North Face Borealis Backpack
North Face Jester Backpack
North Face Recon Backpack
A company that’s dedicated to all things outdoors, whether you’re a hiker, climber, cyclist, or just a regular commuter, North Face backpacks are designed to withstand anything you throw at it while remaining as comfortable as possible. Known for designing equipment that perfectly fits the situation at hand, you’re going to find the best North Face backpacks come fully prepared with plenty of pockets and storage options. They also offer variations that are specifically designed to be comfortable on a male or female body. All of that means you can keep going without worrying about damaging your back or the content of your bag.
So, whether you’re looking for the best North Face backpacks for college or you’re planning an intensive off-grid camping trip, you can use our buying guide to help you find the best North Face backpacks for whatever you have planned.
The Best North Face Backpack
1North Face Borealis Backpack
An awesome all-rounder backpack, whether you’re heading to school, work, camping, or even skateboarding, the Borealis backpack is our Best Choice when it comes to the best North Face backpacks no matter what you’re up to. The bag boasts an impressive 28L capacity with plenty of storage pockets specifically designed for your personal devices. You’ll find a spacious padded and fleece-lined compartment that perfectly fits up to a 15″ laptop along with a medium-sized fleece-lined sleeve for a tablet and a smaller option for your cell phone. Besides all that there are extra pockets, perfect for throwing in a pair of trainers and some clothes so you can head straight to the gym. The backpack benefits from an “overhauled” suspension system. Featuring a front elastic bungee system to ensure it’s comfortable even after hours of wear. It also comes with a sturdy top handle so you can easily grab it on your way out of the door. Besides that, there’s also a removable waist belt and sternum strap with a whistle buckle for extra support and safety. It even has reflective details to help you stand out when cycling home at night. For more cool bags like this, check out our selection of the best Under Armour backpacks.
28L capacity with separate storage compartments
Flex Vent technology for comfort and breathable lumbar panel for ventilation
Comes with two extended mesh water bottle pockets plus three fleece-lined pockets to protect your fragile items
Top handle, removable waist belt, and sternum strap offer plenty of carrying options
- BrandThe North Face
- ModelA3KV3
- Weight2 pounds
2North Face Jester Backpack
Although it might not be the cheapest backpack on our list, we think the Jester backpack offers the Best Value for size, convenience, and comfort, not to mention it comes in a vast range of colors and styles to suit your individual taste. Offering a decent 26L volume, this backpack is a little smaller than the Borealis but still includes plenty of storage pockets carefully designed for different uses and keeps the sternum strap with whistle buckle that makes it perfect for late-night wonderings. Again, you’ll find two sides mesh water bottles to keep your essential items easy to reach, and the padded laptop pouch is ideal for keeping your computer safe wherever you go. The back also includes an integrated key clip and bungee system to hold items that need to be easily accessible. The LED light loop is a great addition, and the FlexVent injection-molded shoulder straps make the backpack super comfortable even after prolonged use. You may also be interested in some of the best backpacking backpacks from our list, so check them out.
Made of various polyester blends
26L volume
FlexVent injection-molded shoulder straps
Measures 19.5″ tall by 12.5″ wide
Comes in a range of styles and colors
- BrandThe North Face
- ModelT93KV7JK3
- Weight12.3 ounces
3North Face Recon Backpack
Our Premium Pick of the best North Face backpacks is the sturdy and reliable Recon backpack. Also coming in an awesome selection of colors and designs to suit your individual style, this backpack offers the durability and space to carry all your utilities and gear wherever you go with a 28/29L capacity. It’s designed to be weatherproof, as well as being incredibly durable and hardwearing. The back section comes with a thick reinforced back panel to keep your laptop safe, and the two other compartments offer plenty of space to keep anything you might need with you from baby bits to school supplies to camping gear or groceries. The FlexVent straps have added PE foam to ensure they remain comfortable on your shoulders, and the padded Airmesh back panel offers a comfortable Spine Channel and PE sheet for even more back support. Our guide to the best external frame backpacks features more quality bags like this, so check them out.
Made of Ballistic Nylong, Mesh and Nylon
FlexVent injection-molded shoulder straps with additional PE foam for comfort
3 separate, large-capacity storage compartments
Padded Airmesh back panel includes Spine Channel and PE sheet for extra back support
- BrandThe North Face
- ModelCLG4BSZ
- Weight2.7 pounds
4North Face Vault Backpack
“Keep your belongings safe and protected in the North Face Vault adventure backpack!”. One of the best North Face backpacks for college, this bag comes with an impressively large main compartment perfect for carrying your books and binders and the second storage compartment has a handy organization panel to keep your stationery tidy and easy to access. There are stretch pockets on the sides for a water bottle or other essential items and the laptop compartment is perfect for keeping your computer protected all day long. The comfortable stitched foam back panel is excellent for ensuring peak comfort while you’re running between classes, and the bag comes with the trademark North Face FlexVent Suspension for improved breathability. The durability of the bag also makes it one of the best North Face backpacks for outdoor use, so once your classes are finished, you can head out on an adventure with no fears of destroying your bag or the things inside it.
Comfortable foam stitched back panel
FlexVent suspension
27L volume
Separate padded laptop and tablet sleeves
Reflective elements on light loop straps and water bottle pockets
- BrandThe North Face
- ModelA3KV9
- Weight2.65 pounds
5North Face Women’s Vault Backpack
Similar to the above North Face Vault backpack, this takes the same design but overthrows it to ensure ultimate comfort for a woman’s form. North Face Women’s Vault Backpack also has dedicated space for your laptop or books and benefits from the same organized design that makes it a commuters’ dream without sacrificing the quality needed to head off-road. The FlexVent system features an ingenious flexible yoke built from custom injection-molded adjustable shoulder straps. The design also incorporates padded mesh back paneling and a breathable lumbar panel designed to compliment a woman’s curves. This ensures this stylish backpack remains comfortable and sturdy, no matter what you’re using it for.
