Customer Reviews The North Face Router

Bought this backpack to take to Florida on a special trip to pick up a puppy. I needed a BackPack that could hold my camera bag inside as well as a have a spot for my iPad and a font loading spot for my purse. I needed something also to hold necessities for the puppy on the trip home. It was very accommodating and perfect for my needs. We plan on ordering a second one in the future for both my husband.

Full Disclosure: I am extremely brand loyal and this backpack is one of 5 North Face that I own. The others being Surge, Borealis, Recon and Hammerhead. My Recon bag wasn't giving me the space and comfort that I needed whilst carrying my college textbooks from class to class. I chose the Router because if its size, back support and its organizational pockets. There is more than plenty of space in this pack for my needs although it is worth noting that the bag gets its volume from how deep it is, not how wide it is. That means once I have packed my books all the extra space is at the top of the bag rather than the front and sides. That helps a lot in keeping all of the contents close to your back and cutting out the sway of wider bags. That the contents stay close to your back also make this pack comfortable when carting heavier loads. The padded back and the straps are comfortable also.The endless pockets and pouches are great for stashing whatever I need day to day. Although I don't use it, the laptop compartment easily holds my 17" Sony Vaio which is a big machine. Being able to tuck the hip belt away is a new feature for me and a welcome one. It keeps the buckle from digging in to your back or swinging around and catching onto things. All in all this pack is exactly what I needed and fulfills all the reason I bought it and fulfills them very well. Initially the price was hard to swallow but it's utility over the next 4 years will probably make it worth the price tag. This bag does everything it promises and if you need the space then it's fantastic. If you don't quite need this much or want to spend a little less then the Surge and Borealis are excellent alternatives. In my opinion you can't go wrong with the North Face packs, you just have to find the one that fits your needs best. Everything else about their bags will likely be the best you have used.

I got this bag as an additional carry on for a trip to Europe. It was perfect. Held all that I needed it to and fit where it needed to be stowed. Easy access for me to all the compartments and I felt secure that it was not an easy target for a criminal. I endured a lot of rain and it was not a problem for this bag. Can't say enough about it, just love it.

I Bought the Router backpack because I was going on a trip and need a bigger backpack to accommodate all my electronic gear in addition to my laptop. Awesome Backpack! Really well designed, and constructed. Has held up well and has room for all the electronic gear I was carrying through Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama, including a 17 inch laptop. No tears or lose stitching, including the small handle at the top of the pack. The design makes carrying about 35 lbs of weight very easy on the back. The bag even looks nice. Two comments: 1. Even though you could use the bag as a large day pack, it is too big to wear in the front. The reason this could be an issue is because if you are traveling in a sketchy area, and want to make sure people won??t rip off some of the contents of your pack, people often wear their pack in the front. It is difficult to wear this pack on your front because of its size. 2. Since I think of this as a trekker??s backpack, North Face might want to consider installing loops that make it possible for people to padlock the three single zippers when they are fully closed. Only complaint The sunglass pocket (that??s what I use it for) could be bigger to accommodate a full sized sunglass case.

After trying a number of well-constructed bags, the Router seems to deliver everything that I have been wanting. First and foremost, it's big. Plenty of room for my laptop, diaries, and lots of books. Yet it is still lightweight. Second, it has all kinds of useful pockets and pouches for pens, delicate gadgets, and accessories. Finally, it looks nice and appears to be durable. This should be a bag I can keep for a long time.

It's a great backpack that holds all of my school books (2 textbooks, 3 binders, 2 notebooks, planner and a pencil case) with room to spare.

I commute to school most every day of the week and my old backpack was just too small for the amount of stuff I carry with me. I previously used the Borealis version and love the backpack but my new laptop was taking up a lot of room. Sometimes I spend the night at school and therefore need more books for 2 days worth of classes and a change of clothes. This backpack is absolutely perfect for what I need. The separate laptop pocket is ideal because after spending so much money on my laptop I like to know it's safe and not getting scratched or hit by my books. The book pocket is large enough for me to fit 4 1/2" binders, a textbook or 2 and clothes if needed. This backpack isn't necessarily wider compared to other North Face ones but it is definitely taller. The number of front pockets allows me to store all my pens, calculators (yes plural) keys, wallets, sunglasses etc and know exactly where each item is. A great pro is the special pocket just for the laptop cord. It's very useful to just be able to grab the cord and not have it be tangled with everything else that is in the bag. The only con I have is that it does look rather large when walking around campus but that's expected with a backpack of this size. I will definitely be taking this backpack with me when I also travel whether it be road trips or plane trips it will hold a good amount of clothes. If you're looking for a larger backpack to fit your needs be sure to give this one a try! P.S. I first went to local sports stores to check it out in person and then when on thenorthface.com to pick out a color I liked. Mine is red!

