Fjällräven Kånken Bags

Fjällräven made the Kånken in 1978 because Swedish schoolchildren were getting bad backs from shoulder bags, and it hasn't changed much since. The Classic is the original at 16 litres, the Mini is the same bag scaled down for a child or for carrying like a handbag, and the Laptop versions add a padded sleeve in 13, 15 and 17 inch. Alongside the backpacks there are slings, hip packs, totepacks and the shoulder pads, chest straps and rain covers that go with them. We're a UK stockist. There's more in backpacks and bags.

Fjällräven Kånken Classic, Mini and Laptop Backpacks

The Classic is the one everyone pictures: 16 litres, 36 by 27.5 by 12 centimetres, 300 grams, boxy, one big zip, and a foam pad in the back pocket that pulls out to sit on. That was for Swedish schoolchildren waiting for the bus. The Mini is the same bag scaled down, which makes it a child's bag or a handbag depending on who's carrying it. The Laptop versions are taller and add a padded sleeve, sized 13, 15 and 17 inch, and they're the ones to buy if a laptop is going in every day. The Classic will hold a slim laptop but has no padding for it, so check the dimensions on the product page before you rely on it. The Classic and Mini are made in Vinylon F, a fabric that swells a little when wet so it sheds light rain; No. 2 uses heavier G-1000 canvas with leather trim, Re-Kånken is recycled polyester and Re-Wool is wool. None of them are waterproof.

Kånken Slings, Hip Packs and Totepacks

The shape has spread well beyond the backpack. The Sling and the Crossbody both go over one shoulder, the Sling sitting flatter against the back and the Crossbody more upright at the front; either works as a going-out bag in a way the backpack doesn't. The Hip Pack is the bum-bag version and the Totepack has handles as well as straps, so it carries either way. Colours change every season and we'd rather point you at the filters than print a list that goes out of date, but the product names all carry the colour if you're searching for a particular one.

Kånken Straps, Pads and Rain Covers

Most of the accessories here exist to make a full bag more comfortable. The Classic has no chest strap, so a heavy load pulls the shoulder straps outward; the clip-on chest strap fixes that. The straps themselves are thin webbing, which is what the shoulder pads are for. The seat pad is a replacement for the one in the back pocket, and the rain cover is for the days Vinylon F isn't enough. If you're carrying a Classic every day with books or a laptop in it, we'd add the shoulder pads at the same time.

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