I’ve spent a lot of time talking about specialized gear like the Big Agnes Copper Spur Bikepack, but sometimes you just want something that feels like it was built to survive an apocalypse. That’s exactly the vibe the MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2 gives off.
I remember the first time I saw one of these at a rally; it looked like it had been through a war zone, but the rider told me he’d been using the same poles and fly for nearly six years.
That kind of longevity is rare in the ultralight world where everything feels like it’s made of tissue paper. When I finally picked one up for myself, I wanted to see if it could actually handle the vibration, dust, and constant packing/unpacking that comes with life on two wheels.
As I mentioned in my best tent for motorcycle camping guide, the Hubba Hubba is the workhorse of the group. It isn’t trying to be the smallest or the lightest, it’s trying to be the most reliable.
If you’re the type of rider who plans trips through high-altitude passes or open plains where the wind can literally knock a bike over on its kickstand, you need a tent that won’t snap a pole at 3:00 AM.
According to the official MSR product specifications, they use a unified hub-and-pole system made by DAC that is specifically engineered to be more stable in high winds than traditional cross-pole designs.
I’ve found that the Hubba Hubba sits in this Goldilocks zone for riders. It’s light enough to not affect your bike’s handling, but it’s built with much more durable 20D and 30D fabrics that don’t make me feel like I’m going to rip the floor every time I move my boots.
For me, the peace of mind that comes with MSR’s reputation for weatherproofing is worth the small weight penalty over something like the Nemo Dragonfly.
If you’re looking for a tent that you can buy once and use for the next decade of tours, this is almost certainly the one you should be looking at.
How does the 17.5-inch pack size fit into standard motorcycle luggage?
If you’re coming straight from my Big Agnes Copper Spur review, the pack size of the MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2 is going to be the biggest hurdle you have to clear. Let’s be real here: MSR didn’t design this tent specifically for motorcyclists.
While the Big Agnes has those tiny 12-inch Shortstik poles, the Hubba Hubba uses pole segments that are 17.5 inches long. I know that sounds like a small difference on paper, but when you are staring at the inside of a standard aluminum pannier, every half-inch counts.
I’ve found that with most 45-liter boxes, like the ones from Touratech or the BMW OEM cases, the Hubba Hubba will just barely fit horizontally if you angle it slightly. But if you’re running smaller 35-liter cases or narrow plastic bags, you are going to be forced to pack this tent vertically or strap it to your rear rack.
I’ve spent a lot of time experimenting with my luggage layout to make this tent work. One pro-tip I’ve discovered is to ditch the original MSR stuff sack and store the poles separately.
I usually slide the poles into a dedicated sleeve along the back of my pannier and then stuff the actual tent fabric into a compression dry bag. This allows me to squash the tent down to about the size of a large cantaloupe, which is a massive win for space management.
If you’re a minimalist who rides a dual-sport with soft bags, the 17.5-inch length might be a dealbreaker. But for those of us on full-sized adventure bikes, it’s a manageable trade-off.
According to the official MSR packing specs, the total weight is just under 4 pounds, so even if it’s a bit longer, it’s certainly not going to make your bike feel top-heavy.
I’ve mentioned this before in my best tent for motorcycle camping guide, but you really have to measure your luggage before you commit to a tent like this. If you’re running a soft luggage system like the Mosko Moto Reckless 80, the Hubba Hubba fits beautifully in the side legs because of its cylindrical shape.
I’ve ridden thousands of miles with this setup, and as long as I’m intentional about the weight distribution, I don’t even notice it’s there. For me, the extra length of the poles is a small price to pay for the sheer durability and vertical wall space you get once the tent is actually set up.
If you’re curious about how luggage volume affects your bike’s handling, RevZilla has a great breakdown on motorcycle weight distribution that is definitely worth a read before you start your next big tour.
Will the Hubba Hubba actually keep me dry in a relentless mountain storm?
I’ve spent plenty of nights huddled in a tent while the sky literally sounds like it’s being ripped open by lightning, and I can tell you that the MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2 is one of the few shelters that doesn’t make me nervous in those moments.
One of the biggest fears we have as moto-campers is waking up in a soggy sleeping bag with a full day of cold riding ahead of us. MSR addressed this by using a proprietary Durashield™ coating on the rainfly and floor.
Unlike the cheap polyurethane coatings found on budget tents, this stuff is engineered to stay waterproof for years without getting that nasty sticky feeling or peeling off in flakes. I’ve sat through a solid ten hours of steady rain in the Colorado backcountry, and the interior of my tent stayed as dry as a desert bone.
