Customer Reviews The North Face Women's Recon

I bought the rocket red/everglade melange color which appears completely purple in the online photo. The color in real life is an orangey coral. Very misleading :( great pack though

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

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

I would not buy this product, or any other from The North Face ever again. I purchased a Recon backpack after doing extensive research when starting university in Winter of 2014. After spending 4 hours doing online comparisons, I thought it was time to replace my Jansport backpack which I had for over a decade, & which, there was nothing wrong with it, but it did not have a Macbook pocket for a laptop. I take 3-4 courses a semester and this is all I use this backpack for. After having it for about a year, the mesh water bottle pocket wore down. I was not concerned about it really and kept using the backpack just the same. Last year, the back fabric wore down. I took it into the North Face Store in West Edmonton Mall in December of 2017 (where I purchased it) in between my semesters to have it replaced/fixed because I thought this was unusual for a lifetime warranty backpack I had had for only 3.5 years. On December 30th, the store manager replied that the warranty department could not fix it because the backpack was undergoing normal wear and tear (meaning wearing it on your back is going to destroy the fabric) I replied to the store manager with this: "Hello and good afternoon. Thank you for your response, however, I find it to be absolving your company of the onus of accountability. By simply wearing a backpack on your back, the fabric is supposed to have a complete deterioration in a mere 3 years time? How is that normal wear and tear? I would call that faulty craftsmanship and an inability to accept responsibility for a product that claims to carry a lifetime warranty, when in fact it is actually only a few years time. I do not find this acceptable. I feel like I have been duped and furthermore, that I have honestly wasted good money on a product that has no quality associated with it." I was also informed the backpack was ready to pick up, but when I spent two hours in January going to the West Edmonton Mall location to pick it up, it was not there.

I recieved this back pack as a Christmas present for a school back pack and at first I was pleased. It has a nice computer pocket and good cup holders on the sides. Although it would be a very good hiking back pack it doesn't seem like it is a good back pack for school. The biggest pocket barley fits all of my spiral notebooks and binders and it is very hard to get out. Also it is very heavy when picked up compared to my old backpack it is not light weight. Too many straps and not easily acessable. I recommend, but not for a school back pack.

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.

As a high school senior, I have a lot of weight to carry around. While this backpack has served as great protection against the elements (rain and snow), I find it giving my sore shoulders both due to the strap placement and the weight. I strongly recommend going with a darker color because I purchased light grey and within a few months dirt was showing! Overall I think this is a sturdy backpack, but I would recommend something more lightweight for students.

I am a college student using this backpack strictly for school. Pros Love all the pockets and awesome internal organization pockets Nice big reinforced bottle holders Cons The plastic back support makes this backpack uncomfortable and bulky and not easily manageable, I cut mine out and the backpack is 10x more comfortable and sits upright without falling over now

cool backpack

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.

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 bought mine in 2006. It was stolen 2 days ago. In between it served as my every day carry (EDC) pack to work (construction) and computer pack, overnight bag for travelling, to the library, to the shooting range, day hiking and as a second bag when kayaking/camping. One of the lanyards for the zippers wore out a few months ago - well after 11 yrs what did I expect? :) Temporarily replaced it with a large paper clip. The front nylon mesh gets used a lot but the elastic wore out right away. It was a great place to put something damp - like a rain jacket. It was just a tad small for my 17" laptop but it fit. Also just large enough for my collapsible .22LR to take to the range. I put tools on the side cinch straps for ready access and my survival/first aid in the small pocket. The side mesh pockets are straight up instead of angled forward (this may have changed in the newer version) and were great for storing everything from a water bottle to misc. items. It had a lot of small pockets inside the second main pocket for items like pens/batteries/cords, etc. Most of them were superfluous for me. I may buy again or look for a slightly larger bag for my needs.

Ok so I had this backpack for about four months before the straps completely ripped off. Grated, I'm a student...so I cary fairly heavy books. But this backpack is built for hiking and other very trying activities, and the fact it broke after just four months of use is disappointing. I like the style of this backpack and its pretty roomy, but the seams were just so weak. I'm gonna give this pack another try (maybe it was a manufacturing issue?). Anyways, I would just be aware of the weakness of the straps of this product, especially if you carry heavier items.

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 loved my previous North Face backpack and expected to love this one too, particularly with the "women's" proportions. I'm only 5'0" and curvy but a size 2-4. The Recon did look nice, though the Harbor Blue was very green in person (not even teal). My biggest disappointment was the awful fit. It sat way above my shoulders like a tortoise shell, with the handle poking the middle of my head. You could see several inches of the pack itself above my shoulders. Maybe it was just super stiff coming out of the base, but the straps chafed and it seemed not to hit in the right places due to the narrowness at the top. Forget about comfort: it wasn't baseline functional. I still think that North Face has good quality and style, so I'm going to try a couple of other designs. However, I'd think twice about this one if you're petite.

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.

I really like the colors of this bag. I love all of the compartments. I've been using this backpack for school and some light travel for just over a year. There are no tears, fading, or any damage whatsoever, it is very durable. When I first got this bag, I noticed it was very stiff but was hoping it would loosen up but to this day, it is still stiff in the part against your back and in the shoulder straps. The padding is still stiff and I don't notice any benefit with the FlexVent. The bag itself is light, but once you put a notebook and a pencil case in it, it starts weighing more. The computer sleeve is slightly too small for my HP Envy laptop but with a little wiggling, it slides right in just enough for the bag to zip. Once you add a computer, the bag gets extremely heavy and can hurt your shoulders. For me, on a regular school day, I will have my laptop, chargers, one spiral notebook, a pencil pouch, odd things that I keep in my bag (gum, snacks, hair ties, etc.), and a water bottle. If I try to put anything else in my bag, I have to push and shove to get it in there. It seems very tight considering I only have a thing laptop and one spiral notebook. If you need to take a lot of textbooks to class, you will end up carrying them. One thing that really grinds my gears about this bag is that it has the hardest time sitting up on its base. I will have it full with everything I need for the day but it will not sit up on its base by itself, it always needs to be leaning against something or just laying on its back. Mine always ends up sliding and falling onto its back, even when I am putting my items in it! Really annoying, especially when you are in a rush and the bag is not participating. It gets the job done, though. Great quality and color.

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!

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've had this pack back for two years, and it's still usable. However I do have my qualms. The bag fits my everyday school supplies (2 books 2-4 binders) and not much more. I liked all the pockets, everything in my bag has it's place. My biggest issue is how quickly it looked dirty, my bag is the zinc grey and surf green, and the green is disgusting to me now. Other issues are how hard the straps and back are, and the water bottle pockets developed large holes in the mesh. Also I don't think you're going to be fitting a soccer ball in the front mesh pocket anytime soon.

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!!!