Decathlon's ultralight Forclaz 900 hiking tents reviewed!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ก.ค. 2024
- Decathlon sells two Forclaz-branded Trek 900 ultralight 2-person hiking tents at €200 each. But are they any good? How do they compare to the competition? Are they really ultralight? And which one should you choose?
Current prices (affiliate links):
- ⛺️ Forclaz MT900 freestanding tent: tidd.ly/3LJSRlS
- ⛺️ Forclaz MT900 tunnel tent: tidd.ly/40ak8Cy
- Big Agnes Copper Spur: amzn.to/3BdpXWc
- MSR Hubba Hubba: amzn.to/3ZgmDSs
- Big Agnes Tiger Wall Carbon: amzn.to/3cHh5hq
Filmed with (affiliate links)
- Edelkrone slider: collabs.shop/lsmyyd
- Sony A7IV: amzn.to/329AyCi
- Sony 35mm f1.8: amzn.to/3DeUnW9
- Sony 85mm f1.8: amzn.to/3Hi1Y8K
- Rode lavalier II microphone: amzn.to/3vuRVbu
Fantastic review. I am very grateful that you take the time to produce such high quality content with your currently low subscriber numbers. I’m sure if you continue the algorithm will eventually give the views you deserve.
Thanks man! It's a labor of love (for now at least, haha). Still getting to know how this whole TH-cam thing works.
Brilliantly edited and presented video, and, I personally think, highly accurate 👍
Your voice is very appealing to me and I find your voice very relaxing to listen to and makes it far better for me to absorb what you were saying. I am interested in these tents and was useful to find out which tent would best suit me for my solo hikes here in the UK. It is very good to know Decathalon sell replacement parts for anything that may break on the tent, that is very refreshing to see and makes sure the tent can last a long while. It is clear from your measurements you live in Europe. I am in favour of all metric measurements.
Love the understated approach your videos have.
I have the old version of the tunnel tent and I am using it during my bike-packing tours. No extreme camping, just always kilometers away from supermarkets during normal mid-European weather. It saved me a lot of money for easy nights in cheap campgrounds.
I have been looking around for several years to upgrade my tent for more fun still - I have not found anything similar. Until I spotted this video and another one on the free standing tent. Indeed both the newer and the free standing tent would be very interesting for replacing my current setup. If it fails.
Great to hear you're getting your money's worth! The tunnel tent is definitely a solid choice for bike-packing in fair weather.
Found the video from a search about these tents, thank you for a great and detailed review. I think I might get the freestanding with ground sheet (in case weather is expected to be bad) for backpacking and bikepacking.
As a poor East European it's not quite budget, but still more affordable than all imported brands.
I also have to agree with the rest - great editing, camera work and presentation, you deserve more subscribers.
Just curious... what does that mean "poor East European country"? (the East EC are only Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine)... most "other countries" Poland, Czechia, Slovenia, Estonia ... are with significantly better living standard as e.g. the USA (check the IHDI country list - the best indicator showing the real situation in a country) and with my world travel, I found that people from Central Europe can afford better equipment than people prom USA... there are local brands which are of better quality than "big names" but for the quarter of the prize... example Zajo (great tents and sleeping bags), Pajak, Husky, Pinguin,...e.t.c... example: I had MSR Hubba Hubba ... the price was as I remember around 400€ or~ 500
Instead of the official ground sheet, why not buy a simple tarp as a groundsheet? That would save money.
2 years later : prices have gone up 40 EUR ! Great video, love your channel.
50 now !!!
I used the trek 900 ( the igloo ones) for 2 years. I'm impressed for the quality of this tent based on price. Really happy with it
Agree with most of the comments. The video quality puts it to the top (if not the best) of hiking/backpacking-related channels. Love the way you present, superb job on the cameraman end and super nice illustrations. Not interested in buying these tents, but watched till the end! Keep it up!
Thanks for the kind words!
I really enjoyed watching your video. Thanks for sharing.
Wat een top video super bedankt voor de info !!!
I have 2 man version of this brilliant tent. Loads of space and easy set up. I got mine summer 2020 and have used on a few weekend bike tours. One vestibule to store (and hide) my Brompton, the other side for access and cooking etc. There aren’t many reviews about this tent on TH-cam, so it’s good to see an informed and well put together overview. Thanks 👍
Just came back from Belgium today and was searching for a new trekking tent. Kinda coincidence to find this channel, eheh. Hugs from Portugal
With Google, you never really know if it’s a coincidence or just algorithms watching your every move. But I’m glad you found us! 😀
Great video, structured review. An extra sub for you 🤙🏼
Thanks for the review. I will buy the Mt900. Best regards from Turkey.
