Customer Reviews The North Face Recon

I've owned the recon for a few years now and it looks just as good as when I initially purchased it. It has gone through the massive loads of stuff through nursing school, Texas gulf coast weather, and is now with me while I work. I also take it on outdoor adventures when need be. I love this backpack and will never buy another type. I doubt I'll have to replace mine any time soon, but if that time comes, I know exactly what I'll be purchasing!

I bought this backpack four years ago when I started college. I wanted a backpack that would last me through college and beyond. This backpack has done just that! It always fits everything I need while remaining comfortable on my back. I have also traveled around the world with this backpack, from England to Russia to Singapore; it has held up every trip. I don't currently have this new and upgraded version, but I'm sure it will perform just as well. Highly recommended.

This backpack is the perfect size for my 14 year old. It's big enough to hold all her high school books without being too bulky or getting in the way. The construction is heavy duty without adding too much weight.

This was a gift, but I loved it so much I bought on for myself as well. It's the perfect backpack for me. It is lightweight, but fits a surprising amount of stuff inside it. I am a teacher that uses it daily on my work commute as well as for casual recreation purposes. I wanted a backpack that wasn't incredibly oversized, could handle carrying everything I need, is comfortable, and looks good. This one easily checked off everything on my list and I would recommend it without hesitation.

This was a gift and my boyfriend loved the gift. He is so happy with it and if he is happy, im very happy too.

Pros - the product is crisp looking, the zippers work smoothly without snagging, its comfortable, the pockets are easy to place items into and pull them out of, the side have large drink pockets which is great for students that take multiple drinks to school with them Cons - its a bit small in terms of storage (could probably fit maybe 1-2 average sized textbooks, a laptop, and a few folders), so if you are the type of student that likes to carry most of your books with you at once, I wouldn't recommend it. Also, there is this lower strap on the bag that rubs your back and hangs down and tickles your legs awkwardly (i suppose i could take scissors and cut them off....) Overall, great backpack with some minor quirks

I'm a college student so I was looking for a bag that's big enough, but not TOO big, like the one I had before. This bag is perfect in size. I can fit everything I need but there's not a ton of extra space either. I can comfortably fit a 15" laptop, 1.5" binder, several notebooks, a textbook, my planner, and a pencil case without the bag looking (or feeling) packed full. Overall, I would highly recommend this bag. I gave 4 stars because I got the grey/fan fare green and the green is several shades darker in person than it is online and was not what I was expecting at all. That doesn't change the functionality of the bag though, which is fabulous.

I am a high school student. I love that I can carry ALL my books and MacBook in my Recon. I like ALL the compartments to easily access my school id and cash.

I had high expectations for this backpack and it didn't fail me! Perfect for any occasion I'm out and carries my heavy textbook without much discomfort. Would highly recommend!

Great backpack, nice colors, 30L but doesn't look bulky, good organizer

I love it. It has everything I need plus some. The only down fall is binders in an out a struggle sometimes, but that might be because i have a lot of stuff in it.

use it for traveling and going to the office

I use this product for College and i have enough room to fit in all my school books. On the weekends i use it for back packing and it works wonders. I highly recommend this product

I use this backpack every day at school. I bought it because my old backpack was hurting my back. Since I have switched to the North Face Recon, I can carry more stuff without my back hurting. Great product.

I thing that this backpack is the best out their and you fell really comfortable. When you are at school you do not have to keep looking back to make sure no one is stealing you stuff.

Love the product. Works great for school or adventure. Thoughtful attention device compartments.

Really like this product. Use for high school and it fits all my necessities

I feel like something is either wrong with me or my backpack. Everyone is writing these great reviews and I am not impressed. I love the look and color of my pack but it is so heavy and uncomfortable. My shoulders hurt from wearing it after only a few minutes. It could be the stiff cardboard in the back or the stiff shoulder straps. My water bottle pouch also tore very easily and my dog bit through the straps in minutes.... not impressed with my first ever North Face backpack.

I use this backpack for school and outdoor use and I love it. It has made organizing so easy. You can seriously fit so much in it. I love that the laptop sleeve is padded as well. I always feel like it's secure now. I love that the straps are adjustable. The only thing I have a slight complain on is it hurts my shoulders a little but that's only because the backpack is helping me correct my posture, so I shouldn't even complain. I've taken it hiking once and it was perfect. I highly recommend to any student or hiker out there. Also you can not beat the lifetime warranty!

I needed a lightweight yet sturdy bag work work and commuting. The Recon has exceeded my expectation on every level. Love the style, functionality and ease of use. Great padded compartment for my laptop. I would definitely recommend this product.

Very nice looking and comfortable.

I thought the Recon backup was the best design ever with a space for everything from school to day hikes. My first one lasted forever and the only reason I got a new one was that I'm an adult now and needed a more professional color. As other reviewers have mentioned, my newer model has had fabric and foam ripping. Apparently that's not covered under warranty and that's a shame because I've only had this one for a year. I've bought this backpack for several other people because I've liked it so much, but I might have to look elsewhere due to quality issues.

If you are looking for a backpack for your school life, commuting, office life, get this great backpack! It is really comportable to carry your stuffs during everyday! It has absolutely large capacity enough to put 12 beer cans in the backpack! Nice capacity, fabulous cushioning for back, good design, the best backpack ever! ;-)

The backpack overall is nice! It is very comfortable and the buckles come in handy to relieve heavy weight on my back/shoulders! There is a good amount of padding and lots of pockets. I do wish there was more room inside the actual backpack, I feel like I have to smash everything in there.

I bought this backpack to use for college. So far, it's been perfect. Even after I put in my books, it almost feels like I'm not carrying it. I love the style, the colors, and I absolutely love all the different compartments! I carry a lot of things. So, it's nice to have a place for each thing instead of dumping it all into one space like a purse/bag. There are only two things that I'm not thrilled about it. First, the back padding is longer than the bottom of the storage part, which makes it impossible to make it stand up straight when trying to put stuff in it or leave it somewhere. Second, I would love for the storage amount to be bigger. I'm about to start a Masters program, and I'm really going to need a lot of storage space to carry my textbooks.