reliability nose-dive and the cottage manufacturers stopped using it.
MuddyWaters
09-03-2011, 17:51
GEt over your stupid FEAR that dictates you be in a tent.
Learn to use a tarp , even a shaped one, like MLD patrol shelter. With a bivy.
You can use the bivy in shelters too to keep the mice off you
MLD serenity and MLD patrol shelter, in cuben, will weigh about ......13oz.
Or, use Zpacks hexamid with their solo inner net, same thing....about 11 oz total
Or use a SMD gatewood cape (which doubles as raingear), with SMD serenity for about 18oz
in all cases you get a bathtub floor, bug protection, storm protection, and can use the inner net in shelters too.
Blissful
09-03-2011, 19:41
I own and used both (Tarptent squall and Hubba). MSR hubba all the way for me. I got tired of condensation and repitching the tent in winds. I also at times knocked the trekking pole while getting up in the middle of the night. I also found over time that sil nylon shrinks, thus the one tent pole it came with was a struggle to use (and in fact, it did break on me on my hike in '07 and Henry did mail me a new pole). The hubba also works nicely on all the tent platforms in New England
Why "get over" sleeping in a tent, if you like sleeping in a tent. Sleep in hollow log, if that's what you like. Sleep up in a tree, it's okay with me. It's not a macho contest, there's no right or wrong, it's only a personal preference. I like tents. I'm stickin' with my MSR Hubba.
MuddyWaters
09-03-2011, 20:48
A tent isolates you from your environment. It is desireable to most because thats how we spend our whole life, indoors. A tent is your "indoors" while you are outdoors. Which is quite ridiculous, except in case of extreme weather.
A tarp keeps you connected to your environment. It is a really great experience by comparison. So is cowboy camping, just sleeping under the stars when weather is nice. Start with a tarp and bivy, and eventually you will ditch the bivy in most cases too, you lose the fear that you will wake up with spiders or rattlesnakes in your sleeping bag.
In good weather, all you really need is your bag and headnet.
in any case, the tarp/bivy is the lightest option, a few single wall shelter hybrids do rival the weight however, like the hexamid, etc.
atmilkman
09-03-2011, 22:13
I have MSR Hubba-Hubba and Copper Spur UL2 I'M 6'6" 245lbs and both work great for me UL2 is a little bit lighter but its not really that noticable.
garlic08
09-04-2011, 00:00
Only one thing is for sure: Whichever one you own, everyone else is going to look like either a dinosaur or a risk-taking fool.
Tarptents are pretty affordable and have pretty decent resale value, so you're not out too much money if you try one and just can't make it work. If you can make it work, the Tarptent is a good choice for a lighter load on a thru hike. My Contrail performed perfectly on my AT thru and other hikes before and since.
Not a hubba, but i love my carbon reflex ... its been nothing but great from east coast storms to west coast sand ...
Ladytrekker
09-04-2011, 09:26
Anybody used a Montbell Crescent 2 I like the way it sets up but the front entrance looks like its kind of a challenge. I am seriously looking into getting a Lightheart tent hoping that the cost will be well worth it.
Red Beard
09-04-2011, 09:39
I own both a TarpTent Moment, and a Hubba. If I had it to do over, I would have gone with a Hubba first. Now, keep in mind that TarpTents are high-quality and light-weight tents. However, I don't like the misting that I get during heavy rain. I have since re-seam-sealed, and even sprayed my Moment with Atsko Silicone Water Guard. This has helped quite a bit, but it's still not as water-tight as the Hubba.
B-Rabbit
09-04-2011, 11:04
Ummm.... Bathtub bottom+bug net+tarp=tent in my eyes. Do your own thing. These tents are like big bivys anyway only in a freestanding mode.
