- Hey, it's Nathan from Pack Hacker here.
And in this review, we're going to be taking a look
at the Fraser Rucksack 32 Liters,
from British backpack specialist Millican.
Here at Pack Hacker, we do travel gear
and backpack reviews like this all the time.
So, if you're new here, consider subscribing.
We've been testing this pack for the last three months now.
So, let's get straight into it and dive into this review.
[upbeat music playing]
We're digging the heritage style
of the Fraser Rucksack 32 Liters.
And our Instagram poll showed
that 65% of you agreed with us, a pretty solid effort.
And if you're not already, make sure to go and follow
@packhacker on Instagram,
so you can take part in our future polls.
When it comes to branding,
Millican has kept it subtle on this pack and we like it.
There is a logo on the front of the bag that's hard to spot
due to it being the same color as the pack
and a small imprinted logo on the top handle
and drawstring pull-tab.
And at the time of this review,
this pack is available in graphite gray, moss and slate.
We're big fans of the subdued colors.
And even though we went for graphite gray for this review,
we'd be happy to rock any of the colors available.
One small note is that our graphite gray pack
is a lot lighter than
the close-to-black color shown on the website.
Millican has noted this on their product page
and have a full disclaimer on their materials (page two)
about how the natural fibers can absorb dye differently,
creating slight color variations.
But, we'd still like to see them
update the website imagery just a little bit
so it matches closer to what they're currently producing.
Now it's time to dive into the materials
and there's some pretty rad stuff going on here.
First, the outer material is bionic canvas
and it's exclusive to Millican.
It's 38% cotton, 57% recycled polyester
and 5% high-tenacity polyester.
It's also impregnated with 100% paraffin wax
for additional weather resistance.
Now, Millican does go deep into this fabric
over on their materials page,
but we'll summarize the need to know details.
First, it's incredibly durable and to date,
there's no signs of any wear and tear.
Next, it's remarkably lightweight for a canvas material
and brings this pack in at 2.85 pounds.
In comparison, that's lighter
than the 33-liter Aer Travel Pack Two,
the 28-liter Arc'teryx Blade and the 30-liter Trakke Storr.
This bionic canvas fabric is also highly weather resistant
and the use of recycled polyester cuts energy by 50%,
saves 20% on water and reduces air pollution by 60%.
The bottom line is, the bionic canvas fabric
is a fantastic all-rounder
and we've been really impressed with it in testing.
Now rounding off the materials,
Millican has kept up the quality with aluminum buckles,
leather accents and YKK zippers.
We can't fault anything with that
and Millican hasn't skimped out on any part of this pack.
This thing is built to last
and feels top-notch every step of the way.
Moving on to the external components,
there's no better place to start
than with the harness system.
The shoulder straps are adjustable
and the dense foam padding provides a comfortable fit
even when this thing is at full capacity.
The back panel is padded too, for additional comfort
and rigid so that it won't slouch down your back either.
The Fraser Rucksack 32 Liters
also has a detachable sternum strap and hip belt.
Some of you won't need the additional support
that these two things can bring,
but others won't consider a backpack this size without it.
And it's really nice for Millican
to give everyone the option here.
The sternum strap can be attached at five different heights,
and the attachment points on both sides
are hidden under a fabric for an aesthetic bonus.
The adjustable strap secures
nice and tight across your chest
and the aluminum buckles provide that premium feel.
The hip belt is attached
via a pass-through panel at the back,
with a patch of Velcro in the middle to secure it in place.
The front buckle can take a little bit of getting used to,
but it works well when you get the hang of it.
And the pockets on either side are a great touch too,
capable of fitting a phone or a compact camera
for quick access.
Just a note though, the hip belt can be pretty bulky
and can get in the way when it's not locked in.
So, if you don't plan on wearing it,
we'd recommend removing it entirely.
Next up, there are two handles on the top -
the small handle at the back
is good for hanging this pack up,
and the larger one in front is a nifty
quick-grab handle you can use in a pinch.
On the top of each side of the pack
you'll find a compression strap,
and this can be used to cinch down the top
when the bag's not at full capacity.
And they can also be used to attach a tripod
or other items like a walking pole to the outside.
And there's a latch strap
you can pull from the bottom of the bag
that helps secure the feet of the tripod too.
Something we must note though, is that there are a few
dangling straps on the outside of this bag.
Now, Millican has put strap keepers on some of them
to help with the dangling a little bit,
but the fact is, the straps are so long
that they're going to dangle regardless.
Now, it's not the biggest issue,
but we think it could be improved a little bit.
