travel backpack forclaz

Decathlon Forclaz Women’s Travel 900 60+6L Backpack | Tested and reviewed

We test the female-specific 60+6l easyfit from decathlon, a large capacity backpacking pack designed for long journeys and backpacking trips..

Ahead of my year of travelling around the world, I had a long and hard think about which backpack would be the best choice to take with me. Above all, I needed a pack I could rely on to last the trip, be comfortable, and make my life easier. Here’s the pack I found to fit the bill and why - enter the Decathlon Women's Travel 900 Backpack.

When I was researching for the best backpacks for long trips and treks, I had several criteria to meet. First off, as a female traveller and hiker, I wanted a pack that’d be comfortable to carry on my back for long stretches of time. Women’s backpacks typically have a shorter body, so the back support is a more optimised size for the female frame, and the supporting straps hit the right spots across the torso, which is key.

As I’d be travelling to multiple destinations, I wanted a rucksack that had zipped front access to the main compartment like a suitcase, rather than being a top loader. This makes all my gear easier to organise and get to. A wide access point was a top priority for me and would make life much easier on the road.

Thirdly, I wanted a pack that came with a rain cover for extra protection, but also a cover to keep it safe when taking the plane or long modes of transport. Other than these top features, I was after a pack that was above all practical, and didn’t break the bank either. It might sound like a tall order, but I found all I wanted and more in the largest capacity pack of Decathlon’s affordable Forclaz range, the 60+6L Women's Travel 900 proved the perfect capacity, with great features and construction designed to be practical and comfortable.

Decathlon Forclaz Women's Travel 900 60+6L Backpack

• True women's fit
• Impressive comfort
• Loads of storage features
• Front suitcase-style opening
• Raincover included
• Great value
• Tad heavier than some rivals
• No colour options

The Women's Travel 900 provides a total capacity of 66L and is so crammed with pockets that it took me several trips to discover and use them all. That’s not to say it’s faffy though, there’s a purpose for everything with this pack and that’s why I like it so much.

I’ve already mentioned the main internal chamber; it’s large enough to stash the bulk of my gear, which I put in a few packing cubes that fit perfectly with inner straps to secure. The many additional pockets help to further organise belongings and keep everything in order.

There are also side zip pockets, stretchy bottle pockets, front pouches, two waist belt pockets (large enough to fit a passport and smartphone), and within many of these there are subtle inner pockets and mesh pockets to tuck away valuables.

Alongside these is the six-litre detachable top compartment (hence the 60+6L), which also has an inner zip pocket along with two tucked straps that can be snapped into place to make a little daypack . It’s ideal for stashing valuables and taking on the plane or for outings when you don’t want to leave your important documents in your hotel or tent.

The wealth of pockets is a winning feature on the Women's Travel 900, but it’s not the only appeal of the pack. It’s built to be versatile for different kinds of trips. For instance, it’s got a stowable roll top for securing a sleeping bag or tent for those trekking, and it’s also got an additional entry into the main section at the top of the pack for quick access to gear.

Easy-access is the name of the game with this pack, which is why another, stowable bottle cage is built into the right side for reachable access to water while hiking. Inside the main chamber, there’s a laptop sleeve that benefits from the structure of the metal frame for protection. Within the same chamber there is a boot bag to keep dirty shoes separate from the rest of your gear. I'm able to fit both a pair of trail running shoes and hiking sandals there.

At the front, there’s a slim pocket for holding documents or a folder, behind which is a hidden pouch where the bag’s included raincover lives. This cover is a huge plus as it offers not only waterproofing, but also wraps and protects the pack for transport. The raincover snaps over the edges neatly and has additional material with a drawstring to completely envelop the bag, with duffel straps at the side.

Comfort and construction

When it comes to quality and construction, I found each compartment to be thoughtfully designed, and that’s most evident in the back system. The pack has a metal frame, and the back system holds the pack away from the back slightly to allow airflow – which is essential for use in hotter climes and extended treks. As mentioned before, this section is shorter in the women’s pack, with padding at the lower back and shoulder blades well placed to ease pressure points.

The padded hip belt is made to sit around the waist, just above the hips, while the chest strap is placed under the collar bone. It’s higher than that on a unisex pack, to avoid any discomfort over the chest. On the chest strap you’ll also find a surprisingly loud built-in whistle. The two shoulder straps are adjusted by pulling upwards, and the hip belt by pulling inwards; this construction makes it much easier to adjust quickly by yourself.

