Customer Reviews The North Face Recon

I bought the earlier version of the Women's Recon backpack years ago and it has held up very well. This new version that I purchased seems more spacious as they removed a lot of the small pockets in the second zipper compartment. The colors are exactly as they appear on the computer, attractive and vibrant. I will be using this backpack to walk around my college campus.

Great backpack for college, lots of pockets and space for books, pens and a large laptop compartment. Very comfortable, stylish and durable!!

I love the backpack is super light weight also this backpack has lasted for a very long time plus it's perfect for school

Love the new BLACK CAMO print. It is black with a subtle camo print. Durable and classy with designated pockets for a variety of uses.

My previous backpack was a NF recon bought in 2010 that I used up until I bought this one. Just goes to show how long lasting and durable these backpacks are! Always a good investment.

It's a ok.

I use this backpack for work mainly. Has plenty of pockets. I like the zippers the most because they seem high quality just like everthing else with this backpack.

Honestly it has everything I need to fit stuff comfortably. It's like other bags where I had to put everything in one slot. There's plenty of space. Yellow is not my favorite color but I loved the way it looked and couldn't pass it up.

I haven't had this backpack for very long but so far I love it. I've used it for travel so far but plan on using it for school as I head to college. I love all of the compartments as it will help me keep all of my stuff nice and organized. Also, it is extremely comfortable and it fits a lot. The straps on the back are nice because I can tighten it against my back so it isn't too bulky. The last north face backpack I had didn't have that feature which I didn't like. However, this backpack seems to be the perfect backpack for me! Since I haven't had it too long I can't comment on durability or anything like that but so far it seems to hold up well.

I've had this backpack for over a year now and use it primarily when travelling for business. I love the abundance of pockets for safely transporting laptop, iPad, kindle as well as tiny connectors and cables that get lost in other backpacks. I dislike that fact that it has a rounded bottom and will not sit properly when put down. It is always falling over. I thought I could live with this when I bought it but it is extremely annoying. Also a slight inconvenience is the fact that there is no comfortable way to carry this on your suitcase. It would be awesome if there was a strap or sleeve that would allow it to attach to your carryon handle. I know it's a backpack and can be worn properly but when travelling in a suit jacket and getting on and off airplanes it would be nice to have an option. Overall it's a good backpack.

Love this backback. High quality zippers. Feels 10 times lighter than my previous backpack with the same load. Very roomy and works well for my daily commute carrying my EDC and a laptop occasionally.It is also great for travel and the front pocket is very roomy and easily fits extra clothing if necessary. The only thing I would change is that I would add some small mesh compartment to the main pocket to hold small gears in place.

I love the amount of storage available, I use it for school and for short trips. It is very sturdy and I can tell it is long lasting. I also LOVE the front pocket that is lined with soft material for my phone- that is one of my favorite parts. The only not so great part is that I do often get back pain from all backpacks, so I feel that North Face could work to make the backpack a tad bit more comfortable, especially for people with back pain.

Perfect bag for my commute to my job as well as to my grad school. Lots of room to put more stuff when needed and also can be collapsed if only I need to fit in less stuff.

TNF backpacks are the only brand I will buy for my kids. They are super sturdy and last multiple school years. The only reason we buy new ones is for a change in color. This purchase is for my daughter who will be a freshman in college in the fall. Love that the purple-ish color is subtle on this one. Highly recommend!!

I recently graduated college and moved to a new city for medical school. I needed to replace my old backpack that had been falling apart from years of carrying around my laptop and heavy books. The RECON is the perfect size for me -- I can fit my sleeved-laptop in its designated pocket, my lunch, gym clothes, and sweatshirt in the middle pocket, and smaller items (keys, phone charger, etc) in the front pocket. The side mesh pockets are deep and stretchy and can securely hold my 750 mL water bottle or coffee mug. The straps are comfortable and the pack distributes the weight of its contents very nicely for my long walking commute. My only con is that the backpack was relatively stiff upon receipt, but I'm sure it'll loosen up with use.

This is an awesome back pack it fits absolutely everything I'd need and more. I really love he outer pockets for more necessary things as well as the laptop sleeve. Highly recommend.

I couldn't be happier with this purchase. My old backback finally wore out after years of daily use so I was looking for something as durable and couldn't be happier with it. It's lightweight, which is perfect, as I use it for my daily commute and definitely plan on taking it to my trip to Europe in a few weeks as it's got a ton of space for everything I would need. 10 out of 10, would recommend!

I love the look of this bag. The pockets are great but I couldn't reach my water bottle while wearing the bag... but that might be a personal problem. The one thing that bugs me is the hard back of the bag. It makes it where you can't sit it down on its bottom which makes it really inconvenient... it didn't bother me while wearing like I thought it would.

This is my second Recon bag. The first is still in daily use after 5+ years. The design has been updated to accommodate laptops making the back hard for protection but, the bag does tend to tip over. When used on the back, not an issue and lightweight. If you have an older design you will notice less space in the main compartment. However, the additional lined interior pockets more than make up for this.

It doesn't stand up on it's own because the lip at the bottom of the back panel sticks out. This lip could be a little smaller. The front compartment is essentially a pouch within the main compartment that is half of the height of the actual backpack. If the bottom half of the backpack is not filled it will cave in because the top front half has weight. Not the best design because you then essentially only have one compartment for anything sizable. Granted, the main compartment is fairly roomy. Unfortunately that is also kind of spoiled by, once again, the front compartment; which when filled protrude inwards essentially reducing the capacity of the upper portion of the main compartment. This is a problem if you don't have many large items in the main compartment to counteract the weight in the front compartment. Don't get me wrong, this is a well made backpack. The design however is questionable. The front compartment should at least be separated from the main. Ideally, it is at least 3/4 the length of the backpack. That said, the mesh pockets are huge and are great for large bottles. There's a secret access to ONE of the mesh pockets hidden along the side of the back panel. Cool. The laptop compartment is elevated, large and padded on all sides. The mesh requires some breaking in but I think it is comfortable.

It was great

The Recon backpack is perfect for anyone who is in school or who loves traveling and exploring! I love that amount of pockets it has, just enough that everything is organized and not too many that everything gets lost. I take it EVERYWHERE, very versatile. I LOVE how there is a new zipper pocket/sleeve just for your laptop or iPad. It's also very light weight which is great for the shoulders and back. You can hold a lot of stuff in and it feels really light. Overall, I highly recommend this backpack to any student or any person who loves traveling.

I used this for school last year and I am going use it again this year without replacing my current one. The back is very stiff but I didn't notice it while I was carrying it. It fits so much but never looks over stuffed! I put it through a lot this year on campus and it still looks brand new. The only thing I would not recommend it for is airplane travel because it is hard to bend.

I have previously used Jansport, but this bag is 1000X better than any Jansport bag I ever had. I throw a book, some work papers, my tunes and my laptop and I am good to go for the commute. On weekends I take it with me whether I am going to the store or the lake. Its very versatile and its just perfect for my needs. Sorry I took so long to convert :).

I use the Recon backpack every time I travel. I love the size, the way it looks, and the overall practicality of it. I would highly recommend this backpack to frequent travelers, students, and anyone who is constantly on the go.