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Hygroscopic salts supported by a mesoporous matrix for improved mass transport are promising sorbents for water-based sorption cycles that operate at low pressure. In this study, loose grain composites of CaCl2 supported by mesoporous silica gels with four distinct pore size distributions were prepared and compared with AQSOA FAM-Z02, a silicoaluminophosphate zeolite desiccant. A salt in silica gel sorbent consolidated with graphite flakes and binder was also analyzed. The sorbents were evaluated with a volumetric nitrogen physisorption porosimeter and thermogravimetric water vapor sorption analyzer. The hygroscopic salt filled 56-60% of the open pore volume of the mesoporous silica gel supports. Water uptake capacity of the CaCl2/silica gel sorbent was up to 0.33 g per gram of dry sorbent at 12 mbar and 35 o C, and sample performance was consistent through 200 wetting-drying cycles.