Customer Reviews The North Face Women's Recon

I go to college and I have has used it for 3 years and it is amazing. It rains a lot where I live and it rarely leaks water into the inside. Overall a great bag and I love it.

I really love this backpack! I've used it since my junior year of high school and I'm now a sophomore in college. I used to use under armour backpacks but every year I would have to get a new one because a binder would rub through the fabric and there would be holes everywhere. Granted I've always been one to pack a ton of binders and notebooks in my backpack, but it's still annoying to buy a new backpack every year. This one is very comfortable and has a ton of space. All of my friends have the borealis backpack but I got this one for its bigger size/more pockets. The only downside I have about this backpack is the fact that there are so many straps and buckles in the back of the backpack. I simply buckled them all together and they lay flat against the back and they no longer bother me. I also wish I got a color other than the white/grey because as much as I love the way it looked brand new it's so dirty now and I'm super OCD about that. Overall this backpack is absolutely worth the price I don't see mine needing a replacement anytime soon.

Awesome backpack! I have had this bag for the last 4 years. I most used it it for school, day trips and traveling. I want to buy the newest version but the bag last so long, I have no reason to replace it.

I love this product because I can use it for everything. I use it for school and when I go on trips (short and long trips), and I have never wished it had more space and it always holds up. I have had it for 2 years and it is just like it was when I received it. Great product, lots of space, comfortable, and it looks on the verge of being a bit campy but yet looks modern.

My every day carry for general use/short travels/gym - best bag on the market at this price point.

I have had this backpack for a year, so I do feel able to give an honest review. Cons: I purchased this backpack in the sea foam green color. In the picture it appears to be a mint color, however the bag I received is more green and is made of a different material than the picture. - This backpack was smaller than I expected, however I do pack a lot each day for school. So if you are a high schooler who does not bring a ton of textbooks, it should work for you. - Ths shoulder straps on this backpack are hard. When completely full and heavy this backpack hurt my back and shoulders. It especially made my neck muscles tighten. Pros: - Overall I would say the backpack is good quality. I have not had anything break and the zippers work fine. - The fleece lined pockets are nice for glasses, electronics, etc. - Every compartment in the backpack is extremely useful and they are set up in an easy to use way.

I love this product! I got it in purple and blue, and although the purple is darker in person than what is shown on the website, it is still very cute. It can hold everything I need easily and the backpack helps it feel light!

i loved the backpack but its a little stiff, i think i need to break it in and use it for a while. the only thing i don't really like is that there are a lot of tassels to tighten the straps. its great for outdoors and hiking but for work or school the straps and tassels get in the way

I really like this backpack, and it fits my books and computer well. The sole problem with it is that the mesh on the back of the backpack ruins your clothes. Every article of clothing I've worn while wearing my backpack has pills all over the lower back. When moving, the back pack's mesh moves back and forth tearing at the fabric of your clothing. I wouldn't buy this product again, and I'm now looking for a backpack that won't ruin hundreds of dollars of clothing.

I've owned my Recon backpack for upwards of four years now, and it's easily the most sturdy, reliable and functional pack I've ever owned. I carry so much stuff for school on a daily basis, there are some days I can't pick up my bag with one hand because it's so heavy. But after years of constant use and very heavy loads, this bag hasn't ripped, torn, or let me down once. It has shielded my laptop and books from the constant Oregon downpour and fits everything I need easily and in an organized fashion. Though I may eventually upgrade to a new pack, I will surely be returning to TNF to purchase it, as they have definitely proven to me that they make quality products that last through any and everything - I highly recommend this bag!!!

This is my favorite backpack I've ever owned. I can't speak to the color being accurate or not, mine is two years old. However, this pack is so comfortable and practical and I use it for college, my day camp job, and for day hikes. It has been a lifesaver for my back having two straps, especially when I'm carrying lots of water and/or books. I love the laptop sleeve for my macbook; it feels very secure and safe if I knock into something with my pack. The two water bottle holders are convenient and hold a nalgene which is really important to me. The front pocket is great for wet clothes or anything you don't want inside your bag. The little pocket is great for a phone and a few other small necessities. Great organization inside. I am a little sad that it's wearing out already, as I've only had it two years, but I do wear it 300 days a year I'd say so I guess that isn't too shabby! I could certainly get a lot more use out of it, but the bottom is starting to pill and the water bottle pockets have very very small holes in them now. It is no longer nice enough to wear on campus, but I'll keep it for outdoor adventures!

I bought this backpack for my first year of college, knowing that in the past I really liked backpacks from North Face. Before my second semester I bought a new backpack from a different company because this one was so uncomfortable to carry. It hurt my back, the straps would rub my arms and neck, and it wasn't even big enough to be carry all the notebooks I needed in a day. I will not be purchasing again due to the fact that you are spending so much money on a bag that hurts your back so badly when you've only been carrying it for 10 minutes. Very disappointed.

If you were to by this backpack you should go to the store and check it out before buying it.

