The North Face  Recon Pack - Men's

They wrecked the design! It’s now a book bag and not the same as the day pack from years past. Pockets are awkward and designed for a laptop or books. Shoulder straps dont fit well, hip strap is thin and con comfortable and no sternum strap. Zippers are cheap now. Look elsewhere for the tough pack Northface used to be.

This Recon backpack proves why it's a TNF classic. The organization is just right - dedicated laptop sleeve keeps my computer secure, while the front compartment with its small pockets handles all my daily essentials perfectly. The main compartment swallows everything from gym clothes to groceries, and the stretchy water bottle pockets actually work while walking. Build quality is outstanding, with robust zippers and straps that distribute weight comfortably even when fully loaded. Whether I'm commuting to work, hitting the trails, or traveling, this pack handles it all without missing a beat. It's that rare combination of practical design and bombproof durability.

I have used this pack for two years commuting to work and school, and traveling with it as my personal item. This pack would be a perfect pack if it weren’t for the top pocket. If the top pocket is full (which doesn’t take much), then it creates a “shelf” within the main pocket that makes it difficult to get larger things past, like a book or laptop charger. Add a Nalgene and a shaker bottle to the water bottle sleeves, and a laptop as intended, and the main pocket is now almost unusable. Impractical design, bummer summer, looking for a replacement.

I purchased this pack to replace a Recon pack that I purchase so long ago I can't remember. 10 years ago? 15? I surveyed alternative packs but none work as well for me both for work and hiking as the Recon. The new pack appears to be well made like the previous version. The distribution of pockets seems to be a primary difference. With what I tend to store on work days, the pack is a little more top heavy and thus tends to fall forward if standing up against my car's seats. But it still has lots of storage places and that's much appreciated.

This backpack is comfy. The problem is the front pocket sits too high. As such, the main pocket isn't accessible because the front pocket eats up half the middle pocket space. You end up with a void on the bottom of your pack that isn't really accessible if you put anything in the front pocket. It's just a very weird design that unintentionally created a flaw

Rugged enough for even high school. I have bought these for all five of my children, many of them carried them through middle school and into college without having to replace them. Teenagers are notoriously rough on their gear and these packs have stood the test. Plus, they also have great support and ergonomics which is especially important in our school district which does not allow enough time for a visit to a locker, nor does it require students to have one.

This is the fifth version of the North Face Recon that I've owned over the years. I've used them for an every day "Man Purse", I've used them for skiing, light hiking and every other light overnight function and kept using the Recon because simply put; they work better than anything else on the market. North Face made some changes every year but the fundamental design hasn't changed and that's a very good thing. The side pockets fit water bottles, the front pocket fits a phone perfectly and the inside pockets have enough variety to stash all your everyday junk no problem. The laptop pocket fits up to a 17" screen and the straps work well and don't need an explanation on which ones are for what purpose. Love the contoured padding against your back and the cross strap between the shoulder straps works great to keep the pack stable even during active movement. Overall this pack is an ideal and reasonable day pack for all uses.

Got the grey recon bag today and it was as expected. Zippers and overall quality looks good. Am a little concerned about wear and tear as some users have posted about it. Hopefully it will last longer just like my high sierra backpack which seems to hold even after 10 years. I plan to use the bag for both work and travel backpack.

My son wanted this backpack. I was a little skeptical that it would be big enough for his computer, books and lunch, but it all fits so far. I’m not sure how he will fit extra clothes for sports practice, but he absolutely loves the size, not too big/small.

I found the straps to be uncomfortable for long days and medium loads. I'm 6'1" and maybe the more narrow straps were the issue for my build.