Chaco Taco
09-04-2011, 11:22
I own a Hubba and a Tarptent. I used to be against the Tarptent because of the moisture but then figured it out. The only thing to consider is when you get to the Whites and have to use the tent pad. I use my double rainbow as my solo. You can pitch the tarptent on the tent pads but you have to get creative with guylines. Both are a great choice
Ummm.... Bathtub bottom+bug net+tarp=tent in my eyes. Do your own thing. These tents are like big bivys anyway only in a freestanding mode.
yes i agree. once you add up all of the ounces you end up with something that is as heavy ( or even few ounces more ) then a tarptent. i use a tarptent moment. i also have a homemade tarp but i hardly use it now.
having said that; to each his own.
daddytwosticks
09-04-2011, 12:42
27 posts...shouldn't somebody by now suggest a hammock or sleep with a dog? :)
atmilkman
09-04-2011, 17:14
27 posts...shouldn't somebody by now suggest a hammock or sleep with a dog? :)
Sleep in a hammock with a dog forget the tent
coppertex
09-04-2011, 17:33
Anybody used a Montbell Crescent 2 I like the way it sets up but the front entrance looks like its kind of a challenge. I am seriously looking into getting a Lightheart tent hoping that the cost will be well worth it.
I used to have the Crescent 1 and got rid of it because the moisture build up was so bad. Might be better on the 2, but after spending a few very wet nights in that tent I decided to go with the Hubba.
forget the tent/hammock ... use garbage bags suspended by rope ....
i know i seen that video somewhere, anyone got the link? lol
P.S I wouldn't recommend this method, but no one else has suggested it yet.
stranger
09-04-2011, 20:22
For me the main benefit of something like a Hubba over say a Contrail would be the luxary to pick less than ideal campsites because you have the added protection of something like the Hubba, which has a 5000mm coating on the floor. Also, you are not as dependent on good soil to hold stakes, and your shelter doesn't 'require' stakes to keep it functional. So if you wake up at 3am in a downpour and find your campsite isn't draining water properly and there are some puddles under your floor, it's not a huge deal. Those same puddles can be 'pushed' through a standard silnylon floor.
But it's certainly heavier, and has less room, which is always the knock on traditional tents. You could also look at something like a Fly Creek 1 by Big Agnes to split the difference, I have the Copper Spur 1 and love it.
For the 'ultralight' tent manufacturers...I think it's tough to beat Lightheart Gear, they use a much higher waterproof rating of silnylon, you don't tend to hear about misting and they offer a double wall tent in the standard solo. They also have no wait time on the solo, it ships tomorrow.
But many people absolutely love Tarptent and Six Moon Designs...so they are all worthy of a a look, and Mountain Laurel Designs and Yama Mountain Gear hae great stuff as well.
CornerCreek27
09-05-2011, 16:26
I will put a +1 for the Rainbow, i am going through the same decision right now.
What got the Rainbow for me was that it is almost twice as wide (i like to have my pack inside and the option of zero days in the rain) and the weight difference.
I had tried lying in a Hubba and it felt like a coffin, not comfortable IMO
Nick Wilson
09-05-2011, 21:04
Tarptent! I have a Moment, and love it. Superlight, couldn't be easier to set up... Love it.
I hiked the whole way this year with my Hubba. Used it a fair bit but not nearly as much as I was expecting. I was envious of the weight savings of going with a Tarptent. I have decided to go with a Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo for my next tent (tarp?). Seems to me it combines the light weight of a tarptent with bug netting and bathtub floor of a tent. That being said...the Hubba did work beautifully the entire trip. No issues whatsoever. And i have one of the original Hubbas...maybe 6 years old? Still going strong.
Chubbs4U
09-05-2011, 21:28
Lots of people dont use a groundsheet for Tarptents and they say they hardly are ever in for repair. Also I got a tyvek groundsheet so its super light.
Jim Adams
09-06-2011, 09:41
Hubba....have used and slept in both...no comparison.
geek
Jim Adams
09-06-2011, 09:47
Hubba....have used and slept in both...no comparison.<br><br>geek
I used a Hubba HP in 2009. Pretty much bombproof but a bit heavy. Since then, switched to a Six Moon Design Lunar Solo. It's lighter and has more room. Single wall and not self-supporting but it's not a deal breaker for me.
