Why I like to travel with the 16 liter Fjalraven Kanken

 Is the 16 liter Fjallraven Kanken good for travel? Yes. It is excellent for traveling as personal item in an aircraft and also excellent as your only bag, if you can pack light. 

What are the benefits of traveling with the 16 liter Fjallraven kanken?

Although this is a trendy backpack, there's more to it than just the looks.

I really like taking the 16-liter classic Fjallraven Kaken on my trips for 5 main reason:

1. Shape

The boxy shape of the backpack allows for a perfect space occupation which maximizes storage.

Curvy backpacks may look sleek and aerodynamic, but do not allow us to maximize space, while a boxy shape allows every corner of the backpack to be used.

In the picture below I included a visual example of what I mean. 

The rectangle on the left, is similar to the classic Fjallraven Kanken backpack: a boxy rectangle. The blue area represents the space we can occupy inside the backpack.

The picture on the right represents a backpack that has the same rectangle base, but a more aerodynamic look and is not entirely boxy. Again, the blue area represents the space we can occupy inside the backpack, but in this case, the red areas represent the space that has been cut out by having a more curvy or aerodynamic cut of the backpack. 

When comparing the two rectangles (i.e., backpacks) it is very easy to understand that the picture on the left has more space to be filled than the picture on the right (where the area in red represents the missed space due to the curvy cut of the backpack).

So the boxy shape of the Kanken backpack does allow for a good maximization of the space, even when other more aerodynamic look backpacks have the same capacity in liters.

2. Has a lot of space inside

The classic 16 liter backpack may look smaller than many 20 liter competitors, and it is! 

However, there is only one laptop sleeve inside and no other compartments. The rest of the bag is entirely open for use.

Because the Fjallraven Kanken has no compartments, it allows us to maximize space. Since there is no extra fabric inside limiting any space, in my opinion, this makes it the perfect box-shapped backpack with the inside entirely at our disposal to fill.

The backpack also has a front pocket that may look small but can take a lot of small things, like wallet, phone, chargers, passports, keys. I've even put a small book inside this bag.

It is impressive how we can maximize space when the shape is right and there is open space inside the bag.

3. Opens up entirely

Lastly, you can open the front of backpack entirely which makes it perfect for packing and getting your things properly stored inside. This makes it very easy to fit a packing cube inside and organize all your travel items very well.

If you can pack light, this could be the best backpack to use as your only bag when travelling, even with only 16 liters!

Check my article on How to travel only with a small 10 liter backpack to get some ideas how you can make your Fjallraven Kanken backpack work as your only travel bag.

4. Quality materials

I really like the materials of the backpack. The fabric is waterproof and very durable. This backpack will be resistant for a daily use.

I use my backpack for a lot of things but more importantly for traveling. This is when I carry the heavier stuff, when I put it on the floor on coffee shops, airports, and many other places, and when I keep taking things out and putting things inside. So, it is when I give it the most use.

I've owned it for a few years now and haven't noticed and wear and tear that could indicate it would require replacement. It looks like it's new.

Also, one of the areas where many backpacks start to fail are the zippers, which open and close many times and end up failing. 

This has not been the case with my Fjallraven Kanken. The zippers are still going strong and do not look like they will fail anytime soon.

The quality of the Fjallraven Kanken backpack is very impressive and it looks like it will last many years. 

5. Thin Laptop sleeve inside

The only compartment inside the backpack is a laptop sleeve. The compartment is separated by a very thin fabric which does not take and space but still protects whatever you decide to put inside this compartment.

I store my 15-inch laptop inside and it fits properly.

But most of the times, I just put a 10 inch tablet inside this pocket. The tablet doubles as many things, but for me, the most important use is as an e-reader, so that is why I usually bring it with me.

Since I keep my tablet inside my backpack this sleeve allows me to save a lot of space by not needing to take any bulkier hard-copy books. It can also replace a laptop for non-intensive tasks while traveling.

So the laptop sleeve is very useful and allows me to save a lot of space.

What are the challenges of traveling with the 16 liter Fjallraven Kanken?

There are always downsides for anything, even when we're talking about a quality product such as the Fjallraven Kanken.

In my experience of using this backpack there are 2 things that are negative: 

1. It is expensive

In my opinion this is the most significant downside of this bag. It is very difficult to see your cash go when you decide to invest in one of these bags.

We can clearly see we are paying for a high quality backpack, but it is still a pricy item.

However, in my opinion, it is still has a good value for money, since it will probably last many many years, and if you plan to travel a lot with just one very lightweight backpack, this might be the best investment you make.

2. It doesn't come with soft shoulder pads

The backpack by default doesn't come with padded shoulders. If you want to have padded shoulder you need to by these separately.

Honestly, I don't think I ever felt I needed it, but still, it is extra money you need to spend.

Conclusion

I really like to travel with the classic 16 liter Fjallraven Kanken. It's boxy shape and the open space with only a laptop sleeve compartment inside makes it very spacious inside. 

It is also very easy to pack since it opens up entirely giving you full access to the inside of the backpack.

The Fjallraven Kanken is also made with very quality fabric which are very durable and will last for a long time. I have yet to see any wear and tear to mine!

The downside of the Fjallraven Kanken is the fact of it being expensive and not including padded shoulders to additional comfort.

However, I still feel that given the quality and particular shape of this backpack, which allows for a perfect packing, in my opinion, the value for money is still very good.