Sometimes all the bells and whistles get in the way when you’re traveling, and you feel the urge to ditch it all and go classic old-school. Fjallraven helps you out with the Totepack No. 1.
Somewhat akin to the simple design of its famed Kanken backpack, the Totepack No. 1 is made from waxed G-1000 fabric. The material was originally developed by using a durable fabric a little too heavy for lightweight tents (in the 1960s) and a paraffin beeswax mixture for added resilience.
The bag has long, textile tote straps as well as leather handles, so you can switch between hand-carrying it, or slinging it on a shoulder. The tote straps can also be converted within seconds to carry the bag as a backpack, so you’re not overloaded when you need your hands.
Secure enough for travel, the bag has a zippered opening, to keep all your favorite gear inside. There’s an additional zippered pocket inside, as well as one on the front of the tote. The bottom of the bag incorporates double layers of fabric for added durability.
The Totepack No. 1 comes in a rainbow of colors: ochre, red, black, navy, green, dark garnet, Uncle Blue (a steely blue), dark grey, sand and Autumn Leaf (terracotta). Pick what goes best with your travel wardrobe, or choose a color you’ve always wanted to try. One of the best things about traveling with the bag is that it packs flat, so you don’t need much room to toss it in with everything else.
I’ve used this bag equally at home and on the road. It has carried my laptop, tablet, groceries, press materials, a puppy and a host of other things—but not all at the same time.
The Fjallraven Totepack No. 1 lists for $110.00 on the Fjallraven website. It’s also available at Moosejaw, Backcountry, and Amazon.
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