Customer Reviews The North Face Women's Surge

I wanted to love this bag. It has so many good reviews and The North Face is known for their great quality. It definitely is well built and could easily last for many years....but it is way too uncomfortable for me to wear. The back panel of the bag is stiff....which means when I put the bag on it hits right at my lower back area. I have had lower back problems for years, I am sure partly due to my constant use of backpacks. But anyway, since it hits right in that area, it literally hurts to wear this bag. I have fiddled with the straps and all and cannot seem to find a position where it is not in a bad place. I tried so hard to make it work, but I have realized it just isn't a good fit for me. I guess next time I will make a trip to a store and try them on in person before purchasing.

I have the old surge and prefer it over the new style. In this new Surge: my water bottles fall out of the side "cups" that are supposed to hold them in place, the bag feels stiff as if I can fit less in the bag, it sometimes makes a faint squeaking noise when I'm walking with it on my back, and I dislike the shoulder straps because of the thick straps fully connecting to the frame of the bag, there is a thin "connector" piece that I wouldn't be surprised if it tore/ripped with excessive use. I do love the green and red/orange combination, although, from the picture, I thought the green would be lighter. Overall, I am pleased with my choice because I am a repeat customer because of the backpacks' quality.

I use this backpack for high school and bring it to every class. I needed it to fit everything for all of my classes but after i put everything in, there is not room for a water bottle or anything thats loose i.e. pencil case or eye glass case

I like this back pack; however, it does not compare to my previous North Face Surge from a few years back. This back pack is sturdy and more comfortable but it has less pockets and whenever I set it on the ground, it falls forward. I really miss the bottom pocket. I used to put my Kensington locks and all charging cords in the bottom pocket. Now its goes in the front pocket which adds to the uneven weight distribution.

I like the design and the rugged feel. However, the zippers stick and have a hard time trying to unzip. One pocket I keep water bottle and on the other my glasses in a case. They both fall off if I am not careful. I also wish it had some sort of traction or grip on the bottom of the backpack so it wouldn't slide off while placing it on hardwood floor.

I like the design of this bag and how it was designed to fit women's body. However I found that there are some features that Northface should pay attention. The laptop pocket is too tight for a regular laptop. I have one 14" toshiba and it fit really tight--way too tight. I think it will go just fine with Mac and a really thin PC. Also, I like the cushion on the straps. However if I wear just tank top and use this bag, they hurt my shoulder.

My son absolutely loves it ..

Please add the cosmic blue & grey color option back in the lineup.

I have loved the Surge backpack I received for Christmas in either 2015 or 2016. It has been a total workhorse, accompanying me every day for both work and travel. I would easily give it ***** My mother and daughter decided 10 years was enough and gifted me a new one, which I have been using for the past 10 days of both work and travel. Until last night, it warranted ***. It has already green a tear in a seam by the grab handle, which reduces the rating to ** Positives *the water bottle pockets are much better USB the previous model *the straps on the bottom of the backpack, which are perfect for carrying a jacket on a commute or while sightseeing Changes that are not good *lack of a front grab handle *depth of the front organising panel - I don't have a place to store masks *fewer internal zipper pockets - my passport storage pocket no longer exists *new flex vent system less effective than before - it's winter, and my back is getting hot every tune I wear the pack for more than a few minutes. *external pocket zippers don't work well - I think this use because there is so much extra fabric *there were straps by ye water bottle pocket that I was annie to use to put through the loop of my umbrella for extra security/stability. The new pockets are deeper and stronger, so this may not be a problem Other changes *separate pockets for iPad and laptop are fine, though not necessary (I carry both daily) *more loops to use for hooking/lashing things *dimensions have changed so it fits under an airplane seat more easily I'm extremely disappointed that the pack already ripped when I picked it up by the grab handle last night. You can see in the photos that it is not overloaded. This is the way it is most days of the week. The previous version of the Surge is still completely intact after 10+ years, other than a little wear on one corner of the bottom. This is extremely disappointing. Unfortunately I can't switch back bc my ops surge is at my mother's house in Kentucky, and I am in Hong Kong.

I am very unhappy with this bag and am going to try to return it. I have one major complaint and several minor complaints. The biggest problem is that the bag won't stand up on its own! The stiff laptop section makes feels like a surfboard shape, and trying to rest the bag on its bottom (one tip of the surfboard) doesn't work. Even if I try to prop the bag up against something like a door, it still slides down onto its front or back. Not good if you're trying to load/unload it, or if you have a full coffee holder in one of the pockets. That stiff laptop section just makes the whole thing unwieldy. The other pockets feel cramped because of it. I'm trying to carry a 15" laptop and a lot of bulky laptop components (hub, mouse, power cord, etc.). I feel like it should be able to hold everything, but it just doesn't!

