Fjallraven Kanken vs The North Face Borealis
262 facts in comparison
Based on 1,166 Reddit opinions. Face BorealisThe North Face Borealis leads by 7 points.
1.2K opinions
Face Borealis leads by 7pts
VS
FK
Fjallraven Kanken
72%
B-
Based on
650 Redditors
Fjallraven Kanken
~$64.73
320 opinions
tldr; Iconic but basic. Style over function, minimal organization. Fashion statement first.
Check pricesVS
Reddit's Pick
79%
B
Based on
1,514 Redditors
Winner
The North Face Borealis
~$115
846 opinions
tldr; Classic TNF daypack. Comfortable, durable, well-organized. Safe recommendation.
Check prices😌COM
⭐ORG
📦CAP
🔧BUI
⭐AES
55
Points
71
Points
Score by Category
Comfort & Carry
38%66%
Organization
32%62%
Capacity
52%69%
Build Quality
72%77%
Aesthetics
85%64%
Why is North Face Borealis better than Fjallraven Kanken?
- Higher Reddit score (79% vs 72%)
- Better organization (62% vs 32%)
- Better comfort (66% vs 38%)
- Better capacity (69% vs 52%)
- Better value (89% vs 48%)
- TNF durability
- Laptop protected
- Organized
Based on 2,164 Reddit opinions
Slight Edge
Reddit prefers the Face BorealisThe North Face Borealis
Winning by 7 points (79% vs 72%)
Better organization
Better comfort
Better capacity
High confidence (2,164 mentions)
💬Reddit Sentiment
Based on 2,164 Reddit mentionsOverall Rating
Fjallraven Kanken
7.2/10
650 mentions
Face Borealis
7.9/10
1,514 mentions
BUILD QUALITY
Fjallraven Kanken7.2/10
Face Borealis7.7/10
VALUE
Fjallraven Kanken4.8/10
Face Borealis8.9/10
COMFORT
Fjallraven Kanken3.8/10
Face Borealis6.6/10
AESTHETICS
Fjallraven Kanken8.5/10
Face Borealis6.4/10
CAPACITY
Fjallraven Kanken5.2/10
Face Borealis6.9/10
ORGANIZATION
Fjallraven Kanken3.2/10
Face Borealis6.2/10
⚔️
Head to Head
| Topic | Fjallraven Kanken | Face Borealis |
|---|---|---|
Build Quality | 72% | 77% |
Value | 48% | 89% |
Comfort | 38% | 66% |
Aesthetics | 85% | 64% |
Capacity | 52% | 69% |
Organization | 32% | 62% |
Category Wins
Fjallraven Kanken: 1|Face Borealis: 5
Head to Head
Fjallraven Kanken: 1|Face Borealis: 5
Build QualityFace Borealis
Fjallraven Kanken72%
Face Borealis77%
ValueFace Borealis
Fjallraven Kanken48%
Face Borealis89%
ComfortFace Borealis
Fjallraven Kanken38%
Face Borealis66%
AestheticsFjallraven Kanken
Fjallraven Kanken85%
Face Borealis64%
CapacityFace Borealis
Fjallraven Kanken52%
Face Borealis69%
OrganizationFace Borealis
Fjallraven Kanken32%
Face Borealis62%
Fjallraven Kanken
72%
79%
Face Borealis
Fjallraven Kanken72%
Face Borealis79%
Face Borealis wins by 7 points
Key Specs
| Spec | Fjallraven Kanken | The North Face Borealis |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | 16 liters | — |
| Material | Vinylon F (100% vinylal) | 210D recycled nylon ripstop with non-PFC durable water-repellent (non-PFC DWR) finish |
| Pockets | Two flat side pockets, one zippered front pocket | External fleece-lined pocket, two external water bottle pockets, internal organization |
| Closure | Zippered main compartment with large opening | — |
| Seat Pad | Removable PE foam seat cushion included | — |
Key Highlights
Fjallraven Kanken
🎨 Iconic design
📚 Student favorite
⚠️ Minimal padding
🦊 The look
The North Face BorealisWinner
💪 TNF durability
💻 Laptop protected
🔧 Organized
🎒 Versatile
Topic Battles
Fjallraven Kanken: 1|Tied: 0|Face Borealis: 4
😌Comfort & Carry
Face Borealis winsFjallraven Kanken
38%
Face Borealis
66%
⭐Organization
Face Borealis winsFjallraven Kanken
32%
Face Borealis
62%
📦Capacity
Face Borealis winsFjallraven Kanken
52%
Face Borealis
69%
🔧Build Quality
Face Borealis winsFjallraven Kanken
72%
Face Borealis
77%
⭐Aesthetics
Fjallraven Kanken winsFjallraven Kanken
85%
Face Borealis
64%
Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories
📈Where They Rank
💬What Redditors Actually Say
What Redditors Say
Best praise vs top criticism for The North Face Borealis
Best Praise
+22 pts“Navy. Grey will show dirt, black is boring. Also will show dirt. But don’t ask me, I’m purely function over fashion. The Borealis is one of my favorite packs, btw, excellent choice for quality and function.”
r/Backpacks
View3 more quotes available below
What Redditors Say
Best praise vs top criticism for Fjallraven Kanken
Best Praise
+18 pts“This looks really authentic! My Kanken has the same patch, and the same fox button. My Kanken does not have the address line and also seal from Sweden on it. You did note it was older, so that could easily be a difference. The fonts looks identical to my Kanken. I would say it is authentic.”
r/Backpacks
ViewTop Criticism
+16 pts“Honestly the Kanken is just a trendier version of the classic jansport with a higher price tag and a cute patch”
r/Backpacks
View3 more quotes available below
Sentiment Over Time
Fjallraven Kanken
Face Borealis
📈Historical Price Data
Fjallraven Kanken
The North Face Borealis
Fjallraven Kanken
All-time low: $37.49(2024-06)
The North Face Borealis
All-time low: $69.3(2025-11)
Which is Better?
The North Face Borealis Wins
79%
Borealis
vs
72%
Kanken
The North Face Borealis leads by 7 points based on 2,164 Reddit opinions.
Why Face BorealisWinner
- Better Value for Money (89% vs 48%)
- More discussed (1,514 vs 650)
Why Fjallraven Kanken
- 🎨 Iconic design
- 📚 Student favorite
❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown
Sentiment Breakdown
44%Positive
Positive
44%Neutral
44%Negative
12%Based on 1,514 Reddit opinions
Sentiment Breakdown
35%Positive
Positive
35%Neutral
51%Negative
14%Based on 650 Reddit opinions
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, The North Face Borealis or Fjallraven Kanken?
Based on 2,164 Reddit comments, The North Face Borealis is the preferred choice with 79% positive sentiment vs Fjallraven Kanken's 72%. The North Face Borealis leads by 7 percentage points.
Should I buy The North Face Borealis or Fjallraven Kanken?
If you want the safer choice based on community sentiment, The North Face Borealis has stronger approval ratings (79% vs 72%). However, Fjallraven Kanken may still be better depending on your specific needs, budget, or use case.
What do Redditors love about The North Face Borealis?
Reddit users highlight: TNF durability. Laptop protected. Organized. With 1,514 mentions and 79% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about Fjallraven Kanken?
Reddit users highlight: Iconic design. Student favorite. Minimal padding. With 650 mentions and 72% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 2,164 Reddit comments: 1,514 about The North Face Borealis and 650 about Fjallraven Kanken. Data was sourced from Backpacks community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.
1,166 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 5/16/2026