Amazingly high cost performance! Review of the LIGHT KNIGHT UL & COLD MOUNTAIN by Mobi Garden, China's No. 1 tent manufacturer

"Made in China" is synonymous with cheap and poor quality products. If there are people who still hold this belief, it might be a good idea to change that as soon as possible

Everyone now recognizes that China is an economic superpower with a strong presence in the global economy due to its overwhelming productivity, but in reality, it appears that its growth is quietly and steadily progressing beyond its role as the world's factory

If we look at the home appliance and IT sectors, we can see that Chinese manufacturers have recently surpassed Japan in terms of technology, and that their growth has become so great that it is hard to hide a glimpse of it, but the situation is the same in the outdoor industry. In recent years, China has been using the advanced know-how and technical capabilities it has gained from producing products for well-known top outdoor brands as subcontractors and OEMs to launch its own brands that develop original, high-quality products that can be used worldwide, and these brands have begun to expand into the global market

Mobi Garden , which we will introduce today, is one such outdoor brand. Since entering the outdoor industry in 2003 as a tent manufacturer, it has become a rapidly growing outdoor brand, capturing the top share in China's maturing tent market and offering a wide range of products other than tents. In this article, we will introduce two of Mobi Garden's representative tents, the LIGHT KNIGHT UL and COLD MOUNTAIN , along with a review.

General features of LIGHT KNIGHT UL & COLD MOUNTAIN

LIGHT KNIGHT UL

The LIGHT KNIGHT UL is a lightweight three-season mountain tent with high functionality that is used in the top models of well-known overseas manufacturers. It weighs just 1200g, is comfortable, functional, and offers high cost performance at a price comparable to that of an entry-level model.

the LIGHT KNIGHT UL1 for one person the LIGHT KNIGHT UL2 for two people the lineup also includes the UL Plus , which has a rain fly and snow fly for four seasons

COLD MOUNTAIN

The COLD MOUNTAIN is a lightweight, three-season tent with a classic, freestanding dome design. Its design prioritizes livability, reducing stress when staying with multiple people, with entrances located on both sides and ample ventilation. It combines basic usability for beginners with thoughtful features, making it a cost-effective and versatile backpacking and camping tent. The lineup includes the COLD MOUNTAIN 2 the COLD MOUNTAIN 3 for three people

Main specifications and evaluation

LIGHT KNIGHT UL1/UL1 Plus detailed review

Just buying this is enough accessories to make it a complete set

The LIGHT KNIGHT UL includes the main body (454g), rain fly (424g), poles (350g), pegs (130g/8 pieces), footprint (189g), storage bag (18g/main body, 9g/pole), and emergency repair pipe (9g). (Considering the price, it's surprising that such a complete set is included.) In addition to the standard version, there is also the "UL1 Plus" version of the snow fly, which is suitable for four seasons. Apparently, the snow fly is now available for purchase separately, so you can add it once the winter mountain season arrives.

The contents include an inner tent, fly, poles, 12 pegs, a storage bag, and a footprint

The storage bag included with both the UL1 and UL1 Plus is the same size. However, the Plus's snow fly is a bit bulkier, so the storage size is slightly larger when actually stored

The UL1 and UL1 puls use the same storage bag, so the storage size is almost the same

The minimum weight of the UL1 (body, fly, and poles) was 1219g. The maximum weight (min + pegs + footprint + storage bag) was 1565g, which is almost the same as the official weight of 1.5kg

The storage bag lists what appears to be the minimum weight (inner tent, fly, and poles)

Easy setup even by one person

Setting up is very easy; just insert the poles into the three points of the inner tent and hook them in place, and the inner tent will stand on its own

The pole is one piece, but when unfolded, it has three legs

Simple aluminum fittings are used at the joints between the poles and the inner tent, making it not only easy to set up but also highly durable

The joints between the inner tent and the poles are made of aluminum and are sturdy

When viewed from the side, it is immediately clear that the inner tent is mostly made of mesh fabric. This is perfectly usable in the summer as long as the weather is good and privacy is not a concern

The inner tent is mostly made of mesh, with only the bottom section made of waterproof material

Looking at it from the front, half of the entrance panel is made of mesh fabric. The waterproof fabric extends quite high up, so as long as you put up the fly, it seems like even if it rains, water won't splash in and get in

The bottom half is a mesh entrance panel with a sturdy waterproof fabric. The entrance can be opened quite wide

There is a large mesh pocket at the top of the entrance

There is a mesh pocket at the top of the entrance, which can be used to store the rain fly when rolled up