I had the original Surge from the mid-late 2000s - did a ton of domestic travel and some international - absolutely loved the bag - I'm in IT and the primary use for this is hauling my ungainly 15" Lenovo W540 around and a variety of cables and other tech stuff. Unfortunately after 10-11 years or so, the zipper to the laptop compartment started to tear. I used it for about 6 months until the zipper finally broke at which point I sent it in for repair (lifetime warranty). Sadly, they were unable to repair the bag and sent me the latest version. By far the biggest issue with this bag is the laptop compartment and specifically the sleeve within the compartment for securing a laptop. It says it can hold a 15" laptop but understand that they're referring to a MacBook Pro or some other ultra-svelte, very thin mid-size machine. While I understand that I have a hog of a laptop (it is a bit over an inch thick) it's not even close to fitting in the sleeve which means I have to throw my machine in unrestrained. The issue with that is there is zero padding at the bottom of the bag so the laptop is essentially hitting whatever you set the bag on (the floor, the ground, etc.) For me this is a non-starter for basically everything. Yes you can open the bag flat but unless you have a thin machine, it's not going to fit in that pouch (which does offer great protection). Anyway, something to keep in mind if you have a thick laptop. The second issue I have are the zippers. They feel really cheap on the laptop and front pouch. In my opinion, I feel that they're very undersized for the laptop. Also a downside of the lay flat design is when you open the bag the whole thing wants to flop open (the zippers don't lock in their position, they want to tear open). I don't have enough space to continue my review but the other thing to mention is they removed the dedicated power brick compartment at the bottom which really stinks. Having to fish it out of the main compartment is a drag.

Purchased as walking commuter bag fur 15.6” laptop. Fits only up to 15” despite description which states up to 17”. Also very heavy and very stiff and uncomfortable.

I needed a durable backpack for school and the reviews pulled me toward this backpack. It has plenty of space and held all of my notebooks and folders, but this backpack is so heavy even without books in it. My skin on my shoulders get tore up from the uncomfortable straps and heavy weight. I do not recommend this backpack.

When I first got this backpack I loved it, but after the first couple days of using it for school, I realized how uncomfortable it was. I can barely squeeze in a textbook and a couple notebooks, and couldn't fit another textbook in after that. Besides being too narrow, my thermos and water bottle kept falling out of the holders at the side when I set it down. The comfort also wasn't there--the shoulder pads dig into my shoulders and don't mold to my back at all. I love the design and pocket structure of this backpack but overall I was very disappointed with how it fit my school necessities as well as how it fit on me.

This bag is both too big and, considering its size, too small at the same time. I was so excited to purchase, and I LOVED the design and color (I got the black/gray with rose gold accents) but when I put my law school stuff in it, it both didn't fit and looked way too bulky on my back. It stuck out like a turtle shell and looked ridiculous. I only had my laptop (13 inch 2015 MacBook Pro), one textbook, a notebook, pencil case, laptop charger, and some random small things like a travel size deodorant, chapstick, etc. in the whole bag. I often need to bring another book with me, and when added one to test it out it looked even worse. It was bulging even without the extra book. I was very disappointed and had to return it.

I used this product for school for only about three days, though I received the backpack approximately a month ago. At first, I was amazed by the design and the look. However, after wearing it, I realized how uncomfortable it is. (Even without the weight of textbooks!) The shoulder straps are incredibly stiff and bulky, digging into my collar bone and shoulders. I used to use the Women's Recon, which had flexible and not-as-thick shoulder straps. Adding weight to the backpack made it worst. Additionally, I use a plastic waterbottle from the Thermos company and it continuously, without fail, falls out of the water bottle holder. I never had this problem with the Recon or any backpack for the matter. The back of the backpack, the part that rests against your back, is uncomfortable and stiff as well. It doesn't not mold to my back like the recon. In general, this backpack is very stiff and unyielding. Think of sleeping on a hardwood floor without any cushion vs using a memory foam mattress. I wish I could return this but I cut the labels off already and I deeply regret this purchase. The only thing I like about this backpack though, is the whistle.

