Customer Reviews The North Face Recon

Great backpack. Looks good, feels good. Seems like good workmanship, too.

Purchased this one after other name brand only lasted 1 year before the bottom started to get little holes and fray. The bottom was not reinforced but it looked so much cooler then the suede bottom that gets all dirty! Anyway. This backpack is all black, which I think looks very smart and the bottom is a thicker, coated material, not fabric, that will not get destroyed after one year of use. That's expensive for a backpack might be much for some but it is hydration ready, can carry a full size bike helmet or lunch, or power cord in outer pocket and is great as a Euro day pack for travel as well. It is very well made and although the zippers are plastic, they are sturdy and thick making the outer pockets waterproof, perfect for cell phone and wallet. I love this backpack! Which I wasn't a senior and will continue to use it for all sorts of stuff!

I love this book-bag. Its comfortable and doesn't hurt my back. I'm very happy with my purchase!

The backpack is great! I had been using Jester for about 3 years and wanted to switch to something with more pockets and compartments. Compared to Jester, it has many many more compartments and the back support is a lot better. I carry around my books on campus and the weight of the backpack really makes difference on my back after a long day. Also the material seems to be better at repelling water than my previous backpack. I would recommend this backpack especially to those in college!

Love this bag. Just used it on trip to Costa Rica. Great travel bag. Lots of different pouches, slots, and compartments. Highly recommended.

I love my new bag! I just got back from breaking it in on a 2 week New Zealand vacation. The two side water bottle holders are nice and more versatile than I thought (also give quick access to other items like maps). I didn't carry my laptop this trip, but it fits nicely. The organizer section neatly held my passport, phone, ipod, lip gloss, pens, etc. and the outside mesh pocket stashed anything in a hurry! The only tiny thing it is missing (which I can do without) is a key ring. My keys quickly fell to the bottom of the pocket, but maybe I can get a hook and fix that myself? Anyway, it is a great bag!

This bag is cooler than cool. Holds a bunch, and still looking good. I'm in college. This bag really hauls around all my 100 lb books. North Face is a trendy brand name. Nordstrom sells this bag for more than Zappos. You guys/girls are the coolest, nicest, and the friendliest reps that all other stores should copy from. Keep doing what you do Zappos!

Great item, both durable and stylish.

This is a great backpack for college or high school. My daughter took a Recon North Face back pack purchased 5 years ago through high school now in third year of college. Her brother had gone through numerous backpacks and all had to be replaced. This is large enough for books, 3" binders and miscellaneous materials for high school. It also has a padded pocket for my daughters Mac 15" lap top. It is worth the additional money. The quality seems the same from the 2004 model and current one.

The very best backpack I have ever owned. Light weight, sturdy and I can pack my laptop securely in it. I love it! I also liked Zappos\' price and fast delivery!

I love this back pack! It's sturdy, lots of pockets to store stuff in. It's lightweight and durable and I love the reflectors.

This was a last minute purchase for a trip. I needed a backpack that could just be a backpack but I also needed one to handle a laptop. This is far and away better than the laptop bag my company provided for me for one simple reason: It holds more and is much lighter. It doesn't have as padded of a laptop area, but I don't feel I need a lot of padding. So far, excellent!

Bought this bag mainly for use on vacation and it has been worth every penny! Plenty of interior room in the multiple storage areas plus slots/pouches for pens, etc. The large outer mesh pocket is great for a towel or books and the side mesh pockets are great for water bottles. I have it in the green color and I absolutely love it! Highly recommend!

I like this backpack a lot and I find it very useful. I work full time and am a full time student so I wanted something that I could haul around all day and have my laptop and other items both secure and very accessible. Only thing to keep in mind is that this backpack is a bit heavy, and then when you fill it up, it’s even heavier. Still worth it and shows the material quality. My boyfriend has one now too!

This has got to be the best backpack I have ever purchased! Not only does it look good, it also has all the pockets you could possibly want. Also straps that make sure everything stays put, so the pocket for your laptop is secure, so no worries! Definitely a good buy!

Nice backpack - I use mine instead of a briefcase while going to/from work. I put my lunch and any other odds and ends I need in it. Works great for that. I plan to take it on some air travel soon but have not so far. No plans to actually take it hiking.

