Forclaz MT500 Water Bladder Review

Overview

The Forclaz MT500 is Decathlon’s house-brand 2-liter hydration bladder: a flexible TPU reservoir with a wide sliding-closure opening, a 100 cm drink tube and a 45° silicone bite valve. It is aimed at hikers who want sip-on-the-move water without paying Osprey or Platypus money. The headline trade-off is simple: at 105 g and roughly £13 in the UK, it covers the fundamentals well, but its tube is fixed, which makes deep cleaning a chore.

Key Specs

Spec	Value
Capacity	2 L
Weight	105 g
Dimensions	18 cm x 37 cm
Tube length	100 cm
Material	TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane), BPA-free
Opening	Wide-mouth sliding closure, with hooks for hanging in compatible packs
Mouthpiece	45° silicone bite valve with open/closed twist
Dust cap	Yes, on the mouthpiece
Insulation	None

Performance

Weight and build. At 105 g, the MT500 sits a little under the 120–130 g listed for generic 2-liter EVA bladders sold online. That is a modest saving rather than a gram-counting breakthrough, but the material matters more than the number. Decathlon switched this model from EVA film to food-safe TPU and says the new film is 30 percent more resistant to perforation than the old one. The company also reworked the connector and the quality of the welds, the two places where cheap bladders tend to fail.

Leak resistance. Owner feedback on Decathlon’s own site, where the bladder averages about 4.4 out of 5 across more than 1,800 reviews, is consistent on this point: it holds water and doesn’t leak. One UK buyer put it plainly after use on the Camino Primitivo: it does what a bladder should. The caveat is a single owner whose first bladder lost its mouthpiece before a replacement arrived, so the bite valve is the component to inspect before a long trip.

Drinking. The silicone mouthpiece is angled at 45° so it sits naturally in the mouth rather than poking at the teeth. A grey collar twists between open and closed, which stops the slow drip into a pack that plagues unlocked valves. Drinking means opening the valve, then biting and sucking. A removable dust cap keeps trail grit out of the first sip, a detail one hiker said their Camelbaks lack. Hikers also report that the water tastes slightly of plastic at first. One owner compared it to the category leader in that respect and suggested a metal bottle for anyone who can’t stand it. Rinsing and airing out the bladder before the first trip is the usual remedy.

Filling and cleaning. The wide opening is the MT500’s main selling point. A sliding closure opens the bag almost completely, so a hand can go in for scrubbing and filling from a stream or tap is straightforward. The closure has hooks, so the bladder can hang in packs with a hanging loop. Owners are less unanimous about upkeep. Maintenance scores range from 2 to 5 out of 5, and the complaints are specific: the hose doesn’t detach, so it can’t be washed separately, and drying the bag is awkward. The flexible opening also makes loading ice cubes fiddly, according to one hiker who used it in 30–40°C heat. A baffle or handle for holding the bag while filling would help, according to another buyer.

Pack compatibility. The 18 x 37 cm profile fits standard hydration sleeves. Buyers have used it in packs ranging from Decathlon’s own 25-liter MH500 day pack to the Forclaz MT500 Air trekking packs. The 100 cm tube is long enough to reach over the shoulder on most packs, though that is on the shorter side for tall hikers using large expedition packs with high sleeves.

Insulation. There isn’t any. The tube and bag will warm in summer sun and can freeze in winter, and nothing in the design addresses either.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 105 g for a 2-liter reservoir
• TPU film claimed to be 30 percent more puncture-resistant than Decathlon’s previous EVA
• Wide opening makes filling and hand-cleaning easy
• Twist-lock bite valve with a dust cap
• Owners report no leaks
• Very low price

Cons

• Hose can’t be detached for separate cleaning
• Drying the bag takes effort
• Some owners notice a plastic taste at first
• A mouthpiece failure has been reported
• No insulation, hanging loop only on compatible packs
• 100 cm tube may be short for large packs

Who Should Buy This

The MT500 suits day hikers, section hikers and newer backpackers who want a dependable bladder for around the price of a sandwich and a coffee. It also suits anyone who wants a cheap spare or a bladder for a second pack. Thru-hikers who run a bladder for weeks at a time, and want the hose to come off for scrubbing and quick-connect fittings for filtering, should look at Platypus or Osprey systems. Those who prefer bottles, as many ultralight hikers do, gain nothing here.

Verdict

The MT500 is a sensible, low-risk way to carry 2 liters on your back, and the TPU upgrade makes it more durable than its price implies. Its main weakness is the fixed hose, which leaves cleaning as the real cost of ownership. Buy it as a budget workhorse and rinse it often.