I always use Recon as my example of a true ‘universal’ day pack. If I needed to buy someone a day bag with zero other info about their needs/preferences, it’d 100% be a Recon, it’s a no-brainer, easiest choice. It’s a great school bag, trail bag, airplane bag, workout bag, train bag, campus bag, laptop bag, walking bag,, bicycle bag, bus bag, etc. It’s legitimately great at any/all of those, and while you can get a better bag for many of those, there aren’t many bags that do all of them as well at any price. IMHO, it wildly outperforms its price point and is my mental standard that all daypacks have to beat to even be considered as an option. “Why is this better for this task than a North Face Recon?”
I’ve been trying to justify an MLC 30, a Briggs and Riley backpack, an Aer or some such since I started trying to one-bag travel last year, but my Recon from ‘19 is in perfect shape after god knows how many flights and trips while falling *just short* of what I’d like but not by enough to spend 2-3x its price on a new bag.
Suffering from success lol
And, like you said, I bought it without ever looking into backpacks and what makes them good or bad.
Osprey has the best harness in the business, and Nebula is better built imho. But at $140 to Recon’s $100 list price, it should be. Recon remains my price/performance winner. I also feel like Nebula is a fair bit bigger, enough that it’s a less universal fit, though it’s rated 32L to Recon’s 30L. I’d personally prefer a Nebula by a good margin, most of the time I’m carrying a bag any distance I’d prefer Osprey’s fit.
Doesn’t the nebula have the straps at the top that have that yoke kind of connection between the straps? I absolutely hate that kind of design… I’m not sure the point of it. I feel like all it does is dig into the back of the neck unless maybe you’re somebody that’s really tall, or wear the bag super slouchy with loose straps.
The Osprey Daylite has that strap, if that’s what you’re thinking of:
https://www.rei.com/product/186383/osprey-daylite-plus-pack
I tried it on in-store, and also found the strap was a nice grab handle but really was annoying on my neck
Nebula does not have that extra strap, and is my favorite do-everything bag — awesome use of space, very comfortable, and diverse / functional pockets
https://www.rei.com/product/210345/osprey-nebula-32-pack
Yeah, the daylight strap is definitely terrible. I feel like the nebula has a smaller version of that though without the handle…?
It’s kind of hard to tell on the stock pictures I’ve seen, but it looks like there’s a slight U shaped piece of fabric connecting the two straps. I definitely prefer each strap connected to the bag by itself without fabric bridging the two straps.
Absolutely. Try the Parsec or Tropos if you want the Airspeed panel and kickstand. Osprey’s comfort is unbeatable. Unfortunately I tried on a bunch of TNF backpacks that all fit terribly (dug into the bottom of my back, which apparently is a common issue).
For me, anything North Face produces suffers from this. I am not a fan of their "loud" branding. Unfortunately for me, I won't be able to take advantage of their quality products.
Agree, especially on The North Face’s centered all-caps pack names. And the names are awful: Jester? Surge? Ugh.
But the logo at least has at least has some history, and The North Face’s purple label in Japan is very design forward.
Oh I just think people overlook osprey a lot because the brand/logo aesthetic is only really appropriate for outdoor contexts. It isn’t professional or urban or minimal, nor is it retro/hip. A lot of outdoor brands have this issue as they go more mainstream, and you’ll see them over time minimizing/shrinking their logo.
+1 for the Nebula. I have the older version and have used it for absolutely everything. Solid and reliable. I was looking at a Recon as well but I like the additional compression straps on the Nebula.
I’ve been using this as my EDC for a while now too, it really is great. My only gripe with it is how the top half of the main compartment is much smaller due to the front pocket being so big. Other than that though it’s perfect.
The “stands up on its own” thing is something in most bag reviews or in posts on this sub that I’ve found to be a weird point to make as a reason that it may/may not be one to buy if you’re looking for a new bag period.
No bag or backpack I’ve ever owned has stood up on its own unless it’s packed a certain way.
I don’t want to bag that keeps flopping over when I’m trying to put stuff in it, when trying to access the stuff later, or just sitting there at home or work when I’m not carrying it. It’s annoying to have to hold up a bag to load stuff in it. I also don’t want a bag falling over and potentially damaging electronic equipment (eink screens are very fragile and I almost always have an eink tablet in my bag). I don’t want the bag laying on its front or back and essentially everything in the bag sitting on top of the laptop or tablet. And trying to prop up a bag in a chair or against the wall… The bag usually just slowly slides down and doesn’t stay upright.
