The Decathlon Simond MT100 (previously often called the Forclaz MT100) is a no-frills, hooded down jacket designed to be used as a light-weight three-season insulation layer when tenting or throughout climbing relaxation stops to keep away from turning into chilled. Insulated with 800 fill energy down, it’s surprisingly cheap in comparison with comparable jackets that price two or 3 times extra. If you would like a down hooded jacket that can preserve you heat right down to 23°F (when worn with a fleece mid-layer) and also you don’t thoughts the jacket’s barely outsized hood, the MT100 is a superb purchase at simply $119. For colder temperatures, we’d advocate buying a hotter down jacket from Decathlon or one other value-oriented model similar to REI, Eddie Bauer, or LL Bean.
Forclaz is turning into Simond. It’s possible you’ll obtain a product labeled with both title. It options the identical design and high quality, however with a brand new model label.
Specs at a Look
Males’s and girls’s fashions are availableTotal Weight: 12.2 oz (346g) in a males’s XLComfort vary: 23F-41FInsulation: 800 fill energy RDS-certified down (10% gray duck feather, 90% gray duck down)Insulation weight: 3.6 oz (103g) / in a measurement XLPockets: 2 zippered handwarmer pockets (the jacket stuffs one); 1 inside drop pocketConstruction: Sewn ThroughShell Material: 15d PolyamideHarness loop: YesFit: I usually put on a measurement massive and advocate sizing up
Building
The Decathlon Simonds MT100 is insulated with 800-fill energy RDS-certified duck down, which is considerably uncommon for a jacket at this value, as most lower-cost down jackets are sometimes insulated with 650-fill energy down. Earlier than you ask, the 800-fill energy duck down utilized in MT100 is simply as heat as 800-fill energy goose down as a result of fill energy is a species-independent measurement. Duck down is cheaper than goose down, nevertheless, as a result of there’s a a lot bigger provide of it.
The MT100 incorporates a sewn-through baffle design, the place the inside and exterior materials are sewn collectively to create pockets that maintain the down insulation. Whereas some warmth can escape on the seams, this system is the norm on budget-priced down jackets as a result of it’s less complicated and cheaper to stitch than the field baffled design discovered on hotter and dearer jackets.
Options
The Decathlon Simond MT100 Jacket has a minimal function set. It has an outsized, non-adjustable hood, a YKK zipper with a zipper storage on the prime, two zippered handwarmer pockets, 1 inside drop pocket, elasticated wrist cuffs, and a shock-cord waist adjustment to seal out drafts from under. There’s no chest pocket for storing a telephone. The hood is outsized and never adjustable to seal in physique warmth, however it’s massive sufficient to suit over a climbing helmet. There’s additionally a harness loop, so that you stuff the jacket into one in every of its handwarmer pockets and fix it to a climbing harness.
Temperature Ranking
Decathlon assigns the MT100 jacket a consolation score of 41 levels F or 23 levels F when worn over a jersey with mid-layer insulation and a heat hat. It’s a light-weight down jacket, greatest fitted to use in hotter climate.
Jackets just like the MT100 are designed to be used in camp, whether or not you’re hanging out with associates, cooking meals, or taking a relaxation cease, permitting you to rapidly placed on one thing heat to keep away from a chill. They’re not an optimum lively layering possibility while you’re climbing since you’ll rapidly overheat when carrying one, they don’t soak up perspiration, they usually don’t wick it out of your baselayer like a fleece. See our Decathlon Quechua MH100 Overview for a mid-layer fleece we advocate, which enhances the MT100 properly.
Match
The MT100 in a males’s XL measurement is true to measurement, however I usually put on a measurement massive, and would advise sizing up. The hood is massive and non-adjustable. Whereas its opening is bordered by elastic, it’s too loosely tensioned to shut the hole between the hood and one’s face. We advocate you put on a fleece or wool hat when utilizing the hood to maintain your head hotter.
Advice
The Decathlon Simond MT100 Hooded Down Jacket is an reasonably priced, packable down puffer jacket, insulated with 800-fill energy down, and is priced decrease than comparable jackets provided by different producers. For those who solely want a down jacket for three-season climbing and backpacking use to maintain you heat to about 40 levels, then it’s a fairly good worth for the cash, like lots of Decathlon’s different merchandise. Nevertheless, in the event you require a jacket for prolonged use in colder circumstances, I like to recommend getting a heavier jacket with a greater hood and extra down insulation. Decathlon additionally provides a hoodless down jacket referred to as the Simond MT500, which incorporates a 32°F consolation score and could also be an appropriate different. The benefit of a hoodless jacket is that it may be worn beneath a hooded rain jacket or winter shell extra simply than a hooded puffy.
Disclosure: Decathlon donated a jacket for evaluate.
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