Which MSR Tents
Are The Best?

MSR tents are some of the best tents made. But which ones really stand out for backpacking and camping?

I do the research and only the highest quality MSR tents make it to this page. Just because camping tents have a certain name on them doesn't mean the whole line is good, I sift through the good and not-so-good then recommend the best of what I've found. If there's a certain style of tent that fits a category but it doesn't meet my standards I don't recommend it, and if that slot goes empty until I find a quality tent that's OK.

Clicking on the links below will open a new window and take you to one or two of the best stores I've found, Back Country and REI. They both offer great customer service and guarantees.

Backpacking: MSR Tents And/Or Bivy Sacks

The 1-person MSR Hubba 3-Season Tent shaves critical ounces here and there to make a great solo backpacking tent. And those ounces pay off with a packaged weight of 3 lbs 7 oz and if you want to get stingy you can even reduce that down to 3 lbs. The first time you set-up any new tent will take the longest. After you do it a few times this MSR tent goes up fast. The Hubba has a full-rainfly, sealed seams, bathtub floor, and is well-designed to keep you dry. The generous 9.5 square foot vestibule gives you enough room to keep your hiking and camping equipment out of the rain too.

The MSR Missing Link is a really cool 3 lb 7 oz lightweight backpacking tent for 2 people that uses any trekking poles instead of tent poles (make sure you bring yours). This is one of my exceptions to A-frame style tents, it's a good one. An awning covers 14 square feet to help protect you and your gear if either are outside. And don't worry about the rain too much, Backpacker Magazine weathered out 40 mph winds and 5 inches of rain in a Mt. Rainier storm and said it "barely rippled," although like any tent you'll want to make sure it's staked-out well and pulled taut. It's got enough floor space that even a person over 6 feet tall can get comfortable, so there's room for two people and their gear. It's a rare 2-person tent that can actually live up to its stated size, but depending on your tolerances, this one might actually live up to it's claim.

Because of the double door and back screen it's also well-ventilated and it goes up quick too (about 3 minutes depending). Oh, before I forget I have heard of a couple people having their Missing Link leak at the seams, but the rest of the tent was water-tight so I have to wonder if they just happened to get defective tents. But really, how big a deal is it to seal the seams anyway especially when you get a great tent? If you're concerned MSR tents offer a 3 year warranty on their tents and flys (lifetime on poles) so don't sweat it.

Camping: MSR Tents

The 2-Person 3-Season MSR Velo Tent is for people who can't get enough space for gear. The vestibule is huge at 32 square feet, only 1 square foot smaller than the tent floor area... seriously. Want to keep your bike out of the rain, no problem, or save your tent floor and let your dog sleep under it. MSR does it again, the full-rainfly, bathtub floor, and taped seams keep out serious rain and the two mesh doors provide plenty of ventilation. At 9 lbs 8 oz the Velo is more suited for camping than hiking (unless you split the load) but the DAC Featherlite poles, pole sleeves, and 7 GroundHog Stakes do a great job of protecting you from the elements.

The 2-Person 4-Season MSR Fury is beyond amazing if you need four season protection. In their ads this tent was tested by blasting it with a 150 psi high volume firehose for better than half-an-hour. The Fury laughed and said it was still thirsty. OK, I know it's inanimate, so it didn't laugh, but it didn't fold or get wet inside either. Set-up can be a little slow as the heavy duty pole sleeves are a little tricky getting used to, but that's the price for more stability. This MSR tent is over-kill if you only do summer camping, but if you camp in colder weather and don't mind being on cozy terms with your partner it's great. It weighs in at 7lbs 10oz but can be whittled down another pound.

It comes with 9 Groundhog stakes, but you may want to get some extra stakes if you plan to use the guylines and rainfly at the same time as they don't provide enough to stake both. Strange, not sure why they did this but don't let that quirk discourage you from this great MSR tent.

A footprint is a critical accessory that all MSR tents should have. Otherwise rocks, twigs, and abrasive grit are going to shred your investment quicker than you'd like. MSR makes footprints for most of their tents, or you can get a good quality tarp and trim it to the size you need. Either way protect your MSR tents and they will protect you and your gear.

I hope my MSR tents page has made your shopping easier.