Review: Forclaz MT900 Hiking Poles by Decathlon
Affordable & compact collapsible hiking poles from Decathlon.
Pros
-Super compact when folded
-Easy & quick to fold and unfold
-Velcro straps easy to adjust
-Very sturdy
Features
-Folds to only 14” long
-Handles extend down the poles
-Includes velcro strap adjusters, summer baskets, & tip covers for travel
Cons
-Heavier than some competitors
-Winter baskets sold separately
Click the image above to watch our full review of the Forclaz MT900 Hiking Poles on Youtube.
Full disclosure: Decathlon sent me these poles to complete this review, but they have no say in the content of the review.
My old carbon poles broke where the strap connects to the handle, so it was a stroke of good fortune that Decathlon offered to send me these Forclaz MT900 hiking poles. I’ve put approximately 100 kms on these Decathlon poles as of the time of writing this review (Dec 2023).
The MT900 poles have become my go-to's for all my day hikes. Although they are quite a bit heavier than my old Carbon units, they offer several advantages:
1) They fold to a very compact 14” long, which means they can go in a water bottle pocket or even inside my bag. I really appreciate not having to use the fiddly elastic straps on my bag to secure them (which I had to use for the old poles).
2) They don’t vibrate as much. The carbon poles could really jitter when striking bedrock or concrete.
3)They feel more solid and less likely to break.
The collapsing mechanism is very slick, and the cable that connects the sections is covered in smooth, flexible plastic which makes it super easy to work with. Make sure you tighten the quick release enough though: the one time the poles didn't support the full weight I put on them was when I didn't have the quick release clamped tight enough.
The handles and straps are very similar to my old poles, and I’ve found them comfortable for 8 hour + hikes. I also like that the foam extends down the pole, which is great if you want grab the pole lower down on the shaft when going uphill. Just remember for comfort, set up your straps properly so that you don’t have to hold the poles with a death grip.
For max comfort, I’d also recommend getting the red hiking pole caps that Decathlon sells, as they provide cushioning when hiking on rock or hard ground, and also help to prevent trail damage. These I paid for with my own money, and I wouldn’t go without them. You may also want to get a set of winter baskets which unfortunately are also sold separately.
I use hiking poles not only to take some of the load off of my legs, but also to increase the workout intensity of my hikes, so the extra weight is something of a plus for me. But if you’re a trail runner or ultra-light backpacker, these are probably not the poles for you, simply because of the added weight.
If you’re just getting into longer hikes and looking at getting a set of poles, I’d highly recommend these. At $50 CDN / $55 USD each (or $100 CDN / $110 USD per set), they strike me as good value. Their compactness when folded makes them so much easier to carry in packs and suitcases that my old poles didn’t fit in. They feel very sturdy when hiking and so I’m expecting them to last for a long time.
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