Decathlon Modular Zip Off Trousers Forclaz Trek 100 Review

I am going to start doing reviews of my travel gear for no reason at all. Let's begin with these Decathlon convertible hiking pants, which I have been wearing pretty much nonstop for the past 6 months (albeit in non-travel settings).

Appearance, sizing & fit:

I like the aggressively unfashionable aesthetic, but I must admit they look quite ugly on me. I was in between sizes so I sized up, and now I have trousers I practically swim in. Lesson: do not size up!

Material:

What these pants lack in aesthetics, they make up in comfort. They are made of 2 materials: main fabric in dark grey and stretch panels in black. 

The main fabric is 100% polyamide and feels like board shorts or Kipling bag material, if that makes sense. It's actually quite soft and has a nice drape. 

The stretch panels, which appear at the butt and knees, are polyamide/elastane blend. They feel a little less breathable than the main fabric but not enough to bother me. According to Decathlon the stretch fabric is slightly water repellent but I don't know what the point of that is.

I'm extremely happy with the materials used as (a) the pants dry almost overnight (b) any moisture wicks away very quickly (c) THEY DON'T GET SMELLY. I have worn this almost daily for 3 weeks without washing, with no noticeable smell. Have yet to find out how long they can go without needing to be washed.

Functionality:

I first saw these being worn by staff at Adventure HQ so I suppose they will suit any situation where chafing, breakage, ripped seams, etc. are a concern. I wear them to work at the bookstore and they are fine. I am OK to bend and squat in them because the waistband is slightly elastic and doesn't give me plumber's butt.

Pockets-wise, they are merely satisfactory. There are 3 pockets but only 1 of them is zippered (pocket on thigh) which means they're really only suitable for fairly sedate, upright activities. Cycling, riding horses, or lying down will most definitely put your belongings at risk. While there is 1 zippered pocket, I'm not a big fan of the position and find it awkward that there isn't a matching one on the left leg to balance things out.

Initially I thought the zip-off legs were the best feature, but I realise I rarely convert them into shorts. They're roomy and breathable enough to be comfortable in hot weather anyway.

Use cases:

These would be my first choice for travelling around Southeast Asia, South Asia, or any other warm place. The length, bagginess, and breathability make them extremely practical for humidity and mosquitoes (and they're modest too if that's a concern). 

They're also comfortable enough to sleep in, so could work for train trips. I'd just be sure to keep any valuables in the zippered pocket or somewhere else on my body. 

Verdicf:

These are my favourite everyday pants/shorts as they pass a number of important personal criteria:

Can I wear them all day and not feel icky? Yes. 

Can I go for a buffet in them? Yes.

Can I do yoga in them? Yes.

Can I cycle in them? Sort of - have to take care that belongings don't fall out of pockets.

Can I sleep in them? Yes.

That said...

I am leaving them behind when we go to the UK though. I like to keep everything important on me, so the open pockets are a negative. As it'll be cold, I don't think I'd find convertible function useful. In addition I don't think they'd be great in the rain - the excess fabric would just get wet and be a drag. Stay tuned for my UK travel pants post.