Previously I had the North Face Modem, which was awesome. I bought the Surge at an outdoor store in Jasper, so I expected it to be designed for the outdoors. Nothing on its label said it was only for use in ideal outdoor conditions. I record archaeology sites, so I bring electronics including my computer and two cameras into the bush with me. I don't expect bags to stay dry during a day in the rain (I put everything in ziplocks) but I do expect them to dry out at home. I was hiking in the rain two days ago and the interior and padded pockets of this bag still aren't dry, even though I have all the zippers open. The Modem dried overnight. Also, the Surge has plenty of pockets (which is why I chose it) like the Modem, however it is built like a sausage. When it is loaded with my gear--the exact same gear that the Modem easily accommodated--I am having to jam equipment into it to the point where expensive electronics are literally grating against each other, rendering many of the pockets practically useless. Reaching into the bottom of the bag to find things is almost like reaching into the bowels of the earth because it is so deep and narrow. With the zippers going all the way down to the bottom, it opens flat, but I don't want to open it flat and have things fall out, particularly not on steep talus slopes or in the pouring rain. I would have given this bag one star, except that it is comfortable to wear. The awful sausage-like interior design is one thing, but its slow drying time is unforgivable. I recommend this bag for transporting flat narrow things, like pens and magazines, on sunny days in the city.

Loved the color combination. I got the ZINC GREY / SURF GREEN for law school but the bag was too long/bulky. I'm 5'3 and the bag swallowed me. Will be returning for the Borealis.

This backpack is not designed to be utilized for school. The way that the large pockets are designed, causes papers to fold and bend. I intended to utilize this backpack for school and work and it cannot fully fulfill this requirement with this flaw in design. The backpack is very comfortable, however, the fact that it does not serve the necessary service for a student keep me from recommending it.

We returned it

I bought this book bag for my first year of college after seeing it in a store. With all the pockets I was so excited. I hate this backpack. It starts of very heavy and after adding an agenda, pencils, my laptop, and a few notebooks, my shoulders are screaming. If you look, the straps are "detached" from the back panel. I think this may be the reason why it's so uncomfortable. My 3 year old borealis works way better. It sucks because I love the grey/mint color wave.

I don't like this backpack at all. I love North Face products. Today I thought I left my North Face raincoat in the airport and I almost cried. But this backpack is way smaller than it seems. I usually carry my computer, one single subject spiral notebook and my planner in my backpack. If I put a textbook in it, it looks so full it's ridiculous. People actually comment on it. I'm a premed student so I need something that can hold at least a textbook sometimes and this doesn't do it. Also my water bottles constantly fall out of the water bottle holders. The hip strap is so thin that it cuts into your hip. I was very disappointed with the new line of backpacks at the North Face. Sorry North Face Im sure you'll improve upon your products!

I am a college student and I use it daily for classes and what not. Honestly, I think that this backpack is not big enough. The pocket for the laptop sleeve is GREAT! The only thing about that pocket is that if your laptop is in that pocket then there isn't room for anything else in this pocket. The second pocket is great size and can fit a lot... as long as you don't put anything in the back pocket or the very front. All the pockets seem to run into each other and take up space in another area. You can't really fit much into the backpack. Poor design.

Great backpack overall. Love the storage space and ability to safely and securely hold my laptop, but was completely unreliable to keep my electronics and other med school essentials dry after getting caught in the rain on my first day of orientation and classes... Definitely disappointed and hope my laptop and cellphone aren't fried... Only use on dry days

This bag is much worse than its predecessor, the Surge 2. Initially, I would like to say that the bag is very well-built and seems like it would last a long time. The fleece pockets are nice quality, and the laptop sleeve is soft and protective, which is very important. The bag's largest and crucial flaw is that the shoulder straps are very uncomfortable. At first glance, they seem fine. However, there is stiff mesh "padding" that goes around the strap at the neck area, and it is very abrasive and painful to wear. The whole strap and back of the bag area is stiff, and the straps simply scrap your neck and are not comfortable. I have tried many bags, and this is simply not tolerable. I asked my family members to try the bag as well, and we unanimously decided that the bag isn't comfortable and that the straps are a serious design flaw. I am a college student, and I was sincerely wanting to like the bag. It looks great, and has all of the features that I need. However, it simply is not comfortable. I purchased the bag and kept it for a week. I wanted it to "break in" in hopes that it would be more comfortable with time, but it simply wasn't. I returned the bag to purchase the Surge 2 on a popular bookbag website for nearly $50 less than this bag. The Surge 2 is much nicer for many reason, but mostly because the comfort is far superior to the new bag. As an added bonus (if you have read this far), the older Surge 2 has a place for storing the waist straps, while the new bag has no storage for the straps and the must instead dangle at your hips. Do yourself a favor and purchase the older bag. It's much cheaper, and far more comfortable. You won't regret your decision.