Disclaimer: KÜHL sent this product to us for free for a review. That does not affect our opinion about the product. In this article, we list both what we like and dislike. Read more about this here.
The KÜHL Eskape 20 Kanvas Backpack
Finding a backpack that does it all is harder than it sounds. As someone who owns over ten bags for different purposes (yes, I know), I’ve gone through my fair share of packs that looked great on paper but fell apart on the trail, literally, in one case.
So when KÜHL reached out and sent me the Eskape 20 Kanvas backpack to review, I jumped at the chance. It’s held up great on the hikes I’ve taken it on so far, and I’m excited to put it to the test as a travel bag too.
The Eskape 20 is KÜHL’s 20-liter take on the everyday-meets-adventure pack, and the Kanvas version swaps the standard nylon shell for a waxed cotton-nylon canvas that gives it a rugged, almost vintage look. It’s the kind of bag that feels as at home on a trail as it does thrown in the back of the car for a weekend away.
Anyway, let’s get into my first impressions!
First Impressions
I actually received the bag just a day before a steep 8-mile hike in the mountains outside Salt Lake City, so I figured why not throw it straight into the deep end as a first test.
Pulling it out of the box, the first thing that struck me was just how good it looks. The canvas has a really premium feel to it, and the water-resistant zippers look and feel high-quality. I also immediately started playing around with the magnetic Fidlock clasp on the main compartment, which is such a clever way to access the main compartment.
My one question going into the hike was whether things would feel secure in there, whether on the trail or just tossing the bag in the car, but I have had no issues with that at all.
One thing I did notice was that the padding on the back panel isn’t super thick, which got me wondering how it would compare comfort-wise to my Revolution Race pack that I’ve been using daily for the last couple of months.
Even though the padding is on the thinner side, comfort honestly hasn’t been an issue on the hikes I’ve done so far. Whether it holds up on longer or more demanding days out, I’ll have to wait and see.
Build Quality & Materials
The canvas on this bag just feels rugged, plain and simple. It’s a durable nylon-reinforced canvas with a waxed coating, and you can tell it’s built to take a beating.
Dirt and dust brush off effortlessly, which has been great on the trail, and the bottom is reinforced in the high abrasion areas where bags tend to wear out first.
The Ink Black color looks really good too. Dirt does show up on the canvas, but it brushes off so easily.
The question will, as always, be how it is going to hold up. We are going to be using this backpack heavily in the coming spring and summer, and I will update the article if we run into any issues.
Organization & Pockets
For hiking, this bag does exactly what I need it to do. I typically bring extra layers, snacks, and water on the trail, and all of that fits comfortably. There are also two water bottle holders, one on each side, which is a must-have for me on any hike.
The pocket I immediately fell in love with is the soft fleece-lined pocket built into the fold-over lid on top of the bag. It’s the perfect spot for your phone, an action camera, or anything else sensitive that you want quick access to. It’s also super easy to point someone to if you need them to grab something out of it while the bag is on your back, which is a small thing but really appreciated.
The laptop compartment fits up to a 17-inch device, though I’ll be honest, fitting my 16-inch MacBook Pro in there is a little tight. The two zippers could stand to go down a bit further on each side to make access easier. It works, but it’s something worth knowing if you’re planning to use it mostly as a laptop bag.
There’s also a front pocket with a small built-in carabiner, great for keys on a hike, and I can already see it doubling as a passport pocket when I travel. Speaking of which, I’m actually flying from the US to Sweden next week with this as my main carry-on, so I’m curious to see how the trolley sleeve on the back holds up at the airport.
The side zipper that opens up full access to the main compartment is something I haven’t found a use for outdoors yet. I can see the logic of it if you need to dig something out from the bottom of your pack, but I’m a little on the fence about whether it adds more value than it does potential weak points.
And again, I have to mention the Fidlock magnetic clasp on the main compartment. It’s the most intuitive part of the whole bag. You just flip it open and you’re in. Simple and reliable.
Comfort & Carry
Going into that first hike, I was a little skeptical about the shoulder straps since they are on the thinner side, but the comfort was better than expected. Even scrambling up some steep rocky sections, the bag never got in the way or started to dig in.
The bag also comes with a hip belt and a magnetic sternum strap. The sternum strap is nice and easy to clip on and off. The hip belt is handy to have, but I do wish it was removable rather than stowed away on the bag.
Depending on how heavy your pack is and how it sits on your back, you can adjust the load lifters for better stability and posture.
One thing to be aware of is that the bag can get a little top and front heavy if you load up that fleece-lined lid pocket with gadgets. It’s such a great pocket that it’s tempting to throw everything in there, but the bag will start tipping over if you set it down.
You can offset that by adding more weight to the main compartment, but it’s something to keep in mind when you’re packing. On the trail with a typical hiking load, it wasn’t an issue, just something I noticed at home.
Weather Resistance
I haven’t had the chance to take it out in the rain yet, but I’m not worried about it. The zippers are water-resistant and feel solid, easy to pull, and haven’t gotten stuck once.
What gives me confidence though, is the design of the main compartment itself. Instead of a zipper across the top, it uses a fold-over lid style closure, and the only zipper access to the main compartment is hidden behind a button and a thick flap of canvas. Water would have a really hard time getting in there short of dunking the whole thing in a lake.
Best Use Cases
After spending some time with this bag, I think where it really shines is as a travel backpack. It has just the right amount of structure and organization for a carry-on, and the trolley sleeve on the back means it slides right over a suitcase handle at the airport.
It works well for hiking too, and I’ve genuinely enjoyed taking it on the trail. But if I’m being honest, for a dedicated hike I’d probably reach for a lighter pack with fewer compartments. I don’t need a laptop sleeve or a dozen pockets when I’m just trying to carry layers and snacks up a mountain. The Eskape 20 Kanvas is almost too feature-rich for that.
Where I think it hits its sweet spot is travel, everyday city use, and school. The reflective ribbons are a nice safety touch if you’re walking around in low light, and the hidden device tracker pocket is a great little detail, perfect for slipping in an AirTag or another GPS tracker for peace of mind when you’re on the move.
It’s the kind of bag that works hard in everyday life without looking like it’s trying too hard.
Verdict
At $289 the Eskape 20 Kanvas is not a cheap backpack, but after spending real time with it, I get it. The quality is there, and you feel it most in the details, especially the zippers, which are smooth, sturdy, and haven’t given me a single problem. On a backpack, that’s what matters more than people realize until a cheap zipper lets them down in the middle of nowhere.
If you are looking for a bag that can genuinely do a bit of everything, travel, city life, school, the occasional hike, and look great doing it, this is a really good choice.
The canvas looks and feels premium, the organization is thoughtful, and the Fidlock magnetic clasp alone is worth getting excited about. It’s not the bag I’d pick for a 7-day alpine hike, but for pretty much everything else.
KÜHL sent me this bag to review, and I’ll be taking it to Sweden next week as my main carry-on, which I think says everything about how much I trust it.
