Which North Face backpack is best?
The North Face is a brand that brings to mind adventure, travel and the great outdoors. With the right backpack in tow, the experience is yours for the making. North Face backpacks are versatile enough to be used in situations from your everyday commute to hiking.
Deciding which North Face backpack is right for you is as easy as deciding how you will use it, as any backpack on this list is versatile enough to work for whatever you might need. The primary considerations to make when shopping for a new North Face backpack are what size you’ll need and what features make each bag unique.
A North Face bag for every situation
Best North Face backpack for school
If you’re a student, getting a North Face backpack for a day on campus is a great option. North Face bags are known for their comfort, and bags such as The North Face Berkeley or The North Face Jester are for day-to-day use carrying around books and tech.
Best North Face backpack for travel
If you’re planning a weekend trip, consider a medium-sized backpack with a volume of around 30 liters. The North Face Surge and The North Face Recon are both great options. If you want a larger bag for international travel, consider a duffel bag such as The North Face Base Camp or The North Face Berkeley Duffel.
Best North Face backpack for hiking
While just about any North Face backpack would be great for a short hike when planning a longer backcountry trek, the bag you take along can make or break your experience. Consider The North Face Terra 65 for longer hikes. For day hikes, a great option is The North Face Borealis.
Best small North Face backpacks
Top small North Face backpack
The North Face Borealis
What you need to know: The Borealis is a great day-to-day backpack that students and professionals universally love. The comfortable design makes it great for people that commute via bicycle.
What you’ll love: This 28-liter bag is big enough to carry essentials plus a set of clothes when traveling. It has a protective laptop compartment which makes it great for carrying around your tech.
What you should consider: If you’re looking for a bag to take on long hikes, opt for a larger bag.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top small sized North Face backpack for the money
The North Face Vault
What you need to know: The Vault is great for students with its floating laptop compartment and easy to organize the main compartment. It’s comfortable and can manage everything you’d need for a day on campus or in town.
What you’ll love: The Vault comes in an array of colors so that it will match your style. It comes equipped with North Face’s Flexvent technology and has an endorsement from the American Chiropractic Association.
What you should consider: While the Vault is excellent for students or professionals, it would be challenging to pack it for anything longer than a day trip.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Best medium-sized North Face backpacks
Top medium-sized North Face backpack
The North Face Surge
What you need to know: This 31-liter backpack is a classic North Face model and offers three separate compartments for extra organization. It’s great for day hikes and weekend trips.
What you’ll love: For a medium-sized backpack, this pack offers the most in terms of organization and comfort.
What you should consider: The Surge has a lot of extra straps for added support and comfort, but if you are someone that usually wouldn’t use these features, you’ll wind up with a lot of dangling straps.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top medium-sized North Face backpack for the money
The North Face Recon
What you need to know: The Recon is a well-loved classic of The North Face. This 30L backpack is great for travel or school.
What you’ll love: The pockets and compartments you’ll find in this backpack are designed to carry tech safely, which makes it great for anyone that travels with a laptop plus a few extra devices.
What you should consider: The Recon is a heavier North Face model due to its stiff back, but the extra comfort features built-in offset the heaviness, like a lumbar panel for extra support.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Best large North Face backpacks
Top large North Face backpack
The North Face Terra 65
What you need to know: This 65-liter backpack is essential for backcountry excursions or longer trips. It has all the necessary compartments to keep your gear well organized for the duration of your trek.
What you’ll love: The Terra 65 uses lightweight nylon that keeps the overall weight of the bag light and easy to carry.
What you should consider: The Terra 65 doesn’t come with a rain cover, whereas some comparable models do. If you’re planning on taking this bag on a backcountry hike, invest in a rain cover.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top large North Face backpack for the money
The North Face Base Camp
What you need to know: Compared to other large North Face backpacks, the Base Camp is unique. It is a duffel bag you can wear like a backpack, making it great for long trips and international travel.
What you’ll love: The Base Camp comes in many different sizes, from 31 to 150 liters, so it’s perfect for whatever you’ll need. It utilizes TPE fabric laminate, making the bag durable and water-resistant.
What you should consider: While you can take the Base Camp on long hikes, it may not be the best option when considering comfort. This bag is better suited to be used as luggage and versatile enough to be taken along on day hikes.
Where to buy: Sold by Dick's Sporting Goods
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Addison Hoggard writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
