Fjällräven Kajka 65 ($236, originally $370)
I pledge my allegiance to Fjällräven. I love Fjällräven. I've lived out of my Fjällräven Kajka 65 backpack for years. To be honest, I've lived out of it for the bulk of my nomadic life, and it's still in near-perfect condition despite the (no-exaggeration) wild adventures we've had together. The Fjällräven Kajka 65 backpack is typically a check-in-size backpack, but I've certainly snuck it past check-in counters as a carry-on more times than I can count. Truthfully, it depends on the day. But that's not why I love it so much.
Why we love it: I love this backpack because it's the most durable piece of luggage I've ever had, and it's comfortable, even when I wear my entire life on my back. The support system is designed to evenly distribute the weight inside, and both the back length and the width of the shoulder straps are adjustable to fit you exactly how it should. Plus, you can open the main compartment all the way from the front or from a flexible drawstring top, which allows you to expand or compress the space. You can also keep smelly shoes, dirty gear, or damp clothes in the bottom compartment and squeeze even more in the expandable side pockets. The detachable top lid can also double as a fanny pack.
What to keep in mind: The only thing I don't love about this backpack is the wooden frame, which, to be fair, is a sustainable choice. I just wish the backpack was more squish-down-able when the backpack isn't full, but the frame prevents you from making the backpack appear any smaller. That said, there are external compression straps that help tighten it all up.
