Online: www.REI.com
URL for this product:

From the U.S. and Canada — Call 1-800-426-4840
Mon. through Sun., 4 a.m. through 11 p.m. PT.
International — Call 1-253-891-2500
Mon. through Sun., 4 a.m. through 11 p.m. PT. English language only.

TNF BLACK

The North Face Sport Hiker Waist Pack

$85.00

(12)

Item # 747710

REI Members get back an estimated $ 8.50 on this item as part of their annual member refund.

The REI Member Dividend

The REI dividend is a unique benefit of membership in the REI co-op. It's comprised of your member refund—typically 10% back on eligible purchases—and/or your REI Visa® card rebates.

Each March, active REI members and REI Visa cardholders who earned a rebate receive a refund in the form of an annual dividend notice.

Only active members receive annual dividend notices. To maintain your active status as an REI member, you need to make net merchandise or shipping purchases of at least $10 per year, unless you joined that year. Member numbers are issued in one name and only that person receives the member refund. Your number can be used by others in your family, but it cannot be transferred to someone else.

Questions? Call us at 1-800-426-4840 for more about your dividend or its redemption.

Learn more

This item may be available in your local REI store.

FREE U.S. STANDARD SHIPPING Through February 20. No minimum purchase! Learn more

More videos

To view videos or use the zoom feature on REI's websites, please download the latest version of Adobe Flash Player.

NOW PLAYING

Here's a lumbar pack for your day-hiking trail essentials—or convert it to an everyday shoulder bag for use around town.

Airmesh backpanel offers breathability; framesheet provides support and protection from bulky and heavy loads
Made from 420-denier nylon and highly abrasion resistant 1680-denier ballistic nylon with a Durable Water Repellent finish to block moisture
Three-point compression on hipbelt snugs the pack in toward your back for stability
Hipbelt has twin zip mesh pockets and can be tucked away when carrying waist pack as a shoulder bag
Large, zippered main compartment has a divider; front stretch storage panel lets you stash gear outside for quick access
Zippered front organizer pocket holds energy bars and other small items; plus, it features an internal clip for keys and an audio port
Dual stretch pockets provide quick access to water bottles (sold separately)
Removable, adjustable padded shoulder strap included
Carry handle, rear stash pocket and reflective accents round out features

Please note: The North Face products can only be shipped to U.S. addresses.

Imported.

Item 747710

View all The North Face products

REI Membership

REI Membership $20.00

The North Face Sport Hiker Waist Pack Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

The North Face Sport Hiker Waist Pack

4.3

(based on 12 reviews)

92%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Comfortable (8)
Easy to load (8)
Lightweight (7)
Highly adjustable (6)
Large capacity (5)

Cons

Best Uses

Day hikes (7)
Day trip (5)
Light loads (4)
Travel (4)
Hiking (3)

- Reviewer Profile:
- Avid adventurer (7), Casual adventurer (4)
- What Is Your Gear Style:
- Survivalist / minimalist (6), Comfort driven (5)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (4)

Reviewed by 12 customers

Sort by

Displaying reviews 1-10

Previous | Next »

Sep

2007

(12 of 12 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

great bag for hikes less than 6hrs

By senor boom

from Minnesota

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Compact
Lightweight
Tough

Cons

Best Uses

Day trip
Hiking

Comments about The North Face Sport Hiker Waist Pack:

Surprisingly roomy. More than enough room for the hiking essentials plus room to carry your extra layers of clothing. Very comfortable to wear on the lumbar waist, and the strap adjustments keep the pack snug to your back even when fully loaded.

Jun

2008

(9 of 9 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Couldn't Ask For Better

By Alcyone

from Morgantown, WV

About Me Professional Guide

See all my reviews

Pros

Good padding
Large capacity
Very adjustable

Cons

Best Uses

Day trip
Hiking

Comments about The North Face Sport Hiker Waist Pack:

Use it 5 days a week on major day hikes. Extremely comfortable. Carry small 1st aid kit, GPS, compass, map, cell phone, snackage, car keys, and a small pair of binoculars. Plenty of room...At first I thought there was too much strap hanging down, but nothing a couple of rubber bands won't fix

Oct

2008

(3 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

This baby is big!

By Mrxyzijk

from Cortez Bank, San Diego

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Good padding
Large capacity
Very adjustable

Cons

Too big for my useage

Best Uses

Day trip

Comments about The North Face Sport Hiker Waist Pack:

You could spend the whole day out with this baby. Water bottle holders, large storage pockets, many compartments. Great Northface quality - I have a Borealis backpack. However, it's too big for my application so it's going back...

Aug

2010

(2 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Great in every way, but . . .

By Sequoia Solitude

from Fresno, CA

About Me Casual Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Easy To Load
Good Suspension
Highly Adjustable
Large Capacity
Lightweight

Cons

No strapettes

Best Uses

Day Hikes
Light Loads
School
Travel

Comments about The North Face Sport Hiker Waist Pack:

I use the Sport Hiker for day trips to Sequoia, Yosemite, or the coast. I won't repeat the positive comments others have already made, except to say that this piece of equipment is of the same high quality and intelligent design that I have come to know (and expect) from The North Face, so I agree with all the good reviews to date.

The only reason I did not give the Sport Hiker five stars is the absence of a "harness" or strapettes like those available for Mountainsmith lumbar packs. I'm OK with the weight I usually carry in the pack (book, journal, pens, light rain jacket, snacks, first aid, camera, flashlight, etc.) , but once I add a few full 500ml Nalgene's it's far too heavy for the waist strap to handle - I'm pulling up on the pack every 100' feet or so.