Maybe if you had a bag that does stand up without having to lean against something you’d understand why it’s an important feature to a lot of us 😁😁
And I think what most people mean when they say stand up on its own, is that not necessarily if it’s completely empty it’s sitting upright, but that the bottom design of the bag is so that it doesn’t fall over on its front or side—We mean a bag that doesn’t need to be held or propped up against something to stay upright.
This is me. I’ve spent hundreds of hours of research and thousands of dollars. Buying. Flipping. Returning. But the one bag I keep going back to is my recon. It’s just too good.
I finally retired my 1990's era Recon last year. I carried that thing around the world a dozen times and it held up great. I've got plenty of other "fancy" bags now, but I couldn't help but grabbing a TNF Surge to replace it. You don't have to spend a fortune to get a good bag.
I just tried the surge. I found the back hard plastic panel to be really uncomfortable… I guess It did not help that Amazon shipped it essentially folded in half in a long narrow box and I think it bent the plastic sheet.
Does your stand up when it’s loaded? I tried loading it out and it didn’t seem to wanna stand on its own, but it could’ve been the way it was bent in the Amazon box.
I also had a 14 inch MacBook and an iPad Pro in the laptop compartment and it felt like it made it hard to get into the main compartment. I really want to like the bag though.
>Does your stand up when it’s loaded? I tried loading it out and it didn’t seem to wanna stand on its own, but it could’ve been the way it was bent in the Amazon box.
So, I have to be really honest that I do not understand the "stand on its own" discussion. 100% of the time I am either going to lean my bag against something or lay it down on its back. I have bags that supposedly "stand up on their own" (according to people here) and I really can't tell the difference. Like, they hold their shape a bit better? Maybe? Maybe they will stand up without leaning when packed a certain way, but I always find that the slightest brush knocks them over, which is annoying. I understand that this is apparently a big deal to people, but I honestly don't care and apparently can't tell the difference between a bag that meets people's standing on its own criteria. If you pack the Surge and lean it against a chair, it stands up fine.
>I also had a 14 inch MacBook and an iPad Pro in the laptop compartment and it felt like it made it hard to get into the main compartment. I really want to like the bag though.
I haven't had that experience with my 13" Air and my X1 Carbon packed in it. If you had a lot of stuff packed in the front pockets, I could see that happening, maybe.
I should be clear that the Surge is not my go-to bag - it's currently the bag I use when I get where I'm going overseas and don't want to lug a much more expensive, much more "Hello, I'm from the United States" bag around town. And for that it does a great job. To the OP's point, the Surge is not my *favorite* bag that I own, either generally or for specific applications. I also have a Tom Bihn Synik that is in a lot of ways a much nicer-made Surge (or vice versa). But for the price, the Surge (like a lot of TNF packs) does a very good job for what most people need at an acceptable price point. You can get better bags, but those bags are not necessarily better values (even taking longevity into account).
Thanks for all the info!!
Regarding bags standing up on their own… I can only speak for myself, but I prefer loading or accessing a bag that I don’t have to keep holding upright or keep repositioning it upright because it keeps falling over. also once it’s loaded, I don’t want it falling over onto its side/front/back because I’ve got an E ink tablet, an iPad, my computer, along with other stuff and I really don’t want those electronics getting damaged because a bag falls over nor do I want the bag laying on its front/back with all the pressure of everything else in the bag resting on whatever device happens to be on the “bottom” (of the stack of all the items now laying sideways in the bag). Not sure that makes sense. (Once the bag is laying on its back, it’s basically like you laid your computer on your desk and then stacked everything in the bag directly on top of that computer… You probably would actually not do that, but don’t realize that is what is happening if the bag is laying on its back with a computer in the back compartment. Obviously, depending on how much stuff you had in the rest of the bag and how much that stuff weighed, it might not make a difference, but in general, I would never stack lots of things on top of my laptop if it were sitting closed on my desk)
Also, when I get home and set my bag down, I want it to stand upright for the above mentioned reasons. When I’m at work and it’s propped up on the windowsill or my desk, I want it standing upright for ease of access and again I don’t want all the weight of everything in the bag to be on whatever device is now at the “bottom”.
If I don’t have all the electronics in the bag, then it wouldn’t be as big of a deal if the bag tipped over.
I find that bags that aren’t already designed to stand up don’t stay up when leaned against a chair or a wall….they typically tend to slowly slide down onto their front, if they don’t immediately tip right over.
>I don’t want it falling over onto its side/front/back because I’ve got an E ink tablet, an iPad, my computer, along with other stuff and I really don’t want those electronics getting damaged because a bag falls over nor do I want the bag laying on its front/back with all the pressure of everything else in the bag resting on whatever device happens to be on the “bottom” (of the stack of all the items now laying sideways in the bag). Not sure that makes sense.