I admit that I baulked at the price of this pack. But the build quality is very good, there are a good amount of pockets...front ones for novels and maps, lots of smaller inside ones for pens etc. and there's a key-safe in one of the smaller zipped pockets, very useful. Zips are pretty heavy-duty, and I have used this bag for a year ravelling around Mexico and Central America. There's room for a hoodie, a jacket, shorts, flip-flops and a few tee-shirts...what more do you need? Laptop pocket useful now that I own one. One complaint is the top loop. When the bag is full and heavy, it's very uncomfortable to carry the bag with this, getting on and off buses etc. For the money, I'd have expected a soft rubber ergonomic grip. But it's a small "con".

I came here to look for a backpack that not only looks classy but also has the capability to handle all the demands of my college life. Recently, I started to notice that more and more students are switching to The North Face backpacks here in my area (Berkeley, CA), so I figured "what's so special about them?" At first I was quite hesitant to purchase one due to the price of the backpack, but I managed to persuade myself to get one after all the reviews and countless visits to the Router backpack page. I am VERY SATISFIED with my purchase; when the backpack arrived, just pulling it out of the the package you can notice that it's what you have been looking at in the pictures provided on the website (I got the asphalt grey emboss type so I was afraid the shade would look slightly off from the one in the picture). Additionally, the backpack simply screams beauty and class along with durability and pristine workmanship even when you first take it out of the package. What I was most concerned with this backpack is if it would look like a large awkward backpack on my back granting that I'm 5'8 and this backpack is somewhat "long." When I adjusted the straps and after countless fittings, it looks PERFECT and AMAZING. I have been using it for a week now and NO COMPLAINTS here. I'm planning to stick with The North Face from now on until this guy gives up on me [from the looks of it, that would be a LONG way from now]. Seriously, they come with a price, but in the end you know that YOU TRULY GOT WHAT YOU PAID FOR.

I love this backpack. I take the train to work every day and I wanted a backpack big enough to fit a change of shoes, my lunch box, umbrella, wallet, and my jacket (plus other little things... iPod, book, gum, etc.). This backpack holds all that and then some! I love that there is a separate pocket for my laptop. My laptop is 17" and it fits very nicely, with a bit of room to spare so if your laptop is on the bigger side, it should fit. Then there's the main pocket that has tons of room. Then there's another pocket with a variety of organizational pouches -- some zippered, some velcro, some that are just open. I love these because I can keep all my odds and ends organized. Then there's a smaller, fleece-lined pocket that would fit something small, like a cell phone or sunglasses. I am a female, about 5'3". I was a little worried that this backpack might be too big for my frame, but I think it looks fine. I've found that backpacks made specifically for ladies do not come in sizes as big as this one, which was really frustrating, so I was so glad when I found this one. One of my favorite things about this backpack is that the hip straps can be stowed away in little pockets made just for them. I would pay this price just for that feature. I love hip straps when I need them, but when I'm not using them they are such a pain (swinging from the bottom of the backpack, getting caught in between seats on the train, etc.).

i love it. its great. i get the looks...

Excellent backpack. Plenty of zippered pockets. Lots of room for laptop and books etc. Nice deep blue color with embroidered North Face logo and reflective straps. Attention to detail on this backpack is superb.

I love this backpack as it has tons of room.

I bought this backpack for college but recently went ice fishing with my dad. The backpack has many pockets. I could store most things I needed for the week in there. Also excellent for college life

Bought this for my daughter as a Christmas gift for travel. She loves the size and all the pockets! Great sturdy material!

I like the size and especially all the different pockets for storage.

Large and spacious, practical and beautiful.

So far this is the perfect bag for your desk in a bag or a weekend bag. Learn the bag is perfect for wet or dry weather and it a light weight bag.

Absolutely amazing. I'm able to put all my school books binders and notebooks and still have space for an outfit. The laptop sleeves come in handy a the outer compartments are nice and spacious. The only thing that would make this backpack even better is if it was completely waterproof. Other than the backpack is absolutely amazing with no issues when I wear it all day. It's super comfortable on one's back.

This backpack is great for the office. It fits my larger work computer.

Expertly crafted, extremely durable, thoughtful design of all the pockets and its uses, and a one and done backpack. Should've bought this a long time ago. Save yourself the trouble and buy it right the first time.

Use it for the office and traveling. Lots of space to use and be organized

I really liked how the bag is large and is able to fit all my essentials at once. The extra compartments make it really nice to be able to fit every little thing and still have room for more. Really Good!

Very comfortable and lots of space fits all my school stuff like books and chrome book

Very good product as I was looking for a larger capacity backpack