Review: Decathlon Merino Forclaz MT900 mid/base layer
Price
£59.99
Gender
Mens - weirdly, there’s no ladies direct equivalent of it
Brand // Manufacturers
What we liked
A thoughtfully-designed light mid-layer, or can be used as base layer.
89% wool, soft-feel, lots of structure, good length in arms & body.
What we didn’t
Just my usual minor grumble about manufacturers opting for a long part-way front zip instead of just putting in a full-length one.
The Verdict
THE SHORT READ…
A beautifully-designed, and affordable, lighter-weight mid-layer, which could be used as a base-layer. It’s nicely figure-hugging, in very soft-feel high-percentage merino, and which has good long arms, good length body for a mid-layer, high-neck and comfy thumb-loops. Thoughtful heat-management, in the shape of panels of different thickness, and a long half-length front zip to dump more heat if you need to. I’m probably never going to use the front pocket but it’s zip and panel design make for nice aesthetics in the refuge in the evening – definitely stylish enough for evening-wear!
THE LONG READ …
Construction and fit – The arms are long, which is great for us gorillas. The body is a good length for a mid-layer, and works just fine as a base-layer – especially if you use bib-pants, so that you minimise ride-up of your top layers when wearing a backpack.
Decathlon call this merino “thick”, and at 240g/m2 that does tag it as a mid-weight garment, but it actually feels lighter than that overall. Some panels are heavier – the underside of the arms, the whole front and high collar, and down around your arse and very lower back. But the upper-side of the arms, and mid-back up to shoulders is much a much lighter weave, with the aim of letting heat escape. That lighter material is ribbed too, which I’d guess helps with it’s stretchiness, strength, rip-stop effect, etc and looks nice into the bargain.
And it is quite a bargain too, for a high-percent merino top that’s clearly had a lot of thought put into it. Get it in a navy blue, or a yellow.
There are lots of panels in this top, and all of them seem purposeful except those involved in the chest pocket, which I’m not sure if I’ll ever use, but those pocket panels do make it look quite smart – and overall, you can easily get away with using this top for going out in after your tour!
In-use - As a mid-layer, this has never yet seemed overly hot, I think the thinner arm/back panels really do a job of letting excess heat escape.
The whole thing is quite form-fitting – this works really well with it’s high-collar, it’s nicely snug around the neck. The arms are snug enough that if you are using it as a mid-layer, you really have to keep hold of the cuffs of the base-layer so they don’t get pulled up your arms when you put this one on!
The clever thumb-loop design almost totally succeeds – The loops are soft and wide, so didn’t feel like they were cutting into me. The bit that’s not quite as successful, but I really appreciate the attempt, is that those loops are meant to tuck back behind the rest of the cuff not leave a gaping hole where cold air can get in around your wrist, when you are not using them. But if you do use them, the loops material stretches a bit, and so they don’t fully tuck back behind the cuff. Minor quibble, really.
On right - the ribbed light-weight heat-dumping fabric on back & upper arms
SUMMARY…
Decathlon, eh? Making some great stuff at very affordable prices. This top feels premium, and I love putting it on. As a base? As a mid? It can work as both, though I tend to use it as a lighter, very snug, mid-layer. But at the price, you might be able to afford to grab one and figure out which layer you prefer it as yourself!