A classic backpacking tent that is lighter and more comfortable to use in the mountains of Japan.
MSR is supported by alpinists and adventurers all over the world for its honesty, pursuing "safety and functionality" that can withstand harsh mountain activities. The bestselling backpacking tent, the HUBBA HUBBA series, has been renewed this season for Japanese climbers.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who couldn't help but hit my knee after seeing the update. Personally, I thought that if I were to improve, this was the only part of the situation I had ever seen, and it had evolved beautifully, so I was at the peak of my excitement at this point.
Thankfully, I was able to use it several times for trekking to Mt. Okuhotaka in the Northern Alps for the month before it was released by the manufacturer, but as I had hoped, it was an attractive and highly complete item that could be said to be the most suitable mountain tent for me at the moment. We'll start by reviewing in detail, comparing the latest tents we recommend to all mountain climbing enthusiasts, based on impressions of using them in actual use.
table of contents
- Rough features of MSR Habahaba Shield 2
- Main Specifications and ratings
- Detailed review
- Exterior: The functional beauty philosophy of Moss tents that are inherited in a way
- Easy to store (packing) - Flexibility and smooth storage are attractive rather than compact
- Weight and durability - Lighter while ensuring the required durability
- Setup - A simple structure that is self-supporting and symmetrical, making it difficult for beginners to get confused -
- The size and comfort of living inside the tent - A comfortable space where there is little psychological pressure and you can live comfortably without worrying about each other
- Summary: Recommended for people like this - I can't find a reason not to choose this tent this year
Rough features of MSR Habahaba Shield 2
MSR's best-selling backpacking tent, Habahaba Shield 2 , is a mountain tent perfect for hiking and climbing, combining the durability, comfort, and lightweight, lightweight, and compactness needed for camping in harsh nature.
It uses original cutting-edge materials that combine light weight and durability, such as Easton's cyclone poles that are lightweight, flexible and strong, and extreme shields The symmetrical, connected hub-type self-supporting structure that combines weather resistance and ease of setting, and a spacious and comfortable space inside the tent with little pressure, are scattered everywhere with exquisite ingenuity that never sacrifices livability, weather resistance and functionality, while still being lightweight. The lesser the mesh fabric on the inner wall makes it even more fitting to traverse in alpine mountains in Japan, making it an attractive tent for more and more mountain enthusiasts.
What has changed since the previous model?
- The inner tent has fewer mesh parts
- By reviewing the materials and fine parts, we can ensure the required durability while making it even lighter
- In addition, we have improved usability with small details such as the entrance zipper.
This is amazing
- The spacious upper space, the large entrance and exit, and moderate ventilation make the living space more overwhelming.
- Excellent lightweight and compact despite excellent residential comfort
- High functional beauty that pursues excellent weatherability and ease of use without compromising the beauty of the appearance
- coating that provides high water resistance and long lasting without seam sealing
- A gentle setup that is self-supporting and symmetrical, making it easy for beginners to get confused
- The minimal mesh makes it versatile enough to be used in mountains in Japan where temperatures vary dramatically in the snowy season.
I'm curious about this
- It would have been more versatile if you could open and close the mesh by attaching zippered fabric to the mesh part (although it would weigh a lot...)
- Since the fabric on the floor has become thinner, it is recommended to use it in conjunction with the footprint if you are worried about damage caused by rocks or branches.
- price
Main Specifications and ratings
| item | Specifications and ratings |
|---|---|
| Number of people to sleep | Two people |
| Minimum weight | Approximately 1,300g (weight of inner tent, rain fly, and pole only) |
| gross weight | Approximately 1,470 g (weight including Guyline, pegs and storage bag) |
| Fry material | 20D Ripstop Nylon Water Resistant 1,200mm Extreme Shield Polyurethane & Silicone Coating |
| Inner (canopy) Material | 10D polyester micromesh, 20D ripstop nylon & DWR coating |
| Inner (Floor) Material | 20D Ripstop Nylon Water Resistant 1,200mm Extreme Shield Polyurethane & DWR Coating |
| Pole material | Easton Cyclone |
| size | Width 213 x Depth 127 x Height 101 cm |
| Number of doors | 2 |
| Storage size | 46 x 11 cm |
| Floor area | 2.7㎡ |
| Front room area | 1.4（0.7×2）㎡ |
| accessories |
|
| Living comfort | ★★★★★ |
| Ease of setup and removal | ★★★★☆ |
| Weather Resistant | ★★★★☆ |
| Durability | ★★★☆☆ *If you lay out a separate footprint★★★★☆ |
| weight | ★★★★☆ |
| Portability | ★★★★☆ |
| Versatility | ★★★★★ |
Detailed review
Exterior: The functional beauty philosophy of Moss tents that are inherited in a way
When talking about MSR's tents, the first thing I can't give up is its sexy and elegant look that will make you look captivated. Although it is no longer uncommon to find tents that look cool, when I think back to them, this MSR Habahaba was the first person I've ever felt when I saw the tent and was "beautiful."
