In this work, we report the facile synthesis of sugar hard carbon (SHC)/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) composites (SHC/MWNT) and comparisons of electrochemical performance with that of pristine SHC when used as anodes in sodium ion batteries (SIBs). Composites with various contents of MWNTs were prepared via the simple mechanical mixing of MWNTs with a SHC precursor, to control the nanopore density and enhance the reversible sodium insertion/desertion at low charge/discharge (C/D) voltages. The incorporation of well-dispersed MWNTs in the SHC media decreased the crystallite sizes of the SHC and increased the meso-to-macropore densities in the composites, which eventually contributed to an improvement in the reversible capacity and cyclability of the composite. At the optimal MWNT content (5%), the composite showed a reversible capacity of 300 mAh.g(-1) at 20 mA.g(-1), in contrast to 221 mAh.g(-1) for the SHC. This trend was maintained after 50 C/D cycles, delivering a high capacity of 280 mAh.g(-1), relative to 220 mAh.g(-1) for the SHC. The noticeable improvement for Na storage capability in the SHC/MWNT mostly resulted from an increase of nanopore density, which extended the low-voltage plateau for great reversible capacity and high capacity retention, and also contributed to an enhancement in rate capability. (C) 2014 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.