The Fjallraven Kanken is a digital nomad's dream
Today, I have one of my favourite collabs to date. Fjallraven have been kind enough to send me over one of their Kanken backpacks to test drive (and keep - because who would want that back once it's come in contact with my sweaty bod?).
As someone who would probably class himself as a digital nomad, ie - someone who can work from anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection - I thought this backpack would be the answer to all of my problems.
Turns out, it was.
Who are Fjallraven?
"Hailing from the small town of Örnsköldsvik in Sweden, a place where mountains and forest meet the sea, Fjällräven is an outdoor clothing and equipment company that’s committed to making nature more accessible. In true Swedish style, we focus on simplicity and practicality, and we have the utmost respect for the environment."
Straight to the point. I like it.
The Kanken
The Kanken (specifically, the Kanken No. 2 Black) backpack is by far my favourite in the Fjallraven range.
I don't want to pigeonhole them, but Fjallraven have become quite well known for their diddy little backpacks that Pinterest girls wear religiously. That is why I think the Kanken - the big daddy laptop version - offers the perfect alternative for those who want to escape this image and utilise the frankly brilliant Fjallraven range to its fullest.
After trying the Kanken for the past 6 weeks, here's why I've decided that it should be the go-to backpack for all digital nomads (and probably even those who just want a nice bag lol).
Why the Fjallraven Kanken is a digital nomad's dream
Where do we start with this one? There's so much to this Kanken that I simply didn't expect. Some of these may sound very, very trivial, but I'm going to explain each one and try to convince you cold hearted psychopaths why they actually make sense.
Let's list a few shall we?
Side bottle pockets
There's not many things worse than being out and about (being the #adventurer that you are...) and running out of water, is there?
Well, there's quite a lot of things worse than that but you know what I mean.
Anyway, having these little side pockets is perfect for putting either plastic bottles (yuck!!!!) or stainless steel bottles (yum!!!!) and keeping on top of your hydration gains all day. Seems trivial but having these on the outside of the backpack creates loads more room inside the bag to stuff full of other essentials like Yu-Gi-Oh cards or Beyblades.
Double compartments
The Kanken has two distinct compartments which is ideal for keeping stuff separated if you so please. For instance, a lot of backpacks will have a laptop sleeve in the back which is all well and good, but it's still not completely separate and easy to get to.
If you want to jump in and grab your lappy whilst you're in the airport, the Kanken has you covered. Just unzip the back part and dip in. You can also stuff notebooks, pens or even an iPad or something in there too. One compartment for tech and the other for clothes, etc. It's a modern day version of 'business up front, party in the back'. Think of it like a futuristic mullet, for your back. Or don't. Whatever.
Mat included
There's even a little slide-out mat in there, which is well hidden, but when you bring it out it's actually rather substantial. Since Fjallraven build their gear for adventurers, this mat can be used to sit on mountain sides for a rest when you're ascending to the summit of some huge monolith of a hill.
Whereas us digital nomads could probably just use it as a nice cushion to put on a dingy coffee shop stool.
Still a nice touch though...
Name tag
This is basically the grown-up version of your mum writing your name in the back of your school shirts so the grubby kids wouldn't steal your pristine whites.
In all seriousness though - it's a handy little feature to have in case for some reason, your bag gets waylaid. If you're a little wanderlust seeker much like myself then you might have to put your bag through airport security. No dramas if it ever gets lost then - your details will be right there inside.
You could probably do this with every bag ever - I know - but the fact that Fjallraven have thought ahead and put this in there is a nice touch. It's the little things.
Massive capacity in a small vessel
Absolute tardis vibes.
This backpack is perfect for taking on holiday and saving on luggage fees for the frequent travellers amongst us. Since the compartments zip all the way down, you can fill every inch with clothes, chargers and whatever else you like to stow away on your travels.
It travels well this little fella.
Looks
And obviously - the thing just looks damn good.
If you want to get your very own Fjallraven Kanken then you can find one here.
Be sure to follow me on socials to keep up with the daily goings on of The Man Blueprint. You can also sign up for my inner circle using the newsletter form above. Just drop your email in there and it’s job done. Completely free and completely brilliant. Whilst you’re here, have a little browse of some other article you might like below too. You won’t regret it.