hello there.

does anybody have any experience with the MSR Hubba Hubba HP? I want to maybe buy it, but have heard that amercian makes do have the problem that the fly sheet does not reach down low enough so that it might become wet and droughty when sleeping in the tent. Has anybody experienced that?

The other option I have got is the Vaude Ferret 1 Ultralight. I cant find many reviews on it. What is the ventilation like and is the porch space big enough for 2 rucksacks?I am not so sure if there are any changes in the 2008 edition.

I want to use the tent mainly for treeking for 2 people, both in the UK and abroad

cheers

The flysheet to the ground thing is a bit of a purists' argument for the most part... yes, there are reasons why it can be considered better, and I do like it myself, but in practice there's a great many tents exhibiting that feature that get used in pretty serious places so you have to weigh up the possible downsides against the fact that you'll get less condensation in such a design because it's intrinsically vented all around the tent...

You choose, you lose...

Unless you're going to extreme places it shouldn'ty be a deal breaker, and I'd suggest things like interior space are things higher up on the worry list.

Pete. 

I shared someone's Hubba Hubba HP in some very strong gusty winds recently. Didn't notice any draughts and stayed dry. The inner tent on the HP as opposed to the satndard Hubba Hubba is mostly fabric rather than mesh like a lot of lightweight American tents. Great interior space. Easy to set up. Not very streamlined so catches the wind and shifts about a bit if it's not guyed out very tightly but ultimately stood up to some of the strongest winds I've experienced in ten or more years of camping on high ridges.

P.S. If you're taking it abroad Keas seem to have a particular taste for MSR orange.

I've got an MSR Zoid tent, and the fly doesn't reach quite down to the ground. The inner is mainly mesh, but the 'bathtub' bit is high enough that nowt gets blown in. Apart from a bit of wind, which makes it not really ideal for cold and windy weather.

Other than that, it's fine.

I used a hubba hubba in nz for 2 months cycling.

Good points.

great interior size for two, nice and spacey, airy.

good size porch.

makes a great free standing mozzie net when staying in budget hotels in se asia.

Bad points

Alot of mesh means its a cool tent, i wouldn't want to use it in the winter.

The floor is very thin, if you kneel on the ground sheet and the ground underneath is saturated you'll get a damp knee!Had to buy another ground sheet for it

It does like to flex around in  strong side winds.

Its a nice tent , great for hot climates . I'd use it for cycling again no question, though not backpacking high and wild.

ps. the keas at arthurs pass didnt touch it!

thank for the messages so far, quite a good result for just a few  hours!

Am I right in saying the HP version has a stronger groundsheet than the standard hubba hubba? Also I have heard quite confusing comments about pitching, some say its pitched inner first, others say it can be pitched fly only, surely that means that you can also pitch it outer first?

I am not intending to travel to NZ at the moment (maybe I should) so I am safe from the keas....but admittedly a very bright colour!

(Any more opinions on the ferret1 ultralight welcome...)

is, some tents typically pitch inner first if you have the whole tent up, but can be pitched fly only.  The MH Trangos certainly do this, though if it's fly-only subsequently hanging the inner wouldn't really work, it's more a one thing or the other.

I wouldn't necessarily expect the groundsheet to be stronger.  Their website says "lighter materials all round", which doesn't suggest groundsheet will be tougher... might be, but I wouldn't assume so as for groundsheets thicker is generally tougher (unlike flys, which are about tear strength, groundsheets need puncture and abrasion resistance and usually chunkier is better for that).

Pete. 

If it's owt like the Zoid, the poles go through a sleeve on the inner, which means that if you ARE using the inner, that goes up before the fly is thrown over and pegged down.

However, if you want to use the fly only, you can: you just chuck that over the poles without using the inner, having first placed the foot ends of the poles into grommets on the footprint, and the tension provided by guying it down holds it all in place. does that make sense? I hope I've explained it ok.

You could probably get away without using the footprint either, simply by pushing the ends of the poles into the earth a wee bit.

Actually, the Hubba HP has the following over the standard Hubba model:

*more durable floor, rated to 10,000 mm in waterproofness.

*additional vent on the fly for condensation management.

*reinforced tie-outs

*aforementioned additional 20d fabric for better overall weather resistance.

o

hello all

thank you very much for your answers. I decided against the hubba in the end, as one of my criteria was that the tent pitches outer first. I could not really find any reviews about the ferret, so I have now bought a Terra Nova Laser large, just got it yesterday in the post, so have not unpacked yet. but this seemed to tick most of the boxes (at least in the spec, now it will have to perform ...

...Got it YESTERDAY? Not unpacked it yet?

What's wrong with you, man?!!! You should've been kipping in it in the living room by now, surely?

it aint free standing and the pegs do mess up the shagpile.

i remember when i bought my first proper tent. I was 19 and actually put it up in the corner of my bedroom and slept in it for the night. Ahh, bless... That was before I became an old cynical fool!

Having an attached inner and outer tent is unnecessary, especially with the Hubba HP line.  One can set up the outer first.

 By employing the separate footprint, one can set up the poles and the fly first, without setting up the inner tent.  This is often referred to the 'fast fly' set up.  Once this is complete, the person can climb in, completely dry and set up the inner.  Its easy, fast, and it works.

This is how we do it in Canada

Dave Ure 2 wrote (see)

Having an attached inner and outer tent is unnecessary, especially with the Hubba HP line.  One can set up the outer first.

 By employing the separate footprint, one can set up the poles and the fly first, without setting up the inner tent.  This is often referred to the 'fast fly' set up.  Once this is complete, the person can climb in, completely dry and set up the inner.  Its easy, fast, and it works.

This is how we do it in Canada

If the Hubba HP is as good as the ID bivvy-bag Dave recommended, i might get one.

Welcome to OM.

Thanks Mike (actually testing an HP this weekend and will post my thoughts).