What really impressed me, though, isn’t just the fabric, it’s the StayDry door design. If you’ve ever opened a tent door during a storm only to have a gallon of water dump directly onto your face and your gear, you’ll appreciate this. MSR built tiny rain gutters into the fly that channel water away from the zippers.
It’s such a simple thing, but when you’re fumbling with your boots in the vestibule during a downpour, it’s a total game-changer. It’s a level of detail you won’t find on something like the Wolf Walker Motorcycle Tent, which relies more on its massive size than on these refined drainage features.
According to the technical experts at MSR’s own design lab, their goal with the NX series was to maximize the “hydrostatic head” rating without making the tent weigh as much as a boat anchor.
I also have to mention the wind stability. Because the Hubba Hubba uses a unified hub-and-pole system, it doesn’t just fold over when a 30mph gust hits it. It flexes and bounces back. I’ve had this pitched on exposed ridges where I thought for sure a pole would snap, but the DAC poles they use are world-class.
If you’re coming from my guide on the best tent for motorcycle camping, you know that wind is just as much of a threat as rain when you’re out on the open road. With the Hubba Hubba, I don’t spend the whole night worrying about my shelter collapsing on me.
It’s built to take a beating, and that’s why I keep it in my rotation for the more extreme tours where I know the weather is going to be a factor.
Is the interior space big enough for a rider with a full gear explosion?
If you have ever spent a night in a tent after a long day on the bike, you know exactly what I mean by the gear explosion. You unzip your panniers, and suddenly your helmet, armored jacket, riding pants, and boots are scattered everywhere.
In a tiny 1-person tent, you basically have to choose between sleeping and having your gear inside with you. That is why I always tell people in my best tent for motorcycle camping guide that a 2-person tent is actually a 1-person tent for motorcyclists.
The MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2 handles this explosion better than almost any other ultralight I have tested because of one specific design choice: the vertical side walls.
Most tents taper at the top to save weight, which makes them feel like you’re sleeping inside a triangle. But MSR used a horizontal cross-pole on the roof that pulls the side walls out, making them almost completely vertical.
I can sit up straight anywhere in this tent and not have the mesh hitting my face. When I am exhausted and trying to peel off a damp, stiff riding suit, that extra head and shoulder room is a massive relief.
I don’t feel like I am doing a restricted yoga session just to change my socks. I can line my boots and helmet up along one wall, spread my sleeping pad on the other, and still have a “corridor” in the middle to move around.
According to the official floor plan specs, you are looking at 29 square feet of floor space. It is a true rectangular floor, unlike the Big Agnes Copper Spur, which tapers at the feet.
Having that extra width at the bottom means my feet aren’t constantly rubbing against the tent wall, which is usually how condensation transfers to your sleeping bag. If you are riding two-up with a partner, it is going to be a snug fit, but for a solo adventure rider, it feels like a legit bedroom.
I have spent rainy afternoons sitting inside this tent just catching up on my route planning, and I never felt that walls are closing in sensation that usually drives me crazy in smaller setups.
It is just a well-thought-out space that respects how much room a human and a motorcycle kit actually need.
How does the ventilation hold up when you’re drying out damp riding gear?
Let’s talk about the one thing every moto-camper dreads: that stale, humid smell of damp riding gear trapped inside a small tent. If you’ve spent a day riding through a downpour, you know your jacket and boots are going to be a bit fragrant, and without proper airflow, you’ll wake up the next morning feeling like you slept in a swamp.
I’ve put the MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2 through some pretty miserable, high-humidity nights in the Appalachian mountains, and the ventilation is one of its strongest selling points. Unlike some ultralight tents that go all-in on mesh to save weight, MSR found a really smart balance between mesh for airflow and solid fabric for privacy and wind protection.
The tent features two large kickstand vents on the rainfly that you can prop open to create a chimney effect. Warm, moist air from your breath and your damp gear rises and escapes through the top, while cooler air is pulled in from the bottom.
It sounds like a small detail, but I’ve found it makes a massive difference in preventing that annoying condensation on the inside of the fly. I’ve had nights in the Wolf Walker Motorcycle Tent where the sheer size of the tent meant air got stagnant, but the Hubba Hubba keeps things moving.
Even when I’ve had to hang my wet riding gloves from the internal gear loft, I didn’t wake up to a rainstorm dripping on my face.
According to the MSR design philosophy on ventilation, their goal is to manage the climate inside the tent without making it too drafty when the temperature drops. I’ve noticed that the solid fabric panels on the inner tent body are positioned perfectly to block cold crosswinds at sleeping level, while the mesh top lets the moisture out.
It’s a level of engineering that you just don’t get with budget tents. If you’re coming from my Big Agnes Copper Spur review, you’ll notice the Hubba Hubba feels a bit “sturdier” in the wind because of this fabric balance.