Padded 15″ laptop sleeve
FlexVent technology
29L volume
Weather resistant
- BrandThe North Face
- ModelA3KVA
- Weight2.65 pounds
6North Face Men’s Solid State Laptop Backpack
Whether you’re looking for the best North Face backpacks for work, college, or to take on the trail, you can’t go far wrong with this Solid State backpack with a specific padded fleece-lined compartment for your laptop or tablet. The laptop pocket is secured with a high-quality zipper and features intelligent elastic webbing perfect for storing your charging cables. The custom made injection-molded shoulder straps have been specifically designed for the male body in this version of the Solid State backpack. At the same time, the padded mesh back panel and FlexVent technology ensure the bag is comfortable all day long while the sternum strap with whistle buckle will give you the peace of mind you need no matter where you go.
Padded, fleece-lined sleeve for laptops and tablets
Custom injection-molded shoulder straps
Padded mesh back panel
FlexVent technology
- BrandThe North Face
- ModelA3KVXKX7
- Weight2.5 pounds
7North Face Surge Backpack
The North Face Surge backpack proves that bags don’t need to be unattractive to be durable and functional, coming in a range of colors, there’s sure to be a version that suits your personal style. The Surge comes with all the features we expect from North Face backpacks, including the sternum strap with whistle buckle, multiple spacious storage compartments that suit a whole range of needs, and FlexVent technology to make it as comfortable as possible even on long trips. The bag itself is satisfyingly water-resistant so you can keep your items safe in light rain, and the padding ensures the content stays protected no matter how much of a beating your bag takes. Feel free to use it as your travel backpack.
Measures 8.5″ x 19.8″ x 13.8″ and weighs 3.05lb
Fleece-lined laptop compartment
Sternum strap with whistle buckle and reflective elements for safety
32L volume
- BrandThe North Face
- ModelA3ETV
- Weight2.65 pounds
8North Face Top Loader Backpack
One of the best North Face backpacks for cyclists, this Top Loader Backpack has been designed to sit comfortably even on rough terrain and keeps your possessions safe. The padded back panel and padded shoulder straps will help your body take the weight of your backpack even when you’re bumping around, and the bike-light loop is great for late-night journeys. The zippered main compartment features a North Face classic padded laptop sleeve and the S/R buckle is great for holding the pack tightly closed at all times. The small size might mean you’re not going to take this backpack traveling, but it’s perfect for short journeys or your daily commute while offering enough space and durability to easily head off-road for some adventure. For college students, we have prepared our selection of the top college backpacks, so check them out.
Measures 10.2″ x 4.1″ x 14.4″
Top-loading pocket comes with invisible secure zip
Padded back panel and shoulder straps for comfort
Includes protective laptop sleeve
- BrandThe North Face
- ModelTOP LOADER
- Weight1 pounds
9North Face Field Bag
This comfortable and compact Field Bag is perfect for days on campus or nights at a concert thanks to the convenient size and unique shape. With just one strap, this bag is designed to be worn across the body to evenly distribute weight without needing a bulky backpack yet still offers plenty of space for your daily essentials. The zippered compartments offer plenty of security and easy access to your items, and the bag includes all the North Face comfort technology you’d expect to enable it to be worn all day long. For more similar handy bags, check out our selection of the best Kavu bags.
Single padded strap
Zippered pockets
Shoulder strap pockets perfect for cell phone and other essentials
Measures 16″ x 10″ x 5″
- BrandThe North Face
- ModelNF0A3G8KG8COS
- Weight12.8 ounces
10North Face Wise Guy Backpack
This 27L Wise Guy North Face Backpack looks more like a classic school bag than many other North Face backpacks we’ve looked at so far yet still offers plenty of North Face benefits! The main zippered compartment comes with an internal sleeve and mesh pockets perfect for your valuables while the secondary external zippered pocket has a really useful organization panel perfect for your school or office supplies or snacks. The asymmetry on the external pocket gives the bag an attractive and unusual look that you’ll feel confident showing off. At the same time, the comfortable stitched foam back panel and shoulder straps work hard to keep the weight off your back so you can wear this backpack all day long. You may also like some of the best leather backpacks from our list, so check them out.
Backpack measures 14″ x 10″ x 3″
27L volume
Two zippered compartments with internal sleeve and mesh pockets
Stitched foam back panel and shoulder straps
- BrandThe North Face
- ModelNF00CHH9
- Weight1 pounds
11North Face Berkeley Backpack
The Berkeley is easily one of our favorite North Face backpacks thanks to the sleek and stylish design perfect for any occasion. The main compartment offers plenty of space for books and binders or overnight gear while the zipped front pocket makes grabbing your keys, wallet, or other essentials really easy. There’s an internal name label that makes this bag an excellent option for students who don’t want to lose their bag, and the LED light attachment loop is perfect for the walk or cycle home after class. The bag features a webbed grab handle in addition to padded shoulder straps, and the padded back panel ensures maximum comfort for the wearer. For more durable options, be sure to check out our selection of the best waterproof backpacks.
Measures 15″ x 16″ x 4″
Webbed grab handle and padded shoulder straps
Padded back panel
Comes in three styles
- BrandThe North Face
- ModelA2ZD9
- Weight8 ounces