Exactly what I was looking for - I bought this bag because it has space for my laptop and will hold my nalgene water bottle. I haven't used it much yet, but it holds quite a bit of stuff and seems pretty comfortable. I am in college and plan to use it for a school backpack. Also, I am studying abroad next semester and it makes the perfect carry-on. Plenty of space for my laptop, cd player, a change of clothes, etc. It would also work when traveling light on weekend trips. I would definitely recommend this bag. Also, the shipping was very fast even during the holidays. I would buy from this site again.

Recon II Review - I love my backpack. It has a laptop cushion thing in the back. Although I don't have a laptop right now, I love that thing because when I don't carry something that's hard like a binder or a book, my backback doesn't bend. I hate when backpacks do that. The side water bottle holders and nice because they have adjustable things that make sure your watter bottle stays and doesn't fall out. Overall, this is just a nice backpack.

Great backpack. Holds a lot of stuff, still sits comfortably. Nice smooth zippers, firm back and cushioned laptop sleeve feels safe and secure. I wish is had a cell phone pocket on the strap though, that is a great feature and it's annoying to not have one. This bag was my carry on across the country and day to day it lugs a bunch of ridiculously heavy books and is none the worse for wear yet!

This is a fantastic, multipurpose backpack. I mainly use it for hauling my giant heavy college text books to class, and it's often hard to believe I am carrying as much as I am. But I also wanted a bag I could travel with and bring all my essentials. It fits a 15 inch laptop, a decent sized notebook, a DSLR camera (which was in it's own padded case) with all it's accessories, a pouch with toiletries, a big clutch style wallet, sunglasses case, a paperback book, light sweater, cell phone, water bottle, pens and pencils. It's only in one size but the sternum strap makes it easy to keep the shoulder straps from digging into your armpits. My only complaint is that it does not have the cell phone pocket on the strap that's shown in the video. Fortunately it will be easy enough to clip one on.

This is a great bag. I got it because I liked the multi color black with the green. I also needed a new bag because my Big Shot broke. I wish this one had two full compartments like that one, but I guess that is why it was not as expensive. First I got the North Face Borealis in the same color, but man that was way too small. It may be good for an elementary school kid, but then again why buy a kid that young such an expensive backpack. North Face should seriously market it as a kid or ladies' bag since it is way too small. With the Recon, the chest strap that goes over your sternum was a little stiff. That is, other bags had it so it slides easily. Mine came way too high and I thought it was going to choke me and I could not slide it. I thought it was permanent. But I guess it is fully removable, if you wish. I like it but I wish it was sewn in with another strap that slides instead of the hard hook like pieces on these. I do like the mesh pocket in the front. It is great for throwing a towel or grooming kit in for a weekend trip and it even discretely holds my iPad when I am on my way to school. The bag itself fits a good amount of gear. Another minor complaint I do have, though, is that after watching the video on the Zappos website demonstrating this bags features I was kind of disappointed. The video says the bag has compression straps on the bottom of the bag. The pictures of the bag however make it seem like they are not there. They are not there. My old bag had them and they do come in handy compressing your bag even more or I used to sometimes put a yoga mat or camping mat down there when I needed to. But other than that, I would say it is a good bag.

This is not bad at all, I wish the shape was more square and less round, yet there is still enough space for all your books or clothes for a weekend getaway. The stowaway hip belt is a great bonus, much better than these convertible carry on backpacks sold by other retailers. The laptop compartment does not reach all the way to the bottom, probably for protection, but be warned that it only fits 15" laptops max.

Great backpack for everyday use. I wish it was a little bit larger but it works well for a grad student. Very comfortable and the pouches help with organization.

This is the most comfortable day-type backpack I have ever worn. It is also very attractive. I use it for shopping and every day stuff, but not for hiking as of yet. The only thing missing for me is a zippered compartment in the inside area closest to my back. I want that because I am concerned about the possibility of pick-pockets, especially when my belongings are on my back and therefore not in my sight. I would feel more secure if I could put my cellphone/wallet/keys in a zippered compartment at the bottom of the bag in the compartment nearest my back. If you are only using this for hiking it does not matter. I love the way the backpack looks and feels, so I will have to come up with something creative to make it work, so that I do not have to wear it on one shoulder to protect my belongings.

Excellent, well-built backpack with all of the features most people need. It always takes a while to get used to any new backpack, but with the Recon that time went by very fast. The only dislikes I have are the inability to completely conceal the waist and chest straps. Earlier models had a pouch to conceal these. Otherwise, big, durable zippers, well-sewn seams, and great aesthetics.