Before we dive in to the main compartment,
there are a few external pockets we have to cover.
First, there are two large
two-in-one pockets on either side.
The front pocket is secured with a buckled lid
and the back is an open sleeve.
Both stretch down to the bottom of the bag
and are excellent locations to store
your quick-grab items when you're on the go.
We use the back sleeve-compartment to hold our water bottle
and the front pocket is ideal for earbuds, phone chargers
and anything else you may need quick access to.
There's some internal organization
inside the left front pocket too,
with a thin zippered compartment
and two small dividers on top.
While we didn't find ourselves
using these pockets inside too often,
the zippered one can add another layer of security
to more valuable items
and they didn't get in the way when not in use.
Second, there is a zippered quick-grab pocket
located on the right side of the back panel.
There's a surprising amount of space inside
and it's a clever addition.
There's a small amount of internal organization here too,
with an aluminum key clip, a felt-lined pocket
and two that are perfectly shaped for a pen.
This sleek pocket is a great place for your passport
and other must-have travel essentials
like your wallet and phone.
Moving on to the main compartment, the top-loading opening
is made of a drawstring closure
and a lid that secures with a G-hook buckle.
While the Millican Fraser Rucksack 32 Liters
isn't the quickest pack to open and close
and the G-hook can take a little while to master,
the whole system works well.
And as top-loading packs go, it's pretty solid.
Plus, the benefit of being able to adjust the capacity
by cinching the top further down or higher up
can be invaluable.
Inside the main compartment, you'll find
a sleeve at the back designed for a laptop or water bladder.
This will hold a 15-inch laptop comfortably,
but we'd recommend putting your laptop
in a protective sleeve since there's no padding.
And there's a clipped loop and a pass-through hole
for the water bladder if that's more your style.
One note here though, is that the water bladder
pass-through hole is exactly that - a hole in the backpack
where water could potentially come through.
And what's directly beneath that hole?
That's right, the laptop compartment.
And while we've never had any water come through ourselves,
it's definitely possible and we'd like to see
Millican tweak the design here
and rotate the opening clockwise,
so the fabric covers the top as opposed to the side.
Moving on, on the front of this sleeve
there are two pockets - one zippered
and one secured with a clip.
These can be useful for storing smaller items
that would otherwise get lost inside the main compartment,
but we found them a little hard to access.
This is because they are so far down from the top opening.
And even though the yellow color helps with visibility,
it's still tough to see and feel exactly what's going on.
The rest of the main compartment
is essentially a large bucket.
And because of this, we'd strongly recommend
picking up a few packing cubes
to organize and compartmentalize the pack.
At the time of this review, we've been testing
the Millican Fraser Rucksack 32 Liters
for the last three months.
During that time, it's seen use as a one-bag travel pack,
a day pack and even a gym bag
in the rainy and cold winter months of England.
We're happy to report, this pack shows
no signs of wear and tear and it's clearly built to last;
with the aluminum buckles,
hard-wearing bionic canvas material
and considered design as a testament to this.
And if for whatever reason
this pack does fail during normal use,
Millican offers a good-for-life guarantee;
through which they will repair, replace or refund you.
But just note, we haven't tested this ourselves.
In testing, we found the Fraser Rucksack
takes a little while to get used to, but repays you
as a truly trustworthy companion once you do.
And at 32 liters, this thing can be used
as a minimal one-bag travel pack
and it even compresses enough to be used as a day pack too.
Moving on to the pros and cons.
This pack is highly durable and made with quality materials.
It can be used as a day pack or a one-bag travel pack.
And it delivers a comfortable carry,
with the option to add a hip belt and sternum strap.
Now on to the cons.
The external straps can dangle and get in the way.
Water could potentially leak through the water-bladder hole.
And the G-hook buckles can take a little while to master,
but they are very secure once in place.
The Fraser Rucksack 32 Liters has impressed us
with its durability, versatility and comfortable carry;
not to mention the top-not bionic canvas fabric
exclusive to Millican.
While the external straps
can dangle a bit much for our liking
and the water bladder pass-through hole
could be tweaked for better weather resistance,
the Fraser Rucksack 32 Liters
is a fantastic heritage-style backpack
with modern features that won't let you down.
Thanks for taking a look at our review
of the Millican Fraser Rucksack 32 Liters.
Let us know in the comments what you think of this pack.
And as ever, make sure to head over
to packhacker.com/newsletter,
sign up for our newsletter and never miss an update.
Thanks for checking this one out.
We'll see you in the next video.
G-hooks ta, ta, tan take a little.
And they don't get in (mumbles).
Lota ... lota ... located.