Fjällräven Rucksack No. 21

The Fjällräven Rucksack No21 looks like a classic canvas backpack from decades ago. However it is a modern pack. The base material is G-1000, a combination of 35 % cotton and 65 % polyester. The water resistance can be improved by waxing it. Fjällräven sells his own wax product for this: Greenland Wax. This is made from a mixture of beeswax and paraffin.

Just like old school classic backpacks it doesn’t have zippers. It’s drawstrings and buckles only. The front pocket and side pockets don’t have any closure at all. However the top of each pocket is somewhat tighter than the rest of the pocket. This will keep your stuff clamped inside the pack.

The front pocket of the Fjällräven Rucksack No21. Suitable for small easy to reach items. Source: www.canvasandleather.com

The main compartment can be closed with a drawstring to make sure that everything stays in the pack. It also makes it possible to overload the pack a little bit.

Drawstring closure under the main closure lid. Source: www.drop.com

The shape of the pack is maintained by a rubber insert mat. This is the same principle that is done with the Dutch army daypack. However this mat is more luxury.

The model 21 is available in 3 different sizes: Small (15 L), Medium (20 L) and Large (30 L).

For the Medium model the shoulder straps are 6,5 cm × 37 cm. They are not extremely padded but due to the width it spreads the load and gives comfort. The attachment to the pack and the adjustment in length is a little different from most modern backpacks.

At the top are small leather straps. Disadvantage of this is that the straps are easily twisted in the wrong way. At the bottom is a classic buckle for the adjustment of the length of the shoulder straps. While this system doesn’t allow you to tighten the pack to you body while wearing it, it also makes sure that there is no annoying buckle poking under your armpit.

The side pockets are a little bit hidden inside the pack instead of real outer pockets. They are big enough for a water bottle, small foldable umbrella, small camera tripod etc.