The North Face Recon 30L Backpack for Sale, Reviews, Deals and Guides

Great quality and perfect size

Very pleased with this. I get extra discount from here: coupon-bird.com

I still have my Recon that I purchased in 2008 which still looks great and is going strong. It got me through college, camping trips, hikes, trips to theme parks, and has recently been used as a diaper bag for my child. It's such a great pack that 11 years later I wanted a new one. This 2019 version certainly has some differences. I see what the North Face's design intention was: to be a compact everyday carrier that when packed, it expands into itself to keep a small profile, rather than expanding outward. This, in my opinion, is its detrimental design flaw and why I returned it. They designed the admin compartment to expand back into the main large compartment, thus interfering with space there. I only put a few items in the zippered internal admin section and even this caused a bulge in the main compartment that is totally in the way. Also, the old admin compartment extended further down to the bottom of the bag and would fit twice as much, this one stops half way down not utilizing valuable space down the front of the bag. This makes the bag seem much smaller than it's predecessor. I've read similar complaints and I hope the North Face is listening, because I would much rather the pack expand outward and have deep compartments. For now, Osprey is my chosen alternative because they design their packs this way. In conclusion, I love the size, quality, and look but the lack of space in the design and the tight internalized structure make it too inconvenient for my daily requirements. If the North Face were to design this more closely to the past models I would gladly pick one up. A noteworthy mention is Backcountry's customer service -they have been very helpful assisting me in finding the right pack.

just a little time with this pack now and it's been great. packs a lot inside, great for a short trip when I need to keep it all with me and move a lot. My second TNF pack and the first is still going strong, always well made stuff.

Good looking bag but the redesign from the 2018 model was a step back. Straps rub uncomfortably on my neck, even when packed. Laptop compartment doesn't provide enough protection on the bottom. The half-compartment organizational pocket takes space from the main compartment and makes the top bulge out awkwardly when full. If the design of the main compartment with laptop storage, the organizational pocket layout, and the straps from the 2018 model could be be used on the body of the 2019 design, it'd be a near perfect bag. On a separate note, I am quite pleased with Backcountry's care and support of my purchase (as always).

very durable and has pockets everywhere to carry all kind of stuff besides my laptop

Just got this one. It has enough room to hold a bit 15-inch laptop without having to force it to close. It's not huge, but has enough room to carry my usual stuff.

I looked at hundreds of backpacks, trying to find the ideal backpack. Here is what I'll say — there is no one ideal backpack that works universally for every one. That's why there are a zillion backpacks. What makes it ideal depends on your needs. I had originally purchased this backpack after months of research and also because a friend of mine had one and he let me try it. However, I ended up returning it for another backpack I found quite by accident. There are 2 main reasons why I returned this backpack (most reluctantly): I needed something a little bigger (I carry books, my laptop and all sorts of peripherals, and wanted some extra space for a few clothes). Two, I wanted a few more pockets. This is truly a great backpack — feels great on the back (super comfortable), and is amazingly well-made. I may just end up getting this backpack again in the future as an EDC. If I had all the money in the world, I'd keep both backpacks.