Kanken Review, for those of you considering purchasing one!
Full Disclosure, I am an employee of Fjallraven, however, I’m just a sales associate and we are not paid commission, so please don’t interpret this as a shill.
I recently used my (not gonna lie, pretty hefty) staff discount to purchase a 17″ Laptop Kanken in graphite. Previously, for school, I used a TIMBUK2 Rogue backpack, which served me well and will continue to serve me well into the future (more on that in a second). I purchased the Kanken for it’s lifetime guarantee (make sure you purchase them from a Fjallraven store or website, otherwise we cannot verify that it’s legitimate and cannot give you warranty service) and because of the fact that the stitching seemed incredibly durable, as well as the handles and laptop pocket.
Starting off with the pros;
The front compartment flap unzips all the way to the bottom of the bag, and as someone who travels a decent amount i find it INCREDIBLY convenient.
The structure of the bag doesn’t feel like it’s trapping heat, even when the bag is loaded full of stuff, meaning your back isn’t gonna get all sweaty. (This is one of the main reasons I replaced my TIMBUK2)
The handles are comfortable and i plan to see how well it works as a tote bag on my next trip up to the grocery store.
Due to it’s shape you can fit almost anything into it really really easily, and the flat bottom is really convenient (my Rogue did not have a flat bottom)
Overall, the bags are generally just very very durable and practical.
It is worth noting that the PADS FOR THE STRAPS (15$) ARE AN ABSOLUTE MUST if you’re carrying really heavy loads, that being said allow me to move onto the cons;
They’re kind of awkward to carry around. Before you really break them in, they have very little sag or give, and when you’re on public transport they can be kinda awkward to handle. In addition, they tend to stick out a LOT, so if you enter a store with tight shelves, take it off and carry it by the handles to ensure you don’t destroy the shop you’re in.
Now, every kanken comes with a seat pad in the back slide of the main compartment - this was originally intended for schoolchildren to sit on while waiting for school buses, as most bus stops in Sweden didn’t have benches back in 1978. This also helps the bag hold it’s shape, so if you’re going to go Converse on it and beat the shit out of it until it’s uniquely you, go right ahead and whip it out and trash it (it’s literally a PVC foam mat, like the stuff you find in electronics boxes.) However, if you’re looking to maintain the rigid square shape, make sure you leave it in, you never know when the concrete’s gonna put a hurting on your ass or the only seat left on the metro/bus is completely nasty.
The only other issue I’ve had with my Kanken is that the straps are very difficult to adjust. However, this is a benefit in that the straps don’t sag or slide if you shift the weight to one side (I typically only wear one strap.)
With all of that being said, there are 3 materials the Kanken are made of; Vinylon, Fjallraven’s G1000 Polycotton blend, and recycled plastic polymide.
If you’re just looking for a decent water resistant backpack, for what you might use a backpack for, just go with the original Kanken, or it’s several laptop sizes.
If you’re looking for a heritage bag with an investment, that you can use for literally decades, consider the Kanken No. 2. The G1000 polycotton develops a beautiful patina over time, and when waxed, is very nearly waterproof. The leather detailing is beautiful and the fabric is closer to canvas than anything else.
If you consider yourself a little bit of a treehugger, OR if you enjoy embroidery or sewing patches onto your backpacks, consider purchasing a RE-Kanken. The fabric is soft, spun dyed and is made from recycled ocean plastic, which is great for the environment and is super resistant to fading. The only issue with the re-kanken is that it comes in a very limited range of (somewhat fluorescent) colours, and there are no laptop styles available in this line.
I hope this information helped some of you out, and happy travels!
