The Kaipak 38 from the Swedish outdoor manufacturer Fjallraven is a simple and robust hiking backpack. It is ideal for day and hut tours as well as smaller hiking tours.
The upper is made of the proven G-1000® Heavy Duty Eco material. We will come to the remarkable properties in detail later. If the topic of sustainability is important to you these days, you should definitely continue reading. Because the Swedes know what they are doing.
Fjallraven Kaipak 28 Backpack Review
Technical Specifications:
- Height: 65cm
- Width: 32cm
- Depth: 27cm
- Weight: 1600g
- Volume: 38L
- Manufacturer Color: Stone Gray (also available in Pine Green)
- Features: Pole/pike holder, compression straps, gear loops, hydration system compatible, organizer compartments
- Carrying system: Fixed
- Back length: 48-52 cm
- Rain cover: Yes
- Female model: Yes
- Activities: Hiking & Trekking
- Properties: can be treated with Greenland Wax, breathable, durable, water-repellent, windproof, quick-drying
Pros
- Chest strap with whistle
- Rain cover included
- Simple and detachable design
- Well-constructed
- Reasonable price
- Perfect for a long day hike
Cons
- Not repairable
- Designed for taller people
Simple is the word that first comes to mind to describe the Fjallraven Kaipak 38 hiking backpack. Kept simple without a lot of frills, and it has everything that makes a good hiking backpack. Even with things like the logo, the well-known Arctic fox, and the name of the backpack, restraint was exercised.
With its weight of 1600 grams, the backpack is certainly not light for its size and volume of 38 liters. But that’s exactly why you notice, I think that you have a high-quality product in front of you when you pick up the Kaipak 38 for the first time.
At first glance, the processing leaves nothing to be desired. The buckles, straps and zippers are easy to use and also give a good picture. The carrying system is easy to adjust and the details, which we will go into in more detail below, round off the good overall impression appropriately.
G-1000 Heavy Duty Eco S – Robust Outer Material
If you know Fjallraven, then G-1000 means something, doesn’t it? This substance is used by the manufacturer in almost all products. It is robust, breathable, windproof and can be protected even better against wind and weather by applying Greenland’s own wax.
The G-1000 Heavy Duty Eco S material is a mix of recycled polyester and organic cotton. Greenland wax has already been applied to both sides at the factory for impregnation. This makes the G-1000 material even more durable, ideal for backpacks, and ideally lasts a lifetime.
In addition, the G-1000 material does not require a plastic coating. This means that no coating can peel off or stick together over the years, as can be the case with other materials.
The bottom of the backpack is made of 100% polyamide 500D. 500D stands for the thread strength of the Cordura fabric. It is extremely abrasion and tear resistant and therefore ideally suited to protect the backpack from the ground.
Carrying System with Fixed Back Length and Stable Hip Belt
The Fjallraven Kaipak 38 has a carrying system with a fixed back length. So when I buy it, I have to make sure that the backpack fits my back and my body size perfectly. The carrying straps, as well as the shoulder and hip areas of the carrying system, are well-padded. Carrying slightly larger loads is therefore not a problem.
However, a maximum weight of around 12 to 15 kilograms is recommended. This load is remarkable for the size of the backpack and can hardly be found in other models. If you want or have to carry more weight around with you, a larger backpack is recommended anyway.
Air can circulate between the hip and shoulder pads for ventilation.
The hip belts, each with a small compartment, are stable and flexible at the same time. Thanks to the compression straps, the hip straps of the backpack can be quickly adjusted to the hip circumference of the wearer.
Useful Equipment of the Fjallraven Kaipak 38
So let’s start at the top with the features of the backpack. The lid compartment, which has two pockets, is height-adjustable. This means that the volume of the Fjallraven Kaipak 38 can be expanded by around 7 liters. The rain cover is stowed in the outer compartment of the lid compartment.
On the inside, there is a small storage compartment with a zipper.
The large main compartment of the backpack, which is closed with compression straps and a drawstring, is located under the lid compartment. Both can be opened quickly and easily and provide a view of the inside. Here, in turn, a hydration bladder can be attached and stowed on the back. Otherwise, the main compartment offers enough space for everything you need to take with you on the tour.
Another flat compartment can be opened on the front with a zipper. Things such as maps, wind vests, or the like can be stowed here. Things that you need/want to get hold of quickly on the go without emptying your entire backpack.
There are also attachment options for hiking poles or an ice ax on the front. The larger loop for the ice ax can also be easily stowed away in a slot provided for this purpose. The smaller, always visible loops are used to insert the tip of the trekking pole. This is then attached with a metal hook slightly below the lid compartment.
Furthermore, the Fjallraven Kaipak 38 has a mesh pocket on each side. Here you can easily store drinking bottles, for example. So that they don’t just fall out on the go, the pockets can be made smaller with the help of a drawstring. A detail that I have never noticed with any other manufacturer.
On the go with the Kaipak 38 hiking Backpack
I went out into nature twice with the Kaipak 38 to test it. The weight in the backpack was between 8 and 10 kilos on the two tours. With the backpack’s own weight, the load on the back was 10 to 12 kilograms.
With my height of 1.76 meters, the Fjallraven Kaipak 38 can be ideally adjusted to my back. The carrying system feels very good and does not pinch or pinch anywhere. The stable hip belts are also not in the way and the backpack always sits where it should.
In my opinion, the ventilation also works reliably. Although I am someone who always sweats slightly on my back. It doesn’t matter which backpack or carrying system it is. That’s probably not going to happen entirely.
Personally, it doesn’t bother me in any way. Since I was out and about with the Kaipak 38 last fall, the temperatures were always in the double-digit plus range. If you then take a break and put the backpack down, I put on an insulating jacket while I do it so that my back doesn’t get completely cold.
I didn’t need the integrated rain cover. But it can be put over the backpack in no time at all and is quickly stowed away again in the lid compartment.
Speaking of rain! The Kaipak 38, or the material used, is already impregnated from the outset. If the weather forecast leaves something to be desired, you can additionally impregnate the backpack with Greenland Wax. In that case, you will most likely not need a rain cover afterward.
However, to be on the safe side, it makes sense to use the rain cover when the sky gets wet.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a medium-sized hiking backpack and the topic of sustainability is important to you, then the Fjallraven Kaipak 38 is definitely one of the models that you should take a closer look at. Here you get a simple but very robust backpack for day and/or multi-day tours.
The Swedish manufacturer Fjallraven is fully committed to longevity. This is an absolutely important point nowadays. The backpack definitely gets the rating from me – highly recommended! Incidentally, also for women. Since the model is also available in a women’s version.
A final point that might also be of interest is the frame length. At 55 cm, the backpack (provided the lid compartment remains empty) is just about suitable for hand luggage.
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