Customer Reviews The North Face Borealis

I liked the backpack, but it's too top heavy. It constantly falls on it's face and it drives me crazy! Even when I try to lean it on stuff it tips forward. I typically don't have that much stuff it it. Also the waterbottle pockets have worn out. Comfy though.

I had my previous North Face backpack (Jester II) for 6 years (2014-2020), and it didn't start wearing down until the 5th year. I just purchased the Borealis in June 2020 and the water bottle side pockets have already ripped a couple months ago. I'm a bit disappointed/surprised because I probably use this pack less than my last one, as I am no longer a park ranger who wears her pack every single day. My Jester II had even gone through a prescribed burn, my Borealis has really only been on hikes. It does have great organization and is aesthetically pleasing though.

I use this backpack for schooling, it was gifted to me when I came to college. It has held up and been very durable on the outside, but the inside became worn.

I returned it because I like it more the one designed for men.

This backpack is nice and roomy but I have had two and the seams on the shoulders seem to rip and tear very fast so I am not happy with that.

I used my backpack every single day for college and loved it, but it wore out. The replacement one had changed the design for the laptop compartment and I didn't like it. I tried to get the old design and sadly it was no longer available

I loved and wore out my previous NorthFace backpack so I wanted to upgrade to a newer version - I like the newer one bc it is lightweight but it does not have a loop in back to easily hang it on a hook and the back part of the bag is stiff and not flexible.

I wish the second pocket was the whole depth of the bag and not a half pocket. I have the older version of this bag with the second pocket as described ans I like that SO much more

So, I had bought this because I needed a bigger bag to use for school, and I know North Face to be an amazingly durable company. The bag is very durable and VERY high quality, HOWEVER if you are planning on using this bag for school, please get a different bag. The way that bag opens is very, very annoying when you're in a classroom, and the bag does not stand up. It falls over on its face when you set it down, no matter what direction you set it down in. Also, I find it to actually bet too heavy and too clumsy to use as a school bag. It would probably be a perfect hiking bag for LONG trips, but not for short ones or day hikes.

this product is great, except for the fact that the pockets ripped in less than half a year. i love the colors though. lots of pockets and a very protective computer pocket.

I love the look but the shape of the backpack makes it so it doesn't not stand on it's own. Not worth the price

This backpack is used for school and travel. It is good to hold electronics but the water bottle holders don't hold up well.

The backpack is very roomy and gives a lot of access to organization. It can fit a lot of things in it such as my heavy books for high school and pens. However, I couldn't even get through one year of school before both of the mesh pockets ripped and I could not hold my water bottles, etc. anymore. Also, the fabric around one of the zippers got caught and began to rip. It may just be a preference of mine but I did not like how the bag could not sit up on its own unless it was filled to the brim. Which made it really hard for me to leave it on its own without having to set it up against something so it would not fall over.

I love the fit of this and the durability. I bought it for Spanish Language immersion program in Mexico in 2005. It was great as a class book bag and for day trips. I've used it on the trail and at the beach. I'm only unhappy because in the 2005 design there is a smaller outer pocket which I use a lot and the zipper broke after 10 years of use. I'm just getting around to seeing about the warranty but shipping is at customer's expense and luggage repair people locally don't want to do it, so not sure it's worth it.

Still deciding to keep it or not. I like jester 2 I ordered awhile back but this one is so hard in the back feels like I'm carrying a card board all the time. It's small can't barely put anything in there for travel. Make one where you can pack for 3 days I will buy it but I won't buy another north face bag again until you come out with a bigger one that can fit a whole house in it.

The bookbag works fine we had a return due to a zipper break after 3-4 months of use. The service department was terrible.

Pros: This book bag is very sleek, stylish, and feels light on my back. The color of the zippers are more of a rose gold but that is ok. My laptop and work documents fit snuggly in the designated sleeves. Cons: It's small in comparison to other book bags and every time I try to sit it up, it falls over. The design is very stiff. I would recommend this bag to someone who travels light.

