Kånken No.2 - Beloved classic backpack now in new rustic style

The first Kånken backpack was launched in 1978 to help prevent back problems among Swedish school children and over the years it has become one of Fjällräven’s most popular products. Now a new version of Kånken is being launched in robust G-1000 HeavyDuty with leather details. 

Today’s Kånken is in principle the same product as the very first model, except for now there are more colours and sizes to choose between. One detail that has never been changed is its fabric Vinylon F – until now that is, when Fjällräven is releasing a special version as part of the Numbers product series.

Kånken No. 2 is made from G-1000 HeavyDuty, an extra durable version of Fjällräven’s hardwearing outdoor fabric, with handles and details in natural-toned leather. The material can be waxed with Greenland Wax for extra protection against weather and wear and it will acquire a beautiful sheen with time. The included sitting pad is made from G-1000 HeavyDuty and is padded – in contrast to the original’s which is in plastic foam.

The design of the backpack is the same as the original model; a large main compartment with a generous opening which makes it easy to pack or unpack a file or laptop computer, for example. There are also two side pockets and a zippered front pocket. The sitting pad is stowed in a back pocket and gives the pack structure and comfort while ensuring that the contents will not press against the wearer’s back. The flexible, adjustable shoulder straps are made from polypropylene.

Kånken No. 2 will be available in stores in summer 2014.

The history of Kånken

At the end of the 1970s, new statistics showed an increasing number of back problems among Swedish school children. Experts blamed this phenomena on the uneven weight distribution created by the then-popular shoulder bags, and claimed that pain would be reduced if the weight of school books was redistributed from one shoulder to two.

Fjällräven’s founder, Åke Nordin, read these reports and decided to do something about the problem. He designed an affordable and practical backpack that had plenty of space for school children’s books and binders. The backpack was named Kånken and it was launched in cooperation with the Swedish Scout Association, just in time for the start of the school year in 1978. It was a success and millions have been sold over the years.

In 2008, Kånken became the first backpack in the world to be climate compensated.