Forclaz Trek 500 Convertible Hiking Pants Review

Overview

The Forclaz Trek 500 Convertible is Decathlon’s answer to the zip-off hiking pant: a pair of full-length trousers that become shorts without a boot removal, built from a dual-fabric mix of a durable main nylon and stretch panels where the body bends. It is aimed at three-season hikers who want one bottom layer to cover cool mornings and hot afternoons. The trade-off is the familiar one for the category: more pockets and more versatility than a purpose-built hiking short, with a few more zippers and seams to wear out.

Key Specs

Spec	Detail
Weight	150 g
Main fabric	100% polyamide
Yoke fabric	88% polyamide, 12% elastane
Gusset fabric	85% polyamide, 15% elastane
Lining	100% polyester
Water repellency	Front lower legs and seat
Convertible	Zips off to shorts without removing shoes
Pockets	2 zipped hand, 2 zipped thigh (with inner mesh patch pocket), 1 zipped back
Inseam, pants (size L)	32.8 in
Inseam, shorts (size L)	10.8 in
Hem width, pants (size L)	8.4 in
Hem width, shorts (size L)	10.4 in

Performance

Fabric and weather. The pants split their personality by zone. The main body is plain polyamide, the yoke and gusset add elastane for stretch, and the front lower legs and seat carry a water-repellent finish. The practical effect is that the areas most likely to meet wet grass, drizzle, or a damp rock get some protection, while the hips and crotch keep their freedom of movement for high steps. Indiahikes, which tested the Trek 500 trousers across snow, scree, stream crossings, and dusty trails, singled out the repellent patches for praise, and noted they are tinted a darker blue to set them apart visually. Owners on retail listings describe water beading off in a gale and the fabric drying quickly afterward. This is a repellent finish, not rain gear. In sustained downpours, the pants will wet through like any other nylon trouser.

Comfort and heat. Customer reviews on Decathlon’s U.S. listings average 4.6 out of 5 across 106 ratings, with breathability, quick drying, and comfort the recurring themes. One walker who covered 183 km of the Camino in hot weather reported staying cool and comfortable in the stretchy fabric, and that the pants dried overnight between stages. The zip-off feature does the rest of the thermal work: when the afternoon turns hot, the legs come off over boots, and the 10.8 in inseam on the size L shorts lands at a conventional hiking-short length rather than a cargo-shorts-to-the-knee one.

Pockets. Six zipped pockets is a lot of storage for a pant at this price: two hand pockets, two thigh pockets with an internal mesh patch pocket, and one rear. Zipped storage means a phone, permit, or snack won’t escape during a scramble or a seated lunch. Buyers do note that the thigh cargo pockets could be larger, though the hand pockets are roomy enough for a pair of gloves. Some reviewers raise the pocket design and leg fit as the pants’ main sticking points.

Fit and adjustment. Sizing runs true according to the majority of owners. The size L pants taper to an 8.4 in hem, which can be cinched via an ankle adjuster, and the shorts open to 10.4 in, a decent amount of room for knee movement. That ankle adjuster is the weak point mentioned by one buyer: after a ten-day trek, the tightener on one of two pairs broke on a second outing. A single report is not a trend, but it points toward the hardware, not the fabric, as the likelier failure.

Durability. Forclaz’s reinforced-seat Decathlon trousers have drawn mixed durability reports, including a hiker on a UK bushcraft forum who tore the seat on a sharp rock during a stop on the way to a refuge. Those are not necessarily the same garments, but a nylon seat on rough granite deserves some care. With convertibles in general, zippers at the thigh are a second place to look for wear after a season of heavy use.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Zip-off legs convert without removing boots
• Stretch yoke and gusset allow high steps and scrambling
• Water-repellent treatment on the lower legs and seat, the zones that get wet first
• Six zipped pockets, including a mesh organizer inside the thigh pocket
• Quick-drying polyamide shell; owners report overnight drying
• Strong owner satisfaction (4.6/5 across 106 ratings) at a budget price

Cons

• Water repellency is a light finish, not a rain barrier
• Thigh pockets are on the small side, per owners
• Ankle tightener reported failing on one pair after a long trek
• Convertible zippers add potential failure points compared with fixed pants or shorts
• Reinforced Forclaz seats have torn on sharp rock for at least one hiker

Who Should Buy This

Hikers and trekkers who run the full temperature swing in a day, such as alpine starts followed by warm valley afternoons, and want a single piece to handle both, will find the best use here. It also suits budget-minded section hikers, travelers who value zipped pockets, and anyone who doesn’t want to stop and unlace boots to change legwear. Hikers who spend most of their time in heavy rain, or who want a pure shorts-only setup for hot desert miles, should look to dedicated rain pants or a standalone hiking short instead.

Verdict

The Trek 500 Convertible is a practical, well-liked, low-cost solution for variable-temperature trekking, with sensible stretch placement, repellent panels where they matter, and a pocket count that rivals pricier pants. The hardware and seat durability keep it from being a long-haul workhorse. For three-season hiking and travel, it is a good buy.