Fjallraven Skule 20 Review

Want a Fjallraven bag but find the Kankens too casual? Perhaps the Skule 20 is a better fit. Yes, Kanken variations, such as the Outlong, may have two water bottle pockets sticking out of its sides for your hydration needs, but the Skule 20 is more all-in with outdoor features. It has a bungee cord, a fairly comprehensive harness system, and better organization, thanks to a dedicated front compartment.

So, is the Skule 20 the Fjallraven bag to get if you’re all about that functionality and less about aesthetics? Let’s find out!

External Components

The main fabric used here is 600-denier recycled polyester. It doesn’t sound too impressive compared to Fjallraven’s other materials, like G-1000, but it’s tough enough so long as you don’t purposefully drag it against gravel or something similar. It’s perfectly suited for everyday commutes and the occasional outdoor trek where the bag would come into contact with grass and dirt, but we wouldn’t push it past that vague limit. We found one small blemish on the bag’s bottom left side, though it’s thankfully superficial and doesn’t appear to be deteriorating further (nor do we think it will any time soon, to be fair).

For the most part, the Skule 20 has all the right ingredients for a quality-feeling backpack. In addition to the relatively solid fabric, the quality hardware and zippers are from Woojin and YKK. Both brands are highly regarded for their reliability (they make A LOT of bag components), and that’s reflected well with the Skule 20. The buckles click and stay locked without any noticeable flex, and there are no leftover plastic bits sticking out from the molding process. Meanwhile, zippers glide easily, but not so easily that they unzip by accident.

Fans of the brand’s Kanken line might point to the Skule 20 and say it’s not a Fjallraven bag, maybe even innocently misidentifying it as something from The North Face or Patagonia. Indeed, if you disregard the fox logo, focus on the bungee, and notice how the bag is round and non-uniform, it plays the part of an outdoor backpack quite well. The overall aesthetics may not satiate those who’re craving for an outdoors Kanken, but at least this Patina Green colorway might get some most of the way there (there’s also a Terracotta Brown version, which looks even more Kanken-like).

Whether we like the looks or not is really more of a secondary consideration in our book because this bag’s functionality more than makes up for any visual letdowns. Spearheading this is the bungee cord setup at the front. This is very useful for carrying bulky gear you don’t necessarily want inside the bag, whether it’s too dirty (like a pair of sandals) or need quick access to it (like a packable jacket). This is obviously useful when you’re doing outdoor activities, but we also appreciate it for commutes and travel. You never know when you need to quickly stow a pouch, a hat, or a travel brochure, and this bungee cord is elastic enough to hold those, even temporarily.

You can loosen the bungee using the cinch at the top, and through this we are able to fit a pair of sandals. That said, bulkier footwear like tennis shoes or skate shoes are too big. Fortunately, you can still get creative and maybe use the shoelaces to tie footwear like those to the bungee. Whichever way you go, the bungee’s versatility is a huge plus for an outdoors backpack.

Off to the sides are water bottle pockets, which should be a staple feature of any backpack designed for outdoor use. Ironically, the Skule 20’s water bottle pockets stay flush against the bag’s side when unoccupied, contrasting the Kanken Outlong’s pockets, which stick out. We like the Skule’s approach better since it’s a much sleeker look. On the other hand, the pockets aren’t as deep as we’d hope. Their elasticity is encouraging, but tall bottles like a 21-ounce Hydro Flask don’t sit deep enough to prevent them from falling out in case the bag tips over, and taller bottles would suffer the same fate even if they can fit.

We can remedy this by using the compression straps above to anchor the bottle’s lid (assuming there’s a handle or loop built-in). But on that note, the compression straps themselves introduce a longstanding nitpick.

We’ll preface by saying that compression straps have their use, and we don’t object to wanting a tighter, more cinched-down backpack to help with carrying comfort. Where we start to take issue is when compression straps go over zipper tracks, hindering access to whatever compartment that zipper covers. In the Skule 20’s case, that’s the main compartment, and it’s a pain to maneuver the zippers when they go past the compression straps—something they inevitably do when you fully open the compartment. We can just undo the straps’ buckles so they’re out of the way entirely, but then the straps would be dangling, which is also not ideal.

Admittedly, this is a very small nitpick that’s far from a dealbreaker. It’s just that we’ve encountered this testing other backpacks, so we’ve developed a keen eye for it.

Now, we arrive at the harness system, and this is where the Skule 20 truly separates itself from (most of) the Kankens. The shoulder straps are notably thick and covered in breathable mesh. They’re also slightly curved so that they flow more naturally below your arms towards your back. Additionally, the mesh covers the inner sides of the straps’ upper portion so your traps and areas around your neck aren’t (literally) rubbed the wrong way.

The sternum strap isn’t the sliding type, which would’ve allowed more minute adjustment. Instead, it’s a loop system, so we recommend finding the right level immediately so you don’t have to adjust it later down the line. That said, use of the sternum strap isn’t really necessary. It’s only when we have the bag fully loaded that it’s worthwhile locking in order to pull some of the weight forward.

Fit Notes

The Skule 20 fit is quite comfortable, thanks to all that padding and mesh. The back panel’s padding isn’t quite as thick as the straps’ padding. However, the bag’s relatively rigid structure makes it sit comfortably enough on the back that not much padding is required. If there’s any issue with the Skule 20’s fit, it’ll be regarding its size.

At 20 liters, it’s a relatively petite bag, and its harness system also reflects that. Those with smaller frames will have no problem slipping into its shoulder straps and engaging the sternum strap. However, those with larger frames might find themselves struggling to do the latter. Fortunately, there is a 28-liter version of the Skule, which may be a better fit. And we say “may” because we have not tested that version at the time of writing.

Inside The Backpack

Up at the top is a quick access pocket for everyday carry accessories. It’s the kind of pocket where we put keys, wallets, and earphones, among other items we frequently use on the go, and there’s plenty of space to fit such gear. There’s even a built-in key leash inside so that you can more easily fish your keys out when you need to unlock something. That said, we wish it was a bit longer (or even elastic like what Peak Design did with their Outdoor bags) so that your keys can remain tethered while you use them to unlock.

Less frequently used small gear go inside the front compartment where twin mesh pockets can accommodate them. Even smaller accessories like memory cards, smart trackers, and dongles can be stored in the zippered pocket at the back. However, we recommend using a tech pouch to handle that kind of minute organziation. There’s certainly enough room deep within to accommodate one, and you generally don’t have to worry about space with this front compartment.

Compression straps notwithstanding, main compartment access remains easy. Whether it’s the top pocket’s pouch hanging from above or the front compartment potentially cutting into the main compartment’s space, neither proved too intrusive to accessibility. Further still, the laptop sleeve at the back isn’t too recessed, so it’s still relatively easy to take out your laptop in a pinch. On that note, the padded laptop sleeve can fit up to a 13-inch device, and there’s also a false bottom underneath for added protection. If you have a laptop bigger than that, you’ll have to splurge for the larger 28-liter version.

Packing the interior is fairly straightforward, thanks to how flat the floor is. This is especially helpful if, like us, you like bringing packed lunches with you since a flat floor is a reassuringly stable place to put one. You’ll still have to strategically pack since you’ll be stacking gear from bottom to top, however. This means immediately putting the gear you think you’ll need at the very top. So, for example, if you’re using the Skule 20 as both your work and gym bag, maybe you’d want to put your gym clothes at the bottom and your work gear at the top (unless you go to the gym first before going to work). Either way, just keep in mind that access to the laptop sleeve will be hindered as that area gets covered up.