Customer Reviews The North Face Surge

Bought this for my husband and he loved it, but the straps started tearing away from the shoulder seam at around 2 months of use. Warranty department said it was not covered. I called and they agreed to give us store credit for MSRP because I was firm and insisted that it was not any improper use, which is what they stated. My husband is a physician who used it to carry his laptop to and from his car and into his office. It was clearly a manufacturing defect because I bought my son a different North Face backpack at the same time and the same thing happened to his. He was a junior high student. North Face needs to fix their warranty process because they state it very boldly and clearly right next to the "add to cart" button. "Our products are fully warranted against defects in materials and workmanship with a lifetime guarantee."

it's just not designed well. the zippers do no open all the way down, so it's impossible to stuff things to the bottom, really hard to get things out of the bottom. Can'f fit a laptop and AND some magazines into the back section - it's all too tight and compact. I had an earlier version of a TNF daypack and it worked well, but it wore out and they stopped making that model. This model does not feel like 31 l size - it performs more like a 20l size and I am already looking elsewhere for an alternative. Not at all satisfied with this version.

Disappointed with quality of backpack. Purchased 2 backpacks for my 2 college kids and both experienced rips around the shoulder strap area. Sent one backpack to warranty center- was provided in store credit. Will send other backpack to warranty when child returns for the Christmas break. Will purchase another one since have the credit, but not thrilled at idea.

It doesn't seem to hold as much as it should and is awkward to pack. I had the old surge backpack snd took it all over the world. I treated that bag rough and it still performs well. This new bag is just awkward to pack and the pocket space/use is inefficient. I will not buy again

I like the multiple compartments....but this backpack is borderline useless. The compartments are WAY too tight and each one needs to be deeper. I had a Modem for 15 years, and though I needed slightly more space and at least one extra compartment, it was more practical. And excellent quality. This design, I can't think of much that it's good for. Even my small Fuji camera is a tight squeeze in any pocket.

Purchased to replace a Surge backpack that was purchased three years ago. This quality of this Surge pack is not even close to the original. The black areas are a stiff, vinyl-like material, not the old stretchy fabric that used to be there. It is hard to put large water bottles or shoes in those side compartments. The lined top area is nice, good place to store a phone. I miss the additional compartments and stretchy side panels, but this is okay for going to and from class. I won't be able to use it for much more than that. I don't have time to return it now, so I am keeping it, but I am really disappointed in the quality.

I have a Borealis from the last generation, (last year) and I am so impressed with the padding, fit, YKK zippers, and comfort (better than even niche pack makers). The new Surge has thinner, flimsier zippers (no YKK stamp), poor thin padding, the straps no longer have FlexVent (they're just strips of foam), and the back panel less contoured and again less foam. I noticed that these new packs are now made in Indonesia, while the very high quality previous ones were made in Vietnam. Also the neck opening (top of the straps) are too close together at 2 1/2" and pinch the neck (the previous Borealis had almost 3 1/2" of space). I hope TNF returns to their high standards. Sad to see.

This review is long overdue. I purchased the blue 2019 version of the the Surge backpack. It's great looking, has enough pockets, and is compact. Unfortunately, it hasn't seen much use (2020). I went out hiking recently and brought this with me. It instantly reminded me that the back stiffening board/support used for the laptop (I guess) rides on my lower back (literally rests on my pants/belt). This is not comfortable and adjusting the straps doesn't really change this (feels like this stiffening support is longer than it needs to be). This same support also does not allow you to rest the backpack on the ground without it falling over (very strange). I am happy to see the the design has been updated, so perhaps they addressed this.

The back back looks stylish with great colors. Their are different compartments to organize supplies. The main compartment is not big at all. My 6th grader can barely fit his required 3 (small) binders, leaving no room for a school book.

This bag did not meet my expectations! Plenty of pockets for storage but as you fill each pocket it got tighter and section kind of invaded the other sections space. The laptop storage, thank god I did not bring my laptop or iPad with me. A day out in rainy condition the laptop storage was wet inside, I'm guessing from the zippers? The rest of the bag seemed to shed off the water well. Wish there was a suitcase strap to put in the carry-on bag while at the airport. Bag was kind of heavy with the thick padding for the back and made the bag feel heavy after a few hours. Even worse when it got wet.

1 no size in order site, and 2, it can NOT fully open. yes, it open, for top 1/4 , so if you have couple of pan and shirts, try hard to stuff into whatever you have , after destination, you bid, no more wrinkle free.....

