Fjallraven Farden Carry-On Pack Review

On paper, the Fjallraven Farden Carry-On Pack gets a lot of things right, whether we’re talking about its spacious main compartment, well-organized interior, plethora of pockets, robust build quality, and even the neat value-add that comes in the form of a crossbody bag.

We had high expectations going into its testing. However, the Farden Carry-On distinctly lacks the support we expect from a large travel backpack like this. Carrying comfort would otherwise be acceptable, but we just couldn’t shake the hefty feeling we experienced whenever we put it on. What could be the cause? Let’s find out.

External Components

Like its larger sibling on wheels, the Farden Carry-On has a polyamide fabric shell, which we assume is specifically nylon; Fjallraven doesn’t get too particular with the details. Still, they do mention that it’s 500 denier, meaning it’s fairly robust for everyday use. It’s not exactly 1680-denier tough like ballistic nylon, but it’s meaty enough that day-to-day abrasions from, say, scrapes along the floor or carpet will probably yield little to no damage over time. There appears to be some coating applied, too, since water seems to have an easy time beading off. We’re guessing this is DWR coating since, unlike Fjallraven’s other fabrics, we don’t notice a wax finish that could achieve a similar effect.

Overall build quality is solid thanks to Fjallraven’s excellent choice of materials. Apart from their in-house fabrics, they also utilize zippers from YKK, while the buckles and other hardware come courtesy of Woojin. Both brands are basically bywords for quality and top choices for many other brands. Fret not, as we’re not taking that for granted. A little over two weeks of testing have revealed no significant issues. Whether it’s zippers catching on loose threads or the buckles snapping due to stress, no such issues cropped up.

If we had to nitpick, it’s that the fabric is quite susceptible to blemishes and pet hair. It’s not a big deal, especially considering other packs and fabrics with DWR coating face similar issues. If anything, Fjallraven packs and their heritage-ish styling often benefit from such scuffs; it adds to their personality. So, barring functional and catastrophic damage, we don’t mind a bit of scuffing; call it patina if anyone asks.

Flanking the central logo at the front are two sets of daisychains acting as main attachment points for accessories. These are always handy when traveling with bulky items or gear that’s too soiled to be kept anywhere else, like dirty running shoes, travel tripods, or a yoga mat. That said, given the Farden Carry-On’s large size, attaching any gear at the front makes the entire thing a bit too unwieldy for our taste. In other words, this is a handy feature, but we weren’t too keen on utilizing it.

On both sides are compression straps, with four total cinching the pack’s front and rear edges. Crucially, the compression straps don’t cover the pack’s zippers, as they’re mounted just near the edges. Mounting them this way can be hit or miss, though. Some packs with this design feel lacking in compression, such as the BAGSMART Blast Pro 40L Travel Backpack, while others, such as the Aer Travel Pack 3, have decent compression. The Farden Carry-On leans more towards the latter, with its compression straps taming its 42-liter volume rather effectively.

Grab handles are thankfully also present on the Farden Carry-On’s top and left sides. Big travel backpacks almost always necessitate such handles, preferably ones with substantial padding. However, even though the Farden Carry-On has folded over and stitched ones, there’s simply not enough cushioning. Yes, the twin-handle setup at the top looks enticing, but tough nylon is no substitute for soft padding. Mind you, this is a 42-liter pack; plenty of potential to be weighty, and you’ll certainly feel that as soon as you try using the handles.

A simple harness system isn’t necessarily bad, so we initially welcomed the Farden Carry-On’s modest setup. Composed of trusty shoulder straps, supported by a sternum strap and load lifters, there’s not much to write home about, and we’d be fine with that, so long as they get the job done. However, whether it’s due to the bag’s overall weight, lack of other straps, or insufficient padding, there’s no shaking the fact that it wears heavily on the shoulders.

That may seem like a given and even obvious. Heavy bag means heavy on the shoulders, right? However, based on years of testing other travel backpacks, a well-designed harness system can alleviate much of that heft. For instance, a hip belt, which the Farden Carry-On lacks, can shift a lot of that weight off the shoulders. Thick padding and wide-covering shoulder straps also help make a large backpack feel less harsh on the shoulders. Sadly, the Farden’s shoulder straps feel almost anemic, like they were lifted straight from one of Fjallraven’s smaller backpacks.

Fit Notes

With all that said, it is a shame that the Farden Carry-On feels that weighty on the shoulders because it wears rather comfortably otherwise. Putting weight aside for a moment, the back panel feels comfortably padded, while the bag’s overall shape isn’t too large for its 42-liter capacity. The height and width don’t feel overly large, even for users with a small frame. In other words, the Farden Carry-On is only cumbersome in terms of weight, not due to its sheer size.

