Customer Reviews The North Face Recon

Racking up 100,000 miles a year with a bag full of computers and associated bits and pieces makes one a very fussy customer when it comes to choosing luggage. I'd been previously using a Patagonia messenger bag which was great but really starting to play havoc with my shoulder. On a recommendation from my wife (who has similar travel schedules) I decided to switch to the Recon. So far I have done 2 trips to Europe and numerous US destinations and am completely satisfied with the bag. My 13" MacBook Air rides perfectly in the back sleeve with room for magazines and an iPad comfortably in beside it. The front section is big enough and has enough useful pockets without being over-encumbered with useless nooks & crannies. Carrying the bag, even long distances, is very comfortable and the weight distributes nicely across both shoulders. Really, my only complaint is the number of non-removable straps and harnesses. There are ones for the waist and chest plus a pair for tightening the sides not unlike a traditional hiking backpack. Unfortunately these tend to hang down and get caught on things, particularly in the tight airplane cabins of today. Other than that, this is a product I would highly recommend to the road warrior.

This thing was awesome! Carried our water, some snacks, a camera and lenses, laptops, extra clothing and more! My favorite part is how comfy the straps are. This will be used for many trips to come! This was ideal as a carry on for airport travel as well.

I bought this backpack for college yet I seem to want to wear it everywhere... It has really good support and weight distribution. I loaded a 15-inch Dell XPS 15 laptop into it, put it on, and wearing it felt like I might have had a few small books in there, definitely not a heavy laptop! The colors (I got TNF Black/Powder Blue) look sci-fi and very polished; I really like my choice. The build quality is excellent, better than my older L.L. Bean backpack (which I had considered the best I had ever owned), and I like the thin profile when the backpack is empty. I have not fully loaded the backpack yet, however the amount of storage pockets available blew me away.

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! ;-)

I use this backpack for school! My mom bought it for me as a going away gift for school! I study nursing at Plymouth state university! Being a first year student this backpack makes it easier to get around campus with all the materials I need for classes! I love the color and the comfort!! Very well designed!! Definitely would recommend.

Been though so many backpacks! This one by far is the best quality. I have had trouble in the past with back pain and hip pain from my backpacks. This one fits well and supports the weight well. So far, I haven't had any issues with back or neck pain from my backpack. Very pleased!

I bought this for my freshman year of college, and so far I love it! It takes a while to get it perfect comfort wise because there are many options of comfort adjustability, but once you get it right for you it's amazing!

Very excited about this bag! I own the Borealis backpack and it has held up great but I was unhappy with how compact it is for the purpose of a school bag, so this bag is better suited for my spacial needs. I love the front pocket as well as the straps I feel that they are less restrictive when zipping and unzipping the bag. The second pocket is less restricted than my current bag because there isn't the wire in the front. I'd say my only concern is the straps which the way they are attached seems faulty like they may rip at some point, I think the straps on the borealis bag I own is sturdier and well constructed. All in all the north face backpacks overall are durable and reliable so I would recommend.

Overall, I love this bag. It was stiff at first but after a month or so the straps and back were more comfortable. The pockets are great, especially the fleece lined sleeves for a computer, tablet, and phone. It is also pretty water resistant as I walked across campus in the pouring rain and all my stuff stayed dry. The only downside is that the water bottle holders are not very durable. I always carry a water bottle and one of the holders started to tear after only having this bag for a few months.

I use this bag every darn day. I ride a scooter, and I need a reliable bag in order to get all my stuff around with me. I actually got mine on sale half off! This bag is great! It usually takes me about a month to ruin something I use every day...I overpack things, drop it, the cats try to attack it, spill stuff on it, tear it, etc. My recon bag is still in perfect condition after using it over a year. Highly recommend!! The things I usually bring in it are a bulky laptop, clothes, makeup, hairbrush, phone and charger, notepad, books, and always my water bottle. Plenty of room! I've also used it as a personal item on flights and taken it camping.

I had a different north face backpack for 10 years of school use it finally gave out. I got this one to replace it and I have to say out of all the brands of backpacks I have used north face really stands the test of time. I am in my first year of college and I know this will take me beyond my four years. It is even comfyier than the first one and is easier on my back and shouldres. The only thing is the colors in the photos seem bolder than what you get

I have had recons classic and current!!! Straight forward bag...

love it i don't know why you would buy any other backpack

Please Bring Back the NorthFace Bigshot!!!