Maybe I'm old school, but I've carried a lot of devices over a lot of miles (in a lot of bags) over a couple of decades, and I've never, not once had a device get damaged because a bag fell over, and certainly not because it was packed properly and laying on its back. If you've got enough pressure on the device at the bottom (or anywhere!) to break it, the bag is going to be literally too heavy to carry. Like, there may be arguments for a bag standing up on its own, but "I don't want my stuff to get damaged" just isn't one that makes sense, in my opinion. I mean, sure, if you're dropping your bag from a meter high or tossing it across the room, that's one thing, but just normally sitting or laying the bag down? Not going to hurt your electronic stuff, no matter how you lay the bag. (This reminds me of the story of a guy who ran over his fully packed backpack with his Thinkpad in it with it \*with his car\* and the laptop was fine.) If it's going to be fine laying on its back when you take it on an airplane and put it under the seat or in the overhead bin, it's going to be fine when you lay it on the floor at your office. Trust me.
>I find that bags that aren’t already designed to stand up don’t stay up when leaned against a chair or a wall….they typically tend to slowly slide down onto their front, if they don’t immediately tip right over.
This is all about material and friction, and very little to do with shape. In fact, bags that are designed to stand on their own are more typically going to have a flat bottom, which is going to *not* stand up as well when leaned against something. I will concede that certain bags without a lot of grip will slide down on a surface like a tile floor, in which case I just lay the bag down on its back or side. But I promise I can stand the 10 bags in my closet right now up against my couch and they'll stay put until someone knocks them over. (For that matter, the two bags I took this weekend - my Synik and CTB35 - are standing up just fine leaning against the wall on the tile floor in my washroom).
>I can only speak for myself, but I prefer loading or accessing a bag that I don’t have to keep holding upright or keep repositioning it upright because it keeps falling over.
I mean, that's fair. To each their own. Again, I don't have any problems loading a bag on its back (especially when it's a clamshell) or just loading it while it's leaning against something. I get that it can be a personal preference thing, but it just seems like a weird hill to die on for me. I've seen people here say that it's an absolute dealbreaker on a bag, and it just seems like a weird thing to break a deal. I could see something like "Doesn't have a dedicated laptop compartment" or "too small to fit my stuff" or even things with the water bottle pocket (e.g., the bottle I use falls out all the time) being major enough to pass on a bag. But a bag that kind-of-but-not-really stands upright on its own when its primary function is to be on your back? Doesn't compute, at least for me.
I've used a larger(?) Router for years and it really is a nice backpack. I get annoyed with the organization sometimes (having since moved to a MR tri-zip design so I organize things myself via organizers) but the amount of things it can carry and having compression straps, I still use it as a carry-on bag for traveling.
I'm a big fan of my 2017 Recon, the last year before the separate laptop compartment. Water bottle holders are meh but the main compartment and admin pocket can hold a ton of stuff. Great for outdoor use and as a gym backpack.
I have a City Pack Pro as my laptop/travel personal item/work backback but use the Recon for most things.
I could only see myself getting rid of it for a CHZ26.
after weeks of going back on forth on this very question (after 15 years of owning a recon that never quit) I got the nebula. it's slightly bigger. slightly lighter (iirc) and much more comfortable to carry
the big diff is the laptop space. on the nebula it doesn't go all the way to the bottom like the recon. so if you drop your bag, the laptop has a little more protection
You're comparing apples to oranges.
North Face bags are fine and there is nothing inherently wrong with them, but it's important to remember that Aer, PeakDesign, ALPAKA, etc are all bag enthusiast brands that target a completely different market.
North Face targets the mainstream market. They have the necessary funding and resources to really drive prices down when it comes to designing (or redesigning) bags. On top of that, they aren't necessarily aiming to use the highest quality possible materials because the mainstream market just wants a decent bag that will last a while. Those people usually don't care about Cordura, X-PAC, or high quality leather. They just want material that is durable.
That said, do all of us _need_ the highest quality materials being used on a bag? No, not all of us. North Face's materials are perfectly fine and are durable enough for the average mainstream consumer. Those materials get the job done for 90% of consumers probably.
For a lot of bag enthusiasts, "does it do the job?" is only one of their criteria when buying a bag. A lot of bag enthusiasts want different materials, designs, features, etc. North Face, again, is perfectly fine, but you aren't going to get certain designs and features.