The upshot is that I have never felt so comfortable with almost 70L and 13kg on my back. The weight distribution is so fine-tuned that I have no discomfort or pain walking for extended periods (I can even run and jump). It almost feels like I have nothing on my back. It sounds too good to be true. But after getting multiple family members and friends to don the Travel 900, they’ve all been forced to agree. A well-designed and top-performing backpack has completely revolutionised my travel experience.

Reading this review, you’d be forgiven for concluding that it's horribly biased and that the pack seemingly has no faults. Believe me, I tried to find some. But after a couple of months of testing, I’m forced to admit that the Women's Travel 900 is simply a backpack that performs excellently.

It’s got a great capacity and compartments, several handy features for travel, is logically designed with function in mind, and does not break the bank. I searched high and low for a pack that ticked as many boxes as this one, including those in much higher price brackets. But in the end nothing seemed to fit the bill as seamlessly as the Women's Travel 900. And all for £104.99 – the value for money is astounding.

How we tested

The bad news for us is that Kate Milsom recently abandoned the LFTO team and left the country to travel around the world for 12 months, but the good news is she took the Forclaz Women's Travel 900 with her to put it through its paces. So not only did Kate give it a good thrashing before she left to make sure it was fit for purpose, but we're also expecting regular dispatches from her trip to tell us how it's performing. So stay tuned!

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REVIEW: Quechua Forclaz Travel 500 Backpack

I tested the Quechua Forclaz Travel 500 backpack. Spoiler alert: I’m not a fan of this travelpack!

ENGLISH SUBTITLES AVAILABLE

As a backpacker you’ll need a good backpack (seems logical). I bought this Quechua Forclaz Travel 500 from Decathlon. It can contain about 70 litres. Some of that volume is in the detachable shoulder bag. This seemed a very handy backpack to me since when travelling I like to take an extra day pack or bag. However, this backpack wasn’t as handy as I thought. It’s best if you watch the video (turn on English subtitles), but I’ve made a transcription in case you don’t feel like doing that! 🙂

There’s many compartments: you can put away your shoes, tripod and so on. You can carry two bottles on the side. In the front there’s place for your jacket. There’s a lot of space. You have straps on the front and on the side to carry extra gear like a drinking bottle or sleeping bag.

In the back there’s an opening for a camelbak, you can carry a water bag and when you’re walking around you can drink without having to open the whole thing.

The rain cover is very sturdy Which in turn makes it quite heavy. But it’s sturdy and you can also use it to completely cover you backpack and turn it into a duffel bag which you can carry with one hand. That’s handy for transport in the airport: it won’t be pushed of conveyer belts due to loose straps.

This backpacked can be locked with only one padlock. That’s a great advantage. I always look for that nowadays in a backpack.

It’s quite comfortable to carry. If you pull the two orange straps the Easy Fit system Will adjust the backpack to your body in a comfortable way.

The backpack is very sturdy, I don’t think a knife could easily penetrate it. That’s good against thieves. It’s also a good thing you won’t have to replace it after two years. It’s a sturdy thing.

You have to completely untie the shoulder bag to get into your backpack and you get tangled up when you try to release it. The straps on the top and bottom have to be loosened first and only then can it be used as the strap of the shoulder bag. This is very clear in the video, I can’t really describe the frustration in text. This is very annoying but not the worst part. When you want to attach it again the shoulder strap has to be evenly distributed on both sides and when everything goes right you’ll be able to attach it again. This is only the case if you’ve done it correctly, but most of the time it fails. It’s a disaster!

When you want to open your backpack, you always have to detach the shoulder bag because the Decathlon engineers decided to put the buckles over the zipper and you can only open the backpack with that one zipper. The very annoying effect is that every time you want to go in your backpack you have to detach the shoulderbag! It drove me so crazy I gave it away to someone and bought a different one. This is the deciding factor for me. No, no, really, no!

Because the zipper’s on the back and thus you don’t have a sturdy back it collapses like a pudding when you’re trying to load it. This is a real shame. You can try to solve it by holding the back vertically with one hand and at the same time load it with you other hand but that’s a very clumsy method.

The bag itself is quite heavy so if you want to be a lightweight backpacker this one’s not for you.

