Customer Reviews The North Face Borealis

I've seen a few reviews where people in general, complain about the style of a backpack but the issue isn't the backpack itself. The issue is that the backpack they tried didn't suit their needs. Don't get fooled by review stars being less than a five. Read the reviews and decide for yourself. This particular backpack is smaller than a couple others I own but that's what makes it perfect. It has a ton of room for its apparent size and what I mean by that is that I can seemingly stuff it full of things and it holds them perfectly. I carry an iPad Retina, an iPhone, a bunch of cables and adapters that I put in a separate accessory bag, wireless headphones, wired earbuds, a water bottle, a selection of writing instruments and a variety of things from my handbag if I want to go without a handbag for the day. Everything fits perfectly. I'm expecting a 15" MacBook Pro Retina to arrive next week and I bought a Speck case for it. The Speck case fits in the laptop pocket and zips without problem so I suspect I'll not have any issues fitting a 15" MBP into this backpack. I'll be carrying its 85W charger and potentially a mouse if I can't get used to gestures, plus an external wireless HD in a hard case of its own. I'll still have room for the bag of cables and adapters and oh yeah, some of my favorite candies too. My Borealis is a couple years old but you can't tell by the appearance. I bought the teal colored bag and there's not a mark on it. It's been with me through the airport and the hospital more times than I can count and I've lugged it around town as my primary backpack. I do have a 2nd backpack that isn't the same brand which I use when I have to load up to the gills for a long trip. That bag gets super heavy when it's packed. This one is manageably heavy for me. I'm 5'0" and for my size, this bag is perfect. If you're not sure whether or not the size of this particular backpack is for you, just go to your nearest dealer and try it out first. Don't buy it, then slam the backpack rating because it doesn't meet your needs. There are hundreds of thousands of designs out there on the Internet. You can't expect that all backpacks meet all needs. It's just not reasonable. Make sure you know what you want to put in the backpack and look for one that has sufficient space to meet your needs. My needs change depending on where I'm going and what I'll be doing so I have a couple of styles that I can choose from. I bought a Swiss backpack at a local office supply store and I use that one when I need ultra storage but for day to day for my needs, this one is perfect.

Like most of you i came looking for a new backpack for school. I need to know if the borealis would fit everything I needed. So I went through all these reviews looking for the answer. Since it 50/50 saying it fits everything and others saying to small. I decided to just buy the backpack and if it was to small i'd return it. I was lucky to get it on sale and in this pretty aqua and lime green thats not shown above. Now for the backpack. It fits absolutely everything. After your done stuffing it you think oh it could probably fit another book, after you put that book in it just keeps going. Heres a list of everything i put in it. 13in macbook pro with its case 1in binder 5 folder 5 notebooks a kindle And that was just in the main compartment. You can fit a lot more in the other ones. Im very happy that this backpack worked out because it pretty color and was on sale. I must say though its summer time right now so i havent actually tested it for school. But thats all the stuff i carried last year. It is also very comfortable to wear. In the store it felt really weird but as soon as you adjust it and stick things in it works. Also when its stuff it doesnt even look big at all. My only complaint is the backpack cant stand up. No matter how much stuff is in it. The back falls over which is annoying but i can deal with it.

I have had my Borealis backpack since high school (6 years ago) and I use it all the time. I have been using it for field work that requires me to take a lot of tools and anything that I could need out in the woods. I love it. My shoulders and back never hurt, even when having to carry many textbooks to and from class. It washes easily and dries quickly. The only thing that I wish was different about this pack is the size. I believe how much it could hold would be maximized with some elastic material on it. Other than the size, I would recommend it for any uses because it's really a great pack for everything.

I use this backpack on a daily basis for my classes at school. I currently take 6 periods and this backpack can fit everything I need. It is a little long for my petite body, but I love the features on it. I like the double straps in the front and how the built in whistle can be used for "Stranger Danger" haha! It also has these small reflective squares in the front that glow from a certain angle, so you can be spotted in the dark at night. It's not very noticeable in the day in the light. I have gotten this backpack in the Teaberry Pink color and I've got to say, it's color is virtually the same to the color on the screen when I picked it out. It is a little chunky at times, even if there is not that much stuff in this backpack, but I can overlook it's chunkiness with its practicality. Overall, this is a very lovely backpack and I will be using it for years to come; not just for school, but hiking too.

I bought this bag because it had a lot of nice sounding amenities. However the bag itself is very tight. It looks large enough but it is hard to put things in and take them out. It seems as if there is a strap holding it across...but there is not it just will not stretch. The safety whistle is cool and the bag looks great. that's why I gave it two stars, but otherwise it doesn't do its main task; hold things!

This is an awesome backpack and I use it all the time!

I ended up returning this backpack because it was too small for my needs. I take the train to work every day and I wanted a backpack that I could fit a change of shoes, my lunch box, umbrella, wallet, and my jacket. I could barely get that stuff to fit, so there was no way I could get my laptop in there. That being said, I liked everything else about it. It is cute, comfortable to wear, and has great pockets for organizing your smaller things like iPod, book, gum, etc.

