Customer Reviews The North Face Recon

Amazing! There are so many hidden pockets. It fits two water bottles in the size pockets (mine is 24 oz.). There are soft fleece pockets for sunglasses and valuables which come in handy. It holds a lot while still looking sleek.

There is a North Face vdeo that describes perfectly every single quality of this almost perfect backpack. The only con I would say is the weight of it when not loaded 2 lbs 7.7 oz (1125 g).

I bought this for a work/office backpack and I love it!! Just enough pockets for me, sturdy, lightweight (except for all my stuff in it), and tough!! Use this daily!!

I've had North Face Recon for almost 15 years now. I got the latest one shipped last year (to India) and is overall great also, except for a few specific cons for me, mainly: (1) the laptop compartment is too deep for e.g. a 13inch Macbook Air -- also when I dropped it in once, it actually "fell" to the bottom and it felt like there was no cushion/suspension at the bottom (I could hear a thud of sorts!). Maybe this is cos it's too large a compartment rather than a laptop sleeve -- but it can have deleterious consequences for the unsuspecting laptop! (2) the previous Recon I had (maybe 2014-15) had a separate iPad sleeve which was fantastically convenient. This one has no such thing and would be a Much desired addition here. Not sure why that was removed esp considering that a laptop + iPad is not uncommon today.The advertised iPad socket in the front is really more for a large phone, not iPad! (3) as the front flap fills, it distends into the middle large compartment which then becomes smaller effectively, which can be inconvenient at times. What saves the day is the external open flap where you can stash random leakover things.. the bag has good capacity nevertheless..

This pack is awesome, I was looking for a pack that would fit my 17 inch laptop, which this does with plenty of room to spare. It is versatile enough to be used for school, travel, or on all day hikes, without feeling giant. I spent many hours shopping for a pack that wasn't too big and yet met all my needs and I couldn't be happier.

I'm a stagehand and needed a new bag with several compartments. This bag is exactly what I needed and good quality. My only critique is that I wish the zippers opened the bag a bit wider.

I was already impressed w/ this backpack before I bought it cuz of the reviews. Happy to say that it has fulfilled and exceeded my expectations. It's a great daypack for me!

A versatile, good everyday backpack with lots of pockets. Does not fit large items, but fits lots of small-medium sized items. Front pouch its a game changer, better than the borealis straps.

Just used backpack for first time. All worked as expected. Materials and workmanship look very good.

I love this bag. Great size for the laptop sleeve -- it can accommodate up to 17-in devices. Durable material and great organization in the pockets. Great for commuting, or traveling.

I recently retired a North Face backpack that I had used daily for three years. I was saddened that the zipper finally gave out and truth be told I was probably overloading it much more than I should have. Fortunately when I sought a replacement I came across the Recon model! It is absolutely fantastic! The design is very rigid (on the back plate) which makes it wear more like a frame pack. I could see some folks not liking that design initially but I can assure you it actually makes a huge difference in how heavy the bag feels. I can load it up with a laptop, my lunch, work clothes and that rigid design means it stays close to my torso, minimizing any "play" or torque. There's even a small waist strap if you want to go full frame pack with groceries or heavier items. I've been carrying this bag five days a week and can vouch for its effectiveness. A great hybrid between your everyday bag and a full on frame pack.

Bought the Recon to replace a 10 year old pack that was pilfered and didn't realize what improvements had been made in that time. My only beer is that I had to buy the "men's pack to get the Navy blue color I wanted. Since this is a unisex product, I don't even know why there is a men's or women's version. All specs for the pack are the same. Just feature all colors and let people choose. Haven't filled it and hefted it to capapcity yet.

Using it for school abroad, doing a masters in England and it's lovely. I love the space for my books, computer, etc. it'll be a great tool for my many days on campus and it's super comfortable to wear. Plus, very very aesthetically appealing.

Very well made, durable product. Confident in bringing it on any adventure life may take me.

Replaced a 14 year old NF Jester. Zipper on a small compartment blew out. Sent it in for repair ( trying to reduce carbon footprint). I was given a gift card for original purchase price. Picked out this Recon pack. More organized compartments. Nice well padded lap top sleeve. Secondary slot holds notebooks/ lunch etc. Multiple small compartments, ran out of things to put in them. Pack is well balanced, keeps weight close to center of gravity. All in all an excellent pack. I'm sure I will get many years out of this one as well.

Love the backpack, it can be compacted so it doesn't look to bulky when you don't have much stuff inside, super comfortable on your back!

Comfortable, plenty of room, great purchase!

Love this bag

The size is perfect for commuting while holding everything I needhigh-quality build and materials. Perfect daypack!

Amazing book bag

Great book bag, a lot of space and nice storage component for computer. Prefect for school or hiking!!

Comfortable to wear, spacious with plenty of pockets for gear. Very happy with my purchase!

Good color combination can be noticed easily the carrying person. Lots of pockets and are placed strategically for easy access.

Got this for my younger brother who is about to start college. He absolutely loves it. Very spacious, love the two side pouches for a water bottle and umbrella.

I sent my older recon bag off to the warranty department because the bottle holders were ripped and I'm talking about the recon bag from either 2018-19 and boy was that a mistake now I know this new recon bag is made of more eco friendly materials but it's no comparison to my last one it's much light and thinner don't think it will hood for years I feel like I have to be careful with this one unlike the last recon bag it's been through the wringer