Behind this indescribable beauty is something that cannot be described without the presence of Moss Tent Works Founder Bill Moss, a founder who was dissatisfied with the heavy, bulky, and difficult to assemble at the time, developed a dome-shaped tent for the first time and redefine the structure of the tent.
"Bill brought a sense of style and design to the tent."
Terry Breaux (retired in 2021), one of the tent designers who once studied architecture and worked for Moss for five years and then worked in tent design at MSR for a long time, says this Moss tent has been chosen for permanent display at MOMA (Museum of Modern Art, New York) .
The Habahaba tent was designed by Terry, who inherits Moss' tent philosophy. A simple design that eliminates waste and is well-balanced. At the same time, it has excellent functional beauty, mainly for users, with the ultimate strength and reliability to withstand the ultimate in functionality, and is not compromised. From Habahaba you can feel the beautiful blend of Moss' sophisticated sensibility for tents with MSR's honest design principles of simplicity, functional and reliability.
*Reference: From MSR Home Blog ① , ② , and ③
A Haba Haba Tent with a simple and elegant form, incredible comfort and full functionality.
Easy to store (packing) - Flexibility and smooth storage are attractive rather than compact
When considering storage sizes, it is important to keep in mind that small and compaction is not all. A storage bag that can be compressed and shoved into small pieces is compact in itself, but it can also cause the bag to lose its flexibility and create dead space inside the backpack.
In this regard, the stuff sacks that come with many MSR tents are not compact when packed, but they are secretly popular because they are easy to pack in and out in the sense of "easy to put in and take out" and "flexible packing."
The storage bag is not structurally small, but it is flexible and easy to pack.
Many people who have experienced staying in tents have probably experienced the fact that when storing a tent, the air inside the tent had not completely escaped, making it difficult to put it in the bag. The stuff sack used in Habahaba has a wide opening at the drawstring bag (entrance), and the bag itself is sized to give it some room. This mechanism allows you to easily put your tent in by simply pushing it into the rough without having to thoroughly deflate the air or fold it properly (on the right photo below). This is a great help in situations where you want to close in a short time, such as in bad weather. The poles and pegs also come with storage bags for each, so it's nice that both can be packed together or stored separately.
A storage bag with a large opening and spacious size cannot be compressed tightly, but it is actually surprisingly convenient (right edge).
Weight and durability - Lighter while ensuring the required durability
Tents are one of the heaviest items, along with backpacks, sleeping bags and mats, among mountaineering equipment, the Big 4, and the weight is something that everyone is concerned about. When it comes to the Haba Haba series, up until the previous model, it was not at a "lighter" level compared to competing tents, but with this update, this has completely overturned this.
It has been successfully reduced its weight by nearly 300 grams in one go. Even among the standard double-wall mountain tents, this has made it possible to call them a light tent in both name and reality. When you compare both with the previous model, the difference is clear, and you'll be amazed at how light it is. Below, for reference, we will compare it with other popular mountain tents in Japan.
| Total weight of the official announcement (main body + pegs, lining rope, storage bag) | |
|---|---|
| MSR Habahaba Shield 2 | Approximately 1,470g |
| mont-bell stellaridge 2 | Approximately 1,430g |
| Arai Tent Air Rise 2 | Approximately 1,770g |
| Nemo Dagger Ozmo 2P | *Minimum weight approx. 1,530g |
| Sea to Summit Alto TR2 Plus Tent | Approximately 1,565g |
| big agnes copper spool HV UL2EX | Approximately 1,418g |
This is not a strict comparison as the contents of the standard accessories are slightly different, but I'm honestly surprised that despite its excellent residential comfort, it achieved a weight that is completely comparable to conventional tents.
When I packed all the accessories and measured it, it was 1,471 grams, almost the same as the official weight.
One of the reasons for the weight reduction is probably due to a review of the thickness of the fabric. This time, the inner tent was made of floor fabric, thinned to "30D (denier) → 20D", and the canopy part was made of thinner to "20D & 15D → 20D & 10D", and the fly was also thinner to "30D → 20D".
