Customer Reviews The North Face Recon

Potentially a good bag if you aren't bothered by shallow pockets. Pockets are about half of what I expected the capacity to be. The inseam inside of pockets are cut too short leaving a lot of unused/unusable space within the pocket.

I bought a used Recon- probably from the mid 00s- in a thrift shop for 15 bucks and used it constantly for 7 or 8 years until I finally put a hole in the bottom (pro tip: don't poke holes in stuff you like and don't put sharp-edged stuff in your backpack). I was so fond of the old one that the updated version was the only option I considered, and it doesn't disappoint. I like the slight redesigns- the separate compartment for the laptop makes sense, the padding/lining in the outer pocket is nicer, and the handle on top is much better. I just don't really feel a need for the waist and sternum straps and compression straps, but maybe they'll grow on me. The general quality of materials and assembly is at least as good as the old one and in many ways better. Considering that the last one was good for someone else for a long time before I had it, I think I'll be lugging this thing around for many years. It works perfectly for going to and from work or gigs, and just as well for overnighters or weekends, if you don't bring everything you own. As for the old one, I'll patch it up and drop it off at the same thrift store where I bought it, and maybe someone else will get another decade out of it.

I love it and it's very durable. There was a tiny spot on the mesh band that wasn't sewed into the seem but nothing major. I can fix that. I love the double water bottle pockets. Plenty of room in the bag!

I didn't doubt getting this backpack it was like love at first sight.

Needed a new work bag, and going from several high-end messenger bags, I wanted to get back into a backpack... but the RIGHT backpack. This was the perfect choice for me, for size, comfort and volume. Very comfortable to carry over one shoulder, or using both straps. Not too bulky, and can fit more than expected. One minor drawback is if you fill the top compartment, the main interior compartment gets tough to fill, since the weight is above and pushing down into that area...

I bought this to replace a prior Recon which I hiked with for 15 years; this new version has less space and the waist strap pulled off on a minor hike on the 4th use.

I like the material and the size is perfect for camping in summer. Thank you for make this backpack.

Great material! Excellent quality and design. No need to second guess yourself with this back pack. Recommend it to anyone!

High quality. Great design. Fits perfectly under the seat for air travel.

This backpack when I received it was better than the pictures, I am one that not really read much about the product, the pictures are enough. When I got it was very happy. Now it is my favorite, because I owe few.

This backpack is very comfortable I walk a lot in a warm weather and it feels fresh and ventilates, the surface on the back is kind of rigid so it maintains the flow of air between the backpack and my back, It looks extremely good and fits my 14 inch laptop perfectly along with the charger and my notebooks. It also has soft pockets for electronics and hidden pockets for other valuables. My water bottle fits perfectly on the side pockets and doesn't fall accidentally. In general I am very happy with my purchase!

This is one of 7 our family owns and we clearly keep coming back for more. It's a bag for life and North Face has always shown they'll take care of any issues otherwise.

My wife loves it, thank you.

Great for work and commute. Lots of pockets and space for organizing stuff. I like having both a chest and waist strap for when I travel for work.

Very useful

Good quality!

The backpack is really high quality and well made. Unfortuanely, I was hoping that it would be slightly bigger. It's not small by any means but was not big enough for what I needed. I would recommended if not looking for something bigger than usual.

Great for airplane travel. I can keep everything I need in one place!

great bag better color

The build quality is nice. The organization is also nice.

Great backpack for someone that does a lil of everything, student, overnight, daypack. It has the room for a lot of different gear/clothes.

Bag has great utility. I was just disappointed with my order as one of the zippers came without the zipper attachment to pull on and the color does not hold up in real life as in photos as it a more grassy green than forest green in real life. Besides having to return for those reasons, I know this is a great bag for utility purposes as my brothers and myself have been using recon bags since childhood.

Good quality, very comfortable. Best backpack ive ever had.

I've used Recon backpacks for school, work, and travel for over 10 years now and this model is definitely my favorite one. It has has all of the features I was looking for, including a separate protective laptop compartment extra small pockets/pouches to keep my cords and miscellaneous items organized. The backpack is very comfortable and the material quality is great. Would definitely buy this again

Best Daily / work Backpack Ever! I ended up returning Cotopaxi, Bellroy, and Peak Designs backpacks for this! I do waaaay too much research on backpacks and still end up coming back to Nortface because no one compares to the comfort, versatility, and durability.