The North Face  Recon Pack - Men's

I moved to Bangkok for courier work and found my shoulder bag was too awkward slipping in and out of taxis, trains, etc. I also fly a great deal and needed to keep my hands free for tickets, passports. Switched to the North Face Recon. It's perfect. Fits close to the body on crowded trains/planes, but plenty of room if you need to stuff it. Sturdy easy pull zippers. Protects my electronics. Love the outside elastic pouch where I keep my gloves and safety vest for quick retrieval. Looks good. Sheds dirt. Straps easily adjust. Doesn't slip off if you're doing a one-shoulder carry. Perfect.

The water bottle holder failed withing the first year of use. Hoping an exchange address this as I've never had the problem with a North Face pack before.

I'm 64 and had many backpacks over my 45 years of traveling. Now I need a pack for air travel and day expeditions when I get there. This pack is 13" wide x 19" long and only 7" deep. That last dimension means it sticks out less and stays close so you aren't bumping into things and other travelers. And the weight stays close to your body pulling you backward less. Good organization inside for passport, camera and electronics. Room for a days worth of cloths, toiletries, snacks and a water bottle, when your luggage doesn't arrive with you at your first destination.

Great bag except for the fact the mesh pockets for water bottles got a hole in it the first time I used the bag because of my hydroflask. Secondly, I've only taken this pack on 2 hikes and use it for regular use for college and a weekend bag and the straps have pulls in the stitching literally everywhere and pilling. I expected more for the price and brand. Otherwise, great bag really comfortable with the hip belt and chest belt to help with distributing weight. I love how much storage it has I just wish the fabric was a little more durable.

We bought this as a school backpack for our son. It was a good size and seemed to fit the needs he had for carrying all of his books and supplies for high school. We bought it because of The North Face’s reputation for quality. However the flimsy mesh “water bottle” pockets both tore out within a couple months and would no longer hold a water bottle. We live in the Phoenix area and that was an important feature for our student athlete. REI’s great customer service allowed us to return it and we exchanged it for an REI backpack that doesn’t have mesh for a water bottle holder.

This is one of the most poorly designed packs I’ve had. The front compartment when loaded and to a degree when not, constricts the main pack area. This makes it difficult to load and even access items in the bottom for packing or retrieval. When the main compartment is open the flap (which has the full contents of the front compartment) falls down/open uncontrollably. If the pocket is unzipped it’s contents are tossed to the floor. I’m shocked this has such high reviews. I’ll be returning mine.

I previously bought a Recon in 2008 and loved it - this version makes some great improvements (protected sunglass pocket, sturdier design) but has serious drawbacks that overshadow the rest. The front pocket that holds pencils, pens, etc. does not go all the way down to the bottom of the backpack - it ends in the main compartment. That means that folders, papers, notepads and books get stuck under it and bent/torn. This is a HUGE oversight that damages anything you put into the main compartment! Very annoyed by this, and returning the bag.

I was looking for a bag that could keep up with my job in the film and TV industry. Requirements were that it be practical and protective enough for the office and holding tablets, laptops and hard drives. It also needed to be rugged enough to take a beating on-location (which can include factories, schools, farm fields, hospitals, forests and everything in between). Protection for a 15 inch laptop is adequate but I wouldn't toss it too hard, there isn't a huge amount of padding. The laptop pocket fits computer and an iPad in its case with no issue. The middle pocket comfortably handles computer accessories including the AC adapter, a bluetooth speakers, rain jacket or hoodie and more. My one complaint is that the front pockets tend to hang down into the middle pocket and make it a little harder to access the things on the bottom that pocket--not a huge deal. The organizer pocket is super handy, I use it to handle personal items, Advil, multitool, hand sanitizer, pens, head lamp among other items. There's a small front pocket in front of that that fits items that you want right on hand. I have gum, keys and a keycard in mine. The water bottle pockets on the sides are huge and easily handle a large Hydroflask style container on each side. Lastly, the kangaroo pocket on the front is great for stuffing in hat and gloves, or an extra sweatshirt or anything you want readily available. The straps and back support system is very comfortable. One of my favorite things is the zipper action, it's super smooth. So far so good with this bag. We'll see how it holds up after a busy summer on set.

Good fit , comfortable. I’m 6’2”. Early review and normally I wait a few months to verify zipper quality . Medium volume pack. Bottom section larger but you’ll need to force down bigger items . Not sure about 30 Liters. Seems smaller. If you pack a big lunch , it’s tight. Small jacket. No room for shoes. In summary, most new packs are geared to hipster thin laptop yuppies but this pack is roomier than the laptop backs.. Stout back panel, padded and comfortable. Does not stand up due to tapered bottom. Good value for price.

I feel as though my computer is secure. When the front is loaded it makes the main compartment a bit of a pain to access. The main issue are the shoulder straps, they are just so uncomfortable! I’m returning for the osprey I should have gotten in the first place.