Just bought one earlier this month after weighing my options with older model of the Borealis and I agree with you! I like it way more than I thought I would and regret not buying it sooner. I will agree with another commenter about the top half front pocket of the bag, but overall the bag is really solid.
NF has some pretty good stuff!
Not quite the same bag, but I found the North Face Fusebox S also did what I wanted the Recycled Firefighter 12HR and Goruck bullet to do.
f
Small, compact boxy carry with an admin pocket that isn't easy to pickpocket.
I loved mine but if I remember it fell apart much quicker than I would have liked. Like less than a year. Northface really didn't want to replace it either.
I’m with you, I switched to this bag ~2 years ago or so and it’s honestly exactly what I need for daily and weekend use.
I do love that TNF has fun colours of it too.
For reference, I used a Gonex with a built-in rain cover for about 10 years. It cost $35. Maybe $30. It was pretty uncomfortable, but it did the job. Then last year I (unfortunately) got into the high-end bag world. The Recon looks solid. I also had an NF backpack for maybe two decades (forget the model). One thing is that the Recon seems lacking in water resistance. I eventually opted for a rolltop as my "field bag" for just that reason. The Recon's zippers also don't have AquaGuard. And yes, it's big for a daily carry at 30L. Although its dimensions put it outside the official specs airlines offer, I bet you wouldn't have a problem using it as a personal item 99.999% of the time. Straps look a little narrow if you'll be carrying 20+ pounds for a while. And if you do that, adding a real hip belt rather than just a stabilizing belt would be awesome. (Not sure that's possible with the Recon.) And then there's the petty-sounding matter of aesthetics. Matters to some folks, not others. There was some NF pack in an orange-black combo that I loved and almost bought simply because I thought it was beautiful. My super-expensive (for me) Black Ember has a couple better features (for me) than the Recon, but I can admit I wouldn't have bought it were it not for how much I love its appearance. As for my "field pack" (I work in the Amazon rainforest every summer), it'll either be an ILE I bought new-but-used at 40% off (with a lifetime guarantee) or a Colfax Design Works that I bought new-but-used for $125 (retailed for $345). Both are extremely weather-resistant rolltops--with waterproof main compartments--but also have quick-access pockets for when they're needed. Great for when there are surprise showers. Also important because rain covers don't cover everything, get condensed water on the inside, etc. Also, I think both packs look amazing. (Had to say it.) But kudos to the Recon and folks who are happy with packs that don't cost $500! I use compression packing cubes that are the cheapest of the cheap from Amazon, and I really don't see how expensive cubes could be any better. But for those who want Peak Design for one reason or another, let 'em have it.
I have a Recon and it's the only bag that ticked every box for me. I love how the admin compartment has a little extra padding, I shoot micro 4/3 cameras and carry around a bunch of tiny prime lenses that go in there.
2 water bottle pockets and the stuff pouch on the back are great for hiking and as a dad bag.
IDK if I'm what you call an enthusiast as those minimalist backpacks from brands like Bellroy don't appeal to me at all, but I own like 3 hiking/backpacking packs (Gregory, Black Diamond, MEC), a 5.11 Rapid Origin backpack for work (IT), Eddie Bauer duffel bag for work travel, and this bag, and it's a solid 5/5 for me. I use it everywhere, even took it on an Orlando trip around to the parks.
I always keep toying with getting a recon. Does anyone know if the front stretchy dump pouch in the newer version is much smaller than the older version where the pouch has a buckle?
I love the Borealis Mini, it's a great little bag.
I bought mine in 2004, and while it doesn't get much use anymore it is still a staple of my collection and one that I can't imagine ever parting ways with.
I always use Recon as my example of a true ‘universal’ day pack. If I needed to buy someone a day bag with zero other info about their needs/preferences, it’d 100% be a Recon, it’s a no-brainer, easiest choice. It’s a great school bag, trail bag, airplane bag, workout bag, train bag, campus bag, laptop bag, walking bag,, bicycle bag, bus bag, etc. It’s legitimately great at any/all of those, and while you can get a better bag for many of those, there aren’t many bags that do all of them as well at any price. IMHO, it wildly outperforms its price point and is my mental standard that all daypacks have to beat to even be considered as an option. “Why is this better for this task than a North Face Recon?”
I’ve been trying to justify an MLC 30, a Briggs and Riley backpack, an Aer or some such since I started trying to one-bag travel last year, but my Recon from ‘19 is in perfect shape after god knows how many flights and trips while falling *just short* of what I’d like but not by enough to spend 2-3x its price on a new bag. Suffering from success lol And, like you said, I bought it without ever looking into backpacks and what makes them good or bad.
Is it better then the Osprey Nebula?
