Customer Reviews The North Face Isabella

I love my new Isabella bag! I am 5'3" and it fits my torso perfectly. It does not hold as much as I would have liked, but it does hold a lot! I can get a few large medical textbooks or 2 books and my lunch (without being squished). I also like that the back is reinforced, so those large books don't poke me in the back or side like some backpacks. There are two minor things I would like to see: have the zip go all the way to the bottom and eliminating the inner mesh pocket. When I try to get folders in the back, they get caught on the mesh. But I still love my bag! Thanks Zappos!

I ordered this backpack for my wife, to use wile in Italy. She did exhaustive research and, when she decided on a bag, the first thing we did was to see if Zappos carried it. Fortunately they did, so we knew the service would be the best. The bag has worked out fine. She was able use it on a couple of trips this summer and found it easy to pack, with good capacity, and comfortable to carry (she is petite and wanted a bag that doesn\'t drop down too low). She is quite satisfied with the bag and the service, especially the lightening fast delivery.

What I liked best: The smaller size - I am only 5 feet tall and the shorter length fit me well. The many compartments - I had places for all the little things that you need when you travel. The TWO outside mesh pockets - one I used for a water bottle and the other I used for an umbrella. The wear cord across the front - I hooked items on this as well as using it to secure my long-sleeved shirts.

This little backpack has turned out to be more than I expected. I'm only 5'3" so my choices are very limited. I'm a student and I have a weak back so the waist strap has been perfect to take the weight of big text books off of my shoulders. It holds about three big books with room at the top for a small purse. There are so many pockets which makes it easy to organize all the supplies I carry. It's the perfect small figure bag!

Great for women - I switched from the larger "jester" to this smaller backpack. Although I can’t fit as much, I LOVE this backpack. Would recommend it to anyone looking for a simple school bag w/ lots of pockets.

Perfect backpack! What a great backpack! I haven't used one since middle school when it became much more fashionable to carry an oversized designer purse, but now that I'm in my last year of college and working and more importantly, commuting to and from my downtown job, a backpack became my only option. The Isabella is perfect. It’s small enough to not be cumbersome and is adorable to look at. The black and black is professional enough for the office, too. All the little pockets are perfect, each one is well thought out and has its purpose.

So Comfortable - I love this backpack! It is the best, especially since I have to carry my laptop everywhere for my job. It’s worth every penny!

Best fitting backpack ever! This pack distributes weight wonderfully on my back - very comfortable for a women's torso. It looks small, but it fit three of my big medical textbooks plus my laptop. A+

Great bag for women - I am petite--5'1 to be exact--with very narrow shoulders and backpacks have always overwhelmed my small frame. This bag is perfect. The straps are narrow and actually fit into the grooves between neck and shoulders. The bag is big enough for my 12" laptop and a few books, and the smaller compartments are great for organizing. The bag may be too small for someone with a considerably larger laptop, but for smaller laptops it's perfect--it holds enough but is just small enough to force you to be selective about what you carry so you don't end up with migraines at the end of the day like I always did carrying larger, heavier backpacks. Also, the hip belt is amazing. Contrary to what other reviewers have written, the bag will get heavy if you carry a computer and books, so the belt really helps--and it's thin so you forget you're using it. The back is a bit stiff, but I actually prefer this because it keeps things secure and prevents them from digging into my back. The bag looks nice too--I have the asphalt with pink bungee--a nice riff on black and a welcome alternative to the drab colors of many backpacks.

Great for travel - I have this bag in red/gray. This is a great bag for traveling. It has numerous compartments to carry everything you need. It has great easy access water bottle holders and a convenient small front pocket to provide quick access to your I.D., keys, etc.

::fainting for joy:: This bag is just luscious and too cute. LOVE the sweet berry. It's a petite backpack , great for city use BUT it does include water bottle holder - very rare combination! I'm thrilled.

Cool Bag! I'm really diggin' on this pack. Lots of pockets, very good quality, perfect for my commute. Also very comfortable and nice light berry color. Rock on!

Great small North Face bag... This bag is great if you are looking for a backpack on the smaller side. I use it to carry books in, go to the gym or go on a short hike. It has many pockets on the inside that are very useful. I recommend this bag to anyone.

Pros: Small enough so it fits a woman's frame; lots of pockets and compartments. Cons: If you fill up the front smaller section, it bulges into the larger main section which makes getting things in and out harder. Also, there are 2 mesh panels on the front and back of the large section (inside) so if you are trying to push something in, it very often gets caught on one of the mesh pieces. I'm thinking of cutting one or both out.

