While we were in Canada, I visited a Fjallraven store and bought the mini version of their classic backpack. Before I made the purchase, I had been researching and looking for reviews but wasn’t really finding a lot, so I hope this review is helpful if you’re thinking of buying the Kanken Mini.
I purchased the Kanken Mini Backpack in the color “putty” which is a warm tan color that I thought was perfect for me since it’s a neutral and would coordinate with my neutral wardrobe.
FJALLRAVEN KANKEN MINI
The Kanken Mini is very similar to the larger, Classic, size (see my review on the Classic Kanken here). The Kanken Mini has a small, front zipper pouch in the front of the bag, a side slot on each side of the bag, and one large, main zipper compartment.
There are two nylon handles at the top of the bag that secure with a little snap button. On the back of the Kanken Mini, the shoulder straps are in a criss cross pattern which is supposed to help distribute the weight in your bag and reduce impact to your back.
The Kanken Mini’s back straps adjust differently than the Classic version. Instead of having the tail ends of the adjustable straps just dangle at the end, the Mini’s straps secure with a snap-button closure. This prevents the strap ends from dangling down, and helps keep your bag from looking sloppy if you choose to keep the straps short.
All Kanken backpacks have that unique squared off shape which I think looks so cute and they all have the white and red Fjallraven logo patched onto the center of the backpack. I decorated my bag with a little, red maple leaf pin because I got my Mini in Canada and I think it’s the cutest.
WHAT FITS INSIDE THE KANKEN MINI
The Kanken Mini measures 5.1 x 7.9 x 11.4 inches, and it is a lot smaller than the larger Classic version. When I was researching online and looking at it in store, I wasn’t sure it would hold everything I wanted. I was looking for this Kanken to be more of a purse/everyday bag and I wanted it to be smaller than my Classic because I don’t need to carry around so much stuff with me daily.
The Kanken Mini is perfect for me as a small everyday purse bag. Here’s what I carry with me:
I can hold my iPad (9.7″), a water bottle (17 oz.), sunglasses in a hard case, pen pouch, small pouch (for lip balm, external storage, remote), wallet, and headphones. This is all I usually need in a normal day. I could fit my larger 25 oz. water bottle instead of the 17 oz., but it’s snug.
UPDATE: See more of what can fit inside the Kanken Mini in my Fjallraven Kanken Mini – One Year Later post.
WHAT I LOVE
I love that this bag is small and lightweight, and it allows me to be hands free throughout the day. For so many years, I had a shoulder bag purse that I loved but it was so annoying to have to mess with it on my shoulder and to hold it in a special way. Because this bag is smaller, it kind of forces me to only carry the essentials which makes it easier to maneuver throughout the day.
I love the design of the bag; it just looks really cute and I like how it’s square/rectangle shaped. Because the main compartment’s zipper is in the front of the bag (not through the middle), I can really pack the bag how I want. Also, the little fabric fold that covers the main zipper is nice to prevent someone from easily accessing your bag — I am still going to buy one of those little s-binner clips just to be extra safe.
The slim profile of this bag makes it easy to just throw on and not worry about hitting people with your bag as you maneuver through crowded spaces. I also really like the option to carry my Mini by the top handles like a little briefcase. Since it’s so light weight, this may be a way that someone would prefer to carry it. The Kanken Mini is make out of water and dirt resistant material so you don’t need to worry about being out in the rain or setting it on the ground.
WHAT I DON’T LOVE
The side pockets on the Kanken Mini are so thin; I can fit my iPhone 8 Plus in one pocket and that’s about it. You definitely couldn’t fit a water bottle. I think I could put my headphones in the other pocket and a pen. I mostly ignore those pockets all together but I wish they were stretchy so I could fit more in there.
WHO IS THE KANKEN MINI FOR
I would recommend the Kanken Mini to someone who doesn’t need to carry a lot on a daily basis, but wants to have their essentials easily accessible; someone who is looking for a backpack as a purse or an easy day bag to take on a hike.
Overall, I am super pleased with this Kanken Mini and I love the color I chose. If you love the Kanken, but think the Mini may be too small for you, take a look at my Fjallraven Kanken Classic Backpack review. If this post was helpful for you, be sure to pin it on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
