Customer Reviews The North Face Recon

I am replacing my Recon from abt 20 years ago. This bag is worse quality in many ways. - fabric is cheaper, thinner - straps and back have less padding - stitching and zippers not as good

Looks nice but uncomfortable. The straps are way too thin for a backpack. My 20 year old Jansport is more comfortable.

I like the computer section. I like the side bottle pouches. I like the front elastic pouch. I don't like how items stored in the the center zipper area push into the front zipper pouch area, and vice versa.

Plenty of space for laptop and necessary school supplies, however the front netting has ripped and now I will have to find something more reliable for long term use.

I travel a lot internationally, so I was looking for a high quality backpack to use for travel. I saw a review before purchase that the way this backpack is put together causes there to be most space in the main compartment at the bottom, and less at the top - like an upside down pyramid. Since I saw so many positive reviews for the backpack, I decided to buy it. But the pyramid-type shape in that compartment is a significant problem for me. It is very difficult to get to the items in the bottom of the largest compartment of the bag. In order to get to them, I had to unpack most of the compartment. And I think it is also tricky to pack it well, to fill up all of that bottom space. My previous backpack did not have this problem. It had two large compartments which both had a lot more space, so it was much easier to find what I was looking for when traveling. I also liked that my previous backpack's laptop section had two compartments - so I could put the laptop on one side, and items that needed to stay straight, such as important documents, on the other. I would definitely return this if I was not overseas. Since I'll be overseas for months, I will just make do with it and probably buy a backpack that is differently constructed when I'm next in the US.

I take this to work at a school every day, when in session. It is great for my laptop and a couple books, but I often have another bag with what didn't fit. The water bottle pockets have not lasted more than a few months before ripping. The pockets make the bag look more than two years old. Soon there will be huge holes in them. And considering schools closed in March of 2020 and half of the 2020-2021 I've been remote, it shouldn't have holes. Additionally, one of the buckles broke within the year with normal use on a hike.

I use this for everyday use. My old backpack was wearing out so I bought a new one but this bag is soooo much smaller. I don't like the new bag as much.

I use this to bring things back and forth for work. However, it's a pain because it won't stand up and I have to lay it on the floor. No where to hang it

The backpack looks great, is very durable, and the lumbar support is incredible. There are two large pockets and one smaller in the front. The "largest" pocket really only fits a laptop and that's it, leaving only one large pocket to carry your things. This pocket is very deep and fits a good amount, however the elastic band around the outside of the backpack squeezes the top portion of this pocket let, limiting the amount you can store. Additionally the laptop pocket does not reach the bottom of the actual backpack so it protrudes into the second large pocket.

This back pack is cool but it's not wide enough to look through. Every time I look for something I end up having to pull all my bags' contents out. I like that it has plenty of pockets, and the laptop sleeve is plenty cushioned.

Liked it overall, just don't like that it doesn't stand up the tall way. The computer patch makes it uneven and it tips over very easily

The new design of the bag makes it very compact but there is not enough space for larger textbooks. The outer pocket digs into the main compartment so it makes it difficult to put and remove items out when it's full. I love the overall look but it's not designed to hold a lot of storage.

I had an older recon which lasted me 6+ years and traversed every corner of all the main Hawaiian Islands. From the Na Pali Coast on Kauai, the summit of Mt. Kaala on Oahu, the switchbacks to Kalaupapa - the Leprosy Colony on Molokai, through Haleakala crater, and on my university geology trips to Volcano National Park on Hawaii Island. School bag by day, and outdoors bag by night - my absolute "go to" bag. The only reason I upgraded was because all my zippers had finally separated from the bag and it was no longer useable. Initially I was thrilled to receive this new recon as a gift ~1.5 years ago. Unfortunately there have been a number of poor changes with this new generation. 1) the material on the bottom of the bag does not have the same level of grip as the old one so it easily slides flat onto the floor next to your seat or desk even when you prop it up. Extremely annoying. 2) The small wallet/phone pouch in the center of the bag is up higher and when full blocks access to the middle, mid-sized pouch. 3) When the small wallet/phone pouch is full of heavy items and the rest of the bag is relatively empty the bag likes to slump over and not stay upright. 4) the outer side water bottle pockets are a lot taller and you cannot reach them anymore with both shoulder straps on. 5) Outermost webbing pocket does not open nearly as far as old generation even with closest straps unbuckled. When the small wallet/phone pouch is full it also blocks access to this webbing pocket. 6) If you do not want to use the waist strap you have to leave it cinched along your lower back. The old generation had a passthrough behind the lower back padding where you could tuck the waist strap away. I want to love this bag as much as my old, faded, trusty recon but I just cant. As odd as it sounds to have fond memories of a bag, throughout a formative time in my life; the butterfly moments, the excitement, the tears, the blisters, my North Face recon was always there. When I look back at pictures it can often be found in the background of a peculiar number of them. RIP to my old friend.

