Simond
Simond MT500 Air 50+10 L (formerly Forclaz)
Where it fits
- Also works for
- Backpacking and wild camping
- Not for
- Bikepacking
Why these labels
- Backpacking and wild camping: Holds an overnight kit: 50 litres
- Bikepacking: Too big to ride with: 50 litres
From the maker's stated use and the published specs.
- Weight: 5/10 How much the empty rucksack adds to what you carry, as sold.
- Comfort with a full load: 9/10 How well it carries a full camping load over a long day: hip belt, shoulder straps, back and how the weight sits.
- Durability: 8/10 How well the fabric, zips, buckles and frame hold up over seasons of use.
Multi-day hikes and wild camps with a load of up to Decathlon's 15 kg limit: InsideHook took 4 days of camping kit and Indiahikes 15 to 16 kg, and Decathlon buyers describe the Cumbria Way with a tent strapped on and Hadrian's Wall coast to coast
- Access
- front, bottom
- Capacity
- 50 L
- Extension
- 10 L
- Weight
- 1.89 kg (One size)
- Frame
- Framed
- Back length
- 39 to 51 cm
- Max load (maker's)
- 15 kg
Sizes: One size, back length adjustable. Women's version: Simond Women's Trekking Backpack MT500 Air, 45+10 L and 55+10 L. Rain cover included. Straps to carry a mat or tent outside.
No rucksack is waterproof: line it with a pack liner or dry bags. Try it on with weight in, or buy where returns are free.
Where to buy
Decathlon UK £99.99 In stock. Delivery from £2.99; free for members on orders of £80+.
View at shop: Decathlon UKPrices checked 8 Nov 2026 on each shop's own page; shops can change them. We earn no commission on these links; shops are listed by price. More
Our ratings (out of 10)
1 to 10, compared with the whole market. Each says what it's based on. How we score
Weight
From maker's figures 5/10How much the empty rucksack adds to what you carry, as sold. 5: Does the job. Average for wild-camping gear.
Decathlon lists 1.89 kg all inclusive for the one size (1,900 g in its spec table), and says 100 g of that is the removable rain cover: the 1,500 to 1,999 g band. The earlier reviews of the blue Forclaz pack quote about 1.7 kg (OutdoorGearLab 1.67 kg, InsideHook 1.68 kg, Craig Elliott 1.7 kg), also in this band, so the score would not change.
Comfort with a full load
From reviews 9/10How well it carries a full camping load over a long day: hip belt, shoulder straps, back and how the weight sits. 9: Among the best you can buy for this.
InsideHook carried a tent, stove, sleep system and 4 days of food on the Channel Islands (weight not stated) and rated it the most comfortable pack it has used (scored 5 out of 5). Indiahikes carried 15 to 16 kg on Himalayan explorations, after 5 or 6 treks, and never felt the weight pressing on the back (5). Decathlon customers rate carrying comfort 4.7 out of 5 on average, and many describe multi-day trips with full kit: the Cumbria Way with the tent strapped on, a 9-day trek at 12 to 17 kg, the GR20 with tent, mat and bag at about 12 kg, the Tour du Mont Blanc at 15 kg, and 35 days on the Camino. A handful report sore hips or shoulders at 10 to 15 kg, or frame bars that press on the hips (4). OutdoorGearLab rates comfort 8 out of 10 and says it suits loads under about 16 kg, but it states no load carried or night out, so it is not counted here. The maker's limit is 15 kg.
Durability
From reviews 8/10How well the fabric, zips, buckles and frame hold up over seasons of use. 8: Clearly better than most.
Indiahikes saw no wear after 5 or 6 Himalayan treks (scored 5 out of 5). InsideHook found it sturdy over 4 days and later trips and only wants sturdier tent straps (4). OutdoorGearLab says it held up to plenty of use and abuse but did no long thru-hike (4). Decathlon customers mostly report a lasting pack, for example 35 days and about 900 km on the Camino with a full load, and a 9-day trek a year earlier with the pack still in perfect shape, but a handful report a zip or zip puller that broke (after about 10 outings, or a year) or a pocket or side mesh that tore within 10 days of use (4). The fabric is 210D ripstop polyamide with a heavier 420D x 330D ripstop base, and Decathlon gives a 10-year warranty.
