Carl Friedrik Ayrton Backpack Review

In a backpack-filled world chock-full of nylon and polyester, it’s really hard to make yourself stand out. There are colorways, patterns, and creative ways brands can apply their logo, but they can all look very similar after a while. Maybe that’s just us having to test backpacks daily (we have entire walls of backpacks, after all), but there’s bound to be a few of you who get what we mean. And hey, there’s nothing necessarily wrong with anodyne aesthetics. So long as the bag serves its purpose, styling is easy to overlook.

But for the crowd that does want to stand out, backpacks like the Carl Friedrik Ayrton still exist. This leather-clad backpack looks like it came straight out of a Milanese atelier’s backroom of prototypes—and we mean that as a compliment. Featuring Italian Vachetta leather, its striking appearance is enough to turn heads.

The question is, though, is it enough to earn praise? Or is this a case of looks-over-substance? Read on.

External Components

The backpack’s main attraction is, of course, its all-leather exterior (minus the obvious bits like the zippers and hardware, of course). It’s full-grain bovine leather and has a semi-aniline coating for added protection. We assume they mean weather protection with the latter part, though Carl Friedrik also points out that the coating helps make the leather more supple. Indeed, the leather feels surprisingly soft, all without feeling too flimsy or baggy in a cheap way.

Contrasting the primary grain-textured leather is smooth Vachetta leather. To cut the story short, it’s a highly valued type of leather used by luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, and one of its most notable characteristics is its dark color, which develops from the aging process it undergoes. Do we like it? Yes, we do. It gives the bag a little contrast despite being almost made entirely of one type of material.

Caring for this much leather does take some effort. While you can get away with wiping down most stains, it is still recommended that you treat the Vachetta leather to a certain cream, conveniently sold by Carl Friedrik. On top of all this, there’s the usual disclaimer that leather is prone to molds if you leave it in a very humid environment, so make sure your closet’s not damp if you’re storing this bag for long periods.

Both leather materials should develop a patina over time. That said, two weeks of testing won’t surface anything like that, so only time will tell how that progresses. At the time of writing, though, the bag is virtually spotless, as most of the stains and scuffs this bag had to put up with were easily wiped off. Mind you, we weren’t giving this bag the royal treatment; it went through the same everyday bumps and dings as other bags. In other words, it owes its pristine condition to its quality materials and construction.

The brushed and polished hardware further contrasts the leather. The zippers are from Roro, which isn’t a brand we’re too familiar with. However, these particular ones work fine, zipping relatively smoothly and easily, especially if you use the leather loops on each end for leverage. We’re not going to harp on these too much, but you can be sure we’ll post updates to this review if the zippers jam.

The harness system is quite basic in terms of overall design. Yes, you still get leather on both straps, but without any supporting elements such as a sternum strap or hip belt. We’re guessing that Carl Friedrik opted to keep things simple so as not to impact the bag’s classy aesthetic. That’s understandable, especially if the harness system is decently comfortable to wear—we’ll tell you more about that in the next section.

The straps themselves feature some curvature so that they flow to your back more naturally. That said, it’s not to the same degree as more contoured harness systems we’ve tested. They have decent width to ensure weight is distributed, and there’s mesh underneath to keep things breathable. The mesh is noticeably rough, though. Interestingly, the strap adjusters are soft and smooth by comparison.

Lastly, the back panel has the same padded mesh as the shoulder straps. Those traveling with rolling luggage will also dig that there’s a pass-through so you can slot the bag on your roller’s handle.

Fit Notes

As simple as it is, the Ayrton’s harness system really has no major flaws—no deal-breakers, so to speak. Overall comfort is acceptable, though we have a few minor nitpicks. Firstly, the straps’ width can feel too much for those with smaller frames. Plus, as mentioned, that mesh feels scratchy on bare skin, so those who frequently travel while wearing tank tops may feel that discomfort.

Adjusting the straps is a bit tough. However, getting the fit right may not be the biggest factor in terms of comfort; we think the bigger aspect to consider is size. As sleek and classy as this bag looks, it feels a bit large on those with smaller frames. It runs a bit longer and wider than its 15.5-liter capacity might suggest, making the bag feel oversized for some users. Again, there’s nothing too deal-breaking; these are just a few things to keep in mind.

Inside The Backpack

The front pocket opens in a horseshoe shape, leading to an interior that’s fairly typical of most daypacks. There are two liner pockets, and … that’s about it. There are no zippered pockets within, nor is there a key leash. Honestly, it comes off minimalist, but it’s still enough to get us by daily. There’s enough organization to store your wallet, AirPods, lip balm, and ointment—at least, that’s what we used the two liner pockets for.

The open space is roomy enough to store relatively bulky everyday carry accessories, such as a medium-sized power bank. That said, anything too oddly shaped can make the leather visibly lumpy. It’s a bit peculiar since the pocket isn’t necessarily short on space. However, the leather’s uniformity and color make these imperfections stand out more than other fabrics.

Similar to the front pocket, the main compartment also opens in a horseshoe shape, with the interior simply laid out. At the front is a zippered pocket for additional everyday carry items, and it’s nicely furnished with that Vachetta leather trim around its opening. We’re not particularly fans of the zipper track brushing against the skin sensation. Other than that, though, there’s nothing to complain about, as it’s still a fairly roomy pocket and relatively secure, considering it’s within the main compartment.

Adjacent to the zippered pocket is a large document sleeve. We’d typically see this adjacent to the laptop sleeve at the back side and find it interesting that they placed it here. While its roominess lets it accommodate fairly bulky gear like slim pouches and organizers, we don’t like how loose the fabric is. With how much slack it has, it tends to cover the main compartment’s open space, blocking access to the rest of your gear. With the bag’s overall excellent material quality, we feel Carl Friedrik could’ve done a better job tightening the fabric in this case.

It’s a bit of a shame since, for a 15.5-liter daypack, there’s actually a decent amount of open space to play around with in this main compartment. We can fit three packing cubes of clothing, plus a rolled-up hoodie, in this area. Again, though, access is made tricky when the front document sleeve obscures everything else. Silver lining: at least the interior is lined with tan-colored fabric, so visibility is quite good.