1 year ago
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I first bought a recon backpack in 2011 for college. It has (and still does) served me well and I love it. I've used it for everything - school, work, gym, hiking, weekend trips, etc. My favorite thing about the old one has been the front mesh pocket and the small front zippered compartment because it's easy to stash / access things like my phone or keys throughout the day. I wanted a new recon because while my older one is still holding up well, the padding has thinned out and there are some spots where it's wearing out. Here are my thoughts so far when comparing the two recons: 1 - More compartments = smaller feeling? The new one definitely feels a bit smaller and I think it's because it's more compartmentalized. The old one had a larger main compartment with a small laptop sleeve while the new one has a separate main compartment and laptop compartment. While it's nice to have the separate laptop compartment, it seems to take up space that could otherwise be used for packing things. Still, it's nice to have, and I can use that section for other things (like my planner or clothes, even) if I'm not bringing my laptop that day. 2 - Front mesh and front little zippered pouch: the old recon's mesh seems sturdier and wider than the new one's mesh. It can hold my running shoes pretty easily whereas the new one is a bit smaller and softer, but stretchier. I can get my shoes in there but I have to work a bit harder to stuff them in there. The old recon mesh has a clip at the top whereas the new one has an elastic band to further support. Both are fine to me and generally keep things in place The front mesh and the little zippered compartment are still my favorite thing about both recons. 3 - Water bottle holders: the new pouches are much nicer than the older ones. They can fit my 30oz nalgene. Because the sleeves come up higher, my water bottle doesn't fall out as easily as on the old one, which was pretty annoying. 4 - Additional pouches compartment: this compartment on the old recon extended down beyond the little pouches at the top, but on the new one, the compartment stops right under the pouches. This is fine for me because I rarely used this section on the old one, but it might be a little bit of a bummer for people who do. 5 - Tightening straps: On the old recon, I used the straps on the side to tighten my backpack when it was stuffed to the brim. This helped squish everything so I could fit it in places like under the airplane seat or just make it a bit less top heavy. The new one has these, and I still like them on the new one, but I don't use them as often because the new recon doesn't seem to protrude as much when stuffed. Overall, I like it. I do wish it was a little less compartmentalized and FELT bigger, but I do like it. This one is definitely great for work/school/day tripping, but I will probably opt to use my old one instead for hiking and weekend trips.
Originally posted on thenorthface.com
