James Roddie is impressed by the Sierra Designs Litehouse 2, substantially more affordable than some other tents of the same class yet with a balance between low weight, comfort.
Sierra Designs make excellent tents and the Sierra Designs Litehouse 2 is a fine example of this. Weighing a total of 1.54kg this is a very lightweight two person tent, and I was impressed by the level of comfort and spaciousness it provided.
James Roddie’s Best in Test
Overall the Litehouse 2 trikes an impressive balance between low weight, comfort and price.- lightweight
- PFC free
- eExcellent balance between weight and comfort
- thin groundsheet material
| Quick specs | |
|---|---|
| Price: $399.95 / £399.99 Weight: 1.54kg (including storage bag) Pitching: Inner and flysheet separately (Inner first) Flysheet: 15D ripstop nylon. 1200mm HH. Inner: 15D ripstop nylon. 1200mm HH. Groundsheet: 15D ripstop nylon. 1200mm HH. Poles: 8.5mm aluminium Pegs: 10 Y profile pegs Porches: 2 Inner dimensions: 127cm (W) x 208cm (L) x 106cm (H) sierradesigns.com |
The inner tapers from 127cm width at the head to 104cm at the feet. I found this was fine for two tapered sleeping mats, but don’t expect any spare space on the floor. The near-vertical inner walls help with the living space and the headroom is ample throughout for someone of my height (180cm). I was comfortable sharing this space with another person, but this might end up feeling cramped for two people over the course of a lengthy thru-hike.
The two porches give a decent amount of external storage space, and inside there are two stash pockets by your head, and a very large stash pocket in the roof of the inner. I found the roof pocket really handy for storing clothing, and it provides a useful spot to place a headtorch to light the tent.
The ‘Moon Roof’ design allows the flysheet to be rolled back half-way for ventilation on hot nights. Apart from the bathtub groundsheet, the inner is formed entirely from see-through mesh, meaning this is a great tent for watching the night sky.
To keep the overall weight to a minimum, the materials are very thin and lightweight throughout. Camping on rougher ground is going to result in fairly rapid wear-and-tear on the groundsheet, so purchasing an additional footprint is a wise idea. Similarly, pitching on boggier ground is likely to result in damp sleeping mats without the use of a footprint.
With an RRP of £399.99 this tent is substantially more affordable than some other tents of the same class.
Overall the Sierra Designs Litehouse 2 trikes an impressive balance between low weight, comfort and price.
Testing conditions
James tested these tents in a variety of conditions in Spring in the Scottish Highlands. Conditions included moderately strong winds, clear nights with heavy dew, and some periods of heavy rain. James is 180cm tall with average width shoulders. All tents were weighed on James’s own scales.
This review was first published in the September 2025 issue of The Great Outdoors.