This product is amazing! not only does it have great padding, which prevents back pain, but it also has great storage compartments that help you stay organized. This product is very durable and holds all of the things that you would need every day. I recommend this product because it will help you stay comfortable and happy while you are completing your day to day activities. bottom line..... GET THIS PRODUCT!!!!

This is a great backpack!!! - and I'm a tough critic. I shopped around heavily and nothing compares for all-around-daily-use. As a Brooklynite (no car) I use it daily for carrying every-thing for work commute, lugging around workout gear/professional gear, air-travel/weekend get-aways, and getting groceries/supplies. Simply put, it's my man-purse with extra cargo space for business and travel. I use the backpack so much it (they) become too grungy to be "presentable" so every few years I buy a new one - donating my old (after cleaning it best I can). I've gone through 2 and will likely replace my third soon. Owning several generations of this backpack design, I've seen it evolve over time and get better with each version. Still, one improvement I'm waiting for Northface to implement would be making the interior with a "high-contrast" bright colored material (like professional camera equipment bags do) as that the (typically) black interior makes finding things an unnecessary struggle - and as my "man-purse with extra cargo room", you can imagine that finding all those little things fast gets frustrating - particularly in low light environments. - fixing this is easily engineered by using bright "high contrast" colors for interior materials (hint hint Northface). Note: I have consistently busted the front chest strap on all my bags. The chest-strap has an elastic component which makes it more comfortable but doesn't hold up over time - a fix for this could/should be engineered (...) Also note: eventually the zipper will tend to habitually snag on the "rain flap/deflector" for the zipper - which isn't uncommon given the heavy use/wear but this too could/should be engineered better.

Everything was great about this book bag and how spacious it was with a lot of useful pockets. I used this for 2 years in a row and is getting it again for school!

Awesome backpack. Very versatile, comfortable, and durable. I used mine as a day pack in Europe and had no problems. Plenty of storage.

I wanted a backpack that was big enough for all my stuff and had multiple organization pockets and this bag is perfect for that! I'll admit sometimes it does been hard against my back but chest and hip straps help aleve some of that pressure when I use them. Overall a good purchase

I've had for about 3 years now and still looks good!! I taken this bag traveling in and outside the country. And I love that it's have the multiple pockets and it even just looks good. (Got mine in all black)

I am a student and I have had this backpack for 3 years. This backpack doesn't have enough space for many of the textbooks that I use in school, but I can fit a 3 inch binder with a couple of folders with out the backpack geting too bulky. The zippers snag frequently, but this backpack is made out of good material since it hasn't torn yet. All in all, I give this backpack 4 stars.

The absolute best backpack I have ever owned. I take this this everywhere with me, on my motorcycle, to work, to the gym, to the beach and everywhere I travel. It's been all over the world with me and has held up for about 6 or 7 years now. It has really been beaten up by the sun, dragging it around, rain, sweat, blood, salt water, mud...it's been through it all. The only signs of wear is the water resistant lining is starting to peel off the edges of the secondary compartment, and the stash pocket elastic is stretched out. Also, there's some fading on the fabric from the sun. One of the buckle clips cracked on one side, but it's still functional! I would love to buy another one, but the one I have still works fantastically well. A+ bag. I love it.

This backpack is well made and good looking. It's not bulky at all when it comes to the volume it can be filled with. You definitely get what you pay for in quality! I'm a full-time college student who totes around books, and workout gear everyday who needs a backpack that can carry deal with the load. This bag can carry a great amount of items, and still feel comfortable compared to other bags under heavy conditions. I highly recommend this backpack to anyone who wants to upgrade from their previous backpack. a

I bought this backpack to mainly carrry my books, tablets, etc... to work or to study. However, I found it is very comfortable when riding my bike with my gear. Also, the space of this bag allows me to pack for weekend trips. Finally, I have taken out my work and school items and thrown in my 10 essentials, binoculars, camera equipment, and a water reservoir and taken on some day hikes. The only thing I wish the Recon had was a way to lash my trekking poles to it when I don't need them. The Recon is a great multifunctional backpack.

I just got this backpack as an upgrade from the Jester backpack (the older model with no padding on the back) and I really love the features and size of this backpack, it's much bigger and has nicer finishes than my old one. However, I ordered the Blackberry Wine/Chambray Blue color and it's nothing like shown in the picture. The picture makes it look like the majority color is navy, but really it's more of a grayish-light blue and the purple part also has a diamond pattern on it. This color scheme really makes the light blue zippers pop out less and I was really disappointing upon receiving it as I now have to take the time to return it and buy a new color.

I really love this back pack. It was really easy to reach in and pull my laptop out when going through security, no fuss. Which to me was amazing because I always feel rushed through air port security. It held everything I needed as a carry on and more.. So it's probably my fault it was heavy. But the chest and waist straps help disturbed the weight across your body. It has good organization. I'm not sure it is supposed to be water proof, but after walking 6 blocks in the poring rain in New Zealand nothing inside my bag was wet! The back pack itself dried off quickly and nicely with a nice wipe down by a towel. I could fold my sweatshirt and put in it the front stash area. (Which is also amazing when traveling.) All and all very very pleased with this backpack. Will continue to use it for work at home in Nebraska!