Tent for 2 people : North Face Tadpole 2 vs MSR Hubba Hubba HP

[hemdale]

Hi guys,

Just wondered if any of you have tried one of these ? I've read some mixed reviews, eventhough the MSR seems to really standout.
As money is concerned, I can have a rather good deal on the North Face which will be £ 50 cheaper than the MSR.

As always, I don't see myself buying a new tent every year and I'd rather pay a bit more for a good quality product which will allow me to enjoy camping in a proper way.




The North Face Tadpole : total weight packed: 2,44 kg

MSR Hubba Hubba HP : total weight packed: 1,93 kg

Thanks for your helpful input.

 

[rik_uk3]

Not from my personal experience but a good friend in the States has the Hubba Hubba and has a lot of condensation problems to the point where he only uses it as a one man tent and uses the http://www.tarptent.com/hogback.html#overview (four man) as his favored two man tent, still <2kg. As stated this is a 'my mate told me' opinion.

 

[Lifthasir]

I haven't really shopped for camping and outdoor stuff for years. I buy the odd pair of pants etc. now and again, but I've lost touch with what is what nowaday. But, about 20 years ago I bought a Mountain Equipment Quasar tent - I don't even know if Mountain Equipment are still going as I seem to remember them being rebranded as Terra Nova at one point. I was gutted when a couple of years later they brought out one with a better UV resistant flysheet.

It was about £300 back then - a lot of money. It was British made too!!! It is 8lbs heavy and has stood the test of 20 years of wild camping use. The groundsheet has a couple of small patches glued in place, but to be honest, apart from some ingrained mud and dirt, the tent is still going strong.

Most of my outings back then where solo - Black Mountains, Peak District and North York Moors - and it was a tad heavy for solo use. But solo tents were only 2lbs lighter and I was younger then!! It was cavernous for one and just right for two - could sit up in it, 4 large cargo netting pockets, proper no-see-um doors, hanging loop etc. and best of all a 4 pole geodesic design.

In fact I've just Googled them and it is Terra Nova and some of the range is still manufactured in England:

http://www.terra-nova.co.uk/Product_Type/Tents/Made_in_the_UK

Lots of Quasars to just from.

My advice after many years of using a Quasar is that the 4 pole geodesic design will withstand just about anything, but is not really needed even for 90% of high level wild camping. Unless you like the extra room, it is overboard for valley/woodland camping and a 3-pole design would be more practicable and lighter.

The thing I really like about the Quasar though is the two bell ends -vital if there are two of you as one end is for gear and the other is for access/egress.

Additional Comment:

I remember considering the Tadpole when I bought my Quasar and if I had my time again, it would have been a lighter and perhaps better bet for my solo outings.

One thing to note is that all tents suffer from condensation, the difference is that of the gap between inner and outer and ventilation flaps in the flysheet etc. Better tents (like the quasar) have a water 'resistant' inner that will take a light shower, so any condensation that does drip won't affect anyone inside. All tents need airing

 

[PDA1]

I had a tadpole. A V. Good tent. However, it is a bit short for tall people (I'm only 5'6", so that was not a problem). It also tapers towards the foot, and that makes it tight for two. Not much living room. The three pole structure is near bomb proof. Both of these tents have a major problem for UK use - they pitch inner first. My memory of UK weather is that pitch as one or outer first is almost an essential.

 

[PeterH]

I dont know what your price range is, we have a number of Tadpole 23's in our Explorer Scouts unit, they are pretty good reportedly can be cold as they are extensively mesh and despite that seem to get a lot of condensation. My son used one on his Gold DofE "swim" through Black Mountains and it certainly got soaked although it kept them dry which is what was wanted. Remember they are a US design. I bought a couple from North Face outlet for 105pds each in the new year and my son was going to have one himself.