I was so excited to get this backpack in and when it did, I realized how tiny it was! I was getting it to use as a backpack in high school, but it just wasn't very big, so I gave it to my little sister who is in 2nd grade! The backpack itself is cute, but just a lot smaller than it looks in pictures. I guess I should have looked at the measurements first.

Great Everyday Backpack for toting toddler must-haves - I was looking to replace the massive diaper bag with something more reasonable for daily use with two youngsters. This pack is perfect - I love the two bottle holders on the outside.

Definitely met my expectations! I got this bag as my 2nd diaper bag b/c being a mom of 2, being hands free is key! :) Overall, I really like this bag! This bag felt light, despite all that is packed inside and the multiple compartments within the 2 main compartments help to keep things organized. The bungee cord in front is great for keeping clothes and blankets within reach and it just looks so cute! :) The fact that it's not a diaper bag really sold me since I can still use it after baby. It's a definite keeper!

The backpack is very comfortable to wear and the sizing is great for a petite female. I am still able to fit a large binder in the bag, which was important to me. I also have discovered the mesh compartment (in the main compartment) is the perfect size for my iPad2, even with the case I have for it. The compartment also buckles so the iPad will not move. The only down side of this bag is the mesh side pockets. I am constantly struggling to fit my coffee mug or water bottle in them because they are not big enough. The North Face embroidering on the top of the bag has also had a few threads stick out of it. Overall, I'm happy I bought the bag and it is the best backpack I have ever had, but I almost expected more for the price.

I'm obsessed with The North Face brand, so I was anxious to get a backpack. I picked this one because it was more "me". Before I got this bag, I was using a Dakine bag. So in comparison, the Dakine bag's quality was better I would say. It had more pockets and was more comfortable for my shoulders and back. You can open and close Dakine bags with one hand, but once I got this bag, I could no longer do that, which was a disappointment. There's a lot of random straps on it too that kind of gets in the way. The waist strap is adjustable but the other ones aren't, so if you're not looking to use this bag outdoors like me than I don't really think it's worth the price. Also, it's pretty small. The reason why I wanted a new bag was because I'm in college now and I need something to fit more books. My Dakine bag was pretty small. This bag looks like it could hold a lot more, but I was fooled, it fits only as much as my Dakine bag did. By the way, if you have about a 13 inch laptop like me, it's a struggle to fit it in its laptop slot, especially if your laptop goes in a laptop sleeve. It doesn't really fit. One more thing, the drink holders on the side - super small! I can't fit any regular size water bottle, only small ones. I'm disappointed in its features but I should say it's manageable considering I am still using it.

It's definitely smaller than I thought it was but I like that there is a space to insert my laptop. I brought this with me when I was traveling in Europe. It fit a good amount of things but I wish it were a little bigger. Multiple pockets and I like the side mesh pocket to put my water bottle.

I really wanted to love this backpack, but... I bought this backpack to use everyday as a diaper bag/purse. I really wanted it to work because it doesn't look big and has the right look -- a perfect mix of sporty and cute. I loved the organization as well. Unfortunately, I just found the straps so uncomfortable. My back and neck were hurting and I put the same exact items in the bag as I had in the diaper backpack bag I use every day (which never hurts my back or neck). No matter how I tried to love this bag, I couldn't use it when I knew I'd be in pain minutes after wearing it. Also, I found the bag to be quite stiff, and therefore it didn't fit as much as backpacks the same size because it isn't stuffable. I am desperately searching for another bag with similar features, but sadly, this one isn't the answer for me.

I decided upon the Isabella style of North Face backpacks after watching several videos for the other styles of backpacks online. I was very excited to receive this bag, as I was very happy with my North Face Jester and Amira style bags. Upon opening the packaging, I immediately realized that The North Face is not making backpacks like they used to. Perhaps it was just this bag, but it was incredibly stiff, had cheap zippers that did not slide easily, and the fabric on the outside (polyester) was very cheap feeling. In comparison to the rugged Amira of 5 years ago, this bag does not compare. Perhaps that is how The North Face now makes their bags. If so, I will not be purchasing one again.

Where has this backpack been all my life? I never realized how poorly other backpacks fit my small frame until buying and trying this backpack. It is stylish and versatile. The number of pockets allow me to organize and find a place for the many items I carry with me daily, and provides for easy access to those items. The backpack is not at all bulky. Definitely worth the price.

This book bag is great! I bought it for my 9 year old because her books were too heavy and her shoulders and back were killing her. The padding and support this book bag has works perfect, it accomodated all of her books, and it fits her body just right (it doesn't look huge and bulky). I would recommend it to anyone, definitely sticking with North Face bookbags for her from now on!

I was hoping to find a smaller backpack and this fit the bill. It's truly a "day" pack at this size. Good for wearing while bicycling or carrying in place of a purse or handbag.