The TRUTH about the Decathlon Forclaz Down Jacket

Travis GneitingApparel, First Look, Reviews Leave a Comment

The Decathlon Forclaz is a jacket (or vest) sold by Decathlon as a budget-friendly puffer jacket. It is offered in a variety of options and fills and prices, that offer a significant value over other similar down-fill jackets from other popular retailers and manufacturers. You may wonder if the cost of lower price means less quality, a difference in weight, or decreased warmth. I’ll cover all that in this review of the Decathlon Forclaz Down Jacket.

Fill TypeFillPrice
Hooded Puffer Jacket DownMT100$99.99
Hooded Puffer JacketSyntheticMT100$69.99
No-Hood Puffer JacketDownMT500$119.00
No-Hood Puffer JacketDownMT100$89.99
No-Hood Puffer JacketSyntheticMT50$29.99
Puffer VestDownMT100$69.99
Puffer VestSyntheticMT100$39.99
Down Jackets and Vest offerings from Decathlon

I’ll be focusing on the Hooded Decathlon Forclaz Down Puffer Jacket in this article when going through the details.

This jacket was recently called the “Trek 100” and has been re-branded as the MT100. From what I can tell the MT100 refers to the weight of the jacket and helps give a general idea of the amount of downfill used in the jacket. For example, the MT100 weighs about 10.5 oz +/- depending on the size. The MT500 weighs about 15 oz +/- depending on the size.

Forclaz Men's MT100 Hooded Down Puffer Jacket
Forclaz Men’s MT100 Hooded Down Puffer Jacket

Decathlon Forclaz Jacket Materials and Manufacturing

The tag on the jacket indicates it was manufactured in China. The padding insulation is 90% Grey Duck Down and 10% Grey Duck Feathers. The Main fabric is 100% Polyamide. The Main lining is 100% Polyester. Additional information printed on the inside of the jacket reads:

“Do you know why the lining of your insulated jacket is grey? The fabric of this lining is innovative because it is two-tone: it mixes a black dope-dyed yarn and an undyed yarn. Compared to conventional dyeing, this process allows to reduce CO2 emissions by 14%. At Forclaz, we are proud to commit ourselves every day to developing Trekking products that are more respectful of the environment! More about the eco-design of our products on developpement-durrable.decathlon.com”

The downfill is RDS(Responsible Down Standard) Certified. I looked into this further and found that it is the manufacturer that holds the RDS certification not Decathalon or Forclaz.

Decathlon Forclaz Jacket Sizing and Fit

The MT100 size feels a little small. I am 5’10” about 165 lbs. I normally fall right in between a large and medium jacket sizing. I am testing the size large MT100 and I can identify that the medium would have been too small for comfortable movement, or layering. Because of this sizing, I would recommend going with a larger size if in question. If you plan to layer with multiple layers you may even want to size up two sizes.

Decathlon Forclaz Jacket MT100 Warmth

Decathlon advertises the Forclaz MT100 for temperature ratings between 23° and 41°F. In my use around town and in the mountains, I found that below 32° you will want to start layering both under with a base or mid-layer as well as a shell over the top. On this day of snowboarding in Utah, I had a base layer, the Forclaz as a mid-layer, and a ski shell over the top in  27°F temperatures, and was very comfortable.

Decathlon Forclaz Jacket Water and Weatherproof

The Forclaz is advertised as water-repellent. I used this jacket in the snow and didn’t see any indications that it was becoming wet or even damp. Being water repellent means the jacket can breathe well with changing body and outdoor temperatures.

Decathlon Forclaz Jacket Conclusion

In conclusion, the Forclaz Men’s MT100 Hooded Down Puffer Jacket, from Decathlon’s​, offers a compelling mix of functionality, comfort, and value. The jacket’s design is suitable for outdoor enthusiasts seeking lightweight and warm apparel. This jacket could be a viable option for those needing an affordable, functional, and stylish solution for their outdoor adventures.

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