The North Face 'Recon' Backpack

"I use it for everything..travel, backpacking, day trips, etc. Its a very versatile bag and can take a tremendous beating. It looks good and professional.



Two things I dont like about it..

1. The interiors are black so its hard to find things when you are looking for them

2. Somehow when it loads up it gets very heavy..my Tumi convertible laptop bag can take 90% of the same load and yet feel 50% lighter. Not sure why this is the case. The straps are uber comfy and again look solid enough to take good loads."

"I bought this pack to serve as a day pack for hiking and to carry my personal stuff day-to-day. It works great for both purposes. I wish it had just a bit more capacity, but no problems for an otherwise medium sized day-pack.



I did a hike/climb (The Tooth - Snoqualmie Pass area) that required a full change of clothes including a few layers and a jacket, some climbing gear, water and food...and it worked out just fine. It was able to fit REI Ultralite waterproof pants and jacket, North Face Hyvent Triclimate jacket (inner layer), Camelbak water bottle, trekking poles, radios, food, extra water bottles, camera, beanie, gaiters, extra socks, extra pants ...didn't quite fit my harness, so I hooked that to the outside of it."

"Let me start by saying that I am a professional bag designer in the outdoor/adventure/travel and hardware field so I understand the craftsmanship of this item inside and out. Having gone through many bags that "claim" to perform well, what I say next does not come out of me easily:



This is the most reliable pack I've ever owned, PERIOD.



I received the ORIGINAL Recon as a gift nearly 4 years ago. Since then this bag has been with me on just about every trip I have taken.



Don't let the "gee shucks mister" looks fool you, this pack is MADE EXTREMELY WELL. As a person who regularly destroys bags in field testing, I have yet to even have one seam burst, one zipper fail, one buckle snap, one raising of the nylon yarns--and this wasn't for lack of trying.



My Recon has been with me on regular bi-monthly trips across the US, through mountains, deserts, acid rain, snow and airport security; I've abused every feature this pack has, it has been over-packed, hit the dirt, dropped, tossed, crushed, crammed, dragged, slept on and fallen upon. Aside from the reflective strip wearing off, a little soap and water and it looks as good as the day I got it! I've found it to be so reliable, I now keep emergency supplies in it and it stays with me everywhere I go. In other words, it's the pack I want with me if my life depended on it. No kidding..



I NEVER expected my Recon to be the best bag I ever owned. Even though I don't care for the way it looks, I cannot argue with the performance.



While this bag is not made for the hardcore outdoors-man/woman who requires extreme comfort and high performance, It does a weekend warrior who needs a multi faceted travel bag just fine!



If you need a reliable "All Around" bag that will loyally follow you for years, look no further..."

"As a grad student, I needed to buy something tough enough to lug around all my books and papers, while being able to protect my ever present laptop and variety of accessories (cables, mouse, ethernet cords, cd's, ipod, etc). In short the Recon has done it all in 10 different countries in the past year and a half and never faltered. A solid performer for daily use for a student or a day pack for hiking."

"I got this pack from a different store, just because it had a better color and slightly cheaper. but since I like REi so much, Ill make a reveiw here.



I use this for school and traveling around the city, for that its fine. I carry about 11 pounds of books and other school stuff. It carries fine, I dont get any strap cutting into my body, its great.

Ive also used it for downhill skiing and XC skiing. It carried all I needed, and still had some room. for XC-skiing I had to roll up my outer shell, and put it in the bottom compression straps (like a sleeping bag).



The only con would be that this model is not as good as the older one just because of one feature. Even though its personaly prference, If there is a waist strap, I prefer to have a woder one with some padding. this new version uses a 1inch strap, while the old one has a 1.5 inch strap with some pads. it a matter of personal preference though."

"The North Face Recon Backpack is a well organized and designed day pack that will serve you great on hikes, campus, or as your E.D.C. bag.



Following is my breakdown of the Recon:



The main compartment is padded and capable of holding a hydration bladder along with a fair amount of room for a day hike. If you utilize the Recon for school or work it is capable of holding a 15 inch laptop where the hydration bladder would normally be positioned. Inside the main compartment is a mesh zippered area that will hold a wallet and other small items such as snacks, small pair of binoculars, fire starting equipment, first aid supplies, pens, pencils, calculator, etc.



The second compartment has a lot of organizational spaces for pens, business cards, 3x5 notebook, wallet and has a key holder. The compartment is a decent size and well organized.



On the outside of the pack is a small water resistant zippered pocket that can hold small items that you may need to get to in a hurry such as a wallet, headlamp, flashlight, gloves, hat, etc. Below this pocket is a large front mesh pocket that can be secured and used for items you will need fast or to place any wet items so they do not have to go into the pack.



On the side of the pack are mesh pockets that are made to hold water bottles. They will securely hold 16.9 fluid oz (500ml) water bottles. You can fit 32 oz. Nalgene bottles but they are more difficult to secure even when utilizing the cinch cord.