Setting up the fly is also very simple; just hook the aluminum metal fittings onto the ends of the poles on the entrance side, and fasten the buckles on the foot side, so it's done in an instant. It only takes a few minutes from the inner tent standing up to pitching the fly, so you can set it up quickly even in slightly bad weather. If the weather is bad, you don't have to worry about it if you just set up the guy lines. Thankfully, 12 pegs are included, including the guy lines

Setting up the fly is also a snap

The interior space is more spacious than you would expect, thanks to the many intricate details

The interior is spacious enough for solo travel. Even with a regular-sized mattress, there is still plenty of room to the side and next to the pillow, and there is plenty of space to store luggage

Even if you lay down a regular-sized mat, there is still enough space to place your luggage

Although the tent is shaped so that it gets lower as you go from the entrance to the feet, there is still a certain amount of height at the feet, so even if you stretch your legs out to the very edge, your feet won't get cold from touching the fabric

There is also ample legroom

There are several clever ideas behind this spaciousness. Firstly, the tent uses bent poles from the start to give the tent an angle, and by inserting a stiff core at the ends, the walls stand up, so that even if you stretch your legs out, they won't touch the fabric

The poles have been designed with careful consideration to ensure sufficient space at your feet

The sides of the tent are also connected to the fly with buckles. By applying tension to the outside in this state, the interior space will expand and the distance between the inner tent and the fly will increase, improving breathability

The sides of the tent are also joined to the fly, expanding the space and improving breathability

There are no loops on the ceiling for stringing ropes, but there is a carabiner at the top, so it looks like it could be used to hang a light or something

The interior ceiling is simple, but it has a carabiner that appears to be versatile

There is one mesh pocket inside the bag. One is more than enough, but if I were to be greedy, I would say it would be more convenient if there was another one on the other side

There is only one pocket inside for small items

The entrance is on the short side, but is made large by using it to its full extent. The fly can be zipped up from both ends, making it look spacious. The fly can be stored in a pocket in the inner tent, which is very convenient in strong winds. The inner tent cannot be fastened, so it needs to be hooked onto a pole or something. The pocket inside the tent is on the left side, but I thought it would be convenient if it was on the right side so the entrance panel could be hooked onto it

Even with the opening closed, the breathability is excellent if you pull the fly up. The zipper on the fly tends to get caught when opening and closing, so this needs to be improved

The mesh cannot be switched, so you have to lower the fly if you want to block the wind

The vestibule is spacious enough for a solo traveler. The depth from the entrance is 60cm, so it's plenty large for carrying a little luggage or cooking. The fact that it can be secured at two points to create a trapezoid shape is a big plus

Spacious vestibule

Using a fly and trekking poles, you can use the vestibule as a canopy space. As long as the wind and rain are not too strong, you can set up a spacious space in front of the entrance

You can also create a canopy using trekking poles or other obstacles around you

No compromise on usability

When it comes to affordable prices, there are inevitably compromises that both users and manufacturers have to make. However, the LIGHT NIGHT UL seems to have been carefully designed with no oversights in this area

For example, the areas where the guy lines are installed, which are prone to breaking under tension, have been thoroughly reinforced, and wind resistance has been seriously considered

The backside of the guy line installation point is firmly reinforced

The stitching is also straight and done firmly and carefully. In cheap Chinese-made tents, the price is often reflected in this area, but this one is sewn very well. It's hard to see in the photo, but the seams are firmly taped, improving waterproofing

You can see that the stitching is straight and neat

Both the fly and the inner tent bottom are waterproofed with a silicone coating. Most inexpensive tents use a polyurethane coating. While polyurethane coatings are inexpensive, they are prone to hydrolysis over time, causing peeling and stickiness. This deterioration is especially accelerated in humid conditions. However, silicone coatings, while expensive, do not hydrolyze and are highly durable, so they tend to be found only in more expensive tents. However, the Lite Night uses a solid silicone coating

The footprint comes with a special size. There are metal fittings on the corners, so it can be firmly fixed to the tent without falling off. A separately sold optional tent would cost several thousand yen, so it's a nice feature that it comes with it

The included footprint is made to fit the size of the tent

The Lite Night not only sells the solo UL1 introduced here, but also the two-person UL2. Additionally, there's the UL1 Plus/UL2 Plus, which are snow fly and suitable for four seasons, showing how much effort has gone into this tent. Sales of the snow fly/rain fly only will likely begin soon, making this a mountain tent worth keeping an eye on

