Fjällräven Keb Trekking Belt

Style

Level: Stylish

Like many of the other hiking belts we’ve looked at, the Fjällräven Keb features a simple, low-profile buckle. However, this buckle is in two parts and uses a plastic hook and eye mechanism to close. This is still a very simple design. One half of the closure features a friction buckle to control the length of the belt. The buckle also features a small, subtly placed Fjällräven logo – this is a change, as Fjällräven normally make a big deal about their logo’s prominence! The buckle has a low profile, rounded shape and Fjällräven go to great lengths to state that it’s been designed to be unobtrusive and comfortable when worn beneath the hip belt of a hiking pack. The belt is offered in two muted colourways: Black and Dark Olive (dark green)

Comfort

Level: Extremely Comfortable

Fjällräven state that the Keb belt is designed for comfort on the trail. The webbing is elasticated, so it has a slight stretchiness and buckle is designed to be low profile and rounded to minimise the chances of it digging in or catching. It’s clear that a lot of thought and attention to detail has gone into the design and real-world comfort of this belt. Fjällräven’s expertise in making true outdoor equipment (rather than fashion backpacks) really shines through here. The belt is also one of the lightest we’ve seen at 80g – and whilst not as feather-light as the Montane Loop Belt, it’s still a very valid option for those who are counting grams in their kit.

Price

Level: High

This is one of the more expensive belts we’ve looked at. This isn’t surprising. Fjällräven are considered a premium brand and their products tend to come with a ‘reassuringly expensive’ price tag to match. All that said, even the most expensive belt we have looked at is not exactly a bank-breaking item, and the Fjällräven Keb, whilst relatively pricey, is not expensive in comparison to many of the other items a hiker will own. If the features of the Keb belt appeal to you, then we don’t think the price is over the top.

Material

Stats: Elasticated Polyester webbing with plastic buckle

The elasticated webbing Fjällräven use in the Keb is not unique in this roundup, but it’s certainly not common either. This material choice will absolutely make the belt more comfortable on long treks and is definitely note-worthy. The plastic buckle helps keep overall weight down to 80g and also means you shouldn’t need to remove the belt at airport security (unless they insist, as they often do, that all belts are removed).

Length

Stats: One size – 120cm

The Fjällräven Keb belt is offered in a single size – 120cm. That will certainly be an issue for some potential buyers and it’s a real pity that more brands – and especially so the big brands – aren’t offering their products with more inclusive sizing options. The belt is, of course elasticated, but this is to provide extra comfort in use and is absolutely no substitute for the belt being offered in more inclusive sizing in the first instance.

Durability

Level: Very Durable

The Fjällräven Keb belt is sensibly designed and has an incredibly simple mechanism, however, some of the material choices raise some concerns about the long-term durability of the belt. Elasticated fabric tends to lose its stretch over time and this will definitely become an issue with this belt’s webbing. The plastic buckle is solid enough, but it will likely show scratches and abrasions over time – though unlike the belt losing its elasticity, this won’t have a direct impact on usability. All of these concerns are trade offs for the day to day comfort that this belt does most certainly offer and what’s more they will likely take years of regular use to manifest. If you’re happy with this trade off, then we’d have no hesitation to recommend this belt.

Conclusion

The Fjällräven Keb is a well thought out and sensibly designed belt that puts the needs and comfort of the hiker first – it really shows Fjällräven’s experience of outdoor product design in action. Some of these comforts could potentially come at the cost of long-term durability, though. However any such issues will likely manifest over many years. All in all, we think the Keb is a good, well thought out belt with understated minimal styling.