Although it is certainly less durable than the previous model, I can say that the previous model was rather too solid, so personally I think it's a plus as an update for a lighter mountain climb.
However, the floor fabric is now 20D, and it is also true that it is no longer possible to say that there is a certain degree of security even without a ground seat (footprint) as before. If you're worried, I think it's a good idea to use a footprint to cover the ground (I checked with the manufacturer and found out that even if you add the footprint, it's lighter than the previous model without the footprint).
By the way, as in my case, if you always carry the Grabber All-Weather Blanket for emergency use, and as a ground seat if necessary, it is recommended as it allows you to respond flexibly to suit the ground situation without worrying about whether or not you need a footprint.
When tents are staying at high altitudes, like the ridges of the Northern Alps, the ground is often hard rock, making the tent floor easily damaged. In such cases, it's safe to have a ground seat.
Setup - A simple structure that is self-supporting and symmetrical, making it difficult for beginners to get confused -
Unlike the standard, self-supporting dome-shaped mountain tent, the Haba Haba series has multiple poles connected by a hub structure, making setting up smoother than you might expect. First, secure the pole on both short sides on one side, then move it to the opposite side, and set the pole in a relatively stable state (photo 1 below). Next, hang all the hooks on the poles (photo 2 below), and pass the horizontal poles through the top of the vertical poles and place them on the left and right grommets (photo 3 below). Finally, cover the fly sheet, secure the four corners to the grommets, and adjust the tension to complete (photo ④ below).
At first glance, the pole structure is complicated, but the symmetrical structure does not require you to pay attention to the orientation of the parts, and this is a construction that is easy for beginners to use. Even in the worst weather and dark and tired, it was easy to set up so that it would be difficult to make a mistake (the only thing I had to do was to decide whether the crossing horizontal poles pass above or below the vertical poles when I was building them for the first time, but it wasn't a big problem at the beginning).
However, up to the previous model, the horizontal poles that intersect the vertices were also integrated with the hub, so there was less effort, but this new model was separated. I believe that by simplifying the structure, the safety of the parts is probably improved by minimizing the cause of damage. The separation also attached another hook to the top of the tent, making the space near the ceiling even larger (photo below). In any case, the end result is not something that bothers me, but rather a welcome change.
The vertex connecting hub is no longer available, but instead, hooks that were not found in the previous model can now be attached, making the tent more rigged.
Incidentally, the grommet parts that secure the poles are lighter than the previous model (photo below). Considering that the accumulation of small improvements in this area has led to a significant reduction in weight, it's not a fool.
The fly sheet has an adjuster function, so you can adjust the tension (strength) of the fly sheet.
The included pegs are eight "needle stakes" that are currently unavailable, yet highly popular for their balance of lightness and strength, and versatility that can be used regardless of the terrain.
The size and comfort of living inside the tent - A comfortable space where there is little psychological pressure and you can live comfortably without worrying about each other
The true essence of the Haba Haba Tent series is its high livability. What makes this comfortable, spacious space possible is the carefully calculated pole structure, taking into consideration the best balance between livability and weather resistance.
The vertical poles of a hub structure with two ends divided into two ends, and the horizontal poles intersecting the apex, raise the side walls of the tent at an angle close to vertical from the ground, resulting in a wide floor space up to the top of the tent. Therefore, compared to dome-shaped tents with the same floor area, they have a much less pressure on the face, and a more comfortable living experience, and they can effectively make use of every corner of the tent. At the moment, tent specs do not measure the "volume" to that level, but if there is one, it would probably be quite top class.
When I was 5 inches tall, I still had room above my head. The smart tent pole structure highlights the spaciousness of the space above the shoulders.
Another comfortable way to live in is that the symmetrical design makes it easier for two people to enjoy this size equally. The entrance is also on both sides of the long side, so each person can enter and exit easily without any worries.
Of course, disrupting this symmetry could lead to a lighter weight (for example, narrowing one side of the tent or having one entrance). I think this is also a matter of preference, as to what prioritizes, but this design, as a result of the pursuit of true comfort and ease of use that users feel when they actually use it, feels good for me not only from a visual perspective but also from a practical perspective, and it seems to be one of the major factors that make this tent unparalleled and attractive.
With less mesh fabric, you can take it out without hesitation when trekking to the Northern Alps
Another great news about the new Habahaba Shield is the reduction in mesh fabric (an increase in fabric parts).