What reviewers say (out of 10)
Ratings marked * are from reviews and are not part of the trip score. They are reviewers' scores, not our own measurements. How we score
Fit*
Reviewers' average 8/10How well the back length and straps adjust to fit you.
4 reviews on fit, e.g. "it took just a few minutes to dial in the perfect fit".
Access*
Reviewers' average 9/10How easily you get at kit without unpacking.
5 reviews on access, e.g. "You can dig into the middle of the main compartment through the front zipper opening".
Pockets*
Reviewers' average 7/10How useful the pockets are on the move.
5 reviews on pockets, e.g. "If you're looking for organizational options, this pack is a great choice.".
In short
Good for
- Multi-day hikes and wild camps with a load of up to Decathlon's 15 kg limit: InsideHook took 4 days of camping kit and Indiahikes 15 to 16 kg, and Decathlon buyers describe the Cumbria Way with a tent strapped on and Hadrian's Wall coast to coast
- Warm-weather walking where a ventilated back matters: the tensioned mesh back panel keeps the pack body off the back (InsideHook, OutdoorGearLab)
- Carrying a tent or mat outside: two lower straps with aluminium buckles are listed by Decathlon
Strengths
- Tensioned mesh back panel on a perimeter frame, with the back length adjustable from 39 to 51 cm, padded shoulder straps and a stiff, padded hip belt
- Two reviewers who carried camping loads (4 days of kit, 15 to 16 kg) rate it among the most comfortable packs they have used
- Easy to get into: top, front zip and bottom sleeping-bag zip, two lid pockets, two zipped hip-belt pockets, side pockets and a large front pocket
- Rain cover (100 g), bladder sleeve, pole holders and two lower straps for a tent or mat are all included
- 210D ripstop polyamide body with a heavier base; Indiahikes saw no wear after 5 or 6 treks, and Decathlon gives a 10-year warranty
Weaknesses
- Not light: 1,890 g all inclusive on Decathlon's page (about 1.7 kg in the 2022 and 2023 reviews), 100 g of it the rain cover
- Decathlon advises no more than 15 kg and OutdoorGearLab found it not ideal for heavy loads; a handful of Decathlon buyers report sore hips or shoulders at 10 to 15 kg, or frame bars that press on the hips
- Bottle holders let it down: the tilted one drops the bottle on steep ground (Indiahikes), a long bottle hits the elbow (Craig Elliott) and several Decathlon buyers say the bottle slips out; OutdoorGearLab found the side pockets odd
- Many straps to sort out at first (Indiahikes); InsideHook wants sturdier tent straps and more gear loops, and several Decathlon buyers say the lower tent straps work loose on the move
- Hip-belt pockets take a phone or snacks but not a mirrorless camera with a lens (InsideHook)
- The curved frame of the ventilated back takes up room inside, so the main bag feels smaller than 50 L (several Decathlon buyers)
- A handful of Decathlon buyers report a broken zip or zip puller (after about 10 outings, or a year) or a tear in a pocket or side mesh within 10 days of use
- All four independent reviews (2022 to 2025) tested the Forclaz-branded pack, InsideHook's in blue; Decathlon now sells it as the Simond MT500 Air in slate grey under the same product code (324407) and quotes 1.89 kg against the 1.7 kg those reviewers give, so small changes can't be ruled out
Sources
We haven't tested this ourselves. Every score comes from these specs, tests and reviews.
ShowHide sources (6)
- Decathlon UK: Simond Men's 50+10 L Trekking Backpack, MT500 Air
- OutdoorGearLab: Decathlon Forclaz MT500 Air 50+10 review (bought, not a free sample)
- InsideHook: Decathlon Forclaz MT500 Air review (4 days with tent, stove and food, then more trips)
- Indiahikes: Forclaz MT500 Air 50+10 L backpack review (5 or 6 Himalayan treks, 15 to 16 kg on explorations)
- Decathlon customer reviews (worldwide, shown on the UK page): MT500 Air 50+10 L backpack (1,244 reviews, 4.74 out of 5)
- Craig Elliott (YouTube): Forclaz mt500 air 50+10l backpack review (own purchase, short walk)