Fjällräven kånken advice!
May 9, 2015 9:05 AM Subscribe
I'm looking to buy a practical backpack that will last and look good for hiking, walking around town, daytrips abroad, and more. I'm leaning towards a Fjällräven kånken due to their classic design and quality.
- Full-size kånken or the mini-kånken? (The little ones are cuter and seem easier to handle but probably can't hold my 13" laptop.)
- Could you recommend an online or brick-and-mortar shop? (I'm on the East Coast of the US but will be in Germany this summer and could wait if it'd be cheaper.)
- Any other advice for selecting or buying?
I've wanted one for a number of years but want to make the best decision possible and haven't seen enough in person to decide just yet. Thank you!
- Full-size kånken or the mini-kånken? (The little ones are cuter and seem easier to handle but probably can't hold my 13" laptop.)
- Could you recommend an online or brick-and-mortar shop? (I'm on the East Coast of the US but will be in Germany this summer and could wait if it'd be cheaper.)
- Any other advice for selecting or buying?
I've wanted one for a number of years but want to make the best decision possible and haven't seen enough in person to decide just yet. Thank you!
Best answer: I carry a Kanken Mini as my main purse. It most definitely won't fit a 13" laptop. I'm very pleased with the quality of my bag but it is extremely basic; I would choose a pack with padded straps for hiking. I bought mine at the Nantahala Outdoor Center but the last few times I was there, they didn't have any.
posted by workerant at 9:16 AM on May 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by workerant at 9:16 AM on May 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I would get a full-sized Kånken; the minis are very small, and all models are so lightweight that I don't think it would hurt to have the extra space available. You might also look at their laptop backpacks; I have the 15" version, and I really like having a separate pocket for my laptop. If you're near a brick-and-mortar shop that carries them, you should check it out. I doubt they're cheaper in Germany than in the States; I bought mine in the Netherlands and it was €100.
posted by neushoorn at 9:20 AM on May 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by neushoorn at 9:20 AM on May 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: rtha: Thank you for the super helpful store locator link -- not sure how I missed it before?! While there's nothing super close to me, I see a few places within 100 miles to check out.
workerant: I appreciate hearing about your personal experience! It sounds like I should go with the bigger pack for now but would love to eventually like to get a mini to use as a purse like you do.
neuschoorn: Thanks for your specifics about the bigger pack with the laptop pocket, which I'll definitely check out (in person at that!) Yes, it seems like the packs will cost a similar amount wherever I go, and it'd be good to have one before I hit road.
posted by smorgasbord at 9:59 AM on May 9, 2015
workerant: I appreciate hearing about your personal experience! It sounds like I should go with the bigger pack for now but would love to eventually like to get a mini to use as a purse like you do.
neuschoorn: Thanks for your specifics about the bigger pack with the laptop pocket, which I'll definitely check out (in person at that!) Yes, it seems like the packs will cost a similar amount wherever I go, and it'd be good to have one before I hit road.
posted by smorgasbord at 9:59 AM on May 9, 2015
Best answer: I just remembered this video, which might give you an idea of how big the 13" laptop backpack is.
posted by neushoorn at 10:12 AM on May 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by neushoorn at 10:12 AM on May 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I have the full sized Kånken, and I love it! The back pocket fits my laptop very well. The padding inside the large Kånken is removable if you want to cut down on weight (removing the padding made a huge improvement in the usability of the Kånken).
My one concern is that I'm not certain how well it would work for hiking, depending on what kind of hiking you are planning on doing. Short day hiking - probably would be a good fit. Longer hikes - there isn't enough support to make carrying heavy loads long distances - the shoulder straps are thin and not very well padded, plus there are no other supporting straps for chest or hips.
posted by baniak at 10:20 AM on May 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
My one concern is that I'm not certain how well it would work for hiking, depending on what kind of hiking you are planning on doing. Short day hiking - probably would be a good fit. Longer hikes - there isn't enough support to make carrying heavy loads long distances - the shoulder straps are thin and not very well padded, plus there are no other supporting straps for chest or hips.
posted by baniak at 10:20 AM on May 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I looked up the prices of the different Kånken models in Germany for you: Kånken Lap 79,95€, Kånken unisex 69,95€, Kånken big 99,95€, Kånken mini 59,95€. (The shop I linked to usually has very good prices in my experience, plus they are very customer friendly.)
posted by amf at 10:23 AM on May 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by amf at 10:23 AM on May 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: This store might be interesting too, not sure but I think comparing prices could be worth it.
posted by Too-Ticky at 10:44 AM on May 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Too-Ticky at 10:44 AM on May 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Nordstroms sells them in the Mens section (and also online). Sometimes they have sales. They also have free shipping and returns so far as I know.
There are also Fjallraven shops in NYC downtown.
I have this one and it holds my 15" Macbook pro and the other crap I usually haul around. The mini is basically a purse, but a good sized one. It might fit an iPad but not a laptop. It fits my massive passport wallet thing, a brick of a sketchbook, pencil bag and glasses case before it becomes over stuffed. Even full sized, it's a smallish, portable bag and very attractive to look at. Water resistant doesn't hurt either.
posted by palindromeisnotapalindrome at 2:59 PM on May 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
There are also Fjallraven shops in NYC downtown.
I have this one and it holds my 15" Macbook pro and the other crap I usually haul around. The mini is basically a purse, but a good sized one. It might fit an iPad but not a laptop. It fits my massive passport wallet thing, a brick of a sketchbook, pencil bag and glasses case before it becomes over stuffed. Even full sized, it's a smallish, portable bag and very attractive to look at. Water resistant doesn't hurt either.
posted by palindromeisnotapalindrome at 2:59 PM on May 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I thought I wanted to buy a kånken, but when I was in the store I ended up getting a Greenland Backpack (also by fjällräven). It's big enough for a laptop, but much sturdier than the kånkens. Wider straps, tougher material, heavier duty. If you're planning on using it outdoors a lot, and if it's likely to get a few scrapes and bumps, then I'd definitely go for this one over the kånken in terms of longevity. It doesn't unzip all the way around though, which makes accessing things at the bottom a little trickier - it depends what you'll be using it for most of the time.
This one is also good.
posted by twirlypen at 12:10 AM on May 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
This one is also good.
posted by twirlypen at 12:10 AM on May 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I can barely squeeze my 15" MBP (with a sleeve) into my Kånken, but it is possible. It's just so ... rectangular .. that you can fit a lot more than expected. It packs down very well; I used it as a daypack when I was out travelling for a couple of years 2011-2013 and it served me well. It lives on as my partner's favourite backpack.
posted by flippant at 1:46 AM on May 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by flippant at 1:46 AM on May 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
The East Coast is a big place, but their store locator returns a lot of results when I plugged in a random NYC ZIP code. You might get better advice if you specify where you are.
posted by rtha at 9:15 AM on May 9, 2015 [1 favorite]