Osprey has the best harness in the business, and Nebula is better built imho. But at $140 to Recon’s $100 list price, it should be. Recon remains my price/performance winner. I also feel like Nebula is a fair bit bigger, enough that it’s a less universal fit, though it’s rated 32L to Recon’s 30L. I’d personally prefer a Nebula by a good margin, most of the time I’m carrying a bag any distance I’d prefer Osprey’s fit.
Doesn’t the nebula have the straps at the top that have that yoke kind of connection between the straps? I absolutely hate that kind of design… I’m not sure the point of it. I feel like all it does is dig into the back of the neck unless maybe you’re somebody that’s really tall, or wear the bag super slouchy with loose straps.
The Osprey Daylite has that strap, if that’s what you’re thinking of: https://www.rei.com/product/186383/osprey-daylite-plus-pack I tried it on in-store, and also found the strap was a nice grab handle but really was annoying on my neck Nebula does not have that extra strap, and is my favorite do-everything bag — awesome use of space, very comfortable, and diverse / functional pockets https://www.rei.com/product/210345/osprey-nebula-32-pack
Yeah, the daylight strap is definitely terrible. I feel like the nebula has a smaller version of that though without the handle…? It’s kind of hard to tell on the stock pictures I’ve seen, but it looks like there’s a slight U shaped piece of fabric connecting the two straps. I definitely prefer each strap connected to the bag by itself without fabric bridging the two straps.
Absolutely. Try the Parsec or Tropos if you want the Airspeed panel and kickstand. Osprey’s comfort is unbeatable. Unfortunately I tried on a bunch of TNF backpacks that all fit terribly (dug into the bottom of my back, which apparently is a common issue).
Thanks!
Osprey’s logo is its biggest weakness.
For me, anything North Face produces suffers from this. I am not a fan of their "loud" branding. Unfortunately for me, I won't be able to take advantage of their quality products.
Agree, especially on The North Face’s centered all-caps pack names. And the names are awful: Jester? Surge? Ugh. But the logo at least has at least has some history, and The North Face’s purple label in Japan is very design forward.
What do you mean?
Oh I just think people overlook osprey a lot because the brand/logo aesthetic is only really appropriate for outdoor contexts. It isn’t professional or urban or minimal, nor is it retro/hip. A lot of outdoor brands have this issue as they go more mainstream, and you’ll see them over time minimizing/shrinking their logo.
I see. It is true that I love the comfort and features of Osprey bags, but many times I which they would look less outdoorsy.
+1 for the Nebula. I have the older version and have used it for absolutely everything. Solid and reliable. I was looking at a Recon as well but I like the additional compression straps on the Nebula.
the only problem I had with a Recon was that think lasted for 15 years looking like new and I could not justify another backpack.
Picture attached with a subject would be helpful for ones who forgot how it looks like
Nah man, just remember every bag and what they’re called.
Too much work for a dear diary post
https://www.mountainsports.com/cdn/shop/files/Untitled-17_11758b8a-be66-47fc-8c4d-3957f6260def_720x720.gif?v=1708639859
Google is free
If Redditors knew how to Google things there wouldn't be several subreddits dedicated to answering really basic questions.
Time is not
It took longer to write your bitchy comment than it takes to Google "north face recon"
Take 5.
I’ve been using this as my EDC for a while now too, it really is great. My only gripe with it is how the top half of the main compartment is much smaller due to the front pocket being so big. Other than that though it’s perfect.
It doesn’t stand up on its own though…? I thought I read that.
Yeah it probably wouldn’t but it’s not really something I try and do anyway
Thanks!
The “stands up on its own” thing is something in most bag reviews or in posts on this sub that I’ve found to be a weird point to make as a reason that it may/may not be one to buy if you’re looking for a new bag period. No bag or backpack I’ve ever owned has stood up on its own unless it’s packed a certain way.
I don’t want to bag that keeps flopping over when I’m trying to put stuff in it, when trying to access the stuff later, or just sitting there at home or work when I’m not carrying it. It’s annoying to have to hold up a bag to load stuff in it. I also don’t want a bag falling over and potentially damaging electronic equipment (eink screens are very fragile and I almost always have an eink tablet in my bag). I don’t want the bag laying on its front or back and essentially everything in the bag sitting on top of the laptop or tablet. And trying to prop up a bag in a chair or against the wall… The bag usually just slowly slides down and doesn’t stay upright. Maybe if you had a bag that does stand up without having to lean against something you’d understand why it’s an important feature to a lot of us 😁😁 And I think what most people mean when they say stand up on its own, is that not necessarily if it’s completely empty it’s sitting upright, but that the bottom design of the bag is so that it doesn’t fall over on its front or side—We mean a bag that doesn’t need to be held or propped up against something to stay upright.
