Customer Reviews The North Face Surge

This backpack is a significant improvement over the original surge. Much more comfortable and lighter. Larger zip pocket for larger cell phone. Very durable!

This backpack is perfect for everything. It works well for school, weekend trips, and hiking. I'm pretty short(5'2") so I was worried that this would look huge on me but it looks good. There are so many pockets and I really like how a few of them are lined with a soft material for phones, etc. I feel like I can fit a lot in this backpack without it looking bulky. The separate bigger sections are good too to keep things separated. Definitely would recommend!

I did a ton of research on backpacks for my daughter leaving for college 2.5 years ago. With 100% certainty I bought her the Northface Surge II. She is starting her Junior year and not only does it still look brand new--it feels and performs like new. She picked the light (almost white) color with gray accents. Even though it is the lightest color, it is perfection. I spot clean it 2x/year. That is all it requires. It cleans beautifully, hangs dry and does not weaken in the slightest. You cannot throw in washer as there is a heavy duty piece of cardboard inside, but this does not matter at all. You can access every nook and cranny for cleaning purposes. Yes, my daughter carries it every day, summer school, too. She suffers from migraines so it was very important to find a backpack that offered the appropriate/correct support for a young woman and did not put any pressure or burden on her body. She has NEVER had one complaint. In fact, just the opposite. She loves her Surge II and remarks how nice it is not having a cheap, cumbersome or ineffective, typical "hang on me, pulling me" backpack. Trust me, I am a fact finder and won't settle--this is the best gift you can give a college girl. It will absolutely last through college and likely grad school. My daughter's is in pristine condition. The straps do not even get tattered--it is pretty remarkable. I understand how they can give a lifetime guarantee. GET THIS ONE! I've done the research for you. You're welcome :)

I really like that it has so many pocket options. I also really appreciate the lining on the inside so I can feel secure about putting fragile items in the pockets, even when i'm moving around. Great backpack for school and training!

I travel a lot for work with my laptop and this product is awesome you do not even have to take your laptop or tablet out in security

I've never had a "women's" backpack before and I wasn't really sure that I'd be able to tell the difference. Now, I'm convinced! It's just simply more comfortable than my old unisex North Face backpack. That backpack is actually still in really good shape and I'll probably pass it on to my husband or brother but I saw some of these great colors and felt like it was time for something new. This particular pack is big without being bulky. The padded and lined compartments are perfect for my laptop and other random things. So far it's awesome.

I LOVE this backpack!! I use it for just about everything from weekend trips to a gym bag. All the organized pockets keep my things easy to find and seperated. It fits so much too without looking bulky or overstuffed. It's comfortable to wear and the handle on top comes in handy. I would definitely recommend purchasing this bag, it's a MUST!!

I needed a backpack for grad school (books, laptop, lunch, jacket). I originally bought theNirth Face Overhaul because it was on sale but it proved to be obnoxiously huge for my needs (would still recommend it for someone who needs an overnight travel bag). The next size down was the Surge and it completely meets my needs. Because I'm juggling full time work with a doctoral program, I typically have to carry EVERYTHING on a daily basis. The Surge carries it all but in deceptively compact form. It's got compression straps to keep it all from wiggling around. Several of the pockets are fleeced-lined to protect things like tablets, phones and sunglasses. But there are just three things that really make this bag perfect for me: 1. The flat layout compartment for laptops is awesome for TSA screenings and holds my Macbook nice and snug. 2. Like everyone has said about the Surge and Surge II, these bags have pockets galore! I've had the bag for almost a week now and I don't think I've found all of the pockets in this thing. Not sure I'll need them all but when I need to seperate and compartmentalizations items for work and school, this definitely comes in handy. 3. Probably the most important feature is the comfort. With all of my books and computer, my stuff gets pretty heavy. To make matters worse, I have a short, stocky frame so backpacks are always a gamble whether or not they'll work with my frame. North Face has dialed in their technology on this effort because all of the bags I tried from the. We're very comfortable...even the big Overhaul bag. I will confess that the Surge II felt a little more comfortable/cushiony but I'm being extremely knit picky with that assessment. Both bags are actually approved/recommended by the American Chirpractic Association for their comfort so that tells you something. The true test is the long walks I have to make between the car and my office or the classroom. I'm typically carrying 25-30 lbs and I'm totally fine. Overall, great bag

I've had a lot of North Face backpacks in the past, and love my new one just as much as the others. I was surprised by how many pockets and layers so I could keep my new computer totally separate from the rest of my stuff which is great! It's comfortable, looks good and holds all my stuff without looking gigantic. I was skeptical about the handle on the front (why would I need that) but I have used it a couple of times....so I'll eat my words.

Off the Richter!! Got a Surge backpack 2 years ago and just swooped in on the updated version. Really light with big comfy straps and some super engineered back padding. Feels great on. Way better pocket system then the last one. 1 easy access big fuzzy pocket right on top for the shades. Another easy zip tablet pocket on the front and then a super secure fleece padded laptop pocket on the inside. Also has a luggage type handle on the front that makes it easy to carry like a duffle. Solid day to day back and big enough to load up for a weekend adventure. Plenty of inside storage pockets but not so many that I'm digging around in it forever. Wetsuit fits in no problem. Found a spot for my emergency rope. Style lines are way better and the black/red/grey is pretty rad looking. Stoked on this one!!

