Fjallraven Kanken

I got this little backpack to use while attending an exec education program. It is a powerhouse! I fit my laptop, pens, notebook, snacks, water bottle, coffee mug, sweatshirt and small purse plus my phone into this bag daily. The size is perfect for a laptop that is 17” or smaller and you get an amazing array of colors to chose from which I appreciated. The zippers are sturdy and the fabric is a type of canvas, has a thick feel that holds up well and also washes well. Just make sure to remove the foam pad in the inner pocket used to cushion the pack when it’s on your back. I don’t think this pad would survive a washer/dryer cycle without damage. Cool European style and makes a great weekend travel bag to haul all your stuff at the winery or while biking the waterfront. Definitely recommend!

First, some background: I purchased my first Kanken on a trip to Canada in 2015. At first I was skeptical of the narrow unpadded straps, but the sales person told me she had thought that as well and that they work better than one might think. Ten years and several more Kankens later, I can say that she was right! The Kanken Original 16L is a fantastic choice for me. I recommend it for anyone who is short both in overall height and in the torso. I am 5’2, narrow shouldered and with a short torso. It is hard to find packs that carry a reasonable load and do not bother my neck or lower back. I find the Kanken capacity ideal for daily, casual use as well as a carry-on for flights. The open ended design means the bag can be packed and organized for a variety of purposes. It makes a fantastic camera bag, grocery bag and day pack for moderate excursions. I find the sternum straps that Fjallraven sells make the Kanken even more functional. I have a few in different colors and swap them out to change the look of the bag. I finally decided to leave a review because I am SO TIRED of reviews that fault the two side pockets for not fitting water bottles. A little research of the product, found on their website, makes clear that this bag was created in 1978. I for one am old enough to recall the 70s. No one, and I do mean no one, was carrying water, much less in personal bottles, in 1978. You were lucky to have soda or an old canteen that was your grandfather’s in the car on long trips. We used water fountains at school and moms who liked to splurge kept tiny paper cups by the sink. Doubtless that makes me sound old, but I hate seeing such a fantastic product maligned because some people do not understand the context in which it was created. I also admit that the straps will not feel good for some people. It’s important to remember with backpacks that they are not a one size fits all item. Everybody’s shoulders and necks are different. For example, one of my daughters loves the design of the Kanken, but it does not suit her neck and shoulders. My son, meanwhile, loves carrying one. The Original 16L Kanken is a high quality product. Its versatility and function have gotten me all around town and even around the world more than once. I have yet to wear one out and I look forward to many more years of use.

I got this backpack for my daughter and we love it! It’s made with super strong material and the color is gorgeous. It’s like a TARDIS—bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside. It looks small but is extra roomy. My daughter stuffs the backpack to the gills, as it easily holds stuffed animals, markers, her sketchbook, books and even clothes, without ever looking too full. At first I thought it was an expensive purchase, but I am pleasantly surprised by its quality and durability. Definitely worth every time penny. I completely recommend it. You will not be disappointed! 10/10.

awesome, same as the picture and is original, perfect for travel as personal object

Very beautiful bag. My daughter love it. Size & color , perfect!