Definitely recommend this product! I had this backpack for four years and it was awesome! Carried it in college and I used it when I was travelling around Europe. Durable and long-lasting, it only died when there was a fire at my house and I couldn't get the smell out, but my laptop was in the bag and it was fine! I miss this backpack and I am ordering the Northface Surge II to replace it. I am sure I will like it just as much!

This is a great backpack and so far has held up well. I bought this backpack for an upcoming trip to France and I think it will be a great backpack for travelling. My only two comments are: - The adjustable straps are great but are very long and there's no where to tuck the left over strap, they tend to get a little tangled and appear messy. - The backpack is very deep and it can be difficult to find things in the front pocket without having to take everything out. Even opening the bag as wide as I can, there still doesn't seem to be an easy view of what's inside. Overall, a good purchase but would probably try a different one next time.

Overall, I really love this bag and am very happy with it! It fits everything I need (laptop, charger, two binders, and a small notebook, along with some pens and my lunchbox in the front pocket) while keeping a slim profile. I'm really happy with the color as well; the dark purple is a plum shade and the lighter part is more magenta. There are only two downsides: first, even though it does fit all that stuff it's kind of a squeeze, and two, the bag doesn't remain upright when I set it down. Otherwise, I love it!

This pack fits a petite frame well. I travel with it in the city all day everyday. I have room for everything I need. It's padded and the shoulder straps are comfortable. I recommend it to all.

Excellent quality, easy to use and lots of compartments - which I love! Perfect size for my small laptop and a few folders/books. Bungees on outside usually holds my lunch and the small pouch on the top front is perfect for keys, gum, lip balm and other small items that you need quick access to. I think it will be perfect as day pack as well. Not too big, not too small, but just right!

Definitely a great buy, couldn't be happier. Thank you!

I am a college student and use this backpack for school. It is the best backpack that I have ever owned. I can barely feel what I am carrying on my back and after one semester it has held up incredibly well and still looks brand new. It is a great backpack and a great investment since it will last forever and is also good for your back.

I purchased this back pack for my 10 year old daughter. She is in love with it. It is sturdy and fits well around her shoulders so it doesn't seem as though it's just hanging off of her.

Just as expected. High quality and stylish.

The bag is just what I am looking for as far as accommodations and room. I am medical student and I am planning on using this bag every day. The laptop slot could be a bit more padded I wasn't expecting the padding to be that thin. The other negative point about this bag is there is so many hooks and clips. I ended up clipping them off because they are not useful and used fire from a lighter to make sure the edges would not disintegrate. The bag is beautiful and have the perfect amount of compartments and great organization.

So happy I purchased! I commute to NYC 5 days a week & this back pack is just perfect for my long day. Not bulky and the padded back and straps are so comfortable! Not digging into my shoulders like other styles. Highly recommended!

I love everything about this backpack. It does become a little snug with a 3" binder, 3 books, scientific calc, wallet and pencils etc. but this backpack makes me forget that I have such a heavy load because of the awesome support, well worth holding a binder if needed. This is perfect for a college backpack. It's not too big and not too small, very stylish and sporty. Well worth the pretty penny.

I've had this bag for about a month. Got it because my old jansport was falling apart and I experienced a lot of neck pain when carrying heavy books. The borealis can hold a decent amount of stuff and my neck pain has decreased some. The bag is a little heavy but I guess that's the trade off you get for the support. I like the organizational front pocket but wish it was designed slightly differently in terms of zipping. Overall I'm pretty pleased with the bag.

I purchased this backpack about three weeks ago and have been using it for two weeks. I'm already very happy with this purchase. It was a bit pricey, but it was definitely worth it. The zippers are tough and sturdy, so I don't have to worry about breaking them by over-stuffing the bag. In addition, the midsection strap really made a difference when I was schlepping my laptop, notebooks, and textbooks across campus. It was quite a relief to my shoulders. The backpack is also roomy enough to use as an overnight bag. I'll be using it as an airplane carry-on from now on, since it's more comfortable and convenient than any of the tote bags I've used before. I can already tell I'll get a lot of use out of this bag. After seeing my Borealis and hearing how much I like it, my boyfriend bought the men's version online. Hopefully he'll love it as much as I do! I would recommend this bag to anyone; it's the most versatile, comfortable backpack I've ever had.

I really enjoy shopping at Zappos online! Great prices and it only takes 3-4 days for shipping so it's a great convenience! This bookbag is really great and roomy. It's a great way to keep organized! I would recommend it to anyone!

Hands down, the best backpack I have ever owned. It fits everything that I need for school. I wear this backpack practically all day when I'm walking around campus and my back and shoulders never hurt! Definitely got what I paid for. Highly recommend for those in college that walk around a lot.

Great backpack! Actual color is just a bit darker, but it is an overall great product! College is going great with it.

I am a college student so I need a school bag that is going to fit my needs. It is spacious, comfortable, has plenty storage, and is stylish. I love it!