Camping tent overview of 2 and 4 person shelters

Two quality camping and hiking gear. MSR (Mountain Safety Research)Hubba Hubba 2 person tent overview along with Big Agnes Pine Island 4 person tent.

Tent companies measure occupancy by lining up mummy style sleeping bags side by side. In reality, a 2 person tent is really a 1+ person space with some room for gear and a 4 person tent is really for 3 occupants.

These two tents are free standing, meaning they don’t need to be staked out, but the vestibules need to be.

Both have taped seams and plenty of ventilation to dissipate condensation. Lack of good air circulation can cause major condensation build up on the underside of the rain fly which can drip on you, even on a dry, rainless night.

The MSR is good for a solo hiker going into the back country and hold two in a pinch. Sturdy 70D(Denier) floor keeps it lasting longer than some of the other lightweight tents which use 20D floors.

The latest HP version uses more of the non mesh material found toward the top of this tent and the floor is only 40D, which helped to shave off some ounces.

The Big Agnes 4 person tent is ideal for family car camping outings. It’s really ideal for just 2 people and all their gear. Another nice feature is that the rainfly and floor is made of polyester with waterproof coatings. Polyester is sturdier and resists UV damage better than other materials as well as keeping its shape better when wet.

Both are nice tents with plenty of versatility. They can be set up with just the rain fly and footprint for some weight savings without the tent canopy itself.

The “footprint” or groundcloth, sold separately, is essential in prolonging the life of the tent. They are usually cut a little shorter than the actual floor area so the water does not fall on it and pool beneath your tent floor.

Removing shoes when entering the tent and fully drying out the tent before repacking prevents dirt and mildew from forming onto the material. The the steak out webbing and material around the zippers take the longest to dry.

Since they have factory taped seams, I haven’t bothered using seam sealer much, just on the corners where the straps meet the ground along the base seams.

SPECS:
MSR Hubba Hubba
2 person
3 season
Free standing
4 lbs
29 square ft
40 inch peak height
1 set of poles with 3 hubs
7×20 inches packed dimensions

Big Agnes Pine Island 4
4 person
3 season
Free standing
9 lbs
62 square ft
51 inch peak height
3 poles with hubs
9×23 inches packed dimensions

Duration : 0:6:56

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