Bought this pack for EDC and I love it. Very roomy & very comfortable.

I was iffy about TNF backpacks because I was a used to to LL Bean bookbags that I've had for the past 7yrs and the lining on the inside is falling apart so I decided to buy a north face. My main concern was wondering if my hp 15.6' laptop would fit in the sleeve and it does! :) I can fit my entire life In this bag which makes me happy. Ivhope this bag will last me as long as my LL Bean one did or longer.

It is so comfortable i can carry multiple textbooks at the same time, it protects my laptop, and i look good in it. However, i have a hard time fitting binders in it. Overall though, it is great for travel, hiking, and school and i love it, i just wish i could fit a one and a half inch binder plus some other stuff instead of only that one item.

For all of high school and most of college I have used my Recon backpack daily, and now after 6.5 years of heavy use it is just now showing light signs of wear. It is still holding up and usable today.

cool backpack

When my mom took me into The North Face store when I was in high school, the sales person told us that this backpack had a lifetime guarantee. I was so excited and turned to my mom and said this is great! I can jut bring it back at the end of this year when it wears out like mine do every year. Well it didn't. I used it through college, grad school, and beyond. And now I'm 33 and have 4 kids and am passing it down to my 2nd grader just so I have an excuse to finally get a new backpack. I use it constantly and it still looks new. It looks like there are so many new features now on the newer version of the same bag. I can't wait to get a new one and I hope it lasts another 15 years +!

I mainly purchased this backpack for college, but I use it for literally everything in between. This backpack has been around the world and has been perfect! I love all the space and the well designed pockets. Also, there's enough padding and support so it's always comfortable.

I currently have an all-black Recon thought I purchased back around 2004. It replaced a red and black Recon that was stolen. I have travelled thousands of miles with just this bag. It can easily be a weekend bag. I love putting my shoes in the water bottle holders and jackets in the outside mesh pocket. The only thing I see missing in the current model is the keychain holder that really comes in handy when the bag is full and you want to find your keys in a hurry. The front top pocket zipper on mine broke years ago and I just sent it in for repair. I look forward to using it for years to come once I get it back!

I have had this North Face Recon backpack for two years and it still feels and looks like new. I believe this is a must if you are looking for a new backpack while in college. Not only should it be a backpack that you feel comfortable carrying around but also a backpack that you know will last you a long time. Any college student will like this because of its easiness to stay organized, its redesigned suspension for all day support, and quick access to side pockets to either hold your belongings such as keys or water bottle. Support: As student in college having a backpack that will provide the support that you need for all your books, notebooks, and laptop is essential. What I love about this backpack is that it provides extra padded support in both the shoulders and back. On both arm straps there is wide padding underneath the straps that runs along your shoulders and chest. This feature helps avoid that direct contact with the strap that can sometimes dig into your shoulders if your backpack is extra heavy. The padding on the back side of the backpack is really great because I am a person that gets back pain easily, and if my backpack is too heavy or I have been carrying something heavy for too long it creates even more pain. The padding can serve as a cushion or layer between what's inside your backpack and the backpack material that sometimes isn't very thick that will be touching your back area. Compared to my older backpacks that have ranged from Nike to other North Face styles, I can see feel the difference and support this bag truly does have. Lastly, there are adjustable straps that it comes with, which are some around your waist, in front of your chest, and along the sides. For my likeness, I think there are too many straps, and it is overwhelming adjusting all of them. However, they are removable. This lets me individualize it to how I like it.

This is wonderful! I initially hesitated when buying this because it was so expensive. However, it is well worth the money. I am a student, so I carry around a ton of books/food/supplies, and my backpack gets very heavy. This is the only backpack that I've tried that doesn't show signs of wear immediately. Legit the other less expensive backpacks have given up on me within a month or two. This one is also sturdy and manages the weight well. It is super comfortable! 10/10 worth it!

The pictures on the website don't show just how big and how many pockets there are and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the front pocket it bigger than shown online and there is a pocket below the very very small pocket (it doesn't have a zipper so isn't obvious that it's a pocket) can't wait to start using it!!!