I prefer side entrance models since their so much easier getting in and out of. Never much cared for crawling in and out of a tube......
B-Rabbit
09-06-2011, 10:09
Finally made a purchase! I went with the hubba. Not too thrilled about the size and weight, but it seems like its a pretty bombproof setup. I will be testing this weekend! Thanks for all the advice.
atmilkman
09-06-2011, 10:27
Finally made a purchase! I went with the hubba. Not too thrilled about the size and weight, but it seems like its a pretty bombproof setup. I will be testing this weekend! Thanks for all the advice.
Congradulations. You'll like it. As you say bombproof. Like I said in an earlier post I have both the Hubba-Hubba and the Copper Spur UL2 and really like both. In fact im going to use both on the Pinhoti in late Oct. Again, congradulations, good luck, and enjoy.
B-Rabbit
09-06-2011, 10:32
Wish I had the money for the extra space of the BA, but I think the Hubba will do just fine.
Chaco Taco
09-06-2011, 11:28
Congradulations. You'll like it. As you say bombproof. Like I said in an earlier post I have both the Hubba-Hubba and the Copper Spur UL2 and really like both. In fact im going to use both on the Pinhoti in late Oct. Again, congradulations, good luck, and enjoy.
The copper spur is such a sweet tent, but man is it expensive. Saw the Hubba Hubba on sale for $280
atmilkman
09-06-2011, 11:40
The copper spur is such a sweet tent, but man is it expensive. Saw the Hubba Hubba on sale for $280
Saw where a member got one (copper spur) on ebay for $95 theres a bunch over there right now at $299 and less free shipping brand new too.
Well, you may have bought the 'Hubba' but we ain't finished giving you advice so read on !
GOOD MOVE!
If you don't mind the extra weight, the Hubba is a great tent with a good floor, easy to erect and a lot of space.(I have the two man).
I especially liked just using half the netting some nights, peeling back the outer layer half way to just cover up my belongings.
That way, if it rained, it would only take seconds to cover up the whole tent.
Can't wait to get back on the trail1
That's where the term"HIKER TRASH' comes from isn't it?
forget the tent/hammock ... use garbage bags suspended by rope ....
i know i seen that video somewhere, anyone got the link? lol
P.S I wouldn't recommend this method, but no one else has suggested it yet.
Chaco Taco
09-07-2011, 08:43
Saw where a member got one (copper spur) on ebay for $95 theres a bunch over there right now at $299 and less free shipping brand new too.
When we were shopping for a new tent we looked at one. It was a couple of years ago when they were $400+. I like our Hubba Hubba. I wish we had a Mutha Hubba for the 2 of us so we could put our packs inside with us.
Like I said, the double rainbow we have is great but as a solo tent. Nice space for one person and pack. We have done the Six Moon Designs as well and its a nice tent. Either way, it seems like the OP is looking in the right direction. One of the tenst you may want to check out is Lighthearts Tents. She makes a quality product
GEt over your stupid FEAR that dictates you be in a tent.
Learn to use a tarp , even a shaped one, like MLD patrol shelter. With a bivy.
You can use the bivy in shelters too to keep the mice off you
MLD serenity and MLD patrol shelter, in cuben, will weigh about ......13oz.
Or, use Zpacks hexamid with their solo inner net, same thing....about 11 oz total
Or use a SMD gatewood cape (which doubles as raingear), with SMD serenity for about 18oz
in all cases you get a bathtub floor, bug protection, storm protection, and can use the inner net in shelters too.
Who says it's about fear?
Eighteen hours a day on the trail out in the open and another six or so under a thin liner of a tent? Kinda feels good to me...
And if the bears are gonna come git yu, the tent won't stop 'em anyway!
I'm liking the whole 'cocoon' feel about a tent at night.
Especially with just bug netting and no fly sheet, checking out the stars...
Yep, love the trail life!
As for weight, my hubba doesn't weigh much more than a lot of the hammocks by the time they add a raincover and a pad underneath for warmth, plus tyelines.
Mice taste pretty darn good too - if you're hungry enough ...