Just bought this backpack and first of all, it took 4 days longer to receive then I was told, and I desperately needed it for school. I was immediately disappointed with this backpack. It is WAY too small for school. I saw so many good reviews and I thought it would be large enough but I could barely fit 1/2 inch binder, 2 very small folders, my MacBook Air, and a spiral notebook along with my pencil case. I may be picky but I don't like having a backpack and having to carry other things too, and I couldn't even fit my small lunchbox. I defiantly don't recommend this backpack for school, however it seems very durable and the style is great, but wish it was larger. The zippers are large and don't seem like they would break easily. If you intent is for a smaller backpack this would be perfect, but in no way would I recommend for school.

I ordered this for my daughters 7th grade backpack, she used it three days and swapped out to her old v.b. one. This backpack has the looks but lacks on space she could not fit her supplies and books into it and the largest pocket has waisted space in the bottom and is not easy to get books/binders in and out. Not sure how this was tested but it was not tested with middle and high school students or their sized books!

I bought this backpack for school, and used it 5 days/week for 7 months. It is comfortable to carry and I like the space and looks; but both mesh water bottle pockets were torn, and unusable, after 5 months of use. The bottom of the pack is also wearing through. For the price, I expected it to be much more durable.

I've had this back pack for 2 years now and whenever the school semester starts I wish that I would have bought a different back pack. Although this back pack is aesthetically pleasing, and protects the laptop effectively, it doesn't hold nearly enough books or folders. I can only squeeze one folder, one book and a thin note book. The most frustrating part is it Never stays prop up by itself because it's to tall and not wide enough.

I liked the design. But when I wear it, it feels too bulky

Bought a NF Recon 4 years ago and recently thought I was upgrading with the new features. Wish it was larger on the previous veraionyhe admin section had a full comaprmemt. The new version only has a half section in the admin portion. The laptop section is no longer a pocket but a complete sperate zipper compartment. I believe we lost some valuable real-estate but it's not specified. The construction it great the reason I was up grading we had a store credit for 100.00 and didn't need anything else. We love North Face just disappointed the newer version is small then previous..

I have used this backpack for less than a year and there are already holes in the side water bottle pockets. This never happened with my 2 previous Borealis backpacks. Also, the internal pocket design of this backpack makes it very top-heavy and it doesn't sit up well on its own, making it not ideal for use at school. The only things I really like about the backpack are that it is comfortable and the rigid laptop pocket. Overall, I will not buy another Recon backpack.

I was so excited to have finally found what I thought was the perfect backpack for school. It's an attractive design on the outside, but poorly designed on the inside. I tried to put two binders, a textbook, my laptop, and pencil case in it and that all barely fit. It looked super bulky and the padding on the bag felt very uncomfortable against my back. Would not recommend if you were hoping to find a bag that would fit your things nicely and carry around comfortably.

I've been getting the Recon since 2001- this must be my 4th one (I would still be on the 3rd, but an ink bleed has made it unusable). I purchased the 3rd Recon 2-3 years ago, where there the main compartment has a padded laptop AND tablet sleeve. The newest one has a new additional section all the way in the back, where you could throw in something like a camelbak bladder or a laptop. My preference is the combo laptop/tablet sleeve, so this will get some getting used to, and I feel like now I need to start using a padded case again inside the bag. The next compartment is rather large, and is just what you would expect to find in a standard backpack. The 3rd section got a bit of a redesign, as well, and just seems longer. Gone is the key chain /clip leash, and that's a miss for me. I now have to go diving for my keys, and it's something that was easily accessible in the last version. The very front pocket is now fleece-lined, which is nice to easily store sunglasses, but I would always throw things like pens, lip balm, and other small items in there so I could grab them quickly. This new lining makes it seem a little too nice to dump that stuff into. Hopefully, the water bottle pockets will hold up better than all Recon past. I'm not using a ginormous water bottle- these pockets always were done and stretched out in a matter of months, to the point where you would put a bottle in there, and it will end up falling right out when you would put the backpack on (made for some lovely dented water bottles). Finally, the waist strap. The last model, I was able to tuck it into the bag itself when I wasn't using it. The new model doesn't have that option, so you are left with either the buckle digging into your back, or hanging down at your butt. Overall, it's a solid bag. Hopefully the next generations of the Recon will have the issues solved. I really do love the coloring, and reflective material is a necessity.

Great quality but way too small for a high school or college student. Not enough room.

I am encouraged that this is endorsed by the American Chiropractic association..... backpacks are a big source of back pain and poor posture

My backpack started ripping and the lining started peeling less than a year after purchasing it. Plus, the main compartment is awkward and doesn't allow me to easily get what I need. I've had a Jansport Big Student for several years, and regret switching over to TNF.