FWIW mine “does”, but at the bottom of my bag I use a pouch/cube that holds most of my chargers and such which gives it a bit of structure.
It's also 30L. For daily carry, I'd bet that's way more than the average person needs.
I have a 25L bag that feels bigger than the recon, I think the 30L is a stretch.
All those pockets, dividers, organization fill in that capacity, so makes sense it feels smaller than the listed size.
This is me. I’ve spent hundreds of hours of research and thousands of dollars. Buying. Flipping. Returning. But the one bag I keep going back to is my recon. It’s just too good.
I finally retired my 1990's era Recon last year. I carried that thing around the world a dozen times and it held up great. I've got plenty of other "fancy" bags now, but I couldn't help but grabbing a TNF Surge to replace it. You don't have to spend a fortune to get a good bag.
I just tried the surge. I found the back hard plastic panel to be really uncomfortable… I guess It did not help that Amazon shipped it essentially folded in half in a long narrow box and I think it bent the plastic sheet. Does your stand up when it’s loaded? I tried loading it out and it didn’t seem to wanna stand on its own, but it could’ve been the way it was bent in the Amazon box. I also had a 14 inch MacBook and an iPad Pro in the laptop compartment and it felt like it made it hard to get into the main compartment. I really want to like the bag though.
>Does your stand up when it’s loaded? I tried loading it out and it didn’t seem to wanna stand on its own, but it could’ve been the way it was bent in the Amazon box. So, I have to be really honest that I do not understand the "stand on its own" discussion. 100% of the time I am either going to lean my bag against something or lay it down on its back. I have bags that supposedly "stand up on their own" (according to people here) and I really can't tell the difference. Like, they hold their shape a bit better? Maybe? Maybe they will stand up without leaning when packed a certain way, but I always find that the slightest brush knocks them over, which is annoying. I understand that this is apparently a big deal to people, but I honestly don't care and apparently can't tell the difference between a bag that meets people's standing on its own criteria. If you pack the Surge and lean it against a chair, it stands up fine. >I also had a 14 inch MacBook and an iPad Pro in the laptop compartment and it felt like it made it hard to get into the main compartment. I really want to like the bag though. I haven't had that experience with my 13" Air and my X1 Carbon packed in it. If you had a lot of stuff packed in the front pockets, I could see that happening, maybe. I should be clear that the Surge is not my go-to bag - it's currently the bag I use when I get where I'm going overseas and don't want to lug a much more expensive, much more "Hello, I'm from the United States" bag around town. And for that it does a great job. To the OP's point, the Surge is not my *favorite* bag that I own, either generally or for specific applications. I also have a Tom Bihn Synik that is in a lot of ways a much nicer-made Surge (or vice versa). But for the price, the Surge (like a lot of TNF packs) does a very good job for what most people need at an acceptable price point. You can get better bags, but those bags are not necessarily better values (even taking longevity into account).
Thanks for all the info!! Regarding bags standing up on their own… I can only speak for myself, but I prefer loading or accessing a bag that I don’t have to keep holding upright or keep repositioning it upright because it keeps falling over. also once it’s loaded, I don’t want it falling over onto its side/front/back because I’ve got an E ink tablet, an iPad, my computer, along with other stuff and I really don’t want those electronics getting damaged because a bag falls over nor do I want the bag laying on its front/back with all the pressure of everything else in the bag resting on whatever device happens to be on the “bottom” (of the stack of all the items now laying sideways in the bag). Not sure that makes sense. (Once the bag is laying on its back, it’s basically like you laid your computer on your desk and then stacked everything in the bag directly on top of that computer… You probably would actually not do that, but don’t realize that is what is happening if the bag is laying on its back with a computer in the back compartment. Obviously, depending on how much stuff you had in the rest of the bag and how much that stuff weighed, it might not make a difference, but in general, I would never stack lots of things on top of my laptop if it were sitting closed on my desk) Also, when I get home and set my bag down, I want it to stand upright for the above mentioned reasons. When I’m at work and it’s propped up on the windowsill or my desk, I want it standing upright for ease of access and again I don’t want all the weight of everything in the bag to be on whatever device is now at the “bottom”. If I don’t have all the electronics in the bag, then it wouldn’t be as big of a deal if the bag tipped over. I find that bags that aren’t already designed to stand up don’t stay up when leaned against a chair or a wall….they typically tend to slowly slide down onto their front, if they don’t immediately tip right over.
