Sierra Designs Mojo 2 Tent Review

The Sierra Designs Mojo 2 tent is billed as an ultralight hybrid shelter for three-season backpacking.  Its unique construction features an attached rainfly over a fully mesh upper tent body.   At 3 lbs. 2 oz. there are some lighter tents on the market, but there are very few competitors who can match the Mojo’s comfort and smart engineering.

Sierra Designs Mojo 2 Features:

• Hybrid single-wall construction
• DAC NSL poles
• Interior area: 26.5 square feet
• Vestibule space: 7 square feet
• Peak height: 38″
• Capacity: 2-person
• Season: 3-seasons
• Weight: 3 lbs 2 oz (packed), 2 lbs 11 oz (trail)
• MSRP: $399

Sierra Designs Mojo 2 Tent Review

The first time I set it up, I had the tent free standing within five minutes.  When I set it up last night for my final timing, it was free standing in 2:13 and fully staked by 5:30.  This tent goes up ridiculously fast.

Sierra Designs chose a light, but strong, 20D Nylon for the fly and and tent body.  A stronger 40D is used for the floor.

The tent features a hybrid system wherein the fly ‘perches’ on top of the tent body.  This has both advantages and disadvantages: it protects the inside of the tent from rain when it’s being set up in foul weather.  Additionally, it was nice not having to wrestle with the fly in windy weather; I did notice that, while setting it up, the tent body as a whole was more susceptible to wind since the attached fly acted like something of a sail.  There’s really no perfect solution to wind, and I personally found that I prefer the attached fly for setting up in adverse conditions – it keeps the insides dry.  Mind you, when the Mojo is fully staked it does really well in the wind and is actually fairly quiet, unlike many others.

There’s an obvious downside to the attached fly, and that is — it’s attached.  It can’t be removed to save weight, and no matter how good the design, a tent with a fly on it won’t vent as well as a fully mesh tent.  In Nevada it’s obviously very dry, and I often opt to leave the fly at home to save some weight.  The attached fly gets rid of some versatility, but that will mean different things to different people, depending on the weather where they live.

That being said, even for a double-walled tent, the Mojo 2 vents remarkably well, especially if there’s any sort of breeze.  The last night I spent in it there was a slight breeze coming in through the vents above the door and I have never been more comfortable in a double-wall tent.  Kudos to SD for designing such an awesome ventilation system.

I observed a mild amount of condensation in the top panel and far corners (away from the door) after two nights of unusual Nevada rain.  I noticed the slightest dampness even on dry nights, and half of the time the exterior of my sleeping bag’s end was slightly damp, but not all the way through to my feet.  From what I’ve read from others and experienced myself, this seems like a weak part of the tent’s design and in cold weather I would probably wake up to frosty toes.  Those who sleep with their head away from the door should take careful note of this.

The fly perches on the tent and its wings extend over each side a good two feet, forming a nice little sheltered triangle of extra storage.  In that regard, I’d say the Mojo 2 has excellent gear storage, with a seven sq. ft. vestibule that, if necessary, can accommodate two 50L packs.

In a lot of ways, the Mojo is more like a 1+ shelter.  It has only one door and with two people it’s more practical to sleep with heads at the door.  The tent is very nice for one person, but undoubtedly a little cramped for two; that being said, there’s enough storage under the fly and in the vestibule that very little has to be kept in the tent.  For my part, I slept in it alone but with some of my buddies’ gear under the fly.  It really comes down to a personal choice, and I’ll be using it was a 1+ whenever possible.

I’m 5’11” and I found it sufficiently long, but SD tents have a reputation for being short.  Taller people would do well to check the tent out at a retailer.  However, one of the Mojo’s strengths is its excellent headroom, which was a well-appreciated feature as I was testing the tent.

The included DAC stakes were sufficient for Nevada clay at lower elevations, but the loose mountain stuff foiled the small stakes.  Solution?  Stick a rock on them because they’re nice light stakes.

Good Mojo 2

• Competitive weight-to-price ratio
• Hybrid design works well
• Extra storage under the fly is smart
• Supplied bag is roomy, easy to get tent into
• Fast, easy set up
• High-quality DAC poles
• Great headroom

Bad Mojo 2

• Moisture/temp control at foot of the tent
• Supplied DAC stakes could be beefier

Bottom Line: Sierra Designs Mojo 2 Tent

All in all, I think the Sierra Designs Mojo 2 is a great concept that was well executed.  A good choice of fabrics for weight and strength, brilliant ventilation that eliminated most condensation, and blink-of-the-eye setup times (especially in the rain) make this tent a very successful offering.  My time in the Mojo felt more like staying in a comfort tent than an ultralight, and that is a pretty big compliment to Sierra Designs.

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