The North Face Jester Backpack

"Great back pack. For the price you really cant beat it."

"I used this pack around school for year, and it still looks and feels new! The backing hasn't softened, which was my main worry when purchasing. I've even used it for one overnighter! It carried my sleeping bag, pad, jacket, stove, coffee pot, 2 nalgenes, and cups, and still felt great! For the price, it doesn't get any better than this!"

"The Jester is a perfect size for the day trip, or, I suppose, for lugging those school books around all day. It will certainly hold everything you need, but can it withstand the use you put it through?



My Jester arrived with one defect, and rapidly developed another. The first was a problem with the stitching around the neck of one of the water bottle side pockets. I figured this is only a minor problem. But after about a week of use, the bag also developed at the junction of one of the shoulder straps and the backpack top. Obviously, this is a serious problem. I contacted TNF and they said they would have to inspect the problems before they could suggest a course of action. I decided to exchange the bag straight up and hope for the best with the new one.



The new backpack doesn't have the strap or watter bottle pocket problem. However, I noticed that the stitching around the front pocket is already giving out. This is a part of the pack that never faces any stress at all, so I have decided to keep the pack and hope for the best--I might stitch up the problem area myself just to keep things from dropping out if the hole gets bigger.



The North Face used to be an amazing company in terms of its product warranty and the quality of its products. However, I have noticed over the last 4 years or so, probably as popularity has led to more mass production, that the quality of their gear just isn't what it used to be. It might be time for them to up the terms of their warranty to cover return shipping of defective items.



So those are my concerns, but what about the bag itself? It is a very large backpack, much more capacity than I had anticipated, which is a good thing. The shoulder straps are reasonably well padded, and the removable waist belt is definitely an added bonus. Even the front pocket is capacious enough for real storage, not just pencils and keys! I have never been a fan of the bungee system on the front of packs, the elastic simply gives out too early in the life of the bag, so I have no positive words for those. The "back" of the pack is well padded, but not so cushy that the bag is obscenely heavy.



Aside from the quality concerns that I have with this pack, I would only warn that the bag is big, maybe too big for most people. I am 5'11", and the bag feels too long for my frame. They claim it fits people with torso lengths from 17 to 22 inches, but I would say you want to cheat upwards on this bag--say maybe 19 inch torsos and higher.



Overall, I am counting on TNF's product warranty and stellar reputation for quality to overcome any of the problems that may come up with this backpack--the price was right [...], and the volume is just what I needed."

"I purchased this pack for day trips with my hubby. I bought it on a Friday and used it the very next day. I tried several packs in the store, but this one worked well within my budget. I was able to carry 2 CamelBak water bottles, a camera bag, snacks, a sweatshirt, my id and phone and other essentials in the pack. I would have liked an additional pocket up front for smaller items. Overall, I LOVE IT!!"

"I bought this bag because it was comfortable, was black (I use it for work) and because it did not have the 'mesh style' backs and straps that are fashionable now, but which cause some clothing fabrics to pill, scuff and tear. I do not overpack my bag, it has only been used in day-to-day city life and it is 6 months old. However it has split between the padded back and the base - and is now unusable. Because it was bought in a location outside of where I am living now it is difficult to get a replacement. I have not found North Face at all helpful as a company in this respect (i.e. in assisting me with a replacement or refund). Looking at the bag it is obvious that it needs a thicker fabric at the base and a more resilient method of stitching the base to the back. I have been looking at others' comments to see if I am the only one with this problem and I see I am not. Pity because other than this it is a good bag."

"I have had my jester since Fall of 2003. I use it every single day in school. The only thing wrong with it is that one of the side cup holder netting is ripped. But seriously, still in excellent condition after 6 years of everyday use."

"I used this bag on many occasions but two of them stood out with my jester. I went camping and only could bring what would fit in this bag! I Fit so Much stuff into it and was very accessible to everything I put inside. Plus it made a great pillow with all my stuff cramed in. I took my daypack to the beach and it was very comfortable to carry with all the stuff I used it for. Great Product!"

"Bought for my son's school backpack. He loves it. We have not had it long to see the durability, but I am sure it will be great!"

"I am a college student and I can comfortably fit three classes worth of books in it. I love it!"

"This is really good product that is all the rage at my school- and I can see why! Sure, it may be kind of expensive, but it sure beats having to carry all my books for 8 classes in my hands! This has great padding and large capacity. My only improvement to this product would be to have a little area inside the main backpack area for small things like writing implements. Also, it would be handy if the cell phone holder were a little larger- I have a bulkier phone, so it was a tight squeeze. [FYI- my phone is like an EnV] Otherwise, WELL WORTH YOUR MONEY!"