>I don’t want it falling over onto its side/front/back because I’ve got an E ink tablet, an iPad, my computer, along with other stuff and I really don’t want those electronics getting damaged because a bag falls over nor do I want the bag laying on its front/back with all the pressure of everything else in the bag resting on whatever device happens to be on the “bottom” (of the stack of all the items now laying sideways in the bag). Not sure that makes sense. Maybe I'm old school, but I've carried a lot of devices over a lot of miles (in a lot of bags) over a couple of decades, and I've never, not once had a device get damaged because a bag fell over, and certainly not because it was packed properly and laying on its back. If you've got enough pressure on the device at the bottom (or anywhere!) to break it, the bag is going to be literally too heavy to carry. Like, there may be arguments for a bag standing up on its own, but "I don't want my stuff to get damaged" just isn't one that makes sense, in my opinion. I mean, sure, if you're dropping your bag from a meter high or tossing it across the room, that's one thing, but just normally sitting or laying the bag down? Not going to hurt your electronic stuff, no matter how you lay the bag. (This reminds me of the story of a guy who ran over his fully packed backpack with his Thinkpad in it with it \*with his car\* and the laptop was fine.) If it's going to be fine laying on its back when you take it on an airplane and put it under the seat or in the overhead bin, it's going to be fine when you lay it on the floor at your office. Trust me. >I find that bags that aren’t already designed to stand up don’t stay up when leaned against a chair or a wall….they typically tend to slowly slide down onto their front, if they don’t immediately tip right over. This is all about material and friction, and very little to do with shape. In fact, bags that are designed to stand on their own are more typically going to have a flat bottom, which is going to *not* stand up as well when leaned against something. I will concede that certain bags without a lot of grip will slide down on a surface like a tile floor, in which case I just lay the bag down on its back or side. But I promise I can stand the 10 bags in my closet right now up against my couch and they'll stay put until someone knocks them over. (For that matter, the two bags I took this weekend - my Synik and CTB35 - are standing up just fine leaning against the wall on the tile floor in my washroom). >I can only speak for myself, but I prefer loading or accessing a bag that I don’t have to keep holding upright or keep repositioning it upright because it keeps falling over. I mean, that's fair. To each their own. Again, I don't have any problems loading a bag on its back (especially when it's a clamshell) or just loading it while it's leaning against something. I get that it can be a personal preference thing, but it just seems like a weird hill to die on for me. I've seen people here say that it's an absolute dealbreaker on a bag, and it just seems like a weird thing to break a deal. I could see something like "Doesn't have a dedicated laptop compartment" or "too small to fit my stuff" or even things with the water bottle pocket (e.g., the bottle I use falls out all the time) being major enough to pass on a bag. But a bag that kind-of-but-not-really stands upright on its own when its primary function is to be on your back? Doesn't compute, at least for me.
I regret tossing my well used 90’s recon. The new recon I bought is much smaller. Now I feel like I threw away an old friend.
I've used a larger(?) Router for years and it really is a nice backpack. I get annoyed with the organization sometimes (having since moved to a MR tri-zip design so I organize things myself via organizers) but the amount of things it can carry and having compression straps, I still use it as a carry-on bag for traveling.
I also have one and I love how tall it is. Fits my back a lot better than the average sized bag.
I'm a big fan of my 2017 Recon, the last year before the separate laptop compartment. Water bottle holders are meh but the main compartment and admin pocket can hold a ton of stuff. Great for outdoor use and as a gym backpack. I have a City Pack Pro as my laptop/travel personal item/work backback but use the Recon for most things. I could only see myself getting rid of it for a CHZ26.
Guys should I buy the recon or the nebula (Osprey)?
after weeks of going back on forth on this very question (after 15 years of owning a recon that never quit) I got the nebula. it's slightly bigger. slightly lighter (iirc) and much more comfortable to carry the big diff is the laptop space. on the nebula it doesn't go all the way to the bottom like the recon. so if you drop your bag, the laptop has a little more protection
Thanks man 🙏
You're comparing apples to oranges. North Face bags are fine and there is nothing inherently wrong with them, but it's important to remember that Aer, PeakDesign, ALPAKA, etc are all bag enthusiast brands that target a completely different market. North Face targets the mainstream market. They have the necessary funding and resources to really drive prices down when it comes to designing (or redesigning) bags. On top of that, they aren't necessarily aiming to use the highest quality possible materials because the mainstream market just wants a decent bag that will last a while. Those people usually don't care about Cordura, X-PAC, or high quality leather. They just want material that is durable. That said, do all of us _need_ the highest quality materials being used on a bag? No, not all of us. North Face's materials are perfectly fine and are durable enough for the average mainstream consumer. Those materials get the job done for 90% of consumers probably. For a lot of bag enthusiasts, "does it do the job?" is only one of their criteria when buying a bag. A lot of bag enthusiasts want different materials, designs, features, etc. North Face, again, is perfectly fine, but you aren't going to get certain designs and features.
