The North Face  Borealis Pack - Women's

Ehhhh…could be better. It’s the “accessories” pocket that killed it for me. Not the very front one, but the one behind it with the pen pockets, etc. it made the whole backpack way too too heavy. I wish that pocket was a full 3rd pocket. Sure it’s designed to hold an iPad or book, pens. Whatever, but it made the weight distribute uncomfortably, and if I sat it down on the ground or whatever, it would fall over. I tried it in 3 situations: my personal item for airplanes - SOOOOO uncomfy. A short weekend road trip - didn’t fit much. And also for work and it was just off for each situation. So I returned it. Bummer cuz the quality and color way is rad. Just don’t make too heavy pockets! Theres a reason Jansport and traditional backpacks but accessories pockets at the bottom.

Very disappointed. I bought this for travel to replace my Osprey. Like another reviewer said, it is top heavy because the front compartment isn't deep enough to spread items vertically. I can barely squeeze a large water bottle in the side pocket. This backpack has extra bulk and less room for items because of useless padding between compartments. It does not stand up on its own, as advertised, and the plastic substitute for cloth pockets is no improvement, just a cheap alternative. The synching system too is strange. Why have compression straps on the bottom instead of the side of the pack? All in all, I would not recommend this backpack, and I will try to find an alternative.

I was very excited about this backpack, mostly because I live in a city where layers are required and I expected the exterior strappage would be beneficial. Unfortunately, this back pack is very top heavy; there are numerous pockets at the top and even when I tried to fill the the bottom of the bag it retained an odd shape.

The backpack should be good enough if you really just carry around some tall/flat books, some water bottles, a laptop, and some little extras. But if you're like me and are trying to pack a lunch, lots of books, and lots of little trinkets, this backpack will probably not suit you well. The shape is awkward and top-heavy when you fill the small pockets with things, leaving a concave section towards the bottom of the back since the small pockets are all on top. Also doesn't fit much.

I love this pack. I use it in place of a purse now. I ride my ebike to the gym 4 days/week and usually do grocery shopping on the way home, and its organizer pocket is so well laid out that everything I need has its place and I never have to dig through a pocket looking for anything. Its woman specific design causes it to lay so snug against my back and above my hips (I'm 5'3") that I barely feel any weight, even with a steel water bottle and U-lock in the large inside pouch. If I have any complaint, it's that the upper part usually sticks out more than the lower part because the organizer compartment can hold so much that it together with the laptop sleeve in back cause a pinch point in the main compartment: you have to forcibly push down to the bottom whatever you put in the main compartment. This imbalance can keep the pack sitting upright by itself as it is meant to. But I usually find these things to be a minor annoyance.

I used this for day hikes. It has plenty of room for this purposeS Was excited about all of the pockets. But no matter now I packed it, it would always end up bulging at the top and being too heavy. The bungee on the sides for the water bottle broke about two months in. And then the zipper cord broke (another reviewer complained of the same) about 7 months in. For 100$ I expect something that will last longer than a year. seems like their quality has gone down hill. My friend had a north face backpack for 10 years.

Comfortable women’s fit, perfect size for day trips or light travel, good quality materials and construction, lots of useful features (a built-in whistle!), and I love the colorful pink/red abstract print.

Great light blue backpack and worth the price. Fits very nicely in my shoulders and back and I will be using it occasionally in the future. Thank you REI.

Looking for a backpack that stands up, this did the trick. Love it!

Replaced an unwieldy briefcase with this pack for daily commute. Compact and efficient pack for everyday use. Sized for mass transit, bike or urban walking. Padded interior keeps laptop safe. Not over-engineered, so simple and easy to use. Webbing, pockets and straps on exterior allow for extra carry capacity. Backpack centers the load on your torso to keep you balanced while navigating the concrete jungle.