Fjallraven Skule 28 Review

While we like the Fjallraven Skule 20 for its more utilitarian approach, with bungees and a no-nonsense conventional design, it’s quite small. For those with large frames, the Skule 20 might feel constricting in terms of carrying comfort. Fortunately, the Skule 28 is much more accommodating in that regard.

With the same comfortable harness system and roomy compartments but a larger capacity, the Skule 28 isn’t just a daypack; it’s also a travel bag for weekend trips.

External Components

Those who want a Fjallraven backpack for outdoor use will like the Skule 28’s adventure-ready style. Let’s face it: the Kankens may look at home in coffee shops and libraries, but they’re not exactly the first bags you’d take to the trail. On the other hand, the Skule 28’s bungee-laden front and more rounded shape give it a utilitarian and conventional vibe that feels more appropriate. That said, the main 600-denier recycled polyester fabric doesn’t sound as fancy as Fjallraven’s G-1000 or Vinylon, but it still feels robust and tough enough for the outdoors.

A bungee setup dominates the front of the Skule 28. Apart from adding to the bag’s outdoorsy vibes, you can use the bungee as storage for your bulkier and dirtier gear. Trail shoes, moist jackets, and wet umbrellas can either hang from or be stowed within the bungee, and you can squeeze it all down using the cinch at the top. For smaller accessories, there are also three small loops at the bottom and sides of the bungee from which you can hang keychains, bike lights, and other gear. These loops are also reflective, though their small size means they’re not very visible from afar, so we wouldn’t count on them being a replacement for a blinker.

Off to the sides, water bottle pockets feature a stretchy mesh design, which means they stay flush with the bag when not in use. Interestingly enough, this makes the Skule 28 more streamlined than other backpacks featuring bulging water bottle pockets, even more so than the arguably more stylish Kanken Outlong. But don’t worry—the Skule 28’s water bottle pockets aren’t too tight for everything.

The water bottle pockets can fit your 20-something-ounce insulated bottles, like our 24-ounce Owala FreeSip. Unfortunately, the elastic can’t seem to grip slimmer bottles as firmly. You can mitigate that by using the compression straps above the water bottle pockets as anchor points, but that won’t be an option if you’re using a bottle without a handle or a loop.

The harness system isn’t that different from the Skule 20’s, this bag’s smaller sibling with a relatively simple setup. There are two shoulder straps, thickly padded for comfort and covered in mesh for breathability. Similarly, the back panel has the same details, which should make for a comfortable carrying experience. There’s also a sternum strap that helps pull the bag’s weight forward, though we’re not too keen on its loop mounting (we prefer sternum straps that slide). Lastly, there’s a small grab handle between the shoulder straps that, fortunately, doesn’t scrape the back of the neck.

The only addition to the larger Skule 28 is a waist strap, but we didn’t find it necessary. It has no padding and is not very rigid, so its impact on comfort may not be apparent. It can help with stability, making sure the bag’s lower half stays close to the user during rigorous movement, like riding a bicycle.

Fit Notes

If you’ve been eyeing the Skule 20 but feel like it’s too small for your large frame (as we’ve found out), then the Skule 28 should be a better match. The tradeoff is that its larger size mostly translates to more length, so you’ll feel its bottom edge, not to mention that a larger bag may be overkill for your needs if you just want a Skule 20 but with a more accommodating harness system.

Again, the hip belt is mostly there for stability when you’re moving a lot. We didn’t really need that during testing, so we cinched it down until it was flush against the back panel. You can remove it altogether, but it’s nice to keep it around just in case you need it. Plus, the hip belt comes with strap keepers, so there’s no caveat of dangling slack to worry about.

Inside The Backpack

At the top of the bag is a quick-access zippered pocket. It’s located very near the back panel, making it rather slim and not that roomy. Still, we can fit several items, such as a wallet, iPhone, AirPods, lip balm, and a set of keys attached to the built-in key leash. That key leash is praise-worthy since it’s just the right length for keeping keys off to one side and not letting it slosh all over the place. All in all, we’d say this is just enough room for storing the everyday essentials we usually bring, though there’s definitely a cramped feeling once you go over it.

Thankfully, there’s a front compartment in case you can’t fit all of your everyday accessories in the top pocket. Inside is an admin panel comprised of twin mesh pockets and a zippered pocket. It’s a relatively simple setup that may turn away those hoping to use it as a built-in organizer. Fortunately, there’s ample room inside for a tech pouch, toiletry kit, or generally bulky items like a rolled-up layer or a buff. Mind you, the space is pretty deep, so you may have to reach deep if you drop something small inside.

Compression straps can be some of the more useful features of a large travel backpack. They can help keep the bag’s weight centered when it’s otherwise not full to capacity. However, implementations can vary, bringing with them one or two caveats. In the Skule 28’s case, the compression straps cover the main compartment’s zipper track, thus getting in the way when you’re trying to get inside. Though this is a flaw not exclusive to the Skule 28—and it’s not that hard to simply maneuver the zipper around the strip—it is still a flaw in our books.

The main compartment is very roomy if you’re looking for a bag that can handle a weekend’s worth of clothing and gear. That translates to a packing cube of clothing, a toiletry bag, a tech pouch, and a 16-inch MacBook in the built-in laptop sleeve at the back during our testing. It’s worth noting that the top pocket overhangs near the laptop sleeve, so you’ll have to maneuver your device around it sometimes, but it’s not a big deal. There’s also some leeway to add more items if we move the tech pouch and toiletry bag to the front compartment. Needless to say, there’s more than enough room to accommodate all the gear you need. Simultaneously, the 28-liter space is also not so big that you couldn’t use it as a daypack if you wanted to, especially if you diligently apply the compression straps.

Once we have everything stowed away neatly, we notice something about the Skule 28’s shape. The bottom side isn’t perpendicular to the back panel but points at an upward angle. This means the Skule 28 tends to lean forward when you set it down, which means you’ll have to rest it against a wall.