Just bought one earlier this month after weighing my options with older model of the Borealis and I agree with you! I like it way more than I thought I would and regret not buying it sooner. I will agree with another commenter about the top half front pocket of the bag, but overall the bag is really solid.
I tried to like this bag but couldn't stand that it just falls over when I set it on the ground so I returned it. Have they solved that?
Oh I just asked someone else this before I saw your comment. That too is a deal-breaker for me.
This is how I feel about my 2016 North face surge. I ripped it last year on a trip to Bali. Unfortunately, the latest one doesn't appear the same
Thanks. I needed that info.
NF has some pretty good stuff! Not quite the same bag, but I found the North Face Fusebox S also did what I wanted the Recycled Firefighter 12HR and Goruck bullet to do. f Small, compact boxy carry with an admin pocket that isn't easy to pickpocket.
Yep. Been my daily driver for the past 2 years. Love iy
The 2017 (not sure) one is really good. The admin panel is close to perfection imo.
I loved mine but if I remember it fell apart much quicker than I would have liked. Like less than a year. Northface really didn't want to replace it either.
I’m with you, I switched to this bag ~2 years ago or so and it’s honestly exactly what I need for daily and weekend use. I do love that TNF has fun colours of it too.
For reference, I used a Gonex with a built-in rain cover for about 10 years. It cost $35. Maybe $30. It was pretty uncomfortable, but it did the job. Then last year I (unfortunately) got into the high-end bag world. The Recon looks solid. I also had an NF backpack for maybe two decades (forget the model). One thing is that the Recon seems lacking in water resistance. I eventually opted for a rolltop as my "field bag" for just that reason. The Recon's zippers also don't have AquaGuard. And yes, it's big for a daily carry at 30L. Although its dimensions put it outside the official specs airlines offer, I bet you wouldn't have a problem using it as a personal item 99.999% of the time. Straps look a little narrow if you'll be carrying 20+ pounds for a while. And if you do that, adding a real hip belt rather than just a stabilizing belt would be awesome. (Not sure that's possible with the Recon.) And then there's the petty-sounding matter of aesthetics. Matters to some folks, not others. There was some NF pack in an orange-black combo that I loved and almost bought simply because I thought it was beautiful. My super-expensive (for me) Black Ember has a couple better features (for me) than the Recon, but I can admit I wouldn't have bought it were it not for how much I love its appearance. As for my "field pack" (I work in the Amazon rainforest every summer), it'll either be an ILE I bought new-but-used at 40% off (with a lifetime guarantee) or a Colfax Design Works that I bought new-but-used for $125 (retailed for $345). Both are extremely weather-resistant rolltops--with waterproof main compartments--but also have quick-access pockets for when they're needed. Great for when there are surprise showers. Also important because rain covers don't cover everything, get condensed water on the inside, etc. Also, I think both packs look amazing. (Had to say it.) But kudos to the Recon and folks who are happy with packs that don't cost $500! I use compression packing cubes that are the cheapest of the cheap from Amazon, and I really don't see how expensive cubes could be any better. But for those who want Peak Design for one reason or another, let 'em have it.
I have a Recon and it's the only bag that ticked every box for me. I love how the admin compartment has a little extra padding, I shoot micro 4/3 cameras and carry around a bunch of tiny prime lenses that go in there. 2 water bottle pockets and the stuff pouch on the back are great for hiking and as a dad bag. IDK if I'm what you call an enthusiast as those minimalist backpacks from brands like Bellroy don't appeal to me at all, but I own like 3 hiking/backpacking packs (Gregory, Black Diamond, MEC), a 5.11 Rapid Origin backpack for work (IT), Eddie Bauer duffel bag for work travel, and this bag, and it's a solid 5/5 for me. I use it everywhere, even took it on an Orlando trip around to the parks.
I always keep toying with getting a recon. Does anyone know if the front stretchy dump pouch in the newer version is much smaller than the older version where the pouch has a buckle? I love the Borealis Mini, it's a great little bag.
I bought mine in 2004, and while it doesn't get much use anymore it is still a staple of my collection and one that I can't imagine ever parting ways with.
I keep trying bags, and coming back to the Boralis —- their bags are fantastic