Bought this backpack for my high school son. Within a couple months, one of the straps started to rip. As a result, he had to start using the other strap. For the cost, I'd expect better quality.

I have used surge 2 daily for 13 years until I changed to new one because of color fade and oldness. Well this one didn't last so long. After two years the straps started to break and because of the reflection parts straps hits the part in my shoulder the fabric broke and it is bad quality. I don't recommend this anymore. If you go then go for surge 2. Somehow the backpack does not fit so well the stuff I would want to put in.

I use the backpack daily for work. I have own several north face surge backpack. The 2025 I'm highly disappointed. I have to struggle to get 32 oz water bottle in the side pockets. They do not stretch like the previous years edition. The inside are much smaller. The same items I had in my 2020 surge edition does not fit into this 2025. north face please go back to the old formula. I should not have to struggle to get my water bottle in my side pocket because it does not stretch. after I put a 1 inch binder, laptop, chargers and pen in my backpack it's full. my previous backpack held binders, laptop, sweatshirts, scrubs, pens and chargers and had room left over.

Bottom and water bottle pockets do not match the tan/yellow of the nylon and is a really ugly brown color. Material feels very thin and zippers for smaller pockets are not good quality.

My North Face Surge BackPack DID NOT PROTECT my MacBook Air AT ALL. The bag slipped from my hand from waist height onto the street, and, I fully expected it to have protected my laptop but it didn't. One of the corners of my laptop is completely ruined and I was lucky that the screen has remained intact. I bought this bag specifically because it supposedly offered a suspended compartment for the laptop and, up top it gives you the false sense of protection since it is heavily cushioned. But, on the bottom, where it matters most, it's thin/no cushion AND the edges of the laptop compartment are perforated (not sewn together). This unprotected bottom corner of the laptop compartment has caused my laptop's edge to hit the ground and absorb the impact, smashing its aluminum body! I am really disappointed in North Face for having cut corners on such an expensive bag, since it has ruined the aesthetics of my machine and caused it to loose resale value.

Shoulder straps ripped, seams ripped, and inside compartments ripped. Not even over filling it or holding anything heavy. NF products are now known as cheap, and they don't stand behind their warranty. They're a logo now, that's it.

I have an older Surge that allows me to see what's in each department. I bought a new Surge in April 2024 and returned it. It has the same number of zipper compartments but the design does not allow me fit as much in the compartments as my older Surge. I had to return it.

i have a quite a few older models of NF back packs, including a 2008 jester and 2010 surge. i got the new surge to switch things up a little and i hate it. already donated. in order to use it for a trip, i had to modify it by removing the rearmost divider so i could make the largest compartment functional. while it increased the usable capacity of the bag quite a bit, 31 liters is laughable. maybe more like 25 on a good day. what bothered me most while traveling was that completely unnecessary and oversized plastic board in the back. i did not know this was in it and not removable, or i would have avoided altogether. it restricts interior capacity, digs into my back, and causes the bag to tip forward while sitting, even with trying to pack the front base of the bag as support. i tried to take it out (i do a lot of sewing and could re-mend it) but it is literally sewn into the bag. UGH. since my 2010 version is amazing and still going strong, my husband now uses it and i have upgraded to an evergoods bag, which i LOVE (AND the plastic brace is removable!) northface- chill out on all the unnecessary pockets and frill and focus on durability. get back to your roots. peace out.

patriarchy sucks

Not good for business travel. Very limiting storage. If you fill one section, other sections become unusable. Bring back the Surge II. That was a great backpack.

This backpack has a design flaw, does not extend to its promised capacity at the bottom. Basic school items do not fit if you are trying to carry more than one item like binder and a laptop. Very disappointing.

Used as a school backpack. Despite the stated volume, it doesn't expand much and can't hold all school books. Shoulder straps are falling apart after 5 months of use. One snapped.

Shoulder strap ripped at seam. Seam is clearly not adequate and a failure point. North Face claims it was abused.

Im an ER doc. I used my Surge bag for work only. carry my bag into my car, then into the hospital. the bag then sits on a chair for 12 hours, then I go home. After a few years, the stitching on the support strap for the shoulder strap failed and came off the bag. soon after, the fabric which the zipper is attached to deteriorated and a hole developed. Sent in for warranty service. North face rejected the warranty claim and stated I abused the bag and improperly used the bag. what? are you serious? Im done with North face. loyal customer for over 30 years. jackets, fleeces, bags, gloves, hats, you name it, I have it from North face. no more. now im a Patagonia customer.