Kulkea Kayda Travel Backpack Review
Carry enthusiasts love their gear over-engineered: packs designed for tactical military operations used for running errands, sure! A bag designed for the most rigorous mountain climbs going for a leisurely day hike, why not? Fabric made to withstand sail-force winds utilized as stationary pouches, yes! Kulkea took this mindset and applied it to their travel bag, the Käydä.
Perhaps you’re not familiar with the New England brand whose roots reach deep into Finnish culture and design ethos. They’ve been crushing the ski bag game for over ten years with acclaimed ski, boot, and trail bags. Driven by “Sisu,” the Finnish phrase for the art of extraordinary determination, Kulkea saw the challenges and punishment of hauling heavy ski gear and applied these lessons to a travel bag. So, a hauler designed for heavy, wet, and unruly equipment carrying my clothes to an AirBnB, fantastic.
It’s an intriguing pivot because the travel bag market is already saturated. What makes this one special?
The Basics
40L+5L Capacity
All YKK Zips #10s & 8s
1680D Ballistic Nylon on the bottom
900D Coated Polyester on the body
2-Year Warranty
EVA Foam & AirMesh Back Padding
Fleece-Lined Glasses Pocket
Luggage Pass-Through
Hypalon Zip Pulls
The Cool Stuff
Isolated Side-Access Laptop Compartment (up to 15-inch)
Removable Hip and Sternum Straps
Stands On Its Own
Ventilation Window
Hidden Passport/Valuable Pocket
Multiple Latch Points
Top, Side, and Rear Carry Handles
Full Clam-Shell Opening
Transparent & Water Resistant Toiletry Pockets
The Wow Stuff
Ample storage with 1-inch Expansion
High-Quality Materials & Construction
Detachable 5L Travel Kit with Tons of Organization
Extra Wide Shoulder Straps
Magnetic Waterbottle Pocket
All exterior YKK AquaGuard Zips
Stowable Helmet/Jacket Net
Water-resistant Removable Inner Lining
Who It Suits
Anyone into adventure travel, especially those who anticipate wet weather. By plane, train, or automobile, the Käydä is a comfortable companion that will protect your clothes and gear with its robust and weather-resistant materials. I wish I had this bag while in Iceland or Ireland.
Those who one-bag or minimalist travel. It offers enough storage, expandability, and thoughtful organization, plus a cleverly designed detachable 5L travel kit, making extended travel a breeze.
Anyone into snowsports or active cold-weather activities. The Käydä has many design elements and features that take a page from Kulkea’s knowledge base in serving this demographic.
Who it Doesn’t
Those looking for more heritage and not urban exterior design. This pack is a sleek, stealth bomber with fashion-forward detailing. Still, even if you’re in this camp, read-on because there are situations where a bag like this would be beneficial.
Extreme minimalists, or those traveling on budget airlines with a budget fare. I’ve done my share of sneaking past gate agents, with a bag slightly larger than regulation for under-the-seat. The Käydä won’t work in this situation; it’s big and will only fit via the overhead bin.
A Quintessential Gear Hauler
Adaptability is a big deal for me when it comes to traveling. In fact, a highly adaptable pack is what got me into the carry-game in the first place. Coupled with my need to feel confident that items like my diabetes supplies are safe when I travel, I lean towards packs whose adaptability and weatherproofing are focal points.
The Käydä is built like a tank, a virtually waterproof, utilitarian, comfortable to maneuver tank. One of its intended purposes is to haul cumbersome ski boots with associated ski gear with ease and comfort. Now, replace that ski gear with clothes, some camera gear, toiletries, and a laptop – that same level of durability, protection, comfort, and ease of access are all there. When we travel, we want what’s inside our pack to stay safe, we want it accessible, and we don’t want to feel overburdened. We also want adaptability, to expand or contract as needed, whether it’s the bag itself or what we’re personally carrying.
The Käydä does these and much more. It’s not perfect, no bag is, so let’s dive in and see the good and the not so good.
The Good
Leading up to this point, I’ve alluded to the Käydä’s construction and materials. The folks at Kulkea and designer Fernando Robert designed a pack whose construction supports heavy loads. At one point, I was hauling my original Xbox One (the huge one), with boots, my Surface Book 2, some cables, clothes, and toiletries. This thing showed no signs of stress: the stitching was in place, the bolts on the different handles were pristine, the materials themselves were not warping, and the YKK Zips were smooth with no signs of duress. I’d easily trust this pack with international travel (whenever that comes back). Still, for now, I am confident the Käydä can handle domestic travel, road trips, or even train rides with gusto.