For me, being able to wake up without a damp sleeping bag, even after bringing my wet gear inside, is the ultimate test of a touring tent, and MSR passes with flying colors.
What riders usually ask about the MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2
Yes, I highly recommend it. While the 30D floor on the Hubba Hubba is significantly tougher than the 20D fabrics found on most ultralight tents, it is still a technical material that can be pierced by a sharp rock or a hidden root. More importantly, using the footprint prevents ground moisture from seeping into the fabric over long periods, which keeps your tent lighter and drier when it’s time to pack up. I’ve found that the official footprint is perfectly sized to prevent water from pooling between the layers, which is an Expert Insight I’ve learned the hard way with generic tarps. According to the MSR footprint guide, it also allows you to set up the tent in a Fast & Light mode using just the fly and poles, which is great for quick roadside shade breaks.
Honestly, it’s a stretch. If you and a partner are traveling two-up, the 29 square feet of floor space is going to feel very intimate once you bring two helmets and two sets of riding gear inside. As I’ve said in my best tent for motorcycle camping guide, I consider the Hubba Hubba a perfect 1.5-person tent. It’s a luxury palace for a solo rider, but for two people, you’ll be relying heavily on the vestibules to keep your boots and luggage outside. If you are consistently riding with a partner, I’d suggest looking at the Hubba Hubba 3-person version to ensure you don’t end up sleeping on top of your gear.
This is the number one complaint from riders, but the solution is actually pretty easy. I never store my poles inside the main tent bag. I take the poles out and slide them into a separate protective sleeve. I then strap that sleeve along the top of my frame or tucked inside my rear luggage rack using simple zip ties or a small Rok Strap. This allows me to stuff the actual tent fabric and rainfly into a much smaller compression dry bag that fits easily into even the smallest side cases. It’s a pro move that lets you carry a high-performance tent without needing massive aluminum boxes.
If your goal is to be completely invisible in the woods, the MSR red is definitely not your friend. It is designed for high visibility in the mountains, which is great for safety but bad for wild camping where you don’t want to be seen. If you prefer low-profile camping, I’d look at something like the Wolf Walker or a dedicated green tent. However, I’ve found that for most riders staying at established sites or designated BDR spots, the visibility isn’t an issue, and the safety of being easy to find by your riding buddies in a dark forest is actually a benefit.
There is no comparison. A budget tent will usually start leaking at the seams or have a zipper failure within two seasons of heavy use. The Hubba Hubba uses much higher-quality Durashield™ coatings and DAC poles that are built to handle hundreds of setup and teardown cycles. When you’re in the middle of a multi-week tour, the last thing you want is a broken zipper. According to the community over at Adventure Rider (ADVrider), the cost per night of a high-end MSR tent actually ends up being lower than cheap tents because it lasts so much longer. It’s an investment in your comfort and your trip’s success.
Is the MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2 worth the investment for a rider?
After thousands of miles on the road and a few dozen nights spent hiding from everything from desert wind to mountain snow, I’ve come to a pretty firm conclusion: the MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2 is the most reliable middle ground tent on the market.
If you are the type of rider who values longevity and weather protection above all else, this is your tent. It doesn’t have the specialized bikepack features of the Big Agnes Copper Spur, and it certainly isn’t a portable palace like the Wolf Walker Motorcycle Tent, but it is arguably the best-built shelter in the bunch.
I know that the 17.5-inch pole length is a bit of a hurdle for some luggage setups, but for me, the trade-off in structural stability and fabric durability makes it worth the extra effort in packing.
I’ve had gear fail on me at the worst possible times, and that is why I keep coming back to MSR. There is a reason you see so many of these red-and-white tents at adventure rallies, they just don’t quit.
Whether it’s the Durashield™ coating that prevents the floor from leaking or the DAC poles that refuse to snap in a gale, every part of this tent feels like it was designed for a long-distance traveler who can’t afford a gear failure.
As I mentioned in my guide on the best tent for motorcycle camping, choosing a tent is always a game of compromises. If you can live with storing your poles separately along the frame of your bike or at the back of your pannier, you are getting one of the most stable three-season shelters ever made.
For the price, you are buying peace of mind. I don’t think I’d recommend this for the casual weekend camper who only stays in well-manicured state parks, but if your goal is to hit the Backcountry Discovery Routes and spend weeks in the wilderness, the Hubba Hubba is a legitimate investment.
It’s a buy it once, use it for a decade kind of gear. It respects your need for vertical space, handles your gear explosion like a pro, and stays standing when other tents would have collapsed.
If you’re ready for a shelter that is as rugged as your bike, this is the one.