We’re not bag designers, but we think it is evident that a hip belt would help lift and shift the bag’s weight off the shoulders. The only consolation is that there are attachment points where you could install one. However, Fjallraven themselves don’t seem to be selling one at the time of writing, so you’ll have to find a third-party alternative.

Inside The Backpack

The Farden Carry-On has a water bottle pocket on the right side between the two compression straps mentioned earlier. Size-wise, we can fit a wide range of insulated bottles, starting with the usual everyday ones in the 18 to 21-ounce range, all the way up to 30-ounce bottles. More importantly, the pocket’s simple yet effective gusset and elastic combo is secure enough to accommodate bottles in those sizes. Things get tight as you fit bottles around 30 ounces, but that’s understandable. Meanwhile, smaller bottles don’t feel too loose despite generally having more slender shapes.

For quick-grab items, there is a top drop pocket that’s just the right size. It’s not too flat, but rectangularly shaped, spanning the space beneath the top handle. We typically put wallets, smartphones, and keys in pockets like these for convenience. However, the liner is quite soft and fleece-like, making it an ideal spot for stashing sunglasses. You shouldn’t put bare sunglasses alongside your keys for obvious reasons, so you’ll have to make that choice yourself.

The laptop compartment gives you a separate spot and access to your device. That much is standard on many travel backpacks, so we’re glad to see it on the Farden Carry-On. There’s a generous gap between the sleeve where you put your laptop and the bag’s bottom edge. It’s about three inches, and a false bottom like this should be able to absorb a significant shock, though we still wouldn’t recommend dropping the bag carelessly.

It’s worth noting that the Farden Carry-On lacks a front pocket, something that’s quite prevalent among travel backpacks. Honestly, front pockets are some of the least-used pockets for us since we prefer top pockets, but the omission is something to keep in mind if it’s your preference. With all of that said, you can rest easy knowing that, instead of a front pocket, an entire front compartment makes up for it.

Whereas we can do without a front pocket, a front compartment is something we appreciate on a travel backpack. The good news is that the Farden Carry-On has an excellent one. Firstly, it’s easy to open, and you can really peel it wide for good visibility and access. Second, there’s a substantial amount of independent room, which is not something you can always say for other travel backpacks’ front compartments. All in all, there’s enough space to fit a toiletry bag, a tech pouch, and even the included crossbody bag within the open area.

As for organization, there are two liner pockets where you can put tech accessories such as cables and wall adapters. Meanwhile, large zippered pockets on the front and back sides allow you to store items more securely. That being said, the zippered pocket on the front side is relatively easy to reach, which is a good thing because there’s a key leash inside it that makes taking your set quite convenient.

The Farden Carry-On also comes with a crossbody bag. It’s a neat little inclusion for a travel backpack since it allows you to have essential gear within easy reach. Let’s face it: Once you’re on the plane, your main bag is going to be jammed somewhere you can’t reach. So, if you don’t already have a sling, this is a tempting proposition.

On the other hand, don’t expect too much from this crossbody bag. Inside, there’s ample space for gear with a wider footprint than a Kindle, so chunky items like power banks and packs of wet wipes will have no trouble fitting. As for organization, you’re limited to two liner pockets and a key leash; there are no pockets on the outside either.

The main compartment opens fully clamshell-style, our preferred style for travel backpacks since it means easy packing for even the beefiest packing cubes. Space is allocated more towards the back in a bucket-shaped area where most of your gear will reside. All in all, we can pack seven shirts, four pairs of pants, five pairs of shorts, a skirt, and two pairs of shoes. Removing the shoes can give you more space for additional clothing, but this setup we went for is more than enough for a week-long trip.

The entire bucket space can be sealed with the zippered mesh cover. A sealed partition like this makes packing cubes less necessary, though we still recommend using them if you have them to separate different types of clothing.

The main compartment’s front side is a bit more intricate than the bucket space. You can unzip the entire mesh panel to reveal the substantial space behind where you can pack additional clothing. In our case, we used it as a makeshift hamper, tossing used clothing in there to keep it separate from clean ones. Meanwhile, the bottom mesh pocket can be used for smaller clothing items like socks and underwear. Mind you, this lower mesh pocket juts into the space behind, meaning utilizing this pocket can limit the dirty clothing you can stow there (that is, if you also use it as a hamper like we do).