If you’re looking at numbers, groundsheet is a no.
However, if you’re looking at protection, longevity, and pitching options (and pitching ‘outer first’ in the rain) definitely get the groundsheet; I did, and so happy with it
Great review, thank you
Very thorough review, nice! I've had the the tunnel tent for a while. The setup is easy and its very compact and light for the price you pay. For me a downside with this design is that every morning you wake up and you open the fly, al the morning dew moist drips right inside the tent. Not a big deal but somwthing to be aware of.
Thanks for chiming in! Hadn't noticed that yet.
Love that you did this. Decathlon has a habit of outclassing the expensive stuff sometimes.
They really do. Just bought some of their merino wool shirts recently and they're cheaper than regular t-shirts elsewhere 😮.
@@BelgianHikers probably comes from the fact that the costs get outsourced on the backs of the animals in the process. But who knows🤷🏻♂️
@@ancalagon113 You might be right, I've heard some pretty depressing stories about sheep welfare (like tail docking). Certainly a thing to keep in mind when shopping for merino wool.
I wouldn't automatically assume Decathlon is among the worst offender here though, for a low cost company their track record on sustainability is actually fairly good.
@@BelgianHikers definitely, I think Decathlon still provides the best for the price. But in the end people should be aware of what they buy and I've seen myself in their store wanting to try out a Merino shirt but I am sure that everything under 60€ can't be sustainable (ethically and environmentally).
@@ancalagon113 in this case they are sustainable. They purchase wool only in RPA where mulesing is prohibited (contrary to the expensive brands which buy in Australia)
Cheap prices in this case came from fact that Decathlon can buy wool in bulk, in an amount probably 10x bigger than any other producers.
I have the tunnel tent since 2018 and I’m very happy with it. Used it in South America in high wind backcountry camping, on somewhat rocky ground and regular dirt and it performed great. Never had any concern with the wind, nor had any problem with rain or humidity buildup.
Mostly used it alone and I wish it would be a bit lighter. But had also spend a couple of nights with another person, and yes, it gets cramped.
Setting it up, or down is very easy and fast.
TLDR: love it; but would love to have a similar but lighter tent.
Thanks for chiming in Roberto!
Top level rewievs, good sound, good visual! Hoping you will get much more views and subs! Continue doing what you doing and good luck!
Thanks man!
I really like my Simond Makalu from decathlon, but is it too heavy for the space? yes! Is it beautiful? Yes! Do I use it? No! Excellent quality review. Inner tent shots would look have been good with living practically, pockets etc. Thanks!
Thanks!
Nice insight. I tested both and found that for comfort of dual insulated vestibules and more headroom, the extra 200 g of the dome are worth it. The tunnel inner tent cannot be easily separated which makes it difficult to dry in the morning. If you happen to have slugs or snails that crawled in-between the inside and outside tent it's more cumbersome too. It is really really fast to set up and pack because of this though.
Absolutely, thanks for sharing!
Great video!
Nice review 👍👍👍
Great presentation
I have both these tents and have lived 90 nights in each. Very good tents at a fair price/weight ratio.
Awesome! Which tent would choose if you could only keep one?
I got from Decathlon Fresh and Black tent .
I used it even in winter
excellent video!
I emailed Decathlon and got a response the same day. Their new stock arrives early April. (March 02 today) I'm pretty sure I'll get this tent for my AT trip this summer.
Their new stock, is there a new tent release early april?
Decathlon has probably the best price/quality ratio on most things
I really enjoy your reviews
Very erudite
Coincidentally I stumbled upon this video. It's a very nice review. I've been using the older version of the tunnel tent for about 5 years now. I'm very satisfied with the tent. Especially the pack size is very small and will fit into most backpacks. For me the tent will be of good size for one person and gear. The only thing I had to do was waterproof the tent again after some while. The tent has little condensation. Near to non. And in the Scandinavian climate condensation is an issue in most tents.
That's good to hear! How long did you use it before rain became an issue? And what did you use for waterproofing the tent?
I used it a lot and I'm not kind to my tent 🙂 Maybe 3 years before it leaked. Now it's still good. I've got a video about how I waterproof my tents. I don't want to advertise here 🙂
I have the old tunnel version one, Quechua quickhiker ultralight 2, I've slept there with my partner before and we plan to trek in Iceland Highlands in a few weeks with that tent. Hopefully will be good enough against winds and rain
Ooh, Iceland! Sounds amazing. Hope you have a great time!
I love Decathlon, I cannot walk by their store without walking in to see what new stuff they have I really "need".
