Customer Reviews The North Face Recon

The only real problem I have with this backpack is that it will not stand up on its on and the middle pocket zipper is not the easiest thing to open.

Significant improvement from the older version of Recon.

Nice backpack

Good bag, but a little too small for my purposes

Has plenty of pockets that I needed. The shoulder straps are light and the pack it self is is light Zippers have been upgraded

It's a really good-looking backpack - I got a lot of compliments on it. I enjoy the dual water bottle holders and small pouches for keys, wallet, etc. I also appreciate the small mesh pocket in the front - really great for holding a light jacket. I don't enjoy how still the straps are, they don't seem to flex too much. The water bottle holders are a bit snug and the backpack's main pockets actually don't hold as much as you'd think they do - I can only manage to get my 13 inch mac in the laptop pocket and a 3 inch binder with a planner in the other pocket. Also, the material on your back isn't very breathable so backsweat in the summer happens very easily.

Back support is great, feels very well made and tough. Side cinch straps are a bonus, just wish there were more compartments inside.

Nice backpack, not quite as light as the one I used to have which this replaces, but nevertheless durable. Pockets are pretty good but not ideally sized.

Solid pack back, just the upper pocket is a little small.

Like the backpack, excellent quality. Wish it could have been custom made, to my liking.

High school senior loves this backpack with all the pockets, padded laptop insert, and overall feel. Just wish the interior had a bit more depth/width to fit all his textbooks, notebooks and laptop.

Great quality, fits everything a student would need, and the many compartments provide great organization. The straps also keep the pack slim, so when it's not completely full things don't move around. One thing is that the pack does not stand upright, but other than that it has been great.

This is an everyday pack. It is durable, solid and relatively lightweight. The soft, cloth pocket is perfect for my glasses. The zippers are a huge improvement from earlier packs - easy to grab and smooth. I love that the orange stripes can be seen if I am biking at night.

Yellow version shipped was different than picture on site. Much more yellow than black. Ok, just different than expected. TNF support is assisting with resolving. Great customer service as always. Excellent redesign of this pack either way.

I bought the Recon backpack for my teenage daughter, and overall, it's a solid, functional school bag with plenty of room. We are loyal North Face customers and love the brand's quality. However, there's a concerning design flaw with the sternum strap whistle. Unlike some of our older North Face packs where the whistle is securely sewn into the strap, this model uses a plastic glider mechanism, which allows the whistle piece to slide along the strap. Unfortunately, the whistle part came completely off not long after we got it. I'm not sure if this has happened to others, but it's concerning that a safety feature can detach so easily. The rest of the backpack is great, but this particular design choice is a definite weak point.

Great packbag! wish they made a smaller version, as it is too big to fit under the seat on an airplane

Straps need to be thicker and the bottom needs to be thicker to protect the computer that I carry

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.

This pack is terrific except for one significant flaw: it will not stand on end unless you fill the main compartment with books or bricks. Just packing clothing or a notebook does not make the main compartment heavy enough for the bottom to sit flat, meaning that this pack is forever needing to be leaned against something in order for it to remain upright. On its own, it will flop over onto its front or back, something not exactly optimal for the laptop inside.

This backpack is great - roomy with good pockets and internal organizers. The one drawback were the straps around the exterior water bottle pockets. They just added an unnecessary gizmo that was cumbersome and distracting. I returned and purchased the Borealis backpack instead.

i purchased this as a gift for someone who needs more space in the pack. This was too small.

This backpack is not large enough and I am returning it.