The conclusion

I wouldn’t buy this. This awkward opening system drives me crazy. Just buy a decent backpack. Or buy this one and don’t use the shoulder bag but take a foldable day pack with you. Or a different solution: buy a good Osprey Farpoint 70. They’re a bit more expensive but they’re better quality with lifelong warranty. Buy everything, but not this Quechua Forclaz Travel 500. Maybe you can buy a cheaper backpack at Decathlon. They have a lot of great travelpacks. Just don’t buy this one.

Thank you for reading or watching this review. I hope it was useful. You can always leave a comment if you bought it and regret it or if you completely disagree with me or if you have different suggestions for backpacks!

5 thoughts on “ REVIEW: Quechua Forclaz Travel 500 Backpack ”

Ik ben blij dat ik iemand heb kunnen overtuigen deze rommel niet te kopen 🙂

I was about to buy this backpack for a world tour especially because in my hometown there’s no Osprey Store. Why do you consider it so bad? What I like is, taking off the shoulder-bag you have it optimal for carry-on luggage. Also, you can use the shoulder bag for city trips. Moreover, it adds an extra layer of security to your luggage – in order that someone access it, it first must get rid of the purse. Overall it seems fine to me. I tried it in the store and it wasn’t such a big problem with the straps. I think the main problem is, in case those buckles are going to break.

Dank voor je review. Dan valt deze dus af.

Wat een mooi slotje! 🙂

Je herkent het! Nogmaals bedankt 😉

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Forclaz Compact Waterproof 20 Litre Backpack Travel 100 - Black

• Fully taped seams & canyoning-type roll-up anti intrusion closure.
• The backpack folds up to occupy very little space.
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• Composition : Main fabric : 100.0% Polyester (PES) Pocket : 78.0% Polyamide, Pocket : 22.0% Elasthane Coating : 100.0% Polyurethane (PU) Yoke (General) : 100.0% Polyester (PES).
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Our backpacker-designers created this compact bag for carrying the items you need for a one-day trip A compact and waterproof spare backpack that folds up on itself and fits in the pocket of another backpack. It is the ideal solution for your short excursions. Fully taped seams & canyoning-type roll-up anti intrusion closure. The backpack folds up to occupy very little space. Adjustable straps and chest strap. Composition : Main fabric : 100.0% Polyester (PES) Pocket : 78.0% Polyamide, Pocket : 22.0% Elasthane Coating : 100.0% Polyurethane (PU) Yoke (General) : 100.0% Polyester (PES). 2 Years Warranty.

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Forclaz Foldable backpack 10L - Travel

This small backup backpack will follow you everywhere on your travels. It will be easy to pack in your large backpack and you can get it out when you need a small 10 litre capacity bag.

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San Francisco , 735 Market St. Options

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About this item:

• 1 large main compartment + 1 zipper pocket
• Reinforced shoulder straps
• Capacity: 10 liters
• Lightweight: 1.6 oz (45 g)

Product Features

Forclaz foldable backpack 10l - travel | a compact spare bag to make life easier when you travel around the world with your backpack., compact design.

The bag folds in itself up to occupy very little space

Abrasion resistant

Reinforced strap attachments

Can contain up to 10L. The bag weighs 1.59 oz (45 g) when empty

Multiple compartments

1 large main compartment + 1 zipped pocket

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Is this backpack at least a little bit waterproof?

This backpack is not waterproof. However, we do have a waterproof version available with additional cool features. You can check it out here:https://www.decathlon.com/products/compact-waterproof-20-liter-backpack-travel-100-309854?variant=31629361250366

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Used a dozen times a year as a backpack for food on trips with a larger backpack. It is quite durable, the small pocket is useful for small items. For this price I recommend it

Due to its minimal dimensions when stored, it is very useful as an additional handy backpack in case of off-trail situations during hikes, next to the main backpack, e.g. for quick shopping in the city. As a supplement, I recommend it in a set with a mini waist bag from the same series. Despite the price, both products are of great quality, with a very well-designed system of side pockets.

I always carry this backpack with me when traveling. It's the perfect solution to have an extra bag/backpack, without taking up space especially on the way there. Highly recommended.

good value for money

I have bought 5

Great value and size

In short, a super product.

super practical to leave under the bike saddle and take out whenever you need to transport purchases over short distances!

Perfect for short trips. Lightweight and doesn't take up much space.

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Main fabric: 100.0% Polyester ; Coating: 100.0% Polyurethane ; Webbing: 100.0% Polypropylene

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