He decided to spend a bit more and bought a Marmot Grid, more expensive, especially as I cannot find them at anything like the discount he got, and still as US brand but designed for UK so it has higher walls etc. It also has a design where one end of the pole sleeve is closed so much easier to erect.

 

[PeterH]

Both of these tents have a major problem for UK use - they pitch inner first. My memory of UK weather is that pitch as one or outer first is almost an essential.

You can pitch a Tadpole as outer only if you have the genuine footprint although I am not sure how that affects the pole strength as they are not in the sleeves.

 

[hemdale]

Hi guys, thanks for your feedback.
Can you explain the difference between UK vs US design ? I'm trying to figure out the main differences..

 

[beamdune]

US tents typically have full mesh inners, high cut flysheets (for even more ventilation) and, sometime, the lack of a bathtub floor.

A UK design will have little or no mesh on the inner tent, a lower cut fly sheet to 'batten down the hatches' and a proper bathtub groundsheet.

We have weather, they have climate!

 

[hemdale]

Thanks Beamdune, very helpful explanations.

Are there any "UK oriented" tents I should now consider ?

 

[Lifthasir]

I wouldn't get too hung up about inner or flysheet pitching first. It's pros and cons. Flysheet first and the inner stays dry but then you are on your hands and knees in the mud trying to hook up an inner - inner first and it gets wet before the flysheet goes on.

The solution for either I guess is practise. The faster you can pitch - the better.

If it's chucking it down that much, an inner first might get wet but a quality inner like on my old Quasar (Wild Country and not Mountain Equipment as mentioned in a previous post) will take it and actually dry off somewhat overnight.. Besides, you will be soaking wet anyhow and anyone who has camped in the UK for any length of time will be used to camping damp - so to speak.

For valley, campsite and woodland camping, I don't think you need an expensive tent. You won't have heavy cross winds and uneven ground for a tent to contend with.

Always worth proofing a flysheet with Nikwax too!!

 

[wizard]

I have a Hubba Hubba, not the HP version. Mine has more screen on the roof and lighter by a bit. I like the fact that it has 2 doors and 2 vestibules. I got it for that reason, the storage space is great for keeping the packs and I have cooked under the vestibule in the rain. That took some care but was necessary to keep dry on a few occasions.

For some reason that I don't understand MSR only sells the HP model in Europe. I'd like to have a Hubba HP one man for cooler weather trips.

 

[jorn]

I've had the HubbaHubba for a year and have been able to compare it to the Tadpole which a friend of mine owns. The MSRis a lot better designed and then a bit. Such a nice little tent! The inner tent is designed so you can propperly sit upright without touching the sides of the tent and the vestibules provide ample space for your pack an boots. I would like to have an tiny superlight silnylon tarp with it for the rainy days, but that isn't really necesary. What i really like about this tent is the multiple way to set it up. My favorite being setting just the rainfly up. When you're caught out in the rain you can sit nice and dry within a minute! That's better then any other tent i've seen. Get the footprint with it though, it's a really good piece of kit and it's lighter than a plastic footprint.

Cheers

 

[hemdale]

Hi guys,

Thank you som uch for so many positive and helpful feedbacks.
Today I went to the Costwold Tent exhibition in London. Quite helpful to see all these tents pitched. Unfortunately, no MSR's.

One thing I've noticed with the NorthFace Tadpole is that when you open the fly, all the rain drips right INTO the tent... sorry but having that much rain inside the tent when you open the fly in the morning isn't very appealing to me...and rather a deal breaker.

I'll go for the Hubba Hubba HP instead. I'll let you know who it goes !

Thank a million again.

:You_Rock_

 

[wizard]

Good choice! Let us know how you get on with the MSR.

 

[Squidders]

I would have personally gone for a tent that pitches inner and outer as one and has decent vents. All things being equal MSR (Cascade Designs) have customer support second to none so i'm sure you'll get a well made product.

 

[hemdale]

Hi guys,

Having read many reviews...I think I'm gonan go for the Nallo 3