Hiking in Europe and the US, where the humidity is relatively low and the weather is stable, tends to have a larger area of mesh, which is more breathable, but in Japan, where humidity, rain, and temperature differences are extremely unreliable, and it is often forced to avoid it. However, with this update, the mesh part (especially the top) has been significantly reduced. It was impressive that the atmosphere inside feels like it has passed through like before, making it the minimum necessary to move the air inside even in chilly seasons outside, maintaining a stable indoor environment.
In fact, even in the tent area, with an altitude of 3,000m in the Northern Alps and a minimum temperature outside of 5°C, you can sleep comfortably without any problems. I couldn't check if it was strong or low temperatures, but the fly sheet firmly shuts out the wind, so the impression should not change that much.
The renewal has significantly reduced the mesh part in the upper half.
The mesh at the feet and head is still intact. There is a moderate mesh left in front, back, left and right so that it maintains comfortable ventilation.
Personally, since I'm going to have the chance, I think it would have been fine to have even made this less mesh part zippered with fabric. I thought so, but if that were the case, I'd probably be crying because of the weight and costs added. So I'll leave this as a ok.
Of course, while the reduced mesh area has increased protection against low temperatures and rain, the breathability has also been reduced. Also, compared to the previous model, the opening when the entrance is fully opened is slightly narrower, and in that sense, it can be said that the previous model was better in terms of air removal. If you've been thinking about using it in the low mountains in the middle of summer, be careful.
The tent seam pattern has been changed, and the entrance area has been reduced slightly. The zipper line has become straighter, making it easier to open.
Enough weather resistant and wide vestibule fly sheet
The fly sheet covering the inner tent is protruding out like an eaves by the protruding horizontal poles (photo below). The entrance and exit are double zippered, and by opening only the top, you can use it in convenient ways, such as ventilating when cooking in the vestibule, or by putting your head out a little to check what's going outside the tent.
The size of the vestibule created by this means is sufficient space on both sides to place backpacks, luggage, boots, etc. (photo below).
There are ample vestibules on both sides of the tent, making it difficult to organize your belongings.
The fly sheet also has ventilation ventilation on the head and feet. This part can be opened and closed using a velcro fastener that looks like a tangled stick. When closed, it looks neat and comfortable.
Openable ventilation is provided on the front and back of the fly sheet.
The fly sheet also has four points that add a gut line to withstand strong winds, allowing you to peg down these firmly to increase your resistance to storms and other factors.
Even if the walls of the inner tent were more or less perpendicular, it was basically a self-supporting dome-shaped tent with a stable structure, and the shape when the fly sheet was overlaid allows the wind to escape, so just peg down the tent and fly sheet was sufficiently stable. However, unless it is a place or season where good weather is expected to continue, strong winds may blow in from the edge of the fly sheet, causing the tent to stir, so make sure you set it up to the Guy Line. If you do that, you won't be worried about this tent unless it's extremely abnormal weather.
I tried setting it up on the ridge of the Northern Alps, but if I peg down and a guy line, I wouldn't be able to fly.
Functional and easy to use tent storage
The tent has large mesh pockets on the head and feet. What's more, this mesh pocket has great attention to detail, such as a hole for passing cables in the corners, making it easy to use for charging your smartphone with a mobile battery.
In addition, there is also a small mesh pocket on the ceiling that is intended to be placed with a headlamp.
Furthermore, four loops are installed through the ceiling so that you can insert thin strips, carabiners, or install your own net.
Summary: Recommended for people like this - I can't find a reason not to choose this tent this year
For me, the previous Haba Haba series has been forced to position itself as a troubling review, no matter how high-performance fabrics or cutting-edge poles were used, "There's nothing to say about visuals and comfort, but it's heavy and has too much mesh, so it's difficult to use as a starting lineup." However, with this "God" update, both the weight issue and the mesh fabric issue have been resolved all at once. This is one of the biggest news in the personal tent industry this year, to say the least.
With its lightness, strength, comfort, convenience and performance, there are few factors to be dissatisfied with, and with its unique elegance and sexiness, this tent will surely be accepted by a wide range of hikers, from beginners to veterans, and from traverse climbing to fast packing. I honestly envy people who are finally about to buy a backpacking tent.
There may be some great options if you are only limited to certain activities, but for those who enjoy mountain climbing, camping, fast packing, bikepacking, and other backcountry activities, other than harsh winter mountains, this will surely be a reliable and relaxing live .
MSR Go to the product details page for Mochizuki, an authorized Japanese agent
