The North Face  Borealis Pack

I’ve had my Borealis for 23 years! I purchased it my freshman year of college (Y2K), carried it all 4 years plus graduate school and have used it as a carryon for trips ever since. My (now 19yo) son even carried it a little bit in middle school! It’s literally still a great backpack. I’m actually on right now to buy another; not because anything is wrong with the one I have but because laptop pockets didn’t exist 20+ years ago so I decided it’s finally time to upgrade. I was reading the current reviews before purchasing and decided to leave one of my own. You won’t regret buying this backpack!

Fell apart really easily and the top/front pocket is a pain to use when it's full and the main body pocket is empty. It says down and the backpack won't stay upright. The backpack itself looks nice and feels nice, but the quality is incredibly low, especially if bought for the full price of $115!! I had one of the tightening lines around the water bottle holders break from normal use and I have a tear in the material in the other water bottle holder that allows rain to go straight into the main body pocket. Not worth the price at all.

I purchased the Borealis (used) from a thrift store 15 years ago. I used it through school, all traveling (even a multi-week trip to Europe), and currently as my everyday work bag. The bag still is functioning, but my wife said it was time for a new one due to it finally being worn out. I tried the REI Ruckpack 28 and was not sold. By default, I purchased the Borealis again, which fit like a glove. The design has changed slightly over the last 15-20 years, but stayed true to the original style for the most part. The one change that is both good and bad is the additional laptop/water sleeve. The additional pocket reduces the overall size of the main pocket, as opposed to the original internal sleeve in the main pouch. Also, the smallest, front pocket used to be located on the bottom half of the bag. The new design is located on the top half, which I am worried that once filled, will cause more weight pulling from the shoulder area vs the lower back. All said, I will continue to use the Borealis and hope to get another 15-20 years of solid use.

I used this backpack for only a week and it began to become undone where the shoulder strap meets the top of the backpacks main body. The backpack is also long and puts pressure on your lower back. I found myself in pain due to where it was holding the weight and I think its designed for a taller person, over 6 ft. In conclusion, this pack was designed poorly and does not distribute weight well, the straps hang a bit too loosely and become hazardous if hiking in dagerous settings plus the straps are poorly designed and will fail you after a short time.

I purchased this backpack in February 2023. I used it every day for work and school. The items I carried were a 13-inch laptop and a tablet. Things are not heavy and pretty standard for your average student. This past week I noticed that one of the shoulder straps began fraying after four months of use. I was so disappointed as I liked the pack. The compartments, the sling, and the color were all great, but I knew the pack was not going to last five years, especially when I used it every day. I decided to return it to REI, and I want to give REI five stars for assisting me with the situation. They looked at the issue at hand and mentioned that this was a common problem with these backpacks. If you are not a member, you should consider signing up. The membership allows you to return some items within one year of purchase.

Great pack, the only negative I have thus far is the water bottle holders on the sides of the bag could be a better as tall (24oz) bottles tend to fall out easily. The design of the side bottle holders could be improved by either making them taller of having the cord come up higher. Otherwise, we have had no problems with the two bags purchased. The true test will be how well it holds up to a school year.

One of the shoulder straps began separating from the pack bag after less than a year of use as a school backpack. Other reviews seem to indicate this is a common problem. I returned it to North Face for warranty repair, and after four weeks they informed me it was not covered ("normal wear and tear") and offered a gift card for half the value. Look elsewhere for a school pack.

The bag itself is comfortable and spacious, but the first time I bought it the removable waist band on the right was sewn into the cup holder accidentally. I exchanged it for a new one, but the new bag had seams unraveling along the zipper edge of the storage pocket. I’m returning it again tomorrow.

Bought this for my daughter's school and she likes it. The conpartment for laptop does not touch the bottom of the backpack so it won't hit the floor. There are enough pockets and space for a binder plus snacks and other supplies. The look is cool as well.

Im a bigger guy at 270 pounds. I wanted a good laptop bag that i could use for work travel. I don't like the way the shoulder straps fit on my broad shoulders. I also dont like the way my laptop and books fit in the bag when i fille the smaller upper pockets. Seems really big and bulky on the top and not so big on the bottom