Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

EDIT Apr 2017 ***************************** Update.... I would write North Face a love letter, but I think my review has sufficed. This may be the only product I can say I have that I ever really loved. It isn't perfect, but it gets the job done, and if its job is to carry things without putting stress on the body, it does it so, so well. I will drop an enormous object in the main compartment, like a large paper shopping bag from the grocery store full of heavy cans and stuff, and the backpack just accepts it. Shake the pack a few times and the load will settle at the base snug and secure. The material has never showed signs of breaking under these heavy loads, and I mean heavy: 100+ pounds. I fully trust the backpack under weight and with large and semi sharp objects. (Maybe not an exposed skewer or knife, but hard edges will be fine). And I love the zips, which haven't shown any wear and always zip regardless of how full the thing is. Two years later, product continues to prove its worth. The internals are as if I had purchased the item weeks ago, unblemished. The outside would be, but I rolled off a moving bike wearing it on my back, twice, which gave the outer carry mesh some good road rash. Still works perfectly though- and saved me from losing some skin. More points to the North Face. Speaking of that outer pocket, the straps that pull the pocket shut around the sides are integral and crucial to delivering such a great pack experience. Unbuckle the two, fill it up with stuff, then reattach and tighten the buckles and you're gold. It's wonderful and probably one of the reasons it carries large loads so well and securely- nothing's bouncing around in there when i'm moving. The side drink holder packets are rad too, expand to fit a large size bottle and bluetooth speakers. Unfortunately, I'm back here shopping for a new edition. I had to leave mine locked up outside overnight and it got sprayed by a reclaimed water sprinkler :( long story. So I washed the backpack in the washing machine and it looks fine and is quite clean now, but unfortunately it retains a smell a bit like wet dog, and I don't like that so much for the civilized places I must visit. I will keep the pack and will use it on outdoor trips, travel, continued bike outings and whatever else- where I don't mind that it has a slight odor. It's still amazing and I still really really like it. The straps are just magic and take the load off my shoulders and put it straight into the ground it seems. Such good work was done in the ergonomic design of this backpack. For all these reasons, I will most likely go on to purchase a more expensive new backpack from the north face, possibly with a larger laptop holding section and the ability to fold that out or quickly access in the airport. I need a backpack to carry things around for DJing and world touring with a large laptop and peripherals I have no doubt that it'll be from NF. And to think I used to want a leather backpack form Coach to be fashionable. No more. This thing takes it all. Adding to this airport security laptop removal comment- that is possibly the only thing I would say is negative about the packs' functionality: If it is packed to the brim, as common sense would tell you, it is quite involved to remove things buried deep in the pack, because it is all so secure. For instance, if I'm on a plane in the seat and my backpack is between my legs and I need my toiletries out of the bottom, I'd have to likely unzip it, loosen the lateral straps to open it up a little, and forage to find my thing. I was going to make a comment about the laptop section but actually it is quite easy to access things there, and will likely fit any laptop of the current generation. Older, large laptops will be slightly harder to slip in and out- like 17inch ailenware size, but surely they would fit, this thing can fit anything. Anyhow, thanks all for the upvotes. Had no idea this would be the top review but I'm glad I described it well and helped some people out. I hope you are enjoying yours as much as I have, and if it doesn't work as I said, send it back and get a working one because this thing is structurally soild. Get a rain cover if you want waterproofing. They work well! Safe travels, and thank you TNF <3 Updated rating: 6 stars / 5. ********************************************* Original 5 star review: I use Amazon reviews and word of mouth to gauge my purchases, so I'm going to try my best and inform those on the fence about this in the future. This review covers the new model- you can tell which is which because this has the North Face logo is on the top right corner. The bottom line is- for someone looking for a solid, attractive and comfortable backpack, whether for work, sport or play, I'd look no further. This is the one to buy. I was skeptical after having countless quality backpacks eventually fail after constant use through the semesters; I didn't want to blow my hard-earned money on a brand name.. but this one has proven itself to be different. As you increase the price, I've heard you get what you pay for- so I assumed it would follow for backpacks. Although this wasn't the case for all the packs I've tried leading up to this one, this backpack has proven that statement to be countless times over the past few weeks. From filling it with accessories- a textbook, charging brick, tablet and more; to stuffing it full of food from a grocery run and hitting the road on a bike, it holds up admirably to everything i've thrown at it, while wearing comfortably and looking good. The Recon's security and quality provides me with a sense of ease- or should I say cool- even while lugging heavy things around in the sweltering summer heat of central FL. I'm glad to say this backpack, especially in the Cosmic Blue color, is more attractive than I thought it would be from the pictures. It's very dynamic, stylish and the color is mature, shifting in the light from almost black to an iridescent blue, like water. One of the best designs I've seen around is backed up by quality engineering on the inside and outside. I'd know, because I'm an engineer :) Pockets are perfect for my use as a commuting college undergrad. The medium outside pocket in the front can probably hold everything you'd need in a regular day in organized fashion- pens and pencils, replacement lead and erasers, keys, pen drives, etc, and even has a suede lined pocket for your tablet or phone. It also has one of these padded pockets on the front, where the logo resides, which I feel confident enough to put my nice shades in without a case. In fact, every pocket has this nice soft material, like a baby blanket. The main compartment is equally spacious, and will expand to hold an unnatural amount of stuff. It even has a pouch for a laptop and a concealed and rainproof vent up top to allow a hydration tube to pass through. The new " flexvent " padding on the back and shoulder straps of the new Recon model are really it's secret weapon. I'm jaded when it comes to cheesy names for gimmicky products, but this is not one to be discounted. The pads and strap are made of quality material as is the rest of the backpack, and will take the load off your back as if held up by someone behind you. Comfortable. After recently buying and returning the more popular and better reviewed Under Armour UA Hustle Storm backpack from disappointment in it's stringiness and immediately apparent lack of quality, I felt relieved when I opened the box, and it hasn't let me down yet. All in all, I couldn't say much more good about this backpack. It's incredible, and in my experience, well worth the price. Because of it's security and complexity of the various straps and buckles that hold it closed, I wouldn't recommend it to small children, who might find it hard to operate without effort. But these features are undoubtedly appreciated from my standpoint, making a forty-pound load feel completely still and secure on my back. From high school age to beyond, this is the best pack I've seen around. Just get it. Although a native Floridian, having just found out about The North Face through trips to see family up north, I know now that this brand name isn't just for posturing. It out hustles the UA Hustle, has better organized storage utility than my Swiss Gear, and is more comfortable and stylish than my old Focused Space (from an Apple store!). I think the Recon might just turn this southerner into a North Face evangelist. Hope this helps your purchase!