The North Face Recon II Day Pack

Comments about The North Face Recon II Day Pack:

I need a pack for school and for hiking. This pack was perfect, in every way but one. Great size, nice, stowable waist belt, great organizing pockets, perfectly sized and sturdy water bottle mesh pockets, very handy mesh pocket on front flap for easy reach items.

Unfortunately, the shoulder straps are not designed for a small, female frame. They are stiff and wide, and I had to return the pack because they would dig into my arms.

I haven't yet found a good replacement. I wish this exact pack were available in a women's style.

Comments about The North Face Recon II Day Pack:

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.

Comments about The North Face Recon II Day Pack:

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...

Comments about The North Face Recon II Day Pack:

I've had this pack for over a year now. It serves a variety of purposes for me, but primarily I use it as an urban commuter pack. I typically use alternative forms of transportation including walking, biking and public transport to get around town. I carry a multitude of standard items including my my bike helment (lashed to mesh pocket closure), keys, gloves, winter cap, energy bars, wallet, water bottle (outside mesh pocket), commuter mug (hooks on compression straps), glass case (outside mesh pocket), blackberry, checkbook, swiss army knife, leatherman tool (zip pocket inside main compartment), playing card (for the kids!), iPod, gortex rain gear, canvas grocery bags (bottom lashing straps), cotton produce bags, computer, journal, dental floss, toothpicks, and more. You could say I'm an urban survialist of sorts. The amazing thing is, this pack oganizes it all. And let's not forget how bullet proof it is.

One small issue I had initially was the zipper rain flaps which tended to get in the way when zipping up. In fact, they even started to fray some. However, I quickly figured out that these flaps could be folded back out of the way (and they stay that way) to make zipping much easier. When the inclement weather sets in, I simply flip the flaps back over the zippers and voila...!

I leave a couple of small keychain type carabiners hooked to the d-rings on the should straps to hook my keys to amonst other things. The compression straps serve as a place to hang my commuter mug which has a hooked shaped handle for easy on-off. I hate filling the landfill with paper or plastic disposable cups. So, now I always have my commuter mug handy when I'm out around town and stop for a bite to eat.

It's very comfortable regardless of how heavy of a load. It sits well on my back when commuting on my bike.

I've never been emotionally attached to a pack until now. I highly recommend this pack.

Comments about The North Face Recon II Day Pack:

Well lets first start by listing the bad things about the pack that I have noticed for the past year and a half.

ummm... yeah... I couldn't think of any thing.

That aside the pack is amazing. Let me say that again AMAZING. It has TONS of room for everything. I once had 3 hours worth of homework a hoodie and my climbing shoes, harness and chalk bag in the pack. It was so comfortable that it felt like i was just caring the pack. IT is THAT comfortable. I have used this pack for everything from 4 night trips in the boundry waters, to walking to class. Seeing as i'm just a 16 year old kid who handles their things with less the best of care it has held up admirabley.

True story, I was ontop of one of the cliffs at Devils Lake and dropped this bag full of gear about 35 feet. What was cool was with the padding my Ipod and Cell phone not only were fine but my phone didnt even shut off when it hit the ground. Which was amazing because whenever I flip it open to hard it will shut off. so I mean this is a great pack it will handle with care even if you don't


hey thats catchy.

Will handle with care even if you don't

Any ways

Great Pack

Buy It

can fit every thing you need in it

Great Deal

Buy It

Yeah

Comments about The North Face Recon II Day Pack:

This pack has TONS of room. It easily works as both a day pack and for school/work. My only complaint it that it's a bit short for a tall person. I'm 6'4" and the waist belt hits above my belly button, which is very uncomfortable. Luckily, North Face was smart enough to design the waist belt to "disappear," as it can be tucked under the back padding. Overall a great pack.

Comments about The North Face Recon II Day Pack:

I got this backpack about a year ago to use as my main school backpack and I love it. Even after a year of regular use, it looks brand-new, which is remarkable because I would go through a backpack a year before this thing.

I use it just about every day for school and have used it as a carry-on and, in some cases, my only bag when flying. When I use it as a carry-on, I'm able to fit a change of clothes, a couple of books, my travel documents, and electronics in it easily.

I also like that it has good padding for my laptop, so I can carry it safely without having to use a bag that advertises that I have a laptop with me. I also like that it has a mesh pocket near the top of the main compartment that's perfect for laptop cords and small accessories, like memory sticks.

Overall, I've been very happy with this backpack and intend on using it for a long time.

Comments about The North Face Recon II Day Pack:

For me, this is the perfect backpack. First and foremost, I bought it for use at school, where it performs admirably carrying heavy books, my laptop, and other items.

But various uses outside of school are where this bag really proves itself as a good investment. It functions as a rugged daypack for the trail; in fact, I've found it's big enough to use for an overnight, lightweight camping trip. Of course, the waist belt and sternum strap provide support so you can walk around comfortably with a heavy load all day long. It's also great for traveling in general. I've taken it on a plane as a carry-on with no other luggage; it packed all the gear I needed for 2 days, including my laptop and some books. And I didn't have to worry about checking in any other luggage.

I particularly like some of the external loading features on the bag: the side compression straps, which I use to attach an extra pair of shoes or other items; the cargo straps on the bottom, which hold anything from a sleeping pad to rolled-up ski pants; the mesh pocket on the front, which can hold a bike lock for easy access; and the dual water bottle pockets.

Comments about The North Face Recon II Day Pack:

This bag puts all others to shame. I looked at many before settling on this one and it is just perfect for what I need. I use it mostly as a school/computer bag, but I empty it out to use it for travel, day hikes and other outdoor events. Until I read one of these reviews, I didn't know about the tuckaway pockets for the hipbelt. That's sheer brilliance. Can't think of anything bad to say about it.

Comments about The North Face Recon II Day Pack:

I have 2 of these one for myself that I use daily for work and day hiking. The second my 12 y/o son uses for school as well as hiking and cant kill it (he tries)
My only complaint is that we both broke the female end of the waist strap. (mine was broken the first time I used it) North face sent me new 2 new ones free of charge