SALKAN BACKPACKER: REVIEW
FOREWORD
With the pandemic seemingly here to stay for the foreseeable future, many have thrown in the towel and made peace with limited to no travel until things get back to normal. Personally, I refuse to give in to despair and still try to travel as much as I can. With international travel being limited, domestic travel has become more appealing. This is after all a perfect opportunity to explore your own country and see the places you wouldn’t even consider visiting if it wasn’t for closed borders.
So I was very excited to receive the Backpacker, the ultimate travel solution from Salkan, and put it through the wringer with my small but very active family of three: myself, my wife (and photographer) Elvira, and our infant son.
The story behind the inception of the Backpacker is not unique. Will and Tom, the two gentlemen behind Salkan, are avid travelers who were frustrated by the options on the market and decided to make their own version of the perfect travel backpack, unlike anything else they encountered before. Many brands start with “we couldn’t find it, so we decided to make it”, but it is rare to see something truly special come to life.
So what makes the Salkan Backpacker different from all other travel packs on the market?
Does it have what it takes to be a companion on your journeys?
Read on to find out.
WHO IT SUITS
Anyone looking for a well-built and smartly organized travel backpack.
Those who can’t imagine traveling with just one bag, but aim for effective travel will appreciate the combo of Mainpack and removable Daypack offered by the Backpacker.
If exceptional comfort is your main concern, the Backpacker will make you happy.
WHO IT DOESN’T
Those who need external access to their laptop will be disappointed to see that both the Daypack and Mainpack have to be accessed from the top (and also front on Mainpack), which is not quick.
If you are looking for the lightest bag to travel with, the 3.4kg of the Backpacker might not work for you.
ABOUT THE BAG
* PRICE: 250 GBP (~$350)
* DIMENSIONS:
Mainpack – L66cm W32cm D22cm
Daypack – L48cm W29cm D18cm
* WEIGHT:
The Backpacker – 3.4Kg
Mainpack – 2.55Kg
Daypack – 0.85Kg
* CAPACITY: Mainpack – 45Ltr+10Ltr Daypack – 20Ltr
* COLOR OPTIONS: Grey, Forest, Charcoal
COMFORT
Considering that the Backpacker consists of 2 packs joined together, it is important to distinguish between the comfort of each one since they are very different offerings in size and use cases.
At 20L the Daypack is an excellent minimal EDC or carry-on bag, which features minimal aesthetic and a basic but more than sufficient harness system. Thanks to the moderately padded shoulder straps and the high-quality mesh used on the back panel for improved breathability, I had no issues with the comfort. My wife, who used the bag to carry parental essentials, also enjoyed the small and nimble profile of the Daypack and praised its overall comfort.
The 45L Mainpack is a different beast altogether. Designed to hold all of your stuff for long-term travel and extended adventures, saying that the pack is big would be putting it lightly. Frankly, I was a bit concerned about the comfort of the Mainpack especially with the Daypack attached (after all, it makes an already large bag gigantic). However, I’m happy to report that the design of the shoulder straps (which also feature load lifters), coupled with an excellent back panel, sternum strap, and a beefy waist belt make for a surprisingly comfortable carry, even over an extended period of time.
One of the key features that elevates comfort to new heights is the adjustable harness system, which can be configured to accommodate different body types and sizes. The harness is secured by velcro and can go up and down to adjust to your body for a perfect fit.
To sum up: comfort-wise, individually the Daypack and the Mainpack are great, but more importantly, when bundled together they carry remarkably well. You do need to be aware of the dimensions to prevent bumping into people and things around you when maneuvering to your destination.
DESIGN & FEATURES
The design of the Backpacker is clearly inspired by the heritage outdoor bags and has a very cool, almost old-school look, that I, personally, dig a lot. At the same time, the bag does not look outdated and ultimately fits well in a modern urban environment or outdoors.
Both bags have a number of identical features which essentially make The Daypack a small brother of the Mainpack. The Mainpack does come with a few key differences:
It features a large horse-shoe shaped front opening.
It has a large, burly removable waist strap.
The top flap is secured with two G-hooks (one on the Daypack).
It has a very generous side handle, which is easy to grab even with gloves on.
Apart from these differences, both packs have 2 side water bottle pockets, a hidden pocket on the back, a top quick-access pocket, and a drawstring closure in the main compartment, which is covered by the top flap.
Of course, the standout feature of the Backpacker is the ability to attach the Daypack to the Mainpack. Like the Voltron from my childhood, the Backpacker is more than the sum of its parts and represents an ultimate travel solution, whether you are traveling alone or with your family/friends. I can easily see someone traveling the world with this bag, as long as you are OK with checking in the Mainpack and keeping the Daypack with you at all times.
The process of attaching and detaching the Daypack is surprisingly simple and does not require much effort. The Mainpack has loops to attach the Daypack via metal G-hooks that are easy to operate and also offer the pleasant tactile feel of the custom metal hardware.
Frankly, I always thought that I hated G-hooks. All the packs I used before that had G-hooks were finicky to operate and I decided that I wanted to stay away from them as much as possible. Yet Salkan absolutely nailed it. The G-hooks slide in and out almost effortlessly thanks to the fabric used on the bag. I never had a G-hook getting undone by accident, but whenever I needed to undo it, it was always quick and easy. It seems that the folks at Salkan have restored my faith in G-hooks. Well done!