The Surge is by far my favorite backpack. It has tons of room for everything you could possibly need, but it never looks or feels too big or too heavy. The padding is very comfortable on my back no matter where I go. I use it for everything: at school, as a carry-on at the airport and even when I go hiking. I would highly recommend this to anyone and everyone.

I have had this backpack for 5 years, and have used it every single day of that time, carrying a usual load of 10-15 pounds. It still looks new. The amount of thought that went into the design really shows when it matters. At 33L, it has often been my only bag on week-long pop-up camping trips. It has been to Alaska with me twice. Even completely packed out, this thing still manages to be comfortable on my back. It is far-and-away the best backpack I have ever owned. As a work bag, even as a light backpacking bag, it is really tough to beat. I'd give it 6 stars if that were possible.

I bought it to replace my Swiss Gear bag, that was too heavy and too loose when I used it. and SURGE is just perfect! you won't fell the weight of the bag when its on your back, even if its really heavy. it has a lot of room in it and lots of pockets to put your stuff in it (for me its really important) and of course a place to my laptop and its cables

I used my my Surge for about a year before it was unfortunately stolen. I loved it, very durable and excellent internal organization. I could put my huge gaming laptop and by giant calculus textbook in there along with all my school supplies without breaking my back- super comfy and nice suspension. The only flaw in the design is where the compression straps attach, in FRONT of the laptop compartment. When you have a heavy load and cinch it down tight, all that force pulls against the sides of your laptop instead of on the rigid pack panel. Over time, this caused damage to my laptop, messing up the screen and breaking the case. Now I have to deal with a few lines of dead pixels on my nice gaming machine, which is a huge bummer. I'll be replacing my backpack with the Router instead of the Surge for the sole reason that the compression strap attaches BEHIND the laptop compartment.

I usually have to carry a very heavy laptop to work everyday, and using my regular backpack made my shoulders sore. I switched to Surge on hubby's insistence, and boy did it help! It distributes the weight very well and is extremely comfortable for everyday use. I've used this is a carry-on bag in flights and found it very comfortable. It has tons of pockets and sections to store all kind of small/big items which you can quickly access. The loop/handle at the front of the bag is more handy that you'd think! The only improvement I'd love to see is that the side pockets to carry bottles should have an elastic band or loop to secure the pocket, my bottles keep falling out of it otherwise (and I've lost a handful of bananas stored there too!).

I got this backpack for my Junior year of high school because I needed a durable comfortable back pack to hold all my books. Its incredible roomy and I could fit all my school supplies in it plus once I put it on and strap myself in it almost feels like nothing. My only complaints are when nothing is in the bag it already weighs 3 pounds which kinda sucks , and what I have to say the worst thing about it is that it does not stand on its own. When in class and I need to constantly get things out of my bag, having to lift it off the ground is extremly annoying. I either have to lean it on my friends bag or lay it on the floor on its back. Over all the bag is great and i'll use it throughout high school and maybe even college. Its roomy and great for business and everyday travel, but is a pain to get things out of. I would recommend it to other people definitely!

Great fit and style. Use for daily bus commute to work as well as day hikes/travel. Only suggested improvement would be to lighten the weight.

I used it for High school and for years and years on, great pack!

In general, this is a great bookbag. It has a relatively large capacity and is nicely divided and organized. I originally got this bookbag because my previous one didnt have much lumbar support. This one looked like it could give me that support i needed. Its more than I''ll ever need really but it helps that this bookbag is very versatyle - itd be appropriate for amost all occasions: travelling, hiking, commuting, etc. The only thing i do not like about this backpack is how the waist straps dangles. In an older model of the recon, they had little sleeves for which you can slide the waist straps in. I do not see why they could not incorporate something like this as well.

I couldn't believe how convenience the bag is. I have all my school supplies as well my lap top. This is my third back pack and I love each one off them. This one is the best. Good job NF

I use this product for school. I got it because I wanted a bag with many organizing pockets, was not disappointed. I open the package and read the label, the bag itself with nothing in it is over 3 pounds. It is heavy and I have literally nothing in it. Apart from that, many soft lined pockets, comfortable, it keeps its shape, I am not afraid to put something with value in it in fear it would break.

Everything is high quality on this bag; they really didn't miss a detail. I love how the bag compresses to be pretty small when there's not much in it, but it can actually hold a couple days of clothes comfortably when you fill it up. I docked it one star because the bottom is designed to curve upwards, so you can't really stand it up on the ground. I can see this being pretty annoying at airports where I'll probably be taking it on and off regularly.

The quality is great. I use it for school. I think a flatter base would work better for classroom use. This one topples over when set on floor. I would love this as a day hike bag or just a casual day trip when I need my laptop. The laptop compartment is rigid and provides good protection for a laptop. It is the bulk of the weight. There are many compartments (pro for day hike, con for classroom use).

Good all around back pack. Would be a five star if it didn't weigh so much pre-loading...

I use it to carry my computer and gym clothes and such to work every day. It's definitely good for that, but should not be taken as a hardcore outdoor pack, as it is missing important features such as a good hipbelt and hydration bladder support.