Kånken

The backpack that straightened up a whole generation

In the late 1970s, new statistics showed that nearly 80 per cent of the Swedish population suffered from back pain at some point in their lives. Perhaps the most serious aspect was that back problems were starting to appear at an ever younger age. Chief school medical officers and sport and leisure consultants were among those expressing serious concerns about the backs of school children.

Shoulder bags were fashionable at that time, and experts felt that the risk of back pain could be reduced if the weight of school books could be distributed across both shoulders instead of just one.

A supporting idea

Fjällräven"s Åke Nordin was following the debate and decided to design an affordable and functional backpack with plenty of space for school books and paper. Two A4 ring binders were used as the basis for the size.

The Kånken backpack, which was produced in cooperation with the Swedish Guide and Scout Association, was introduced just in time for the beginning of the school year in 1978, and was very well received. When the weight of the bag was redistributed from one shoulder to both, back problems were reduced. The backpack was also considered to be good for posture.

Nothing much has changed

More than 35 years later, Kånken has straightened up millions of backs and is worn by children and adults alike all over the world.

As a product, the bag has barely changed over the years. Kånken is still manufactured from hard-wearing, water-repellent Vinylon F fabric, and it has a spacious main compartment with a large opening, two side pockets and a zipped front pocket. It includes a seat pad that is stored in a pocket at the back and which provides stability and comfort. We have added more colours, however, as well as a few different models, such as Kånken Laptop, Kånken Mini and Kånken Kids – the latter with shoulder straps adapted to the backs of small children as well as a chest strap that keeps it in place on small shoulders.

It might also be interesting to know that Kånken was the first backpack in the world to offer climate compensation. This was in 2008, and since then we have been offsetting all emissions resulting from production and transport of Kånken that have a climate impact.

讓全世代腰桿挺直的背囊

1970年代後期，統計顯示將近百分之八十的瑞典人或多或少都經歷過背痛之苦，不過其中最大的問題可能在於這個現象有極度年輕化的趨勢。許多人對於學童的背部健康深表關切，其中不乏一些主要學校的醫護人員和運動休閒顧問。

當時流行掛肩袋，專家認為，如果能將書包的重量從單肩分配到雙肩，就可以減低背痛的風險。

支持理念

Fjällräven創始人Åke Nordin密切關注這項討論之後，決定設計一款價格合理又兼具功能的背囊，容量要足以裝下課本和筆記紙，最基本要有兩個A4活頁資料夾的大小。

於是，和瑞典童軍總會合作研發的Kånken背囊在1978年問世，即時趕上當年的開學季，大眾的接受度也很高。原本單肩的重量重新分配到雙肩，背痛的問題舒緩了，也有助於改善姿勢。

始終如一

超過35個年頭的今日，Kånken背囊造福了數百萬名使用者，讓他們能夠挺直背部，受到全球各地老老少少的喜愛。

作為一項產品，這款背囊多年來卻沒有太大改變。依然是採用耐磨損、防潑水的Vinylon F布料，大的主間隔、大開口，兩個側袋和一個拉鍊式前袋。背囊內後側袋裡多放了一塊座墊，不只提供穩定性也增加舒適度。我們新增了許多顏色和款式，例如：Kånken Laptop、Kånken Mini和Kånken Kids，其中兒童背囊的肩帶更適合小朋友背部，另外還有胸帶能將背囊固定在兒童的小肩膀上。

還有一點非常有趣，Kånken系列是全球第一款提供氣候補償的背囊。自2008年起，我們就針對Kånken背囊在製造與運送過程中所產生的排放物做補償。