Let’s talk about materials. The first thing you may notice about this pack is the sleek, matte, rubberized looking exterior. This is a waterproof 900D PVC-coated polyester that sheds water without a problem. Add #10 & #8 AquaGuard YKK zips, and we’re talking some heavy-duty weatherproofing. Abrasion resistance isn’t phenomenal here, but it does wipe down stains easily. I accidentally scratched the pack against a stucco wall, and it required a bit of wiping down to make it new again. The heavy-wear bottom is made of 1680D Ballistic Nylon. Both materials allow the pack to maintain its structure even when empty, which can be good or bad depending on how you feel about it. A nice benefit of these exterior materials is that the Käydä can stand on its own. Unless the top compartment/travel kit is packed a certain way, the pack stays upright.
On the inside, there’s more YKK zips, clear waterproof plastic for the toiletry pockets, and a heavily water-resistant rip-stop nylon that serves as a removable liner for the main compartment. The liner is a great touch after a day of skiing, hiking, or just coming back from the gym. The internal materials for the main compartment were implemented with wet gear in mind. It bears mentioning that a small ventilation window on the bag’s side is included, another nod to the Käydä’s thoughtful design. The top access pocket has a nice fleece-lining, while padded laptop and valuables pockets are lined in basic nylon. The small side access pocket is lined with the same water-resistant rip-stop nylon as the main compartment.
We can’t go far in discussing materials without looking at the back panel and shoulder straps. The back panel consists of a generous supply of EVA foam and Airmesh. It works. Even loaded down, the pack felt good against my back. Additionally, the Airmesh and air channel did a stellar job of keeping me cool. While taking photos for this review, it was about 90F with high humidity, yet I didn’t get a sweaty back; that says a lot! The straps are made of the same materials and feel comfortable in use. The comfort level of this harness system is, in part, due to the wider-than-usual straps. I think these are the widest straps I’ve used on a bag. It feels so right. In fact, I barely used the removable sternum strap. Along for the party is a removable hip-strap. I have a pet-peeve with so many bags that don’t allow you to remove the hip straps, or if they do, it’s a hassle. The Käydä’s hip strap is locked-in with a long strip of Velcro, making it easy to put-on or take-off. The strap itself also folds up nicely for easy storage. Thank you!
Continuing on the topic of comfort, this hauler has handles on the top, both sides, and two(!) on the back panel. The only spot without a handle is the bottom. Having all these handles was great when pulling the bag out of a trunk full of baby stuff. Or holding the pack from both back-handles in a “duffel mode” while waiting to leave. Even just holding it from the top strap while in an elevator was comfortable. This can clearly translate to grasping the pack from an overhead bin, a storage locker, or a luggage rack on a train. That being said, the handles are all sturdy and robust. They don’t feel flimsy or weak, even under load. All the handles feel good in the hand, with just the right amount of rigidity and softness – I wasn’t getting callouses while holding the bag. As a final point on comfort, instead of elongating the bag vertically to fit 40L of space in the main pack, Kulkea instead slightly extended it horizontally. I am 5’7 in height, and this vertical to horizontal ratio ticked another box in the comfort category for me.
The detachable travel kit is the most intriguing feature of the Käydä. I love the pack within a pack idea, an element that can work with or apart from the main bag. For the most part, Kulkea has done a great job of executing this. The travel kit clips in on both sides of the pack using sturdy buckles and webbing. A much better implementation from previous bags I’ve had that used a zippered system. The travel kit is purpose-made to house electronics and other knick-knacks you’ll need quick access to while traveling, using the same exterior and internal materials as the rest of the pack. Its odd shape was designed to hold up to a MacBook Air 11 or various IPads. I personally stored my Nintendo Switch without a problem. Inside, there’s tons of organization – multiple mesh pockets, a zippered compartment, charger & battery pack sleeves, and additional middle pockets. It all works together to create a space for a ridiculous amount of stuff.
The travel kit's primary intention is to give the ability to stash the main bag in an overhead bin, trunk, or luggage rack while allowing you to keep the things that matter. As a side benefit, you can run the travel kit separately from the main bag through airport security. This is huge for me as TSA flags my bag for my insulin every time and then proceeds to open and undo all my organizational work. Now they can rummage through this smaller pack instead. This side-pack clips into 2-inch wide webbing. It’s incredibly convenient, and I wish more bag-makers would investigate this idea. There’s a lot to like here, but with some caveats – we’ll get into it in the Not So Good section.
The Käydä is a feature-rich bag. A lot of thought, attention to detail, and passion went into it. A great feature is the magnetic water bottle pocket. When not in use, the pocket stays closed, allowing for clean lines and a streamlined silhouette. When needed, there’s no fiddling around with a zipper or Velcro. Simply pull the pocket open, and there you go! The only downside is a relatively small bottle capacity – I fit a 25oz Hydroflask but doubt a 32oz would. A brilliant feature is the hidden helmet/jacket net – a zippered compartment holds a mesh net that attaches to latch points on the bag's exterior with g-hooks. If you’re hauling a helmet, it’s convenient, but that’s a small use-case. On the other hand, I used it to quickly access a jacket or sweater, which made this feature shine.