For pretty much all intents and purposes, this is a great bag. I'm a city bicycle commuter and student that regularly bikes between 5 and 10 miles a day with lots of books, and I'm really impressed (and frankly somewhat baffled) by how well the flimsy looking straps distribute weight. As others have mentioned, the side pockets are far too small for any normal sized water bottle, but I find that they're great for holding an umbrella on one side and my iPod on the other, without any fear that either will fall out. Even when stuffed, this bag is quite slim (great if you ride lots of crowded, rush hour buses or metros) and it really does fit a lot more than you would expect. I've attached a photo of my Kanken with a fairly standard day's worth of stuff: umbrella + iPod (side pockets), keys, pepper spray, headphones, phone charger, and lip balm (front pocket, along with other small miscellany), wallet, light jacket, scarf, deodorant, water bottle, snacks, six books of varying sizes, and a small sketchbook (main compartment). If necessary I could also slide my 13" laptop into the designated compartment, and the bag would still feel pretty weightless, somehow. In the past I've found that my standard $40 Target backpack felt quite heavy with the same amount of stuff in it, but the Kanken somehow pulls its weight, and doesn't bother me even while scaling big hills on my bike. There are just two issues that I don't by any means consider deal-breakers, but wish I had seen them mentioned in other reviews prior to purchasing: 1. Scuffing - As you can see from the photo, my Warm Yellow Kanken is quite dirty, just after roughly one month of use. That said, I am very active and use the bag daily, so it's somewhat expected. Even so, my very first outing with this bag was an evening of barhopping, and I was pretty shocked by how many inexplicable black marks it picked up by the time I got home. I haven't yet tried running it through a gentle wash cycle, as some sites have recommended, though dabbing plain water with a little bit of gentle detergent was helpful for bad spots the first and only time I tried it. After using it a bit more, the dirt has blended in better with the regular wear and tear, meaning it's not nearly as shocking as it first was, but nevertheless it's still sadly noticeable. Long story short: don't go with the light colors. I think I would love this bag twice as much if I had opted for a darker color, but alas. Don't make the same mistake I did. 2. Lack of interior pockets - Though the bag holds a lot, you're kind of out of luck if you're trying to quickly grab your wallet from the bottom of your packed bag without holding up the bus fare line. Besides the laptop slot closest to your back, the large compartment is a free-for-all, and you kind of have no choice but to unzip it all the way, and maybe even remove most of the contents, in order to find things that aren't right on top. This probably wouldn't be much of an issue if you were using this bag as more of a purse full of lots of small things instead of a book bag, but because it has a zipper that extends down both sides (as opposed to an opening on top) you need to lay it down on its back and shift things around instead of casually rifling through to find what you need. All in all, I really do like this bag. It's so far proved very sturdy, waterproof, and perfect for serious bike commuting as well as casual daytime use. If you're ready to move up in the world from generic backpacks that barely last a season before falling apart, or just want a way to carry your things without killing your back and shoulders, I'd definitely recommend this to you!

I love the quality and the color

While getting ready for her senior year in high school my daughter found this bag on Amazon and fell in love. I can see there's a lot to like about it from her perspective, and from mine I like that it has a 2 year warranty and is backed by a company that sells its products in over 20 countries worldwide and has been in business for over 50 years. With its hipster good looks, abrasive and weather resistant fabric and diminutive yet functional size, the Fjallravel Kanken Daypack works well as a school bag or work tote. The plethora of color choices and utilitarian style make it a bag to consider if you're tired of traditional, larger daypacks. With two side pockets - good for water bottles, gloves, calculators or similar and a front zip pocket, the bag provides smaller storage areas in addition to its main compartment. Inside the main compartment is a foam insert which acts as padding for your back when the daypack is worn using the shoulder straps, and it can also be taken out and used as a cushion if needed. In the same slot that the cushion is stored you could also carry an iPad, Chromebook or similar up to 13", but padding in that compartment without the foam insert is nil. Carrying handles are on the top of the bag, and can be used alternatively to the thin, unpadded shoulder straps. The bottom of the bag is not padded or reinforced, and there is no leather on the bag. The canvas construction is durable and the zippers are adequate and on par with the build quality for the rest of the bag. The logo is reflective. Scuffs and scrapes will show on this bag (we purchased a burgundy and navy combo colored one. This provides a distressed look to the bag which really adds to the overall urban aesthetic. This bag may not as big as many would like it to be, but it does utilize the space well. A 2" 3-ring binder and 2-3 books will fit into it with ease, and the pack fits snug to the body when the straps are worn. Because it's not huge, it works really well for women or men who don't want a huge pack, and like the option to wear or carry their pack. I do wish the bottom of the bag was reinforced a bit more than it is, and I would like to see a bit of padding on the straps. The zippers and stitching seem OK, but only time will tell if they can hold up to daily use and strain. Thankfully the 2 year warranty from Fjallraven is in place from the time of purchase and lots of these packs have been sold around the globe, leading me to believe the higher than average price is worth the splurge on a bag that will likely provide years of enjoyment and service. ------------------------- Per the Fjallraven Website: Height: 38 cm Width: 27 cm Depth: 13 cm Weight: 300 g Volume: 16 L Materials: Vinylon-F - no animal products used in this bag. *Clean with soft brush and lukewarm water. ------------------------- NOTE: Several buyers mention receiving 'fake' bags. I'd suggest buying directly from Amazon as I did. This way you're eliminating the worry of returns that may be an issue if you purchase from Marketplace Sellers on Amazon. ==================================================