Another feature that I appreciated a lot was the front opening of the Mainpack. Thanks to the silky smooth YKK zippers used on the bag, opening the U-shape of the front compartment was super easy and almost completely silent (generally zippers tend to open more difficult whenever you introduce a curve or a certain angle in its path, somehow the wizards at Salkan completely resolved this).
Some of the other noteworthy features include front, top, and bottom grab handle on the Mainpack, a hidden bottom compartment with a rain cover, and included bright orange laundry bag, and a gorgeous high visibility inner liner.
MATERIALS & ORGANIZATION
The main fabric used on the Backpacker is COTNA 900D. In essence, it is a polyester fabric that looks and feels like cotton (giving the bag a very heritage vibe) but performs exceptionally well with its water resistance, abrasion resistance, and overall durability. COTNA is soft to the touch, does not absorb water, and is also quite light. It is definitely unusual and at first seemed more suitable for apparel, like a jacket, and not so much for a backpack. However, in my 8 weeks of use, it has grown on me and I appreciated how easy it is to maintain the look of the bag. Dirt and dust clean easily with a simple swipe of a wet towel.
Another notable benefit of the COTNA fabric is that it’s completely silent. After using bags made from Dyneema or VX21, it’s refreshing to hear a bag not making any noise while moving around, operating the zippers, compartments, etc…
The mesh they used is high-quality and still not showing any signs of use after 8 weeks. As an added bonus, it has an excellent tactile feeling.
The YKK zippers are all smooth and a joy to use with funky paracord zipper pulls making it super easy to access any compartment.
Overall, Salkan killed it when it comes to materials and despite my initial reservations about the main fabric, I came to appreciate and enjoy it.
The organization is great considering the use cases.
The Daypack has:
A floating zippered pouch on the inside, great for your wallet, passport, phone, etc...
A 15” laptop compartment, suspended, padded, and secured with a velcro flap.
2 water bottle pockets, more fit for 0.75L bottles (my Nalgene 1L tightly squeezed in, eating some of the internal capacity of the bag.
A quick-access top pocket with fleece lining to keep delicate items safe.
A hidden side pocket on the back panel to hide a passport or other sensitive items. Awesome that it can be reached even when the pack is on.
The Mainpack includes everything that the Daypack has, but adds substantially more volume and some interesting internal organization in the form of side zippered pockets. The left side is one large pocket and the right side has two pockets. A very nice touch is having double-sided zippers, so you can open and close these pockets in any orientation you want. The beauty of these side pockets is that, when empty, they lay flat and don’t get in a way, but that they are there to take full advantage of if you need extra organization.
ALTERNATIVES TO CONSIDER
Fjallraven Keb 52L looks very similar to the Backpacker, with the same front access, top flap, side water bottle pockets, and cavernous capacity, yet it is lighter and slightly cheaper. It comes head to head with the Mainpackbut lacks the versatility of the Mainpack+Daypack attached together.
Goruck GR2 40L at $375 (for the US-made version) the GR2 has external access to the laptop, a velcro panel on top front for personalization, and a very rugged build that invites you to abuse the bag and be amazed by how much beating it can take and still look new. The GR2 (and most Goruck bags) are notorious for being stiff out of the box, requiring a breaking-in period to become comfortable to carry.
Boundary Supply Arris at 35L this modular pack offers a very clean and unmistakably technical look with some bright color options. At $399 it’s definitely an investment, but the modular accessories allow more flexibility and personalization compared to the Backpacker.
WHAT’S HOT
Supremely comfortable.
The front opening is superb, giving you fast and easy access to the main compartment.
A breeze to use! Everything from zippers to G-hooks is effortless and smooth compared to the majority of similar bags I’ve used so far.
The modularity of the Backpacker is great.
Playful customization with straps (sold separately).
The bright orange inner liner contrasts great with the grey outer fabric and also provides a ton of visibility for things inside.
Massive water bottle pockets.
Included pouch for dirty laundry is a welcome addition!
Hidden, yet always available, rain flap is great to further enhance protection against the elements and can also be used when checking the bag on your flight, so the bag is protected from dirt/stains.
Double zippers on most of the internal pockets to be able to open the pocket from either side.
The thoughtful built-in organization ensures maximum usable space and does not get in the way when not used.
WHAT’S NOT
Lack of external access to laptops is somewhat noticeable, especially if you are coming from a pack that has a dedicated side or top access to your laptop.
Not the lightest bag around, but still very respectable considering the weight-to-volume ratio.
When the smaller bag is installed the center of gravity is shifted and the front panel access is mostly blocked.
Lots of dangling straps.
VERDICT
In a way, the Backpacker is a somewhat misleading name for the latest creation from Salkan. With its 3.4kg weight (2.4kg for the Main pack and 0.85kg for the Daypack) it would not be my first choice to go hiking through windy trails and steep hills. However, as a travel bag, it is simply outstanding. I was able to cram all the things I needed for a family of 3 (myself, my wife, and my infant son), keeping my son’s stuff and some extras in the Daypack to be used at our destination. This simple idea and brilliant implementation made the experience using the Backpacker second to none.
I also found that this is a great bag to use on road trips, just throwing it in the car and knowing that everything is in one place.
Outstanding carry comfort, useful modularity and minimal built-in organization (which I prefer, since I’ve been using packing cubes and organizers for years) make it easy to recommend the Backpacker to anyone who is looking for a complete travel solution for road trips, international and domestic flights and even on outdoor adventures.