I am a big fan of having an isolated laptop compartment; this way, I can get to my device without opening the whole bag. It’s a simple yet elegant design that makes retrieving my Surface Book incredibly easy. The laptop is protected by the back panel’s and main compartment’s robust padding. There’s also a small valuables/passport pocket as well; it’s enough to slip a passport into, but not much else.
The Käydä has ample storage yet includes a 1-inch expansion zipper for those larger loads. Another feature that adds to the bag's packability is a zippered partition that will allow you to convert the bag from two storage cavities to one large cavity. It’s an excellent idea that gives the user adaptability in how they pack and access their gear.
Not So Good
There’s a lot to like here. Still, being a first-time effort from Kulkea in this space, and considering how saturated this market is, there are a few things that bear mentioning.
With all the beefy construction, hardware, and materials needed to create this go-everywhere tank of a bag, it’s a little heavy. With nothing inside and the hip straps not attached, it comes in at 4.7lbs or 2.13kg. By comparison, the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L, known for being heavy, weighs 4.5lbs or 2.04kg, and the Heimplanet Transit 34L comes in at 3lbs or 1.36kg. If you’re car traveling or train traveling, it’s not a big deal. But if you’re traveling on an airline that strictly holds to weight restrictions, you may have to pay extra to check it in. Otherwise, with how it feels on the back, the generous padding and great straps make the weight a non-issue, although your mileage may vary.
As mentioned earlier, I love the idea of this detachable travel kit but was a little disappointed by its comfort. I wore it while walking around Disney Springs, and after about two hours, I couldn’t wait to take it off. I tried blaming the straps, but the webbing is soft and flexible, and the width is right for the amount of weight I was carrying. I suspect that the shape of the pack and how the straps are laid out is not ideal. Additionally, the back panel is a flat sheet of 1680D Ballistic Nylon. I tried, on several occasions, to really want to use the travel kit for extended periods, as shown in Kulkea’s own marketing video. Still, I found myself taking it off as soon as possible. For short spurts, like walking through an airport or train station, it’s perfectly fine. For walking around a city all day or going on a short hike, it’s not great. To be fair, when I asked the designer about this, he did point out that the main reason for the travel kit was to keep your must-have items with you on a plane or to traverse short distances. Lastly, given the waterproof materials, the travel kit doesn’t breathe well, nor does it absorb hand sweat if you’re holding it. While taking photos for this review, I asked a friend to hold onto it; after about ten minutes, he asked me to take it back because his hands were getting sweaty, just holding it. I, too, experienced this, but I figured it was just me.
With the travel kit attached, opening the main compartment is made somewhat more cumbersome. The shape of the travel kit protrudes slightly over the zipper line. I found it best to keep the zips stashed all the way on the bottom of the bag, and the momentum made passing through the travel kit section a bit easier. It’s not a huge deal, or a dealbreaker, though.
The front of the pack has a storage area that can be used for extra clothes, knick-knacks, books, snacks, etc. Between this area and the main compartment is a zippered partition. What’s curious is that the zip pulls only face the main compartment. I asked the designer what the purpose of this feature was. He mentioned the ability to grab a jacket, sweater, or other storage items without disturbing the rest of the pack. Another way of looking at it, is being able to access the front compartment while the pack is laid open. I like the idea and can see it being practical since I could access both storage areas at the same time. Unfortunately, the zipper configuration limits the utility of this feature. As for me, most times I would need to access the main compartment from the front, not the front from the main. Again, not a big deal, I just didn’t use this feature, and the bag is still great – it’s just a feature, that to me, didn’t pan out.
The last thing that I found that was not so good was the branding. Understandably, Kulkea isn’t a big player in this space yet, and they need to get their name out there. Also, splashing your name across your gear is a common thing in the ski world. There’s large branding on the main bag's exterior and large branding on the sling, additionally more branding on the shoulder strap. Really, it’s not so much the quantity of branding as it is the size of the branding. Opinions differ, but for me, I prefer more toned down branding.
Verdict
The Käydä Travel Bag is rolling onto the scene in sleek, all-black. It’s rugged, durable, and bursting with great features. Kulkea has tons of experience comfortably carrying some of the most annoying equipment in the sport’s world. Their travel bag is engineered for heavy, burdensome loads but over-engineered for carrying your clothes and travel essentials. Is that a good thing? Oh yeah! It’s comfortable, extremely weather-resistant, versatile, and adaptable. It’s a veritable bomb shelter, so your gear will always be protected and not a burden on your back or in your hand.
Still, this is a version one product, and like virtually every single bag in existence, there’s room for improvement. None of these issues should be dealbreakers: it’s heavy compared to other travel bags, which can be an issue when traveling internationally. The travel kit is an excellent idea whose execution could use a little polish with an eye to comfort. And the zippered middle partition should be re-evaluated to make it more useful.
I am a one-bag-traveler for the most part, so, all being said, the Käydä is an excellent option when on extended travel. Yeah, I’ll probably pack an extra sling or packable backpack for when I arrive. Still, I am confident this pack will be a steadfast & stalwart companion for the journeys in-between.