I think the reason they don't do an actual ultra-light
That could very well be the explanation. Also, very light materials like DCF are a lot harder to manufacture and are not very abrasion-resistant, so I can see why they stick with polyester for quality control and warranty reasons. It’s probably not a coincidence that most ultralight gear is made by cottage companies rather than multinationals.
A very similar to the freestanding I have got the aricxi peak1 1.7 kg from China and it cost me £74 +£10 postage it is great
Thanks for the tip! That's indeed a pretty similar design, but in silnylon instead of polyester. A bit lighter and a bit saggier probably. Shame that they've become so thorough about EU customs on direct import from Ali lately. Some interesting tents on there (albeit mostly knockoffs).
Hi, thanks for your review. I'm considering the dome version my only concern is privacy. On the Decathlon site it looks like you can see in the tent from the outsed with a light on at night. Is this so ? Thanks L
Hi Lisa, I’m guessing that is a studio picture with a powerful light on the inside. The fabric is definitely not see-through.
From all the brilliant presentation and the positive comments these tents are the ‘bees knees’ (British idiom for ‘top notch’ - another British idiom)! But to me the colour is not very countryside friendly. Thoughts anyone?
You mean in terms of getting dirty? Or as in ‘too easy to spot for wild camping’?
@@BelgianHikers
Both actually.
Iv had the tunnel tent for six months now and erected it about eight times, it’s easy and iv done it in the dark twice.
I’d say it’s a good overnight tent but the one time l stayed in the same spot for two weeks l wish l had something with more head room but that’s just a petty gripe.
If I was staying for two weeks, I wouldn't consider it petty 😅.
How would you compare this tent to the lanshan 2pro? I'm looking for an ultralight tent whilst not breaking the bank. I've seen some people being able to sit upright in the lanshan 2pro tent in a helinox zero chair. That seems to me like a big plus when it rains and you have a day off.
I know it's hard to compare the 2, since they are quite different beasts.. but if you go UL and don't want to break the bank, since you don't go out too often. These 2 seem to pop up every time.
Hope to hear your thoughts
Or even the forclaz mt900 2 person trekking tent (1,3kg without trekking poles for €180)
The Forclaz tents feel more durable to me, and you don’t need to bring trekking poles. Also no sagging nylon. But If you really want ultralight, they are too heavy. And in that case, the Lanshan 2 pro is still one of the best affordable options.
Does the tunnel temt need a ground sheet, as the decathlon website here in uk does not seem to list a compatible one.
At 40 denier, the tent floor is pretty sturdy as ultralight tents go. I never used a ground sheet with it, so I wouldn't sweat it if you don't camp in particularly gnarly spots or are very particular about your gear.
@@BelgianHikers cheers, saves me a little weight too...
L'ancien modèle (tunnel) n'est pas très grande non plus car mes pieds touchent le dessus de la paroi interne et je dois enrouler mes pieds dans ma veste étanche afin de ne pas mouiller mon duvet. (je mesure 1,90m) Je regarde le nouveau modèle afin d'avoir plus d'espace pour mes pieds et pouvoir dormir avec mon fils. Merci pour la vidéo
I've got the 1 person tent that weighs 1,3kg. There's only the freestanding version for 1 person. My only remark is that it's quite small. The backpack can't fit in the sleeping compartiment, and it's only 60cm wide. Only mummie sleeping bags.
Definitely a great choice as well, but not for the claustrophobic 😊
Is there a way to get the orange groundsheet voor de Forclaz MT900 2 person tent? I cant find it anywhere
I can't seem to find it either. I would contact Decathlon directly, chances are it's a supply issue.
Hello guys, i'm wondering between this one and "tent tarp 900" What do you think about ? Especially about raining
Hey, we haven't tested that one out yet so can't really give you much advice. Certainly a weight saver if you're already bringing trekking poles. Decathlon's waterproofness rating is the same for these tents is the same as for the tents in this video.
@@BelgianHikers thanks for answer I think I will go for mt900 one place that will Be my tent for my one month trek for French Alpes ;)
@@grimmdemipatte6639 Wow, that sounds like an amazing adventure. Enjoy!
Did you get the MT900 One person tent? @@grimmdemipatte6639
What is the pole size when packed please?
Hey there, the pole segments of the tunnel tent are 34cm long (13,4 inches). Haven't got the freestanding version here at the moment, sorry!
@@BelgianHikers Thanks man 👍
Je zou alpkit eens moeten bekijken als je lichte tenten wilt voor een goeie prijs.
Top, bedankt voor de tip! Is er een specifiek model waar je goeie ervaringen mee hebt?
