The new MSR Hubba Hubba LT 1 is a spacious one-person double-wall freestanding tent with a side door and vestibule. It has a single multi-hub DAC Featherlite aluminum pole that slots into simple metal hardware in the tent corners and is exceptionally easy to set up. Vents at the two ends of the tent provide good ventilation, while a gear loft and end pockets provide lots of gear storage and organization. The interior comfort of the tent is immediately noticeable, particularly the truly rectangular and non-tapered floor plan (32″ wide), which can accommodate a wide sleeping pad with room to spare.
RELATED: 10 Best Freestanding Tents
- Type: Double-Wall tent
- Design: Freestanding
- Minimum Weight (minus stakes and bags): 2 lbs 6 oz
- Capacity: 1 Person
- Doors/Vestibules: 1
- Rainfly: Solution-dyed 20D ripstop nylon with PeU coating
- Pole material: Aluminum
- Dimensions: 88L” x 32W” x 39H”
- Seam-Taped: Yes
- Footprint included: No
Bucking industry trends, the new MSR Hubba Hubba LT 1 is actually heavier than its previous version by about 4 ounces. It’s also several inches longer, wider, and has more headroom than the previous model and now comes with an aluminum poles instead of the composite (carbon fiber) poles of the previous iteration. With a minimum tent weight of 2 lbs 6 oz, it’s still a lightweight tent and perfectly suitable for solo backpacking but MSR clearly prioritized comfort and volume improvements over weight reduction in this new model.
Functionally, the Hubba Hubba LT 1 is a classic double wall freestanding tent that sets up inner tent first. The top of the inner tent is all mesh while the bottom is solid but breathable fabric that helps prevent blown debris or snow from entering the inner compartment. The fly drapes over the poles, which are aluminum in this model, and slots into the same corner hardware as the inner tent. There are also webbing straps and toggles on the underside of the fly that you can secure to poles if desired, especially in windy weather.
The tent’s interior is quite spacious with a rectangular floor plan, instead of the tapered floor in many comparable tents. With 88″ in length, 32″ in width, and 39″ in height, it’s easy to change your clothes or fit an extra large sleeping pad in the tent, in addition to some of your gear. There are mesh pockets, the width of the tent, at each end, set up off the floor to prevent crushing glasses or electronics, while a gear loft and ceiling clothes line, help you stay organized and dry out wet socks. The side door also provides easy access to the tent vestibule for storing larger and bulkier items like your backpack.
The rain fly has two kick-stand vents at the ends and a rain gutter over the front door to prevent rain from dripping onto you if the fly is wet or its raining. The front zipper opens on a slant and is bi-directional so you can crack open the top for ventilation while keeping the bottom closed.
The Hubba Hubba LT 1 has cord-based stakes out points with line loc tensioners on the front door and rear wall panel. While it comes with MSR Mini-Groundhog Stakes, I find them less suitable than the hooked stakes that MSR used to include with their tents previously, but no longer makes. Paria Outdoor sells look-alike hooked needle stakes and I’d recommend them instead.
Comparable Freestanding Tents
Recommendation
The MSR Hubba Hubba LT 1 is a comfortable and very reliable double-wall freestanding one person tent that is dead simple to set up. Weighing 2 lbs 6 oz, it’s lightweight enough for backpacking and its freestanding design makes it easy to set up on any surface from a sandy beach or wooden tent platform to a rocky ledge. I particularly like the new muted colors used on the fly and inner tent and think they’re a great upgrade from the garish red of the previous model. While the Hubba Hubba LT 1 is not the lightest weight freestanding double wall tent available today, its a solid value from a solid company, and easy to find in stock from many retailers. Priced at $470, I’d wait for a 20-25% sale to purchase one.
Disclosure: MSR donated a tent for review.
SectionHiker never accepts payment for gear reviews or editorial coverage. When you buy through affiliate links on our site, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Help us continue to test and write unsponsored and independent gear reviews, hiking and backpacking FAQs, and free hiking guides.
