Simond
Simond MT500 Mesh 2P dome tent (formerly Forclaz)
Where it fits
- Also works for
- Backpacking and wild camping
- Not for
- Winter mountain
Why these labels
- Backpacking and wild camping: Light to carry: 2.2 kg
- Winter mountain: 2-season rating, not built for winter storms
From the maker's stated use and the published specs.
- Summer wild camp: 5/10 UK, roughly May to September, nights above about 8 °C, sheltered pitches.
- Three-season hills: 6/10 UK hills in spring and autumn. Wind, rain, and nights near freezing.
- Winter camp: 4/10 UK winter or high ground. Below freezing, strong wind, possibly snow. Capped at 4: needs the maker's 4-season rating.
- Weight: 4/10 How much it adds to your pack, compared with the whole market.
Summer trips and warm nights: the inner is mesh and can be used alone to see the stars
- Sleeps
- 2
- Seasons
- 2-season
- Min. weight
- 2.25 kg
- Flysheet
- 2,000 mm
- Inner length
- 210 cm
Packed size 9 L, 39 x 16 x 15 cm Compare with a 2-litre bottle
A bit longer than a 2-litre bottle and about one and a half times as wide. Drawn to scale.
Where to buy
Decathlon UK £129.99 In stock. Delivery from £2.99, shown in the basket.
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 4/10How much it adds to your pack. This is the whole tent: two people sharing can split it. 4: A bit below average.
Decathlon's parts list gives flysheet 822 g + bedroom 826 g + pole kit 600 g = 2,248 g, in the 2.0–2.69 kg band. Decathlon's page states 2.6 kg in one place (with pegs and bags) and 2.4 kg in its spec table; all three are in the same band, so the choice does not change the score, and the more cautious 2.6 kg is used for the packed weight.
Rain protection
From maker's figures 7/10How well it keeps out heavy, long rain. 7: Better than most.
Flysheet over 2,000 mm is the 2,000–2,999 mm band (banded at 2,000 mm); the floor is over 5,000 mm, so no point is taken off.
Wind
Estimate: only 1 review about wind (fewer than the 3 we need, so never above 8) 8/10How steady it stays in strong wind on open ground. 8: Clearly better than most.
Not enough evidence: only Decathlon's buyers speak of wind (one reports gusts of 120 km/h, one says it did not flap), and the two video reviewers pitched it in calm air. Decathlon's own 65 km/h wind-tunnel test is not counted.
Space
From maker's figures 6/10Room to lie, sit up and keep kit inside. 6: A bit better than average.
Decathlon gives a rectangular 210 x 120 cm bedroom: 25,200 cm², or 2.52 m², so 1.26 m² each, in the 1.15–1.34 band. Bedroom height is 108 cm, and the two porches are 60 cm deep.
Packed size
From maker's figures 5/10How much room it takes in your rucksack. 5: Does the job. Average for wild-camping gear.
Decathlon states a 9 L compression bag (39 x 16 x 15 cm works out to 9.36 L; a plan on its page says 8 L), in the 7–9.9 L band.
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
Pitching*
Reviewers' average 8/10How quickly and easily one person can pitch it, including in wind and rain.
3 reviews on pitching, e.g. "Facile a mettre en place et a ranger".
Condensation*
Estimate: only 2 reviews about condensation (fewer than the 3 we need, so never above 8) 7/10How dry it stays inside on still, damp nights; higher is drier.
2 reviews on condensation, e.g. "attention quand il y a la rosée du matin sans la bâche, tout l’intérieur devient trempé…".
Durability*
Estimate: only 1 review about durability (fewer than the 3 we need, so never above 8) 6/10How well the fabric, poles, zips and seams hold up over seasons of use.
1 review on durability, e.g. "après quelques utilisation deux joncs un orange et un noir ont été cassé".
In short
Good for
- Summer trips and warm nights: the inner is mesh and can be used alone to see the stars
- Walkers who want a freestanding two-person tent at a low price
- Trips where weight matters less than ventilation and price
Strengths
- Freestanding dome with two doors, two 60 cm porches and a 108 cm bedroom height
- Fly over 2,000 mm and floor over 5,000 mm, with heat-taped seams
- Easy first pitch: colour-coded poles, a clip system and an inner you can use alone
- Lots of mesh and two fly vents for airflow (Decathlon buyers report little condensation in warm weather)
- 5-year warranty; Decathlon sells the bedroom, fly and pole section as spare parts
Weaknesses
- Heavy for the hills: 2.25 kg in its parts and 2.6 kg all in
- Rated 2-season by Decathlon: the mesh inner is draughty on cold nights, and some buyers got a wet inner from morning dew without the fly
- Packs to 9 L (39 x 16 x 15 cm)
- Walking Nature World finds few pockets, a black inner that hides insects, and no footprint included
- A few buyers report broken pole sections and thin floors
- Wind and durability are estimates, not reviewed scores: no independent review tests the tent over a long period or in strong wind
Sources
We haven't tested this ourselves. Every score comes from these specs, tests and reviews.
ShowHide sources (5)
- Decathlon UK: 2-person trekking dome tent MT500 Mesh (specifications)
- Walking Nature World: MSR dupe from Decathlon that has some unique features, Forclaz MT500 Mesh dome trekking tent
- Edgaras Neverdauskas: Foggy day tent setup and review, Forclaz MT500 Mesh dome trekking tent 2-person
- Decathlon UK customer reviews: 2-person MT500 Mesh dome tent (107 reviews, about 4.4 out of 5; we read 30 of them, 3 of 11 pages)
- Outzer: Avis Forclaz MT 500 2025 (MT500 Mesh user test)