Sierra Designs Zolo 2

Summary

Zolo 2 leaks at rain fly zipper.

Very nice overall layout, with one very big design flaw. After buying this tent new, I took it out to the Sierras for an 8-day trip through the Ansel Adams Wilderrness. We had heavy thunderstorms for several hours 1 night and this tent leaked in 2 spots.

The rainfly on this tent is different as it does not lead straight away from the tent. It goes along the top of the tent to the corner. There is a flap that covers the zipper, and its stitching seam to the zipper is not taped. Rain leaks through this seam splashes onto the tent netting, and falls into your tent,ON BOTH SIDES!!!!!!

Very poor design and manufacturing, be aware of this before you buy, and seamseal the area before you head out. Other than that the tent is fine. I dislike hubs though.

Used this tent for a road trip through the USA for one month practically every night. From rain, heat and cold everything was there.

The first night we had a big thunderstorm, and where the zipper of the rainfly is attached it quickly dropped in through the mesh. We got very wet. The bottom held up. The whole tent got socked because we had to take it down. We were very disappointed.

The good news was that the tent dried very fast in the sun the next day.

The other problem was the condensation on the inside of the rainfly in hot weather. Even though we left the upper part of the zipper of the rainfly open on both sides, the rainfly was soaked inside in the morning. SD should have made vents on this tent, like you find them in other tents.

So much for the negative points, which are unfortunately overwhelming, so that I sent the tent back to SD, whose customer service was great. They will send me a new tent, that I can send than back to O2 gear shop, whose customer service wasn't that great, because I myself had to go via SD.

The good news: Well fabricated otherwise, light, super easy set up, very spacious inside and the atriums, inside pockets great, zippers without disturbing noise, good in wind, a very good tent for dry, moderate heat weather.

If SD can work on the big flaws of their tent, the idea and space is great. I will now wait to buy another tent, but am thinking of buying the North Face Minibus 23.