MSR "Hubba" Tent Review

THIS IS NOT A PAID REVIEW

^ I guess you need to declare if you have been paid to write a review for a company, product or service nowadays on the internet. I wish it was. This being my first review, I'll try and make it concise and the the point.

First off, let it be known that I am not a professional outdoorsman and that I only go out backpacking once a year, twice if I am lucky. I do however appreciate good equipment. With that being said I'd highly recommend MSR's "Hubba", solo, one person tent. 

I recently got back from a (4) day backpacking trip on the North Coast of CA. This being one of the toughest hikes I've made, I knew I needed to go lighter than previous trips. I decided to pony up and invest in a one man tent. I read a lot of reviews on various tents and decided on the "Hubba". A choice well made and here is why:

- Yes it is light, just shy of 3lbs

- No condensation issues what so ever

- Easy set up, great stakes, good tie downs

- Kept me completely dry

- Stitching seems durable

- Vestibule was sizable to stow shoes/gear

- Good head room, easy to sit up straight

- Felt roomy, with some gear stowed at the head

- Kept the critters out

- Zippers performed well with no snagging issues

We only had one full night of rain so I know I have not truly put it to the test. All in all, I'd give this tent a grade A. I cannot wait to get it out again. Would not hesitate to hole up in it for a 2-3 day deluge. Will provide an update after my next trip.

Perfect CA Hiking Trip

As far as I'm concerned you know you've had a great hiking trip when:

- You've come back uninjured

- Your hair still smells like camp fire 4 days later

- Only a small patch of poison oak

- Your muscles are sore but not too bad

- All your gear performed well

- You've come back with good pics & memories

I wrote earlier in my BLOG that I was going on a hiking trip and I've just recently gotten back. I even went so far as to say that the location we hiked into was my own personal definition of Paradise. It had been (2) years since I had been into this area and it did not disappoint. It still holds the title of most beautiful spot in CA.

All in all a great trip. Hiked in with two close buddies for four days. It was forecasted to rain most of the time and we only experienced rain on the way out, last day. Fall is a wonderful contrast to the last time I hiked in which was during the Spring of '07. What lacked in colorful wildflowers (the area is loaded with them in Spring) was made up with the turning colors of Fall foliage.

The following is a collection of images from the trip, enjoy. And if you are curious about the location I'm sure with some investigative work you can find it.

Buddy #1, start of the hike

Buddy #2, start of the hike & solar powered

Buddy #1, halfway in the weather gets moody

Buddy #2, leads the charge around one of several points

Buddy #1, negotiating a 1/4 mile of small boulders

Our camp spot in the trees

Backdoor to our campsite

Camp life, tree climbing

Camp life from above

Young Alder thicket

Buddy #1 after mediocre surf

Ran into my second rattlesnake, kinda looked like this

Day Hike, this trail was washed out two years ago

Day Hike, the creek we hiked up

Day Hike, Fall color

Day Hike, lavander vine

Day Hike, Buddy #2 deep in the creek valley

Day Hike, hike out of the creek valley

Day Hike, steep country

Back at camp

One of our many great camp fires

Weird things wash up on this stretch of coast line

Hike to Paradise

Within two weeks I'll be hiking around the point pictured above. A journey to what I'd consider one of, if not THE, most beautiful spots in CA. Literally Paradise as far as I'm concerned. I've traveled to a lot of places throughout CA and the western United States; Yosemite, the Sierras, Joshua Tree, Carmel, Big Sur, the Smith River, the McCloud, Mt. Shasta, Mt. Lassen, San Juan Mountains, Yellowstone, Wasatch Mountains, Glacier Park, the Rogue River and the Ho Rainforest. All of these destinations are truly beautiful and hold spots in my mind but none are as etched deeply as the area I'll be backpacking into above.

Having a deep appreciation and love for the Pacific Ocean and a consistent yearning to be in the mountains, this area is the perfect combination of both. That is the edge this spot holds over all of  the places listed above. Big Sur comes very close but does not have the same seclusion as this particular area.

Rugged, remote, raw, beautiful, demanding, taxing, exhausting, commanding, terrifying, relaxing, soothing, unrelenting, inspiring, unforgiving, eroding, growing, decaying, flowing, changing, would all be good words to describe this area. This is not car camping, this is not hiking the PCT, it is the most physically taxing hike I've ever taken on. And all 9 miles of it are worth every step, blistered heal, aching hip joint, sun burnt neck and sore ankles.

Where is this area? This is the day and age of the internet (obviously) so I'll let you work a bit to find it. It is not an unknown destination nor an off the map location and I have left several clues within this post (Hell, I've even given you a picture!). If you want it bad enough you'll find it. Good luck - not in finding it, but in making the hike.