Should you buy a Decathlon tent? Forclaz MT900 backpacking tent review!

Here is my review of of the award winning Decathlon tent. This is the Forclaz MT900 tent. This is the top of the range Decathlon backpacking tent. The Decathlon MT900 tent strikes the perfect balance of cost, weight and size. This is a 2 person tent tapered to fit two sleeping mats.

The Forclaz MT 900 tent costs £199 and weighs 1.95kg. In it's packed form the size is 39cm x 12cm x 12cm which means it will fit into any backpacking bag.

The Decathlon MT 900 tent is 106cm high meaning if you are 6ft you will be able to sit up in it. The two person tent is 205cm long, again suitable for tall people.

This is a 3 season tent with some solid mesh at the bottom and lots of thin mesh at the top. This is perfect for warmer weather but should be avoided in winter.

This is what they say:

Designed and developed in the French Alps, this self-standing 3-season 2-person tent offers comfort and space and is ultra lightweight and compact.

With its dome structure (double Y), the tent offers optimal and functional space: With 4 pockets, 2 doors and 2 porches protected by 2 backpacks up to 50-70 L. Separate flysheet and bedroom.

Weight
Total weight 1.95 kg
Separable parts to help transportation.
Flysheet 550 g
Bedroom 660 g
Pole kit 500 g
Pegs (12 pieces) 120 g
Bags 60 g + 13 g
Guy ropes (6 pieces) 30 g
Repair kit (ferrule) 20 g

Size and living space
Bedroom length 210 cm
Bedroom width 125 cm to the head and 105 cm to the feet.
Bedroom height 100 cm
Total height 110 cm

2 side porches around 70 cm wide and protected by a built-in sheet which shelters your equipment from the sun and bad weather. There is storage space for 2 backpacks up to around 70 litres.
4 pockets (2 side and 2 top) to keep and organise your belongings. Rope loops.

Architecture, tent poles and tent pegs
Lightweight, shock and frost resistant aluminium pole: 7001 T6 Yunan SD70PF Ø 9 mm aluminium.
Optimised square tent pegs: “anvil” head, oversized main part, extremely resistant and lightweight (7075 T6 aluminium). Non-anodised for a lower environmental impact.

Dome double Y shape: the main pole splits into 4 feet on each corner for a self-standing structure. Top pole provides volume and therefore capacity.

If you are into your hiking, backpacking and wild camping please SUBSCRIBE @BackpackingUK

Thanks, Andy.

#camping #wildcamping #backpacking

00:00 Introduction & Specification
02:32 What's Included
03:18 Pitching
07:34 Outside
09:23 Inside
11:52 Final Summary

[jerryralte]

I bought this tent a year ago an i love you've mentioned is right and i also hate the pegs is the first time i see a proper review on this tent....👍👍

[FedericoCappelli]

Finally, someone recognises the quality of this tent, I bought the 3-person one after extensive research and comparisons with tents 3 times its price, I love it!

[delwilliams]

Love Decathlon kit, really good quality at affordable prices and excellent customer service

[tonysutton]

Nice to see somebody who is genuinely enthusiastic about a product. I love the idea of the ground sheet in the vestibule. I wonder how many competitors will copy that idea for next year.

[fraserp]

I have just received this tent based on your review. Just wanted to say thanks for this and your other reviews, they really helped in my decision making.

[JBC_cat]

Looks cool. Nice to see em pushing the design aspects and making new things. Decathalon has a sale every year . So this could be a great buy if ya get it on discount. I think it is a tad pricey at retail value.

But it is great to see budget minded companies joining the camping/hiking scene. The brand names are really price gauging and trying to make this recreation for rich people. So Power to Decathalon for getting their foot in the market and giving em a run for the money. It is always great to see accessible products with a good long warranty for the new campers and hikers.

thanks for the video.

[lauraelysia]

I’ve got this tent and have used it in a storm (on relatively sheltered ground but the rain was torrential for a few hours). We stayed dry! I have the footprint too as I always like to use them to prolong the life of tents.

[BradleySmellsOfBeans]

awesome review Andy. keep up the good work.

[jenmc]

Great review. All the detail I needed. Thanks 😊

[Dean_Smith]

Love the vestibule ground sheets - such a good innovative idea.

[MichaelDavid]

I’ve shared your video on a Facebook group. I really believe in this product.

[MichaelDavid]

I’ve got the one person version of this tent. I used it on my ridgeway hike, 3 days in South Wales & multiple nights out. I love it’s simplicity. With the extra ground sheet you can pitch the outer first.

[Bokooda]

Yes you should buy it. I’ve had this tent for over 2 years now and use it regularly on my bike packing trips, great tent and its stood up to some really heavy winds and rain around the North East of England, just use all the available guy points like any tent. Never a problem with condensation and always keeps me dry and I’ve only bent 1 tent peg. Loads of headroom and space.

Combined with the footprint makes it into an outer pitch first tent, which I’ve had to do on a few occasions…

Its very similar in design to the MSR Hub NX but with a better built-in floor extension you mention but a lot cheaper - its modular too, in that each main part is replaceable, if you rip the outer you can purchase just that as a replacement, rather that buying a whole new tent from China, plus the 5 years warranty….

You also missed the two-way zips on the doors that mean you can ventilate at the top if you need and the storm ‘rain flaps’ inside the vent areas, so the rain can’t blow up the fly and drip inside the tent…

I think you set the ‘eyebrow’ pole up wrong (7.10) - the yellow ribbon goes to the yellow end and the black ribbon to the black end.

Shame Decathlon is viewed as a budget or lower-end brand, as everything I’ve bought from there seems fit for purpose and has the return warranty too…

I’ve been waiting for someone to do a review of it in the UK as there’s very little on YouTube…

Brilliant tent, I couldn’t recommend it enough - that’s for sharing 👍

[mountainman]

It’s an MSR copy, but the general MSR design is excellent so all good. I saw this tent whilst on holiday and honestly thought it was an old MSR model, until I paid further attention to the label. I am really digging the Forclaz stuff, just bought a 50L sack for my teenage Son, but after checking all the features I will need to steal it occasionally for my own trips. The Decathlon stuff is good and very well priced. Thanks for the vid.

[petejam]

Another top video Andy, thanks. Like you say, you really can't go wrong with decathlon gear for the money.

[danixsc]

I have a way more basic Decathlon tent for about 6 or 7 years with tenths of uses and it's still in pretty good shape. Quality is not an issue, price is usually competitive and they're now making good, technical equipment for intensive use.

[JasonShinks]

I was about to buy the naturhike cloud up 2 for my coast to coast walk in June, but I like the look of this!!

[thatunfitbloke]

Nice vid Andy, I've looked at this a few times. Like u I really like the built in vestibule, very unique. Quite similar to the MSR Elixr 2 that I have so never purchased. Cracking tent for someone starting out though. ATB Paul 👍

[frwb]

nice informative vid buddy, well made 👍

[michaelmclarney]

Very well explained and demonstrated, thanks.