@@BelgianHikers mijn broer heeft de Aeronaut maar das meer voor bikepacken, de Soloiest is de bekendste en hun meest verkochte. Zelf heb ik vooral slaapzakken bij hun gekocht.
nice review. There are cheap and lighter alternatives though from companies like naturehike,(mongar 2, cloud up series etc) 3f ul gear (lanshan series). fairly cheap, nylon materials, very light and available usually in europe via amazon and naturehike itself.
Hey Mart, thanks! We've reviewed - and like - the Lanshan 2 pro last year. Any other specific tents you would recommend we check out?
@@BelgianHikers the mongar 2.. a MSR clone, said to be better then the original. Also, a typical bikepacker tent, the cloud up 1 and 2 are worth a good review ;)
@@Sturmer69 Thanks for the suggestions, I’ll put them on the list!
@@BelgianHikers I've heard good things about the Paria BRYCE 2P - that could be an interesting one to review 🙂
@@FrancescoStasi Thanks for the tip! 🙏🏻 Not many EU sellers at first glance.
There are quite a few european cottage brands that focus on UL
Always interested to hear about some of your favourites!
Im confused why you would say its a freestanding tent?
You have to peg out the vestibules, the poles do not extent to the ground, so it is not freestanding?🤔
Well, most people describe this (and comparable tents like the MSR Hubba Hubba) as freestanding. Decathlon does too. But you certainly have a point: while the structure can support itself, you don't get the best experience without some form of tie-out for the vestbule. Doesn't have to be a peg, some rocks could go a long way if it's not too windy. So semi-freestanding maybe?
@@BelgianHikers the Naturehike cloudpeak range, snugpak bunker, Vango chinook, coleman phad/tatra, all these are true freestanding, once up without pegs you can pick them up and move them and they are still fully erected.
The way i see it, if you cannot put up the tent fully on a tarmac carpark, it is not freestanding. I am not sure how companies are able to say it when you need to peg out part of them for them to hold their shape?
Geodesic seems to be a word that is used. But that doesnt really tell you it is truly freestanding?
I enjoyed the video, it answered alot of questions 👍🏼
@@munchh2007 Oh definitely, the marketing distortion field can be pretty strong in the supposedly no-nonsense outdoors world.
@@BelgianHikers 🤣 you are so right, i guess ive been around this stuff too long to be fooled by their nonsence 😉
which one could withstand strong wind and rain?
For strong wind, the tunnel tent will be a better choice (pitched with its back against the wind). Not sure about the rain, I’m guessing they would be pretty close.
@@BelgianHikers awesome thanks :)
Do they come in other colours?
No, just the grey.
I have a tunnel tent , anybody knows how can i wash it? (washing machine is harmless?)
The best way is obviously to take it hiking in the rain 😂. Seriously though, I don't think machine washing is a good idea, since you risk damaging the protective coatings. I'd recommend just hosing it down and maybe clean the dirtiest bits with a sponge and some mild soap.
Use tent cleaning products from reputable manufacturers. Do not use ordinary washing products and certainly not in the washing machine!
If you need a budget UL tent get a Naturehike or 3F UL Gear LanShan
Absolutely, big fan of the Lashan 2 Pro here. Probably my most used tent for the last couple of years.
@@BelgianHikers so these tents from decathlon or the lanshan pro for general hiking?
For comfort: the freestanding Decathlon. But if you’re planning on going ultralight, the Lanshan is hard to beat for the price. Comes down to preference really. Though once you’ve hiked with a sub 10kg backpack, it’s hard to go back 😄
It goes the other way as well decathlon and other companies don't offer a lot of their products here even though they have actual stores and everything
Fair point! They seem to have closed their physical stores in the US this year, apparently they'll be focusing on online sales.
@@BelgianHikers I'm in Canada, don't know if ours are getting the same treatment. There isn't one in my city unfortunately
2000 мм; пол в комнате > 3000 мм.
This is not enough for Russia
Great review but really distracting music
Thanks for the feedback James, I’ll take it into account!
Sometimes I dont like that I'm 2 meters tall
Oh I completely understand. I'm just 185cm and I feel most tents are borderline too small. Sites like www.fitmytent.com can be a great resource to see what might work for you.
Falcoz it made of very very thin material unfortunately
If it needs to be ultralight, it's inevitably going to be pretty thin. Do you have bad experiences with the durability?
There is nothing ultralight about this tents. One kg less would be acceptable.
Do not buy any Decathlon items! Ordered a down jacket, it never arrived and even though I paid for the extra ""shipping insurance", they won't reimburse me or ship me a new one. Stay away from this company, especially if you plan to order through the mail. Take my warning unless you want to spend money and get nothing in return.
Wow, that's pretty weird. What's their reply? Do they argue it was delivered?