Kånken Tote Backpack

Love this but it’s smaller than you think. I originally was thinking I would use this on aeroplane travel, and I have used it a few times, but really it’s a bit too small to fit everything that I want to take with me on the airplane. I do love that it goes from shoulder strap to backpack though. I still really like this tote, but I would not necessarily get it with the idea of plane travel personally.

I purchased the Kånken Totepack for my wife, drawn in by the strong reputation for longevity and the brand's commitment to sustainability. On those fronts, the bag seems to deliver. The material feels robust, and the aesthetics are exactly what we expected—simple and classic. However, the main issue is one of basic function: it is very uncomfortable to wear as a backpack. The straps are thin, unpadded, and placed awkwardly, causing the bag to sit poorly on the back, especially when it has anything of substance inside. It feels more like an afterthought than a true backpack option. The whole point of a "totepack" is to have the versatility to switch, but the backpack function is so frustratingly poor that it makes the feature practically unusable for anything more than a five-minute carry. It's truly frustrating to have to return an item that was meant to be a permanent, sustainable purchase—a "buy it for life" item. The design falls flat on the comfort of its most useful carrying method, which completely undermines the long-term investment. 2/5 Stars

Love the fabric and colors! The straps fit me great, but I’m a fairly petite person. Only trouble I have with the straps is that there needs to be some way (button or clip) to attach the backpack straps near the top. If the bag is full, the side with the backpack straps will slouch down. There’s got to be a cool way to fix this. Otherwise I love it!

I have had this bag in Forest Green for a week. I love the style, the weight of the bag and how it can carry a lot. I use it as an everyday bag. I love the shade of Forest Green -- I love green anyways but the Forest Green is really nice. The zipper works well the strap length is perfect. I do think the seat pad that comes in the bag is useless. It made for a child size person, not an adult. I took it out as I saw no need for it.

I’ve been on the search for a perfect every day tote. I am a mom that went from a huge spacious diaper bag to a crossbody. I wanted an in between that could carry more than just absolute essentials, but also isn’t a huge mom bag. This bag is amazing in functionality and also a great bang for your buck. A lot of totes I found were either too small or too large. For example Longchamp. I like the aesthetic, but couldn’t find one I liked from a functional perspective. This has a huge pocket in the front where I can throw my lip balms/sticks for quick access. I can put some gum in there, even my wallet. The side pockets I wish held a water bottle, but they do hold my phone or car keys if I don’t want to be zipping and unzipping the bag going through a parking lot with my kids. I can hold wet wipes and feminine wipes, snacks for the kids. There are generous compartments on the inside. Luxury bags never have decent compartments. This bag really is a bargain and personally I love the kanken aesthetic. This is the 7th kanken we’ve purchased. They’re always functional and hold up well. I still have a school bag from 12 years ago and it’s still good as new. I obviously love the brand in general, but I hope they keep this specific tote/backpack around bc it’s such a great mom bag staple, without being ginormous.