All that said, I love the pack and will concentrate on finding/adapting a harness to accommodate the additional weight of my water bottles; I will update if I find a simple solution.

Mar

2009

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Large capacity, highly versatile

By Raivyn

from SoCal

About Me Casual Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Easy To Load
Good padding
Highly Adjustable
Large capacity
Lightweight

Cons

Best Uses

Car Camping
Day trip
Hiking

Comments about The North Face Sport Hiker Waist Pack:

This pack is awesome. For a waist pack, it is HUGE. I had a digital camera and a light shell in the main compartment and still had room to spare. I am also able to fit my digital Rebel XT w/a moderate zoom lens inside with room for a few things. The organizer portion fits my Palm Treo, wallet, pens and other stuff. The pocket along the back is convenient for easy access to maps. The water bottle holders don't hold large bottles, so I would only use this for a short hike. If the pack isn't very full, the cinch system allows you to compress the pack so its more comfortable. The shoulder strap is a nice option; I carried it that way while in Walt Disney World a few months ago with no problem. The waist straps can tuck in, but it does make the pack a somewhat bulky shoulder bag. It is smaller than the day hiker pack, but a great option for short hikes. I don't know what the stretchy mesh in front is for, we don't really use it. We have two of these and love 'em!

Oct

2008

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Just perfect

By Al

from Mankato, MN

About Me Casual Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Good padding
Large capacity
Very adjustable
Very convertible

Cons

Best Uses

Airline underseat
Day trip

Comments about The North Face Sport Hiker Waist Pack:

I use the sport hiker with the permanent handle everyday for my commute. The belt and shoulder strap have provided situational flexibility. The straps allow for expansion and reduction as needed for the use. I even used it as an overnight bag for a quick trip while in Guatemala. The two bottle pouches doubled as holders for my compact binocular or my digital camera.

Jun

2011

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Awesome little-big bag

By Rawk

from Moore, OK

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Easy To Load
Highly Adjustable
Large Capacity
Lightweight

Cons

Best Uses

Camping
Day Hikes
Diaper bag
Everyday
Travel

Comments about The North Face Sport Hiker Waist Pack:

I bought this bag about 5 years ago and it has been great. I was using it for backpacking so I could have easy access to items like my camera, snacks, map and knife in the front so I wouldn't have to keep getting in and out of my large pack. When going on day hikes I could turn it around and store my tackle box and food. When turned around to the back you don't even notice the weight when it is completely filled up. It has a couple different areas you can store your gear in to stay organized. It also has a ton of adjustments to get a good fit. We later had our first kid and this thing turned out to be a great diaper bag (when carried around your shoulder, otherwise you are just a huge nerd wearing an oversized fanny pack in public, not cool). If you are doing day hikes this bag complements a camel back very nicely. This bag is extremely durable and I highly recommend it.

May

2011

(1 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

3.0

One size doesn't fit all

By ks - oc

from orange county, ca

About Me Casual Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Easy To Load
Large Capacity
Lightweight

Cons

Difficult To Adjust

Best Uses

Day Hikes

Comments about The North Face Sport Hiker Waist Pack:

32 inch waist results in the belt folding over on itself when tightening the back straps, making the belt mesh pockets unusable and visually unattractive.

Mar

2011

4.0

good size without being too bulky

By CiscoJay

from Superior, CO

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Easy To Load
Highly Adjustable
Lightweight

Cons

Small outer pockets

Best Uses

Day Hikes
Light Loads
Travel

Comments about The North Face Sport Hiker Waist Pack:

As my collection of different size packs increases every year, I decided to add a lumbar pack as well. I think the sport hiker is perfect for short day hikes where you don't want to use a backpack (take off the shirt and get a nice even tan). I like to use it on after work or weekend hikes up the Flatirons of Boulder, CO.

The main compartment has enough room for a packable rainshell and pants, small med kit, and snacks. The hip belt pockets on each side are nicely designed and decent size. The pack has decent cushioning and very comfortable even when loaded down. The compression straps double up to hold a large jacket on the bottom if you needed to. Very comfortable and looks good.

The only bad thing I personally notice is the size of the side pockets and the nylon stretchable pocket. I'm used to either using a bladder, or in this case, atleast one 32oz Nalgene. These will not fit into the side pockets. As for the nylon stretchable pocket on the back..i'm not quite sure what they were thinking when they designed this. I guess you could hold a jacket through it but other than that i'd think a smaller water bottle would slip right through the bottom. I usually give up some gear to hold my big Nalgene in the main compartment. Maybe I'll end up buying some smaller water bottles but those pockets are just too small and shallow to hold anything other than some gels or snacks.

Overall, this pack is nice for light hiking but could use some improvements with the pockets on the outside.

Mar

2011

5.0

A Day Hiker's Friend

By jtrollmann

from San Pedro, CA

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Easy To Load
Lightweight

Cons

Best Uses

Day Hikes

Comments about The North Face Sport Hiker Waist Pack:

A minimalist day hikers friend. This waist pack has enough space to carry all of your 10 essentials, trail food & water bottle, and a wind breaker, yet has a great snug comfortable fit around the waist. Two top loading zippered compartments keep all of your essentials safely inside, and two open elastic mesh external side pockets give easy access for water bottles or small camera.