I bought this after my Swiss backpack broke (after six years of use) and seeing it on campus a lot. I liked the pockets for organizing all the personal things I keep in my backpack (pencils, pens, calculator, hand sanitizer, chapstick, hair ties, phone charger, ect) However, I was immediately disappointed when I saw how putting things in the front pockets limits and crowds the room available in the main compartment of the backpack. I don't even have my front pockets close to full, but it still makes it impossible to easily pull out things from the main compartment. I have to sit the backpack down, hold it upright, open the compartment all the way, and then dig around and push back the front compartment in order to pull out anything from the main compartment. I also hate that the backpack doesn't rest in place like a normal backpack does. It's so hard to hold it in place to pull anything out because it keep falling forward. The protective sleeve in the back compartment is too stiff and too long, so no matter how much weight you put in the front, the backpack always falls forward when you put it down. This is a huge pet peeve because, again, it makes it hard to pull anything out. I hated the protective sleeve so much that I actually tried making a small cut in the area to see if I could pull it out. You can't. I just feel like I spent way too much money for a below average backpack. I probably wouldn't have bought this if I'd known what a hassle it was to put things in and pull things out of it. Really not worth the money. Probably better off getting a $60 backpack from Swiss or Jansport.

The product it self is very comfortable and roomy for school books

I purchased that backpack at the end of August because a lot of people suggested it to me. I am in Med School and I needed a backpack that could carry my heavy books. I was excited when I received Borealis Backpack. I expected the backpack to have more room, it did not. The compartment that holds the laptop is great! I have not had any problems with my laptop. The only issue I am having is that I now have a hole at the top of my backpack. Its right by the laptop compartment. I am not sure if it's because I carry heavy books or something. Can someone please help me? Has this happened to any of you all?

I decided on this bag for class. Off the rack, the bag looked great, appeared roomy and practical for what I needed it for. Right before school started, I packed my bag with all of my items - just three notebooks and one binder, which filled the entire main compartment. No more room for additional books or extras, which is what I found disappointing, considering the bag looks very large at first glance. You'd think it would fit much more! And I guess I am the only one who thinks the fit is strange and uncomfortable; I'm surprised with all of the rave reviews. Even with adjustments, the bag had an odd too-high-fit on my back, and despite all of the cushioning (the cushioning was nice, actually), the fit still felt rigid and stiff. The way the backing is structured reminded me of the top of a plastic storage bin covered with cushioned fabric - didn't seem like it would break in over time. I did appreciate all of the extra little pockets to store miscellaneous items, but overall I disliked the bag overall and unfortunately ended up returning it. I went with a Patagonia Paxat instead, which felt amazing the moment I put it on.

This is a good looking backpack, but i've got a couple concerns... Firstly, the straps are hard as heck.. I am praying that its just an issue that is not going to stay around, Im hoping that i can break into the straps to make it more adaptable to my shoulders. Secondly, the back board is extremely hard.. it was a bit bent when it came to me which i have no big issue about, but when i tried to bend it back. It was very hard material so it was difficult. I thought that this "backboard" on the bag would be not such thick material up to the point where its so solid where you can even stand the bag up without having to lean it on something. This "backboard" is for ur back to be against as well as a inner pocket where most likely a laptop sleeve would be place.... mine did NOT come with a laptop sleeve, it was straight up this hard foam material. Thirdly, this bad is quite heavy as it is, without nothing in it. It is heavy duty, but if ur looking to purchase this for someone whose in middle school or quite small like i am. I wouldn't recommend. The design of this bag is stunning and is what originally drew me into this buy, but I hope that North Face does consider changing the material of the straps as well as the "backboard" of the bag. For now, I'm going to hope that im able to break into my bag and somehow get it to mold someone into a comfy position for me.

I ordered the grey stone/mint blue backpack and if you look at the picture it would appear to be purple and blue. It came in the mail and is clearly grey and blue unless under bright, fluorescent lights. Misleading but seems like a nice back pack.

I was really excited for my backpack to arrive. Once I got it, I started putting stuff into it and I realized that the backpack doesn't actually hold as much stuff. The way the backpack is built, you end up packing up, rather than having enough room for it to expand. The backpack doesn't expand and it is very deep so I find myself digging all the way down to find my things.

It wore out after the first year. The strap broke off, the pockets ripped. I thought these were supposed to last. My friends jansport lasted longer.