COLD MOUNTAIN 2 detailed review

Easy-to-use set contents for beginners

Next, we'll look at the COLD MOUNTAIN 2, an all-around lightweight two-person backpacking/camping tent. The contents include an inner tent (751g), fly (731g), two poles (472g), eight pegs (126g), mesh loft (24g), storage bags (81g, 12g, 12g), and emergency pole repair pipes (9g). It's nice that the loft is included, since it would be quite expensive if purchased separately. The minimum weight (inner tent + fly + poles) was 1956g, and the maximum weight (minimum weight + pegs and storage bags) was 2187g, which is the same as the official weight of 2.2kg

The set includes an inner tent, fly, two poles, eight pegs, a mesh loft, and storage bags

When you store everything, it looks like this. The storage bag is a little large, so there is still room to spare even if you pack it in appropriately after packing down, and it has a compression function so you can compress it and store it in a fairly small space

The storage bag has a compression function

A freestanding dome tent that is easy to set up

There are two poles, which you cross and connect to the inner tent. Once you hook up all the hooks, the inner tent will stand on its own. Most of it is made of mesh, so it doesn't trap air, but you'll need to be a little careful when using it in winter. The bottom is made of waterproof polyurethane fabric up to a slightly higher position

The top two-thirds are made of mesh fabric, and the bottom part is made of waterproof fabric

The fly is on. The fly extends almost to the ground, so it effectively blocks wind and rain

The fly is on. The fly extends low, preventing rain from splashing back and wind from getting in

This will reduce breathability when the fly is fully closed, but you can still ensure breathability by pulling the bottom of the fly with the guy lines or using the ventilation at the top of the fly to create a path for air to pass through

Two ventilation holes are provided at the top of the fly. By setting up the support bar, ventilation is possible at all times

By keeping the guy lines tight under the fly, you can ensure ventilation

The wide entrances at the front and rear provide a high level of comfort

There are two entrances, the one on the inner tent side is larger. However, the fly entrances are different in design. One can be completely rolled up. There is a wall on the side, which makes it easier to use in windy conditions

Fully rolled up, it provides excellent protection from side winds

If you stretch it out without rolling it up, you can use it like a canopy, but unfortunately the loops on both ends are very small and not big enough to fit the ends of trekking poles through. I was able to stretch it by threading a rope or carabiner through it

If you extend it upwards, it can be used as a canopy

The entrance on the other side is a sideways type

The fly can be tucked up to the side, allowing for a wide opening

Both the left and right sides can be tucked up, allowing for a very open feel. It also has a fastener, so it's not cumbersome. While you might not use it alone, the opening on the other side has a different character, so it seems like you could use it differently

If you roll the flies on both sides, you'll have a very open entrance

The room is neither too spacious nor too small, just the right size for two people. There is also a certain amount of space for the feet and pillows

The room is just the right size to fit two sleeping mats

The included mesh loft allows you to effectively utilize the ceiling space. You can store small items or place a light inside the tent to illuminate it

The mesh loft can be placed on top and has a pocket, making it very convenient to use

When the fly is closed, the vestibule is small and it looks like you can only place shoes and small items there. It is probably intended to be used in calm weather with the fly up or as a canopy

The front compartment is modest in size, just large enough for luggage

Overall, this is a standard tent that even beginners can use safely for all-around purposes, but its greatest selling point is its excellent cost performance, being able to purchase it for around 10,000 yen despite being so sturdy. A well-known manufacturer would be willing to pay two to three times this amount for the specs. It weighs over 2kg, making it a bit bulky for serious mountaineering, but it should be sufficient for low mountains, camping, touring, etc

Summary: Recommended for these people

This low price, combined with the high level of technical skill backed by experience and careful construction, certainly gives the impression of quality that is truly worth the cost performance, as stated on the official website

Tents sold for mountain use

The LIGHT KNIGHT UL offers minimal functionality, yet still performs its role well, even in windy mountainous areas. It's lightweight, weighing just 1200g. Those who stoically tackle harsh environments may find it lacking, but unless you're a hardcore user who uses it in the harsh winter or bad weather, it should be perfectly adequate. And the biggest reason it's appealing is the price. It seems to offer more than good

COLD MOUNTAIN is a more affordable entry-level model, but with well-thought-out comfort features like entrances on both sides, a spacious interior, and a fly that can be converted into a canopy, it's a very satisfying two-person backpacking tent. It's not a very practical model for long-distance hiking, but its low price means it's likely to be useful in many situations. While it's a Chinese brand, it has a domestic distributor and comes with a three-year warranty, which is a great reassurance.

There are still countless Chinese manufacturers out there offering incredibly cheap tents, and Mobi Garden tents are certainly more expensive than those manufacturers. However, as reviewed here, when you use a Mobi Garden tent, you can be sure that you will experience high quality with attention to detail that is clearly different from those dubious brands

   

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