The back panel is padded and ventilated but you will still sweat. If using this pack for hiking I would avoid a cotton shirt and go with something like Under Armor to wick away any moisture. The shoulder straps have some padding called FlexVent™ shoulder straps and tend to be a little firmer than I like but not enough to be a deal breaker. The shoulder straps each have a D ring and one of the straps has a little expandable pouch that will hold items such a cell phone, multi-tool, flashlight, or a snack. The bag comes with a hip belt that can be stowed away if you desire and check strap that aid in stability and comfort. All of the buckles are durable. The zippers are well made and very durable. All zippered areas have coverage flaps to minimize rain entering into the bag. The bag comes with side compression straps and straps on the bottom of the bag to attach items such as a jacket, sleeping bag, etc.



Overall, this is a very nice low profile bag. If you use it as a small E.D.C bag you will not stick out at all. There is no "military look" to this bag. It is functional, durable and very well made. I highly recommend the North Face Recon."

"I bought this pack unknowing that there are two extremely similar versions of the recon backpack. This version weighs 6oz more, and has 3 more pockets, "5 + main compartment" compared to "2 + main compartment"



I bought this to replace my previous recon (which I didn't even realize, I was buying the new recon until I got home). My older recon had two straps at the bottom for say a sleeping pad. But they were a little annoying to say the least. The new version has eliminated those.



The older recon had two small'ish bottle holders on the sides. The new version has larger holders as well as an adjustable cord so that your drinks won't fall out.



As a result of the larger holders the zipper to the main compartment is slightly smaller (but I didn't measure it exactly).



The main compartment can accommodate my 15.6inch laptop as well as a notebook and the complete walker IV (which people know is almost 2 inches thick). The smaller pocket has a nicer organizer with a zipper pouch as well as some Velcro to make it easy to put things in certain in certain places, and they'll stay there. The smallest pocket is perfect for your wallet and some keys.



The mesh pocket on the back has an improved clip that keeps the pocket closer to the backpack when not being used.



The shoulder straps as well as the back padding is far superior than my previous recon. The waist strap is a bit on the weak side, but it is a technical daypack.



Overall I'm extremely pleased with this pack"

"I have had literally dozens of packs since college. But my Recon has been hands down the 'best'. By that I mean the most versatile.



The main compartment can hold 30 liters of gear for a day-hike or mountain-lodge overnight, while the outer pocket can hold A4 size books and papers. Water bottles go in the side pockets, and a shell or helmet in the outermost net pocket. Four compression straps can reduce it down so its lays almost flat on your back, yet opens to devour the gear when it's time to load up. This is the only pack I have had which got spontaneous comments of admiration from my companions, usually that the pack looks small but can hold so much.

The size is great as a carry on. I lost track of how many international trips I have done with this as my carry on/laptop carrier. It is so nice to have a real backpack and NOT a shoulder bag when marching long distances through terminals and on trips.



There are a few pieces of TNF gear which are absolute classics; this is one of them. You must have one in your 'quiver' of packs.



I really want to buy the Recon II, but my model I still has years of use left in it. Highly recommended."

"This is the best pack ever! Everyone needs a pack like this one. I bought it mainly for college but discovered that it is big enough to do almost anything including day hikes, or even an overnight trip. The best thing is how versatile the pack is. Two large water bottle pockets, a huge mesh pocket in front, two main compartments, and even a pocket with a waterproof zipper in the front (I found that it is great for my camera and iPod). There are even big straps on the bottom for a sleeping bag or therma-rest and compression straps on the side. The best thing is that the laptop compartment is perfect for my macbook and it keeps it safe. The same compartment doubles as a hydration compartment while i am hiking and not at school. There is a hole in the top for the drinking tube and a hanging clip in the compartment to hang the bladder.



Other than that, the overall construction of the pack is top-notch. The zippers are strong and solid, the sewing is seamless and strong, the material of the pack is all ballistic nylon.

I also like how the straps have velcro things that allow you to roll up the extra unused strap part so that it is not hanging down or dragging behind the pack.

There is honestly nothing to complain about. If i were to do it again i would buy another one even if it was twice the price. The pack is honestly worth about $150 in comparison to many other packs I have used in the past."

"This is a solid backpack from North Face. Provides ample storage for a day trip while you're on vacation with the ease of use and security of a backpack. The side pouches are great to hold bottles of water or snacks and can be cinched tight. The main compartment has plenty of room to carry a bicycle helmet and a pair of shoes (bike) while the secondary compartments are are divided to carry items like cell phones or ipods. THe main compartment also offers an area to hold a camelback style bladder with an access hole to thread the bite valve/hose through adding to the versatility of this bag.



The designers also took great care to weatherpoof this bag as much as they could, ensuring that the primary zippers are covered in an overhang of the bag itself. The only exposed zipper is weatherized with a rubber like coating.



This is a fantastic multi-use day bag."