Great for students

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Fit:

True to size

Size Bought

N/A

Height

5` 11"

Weight

190 lbs

Bought this for my son who is a sophomore in high school. Loves it! Plenty of room for anything that a teacher can throw at them, plus great support and comfortable straps. Highly recommend for any student in the family.

Bryan Bowen

backpack

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

Fit:

True to size

Size Bought

2L

Height

5` 9"

Weight

155 lbs

Well I received the bag in a timely manner however no I have to send it to a luggage/backpack repair shop due to the threading coming loose and now has a open pocket.

Chris H.

Versatile and durable for school

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

I've purchased three of these for two teenagers and my kid in college - all males who have a ton of books and subscribe to the "more is more" train of thought when deciding what to bring. The teenagers are using the 2018 model and attend a school district where they've eliminated lockers (why?) so the backpacks are pulling full-time duty all school-year. About two years ago one kid accidentally sliced the fabric in a non-critical area which I thought would develop into a problem to require stitching or a patch. Nope, the fabric is sturdy: there's still a 3/4" slice which has not grown. These bags will go beyond high school. The college pack was placed into service in 2016 and will have no problem going to grad school. After a wash, the bag looks relatively new. I see where one reviewer had concerns about the newer model having a laptop pocket that is awkward when you don’t have a laptop - totally valid. This is a great school backpack and that pocket is ideal for a laptop or a folder to be kept separate. I borrowed one of the newer packs to do a series of mountain day-hikes and used that pocket to keep passports and other travel documents separate, handy, and safe. It does travel well. But if I hiked a lot more I’d use a different model (and buy my own pack). In short, this is the best school/work/urban backpack out there and is versatile enough to go on the occasional outdoor adventure.

Cornell H

Perfect

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

This backpack is durable (I've used it for travel, track meets, nursing school, and everything in between), it washes well, and it looks nice. I have it in the royal blue with yellow and red details and love it. The size is perfect - it holds a lot but with the compression straps on the sides it can also be flatten considerably when empty or when it needs to fit under a plane seat. No complaints here, it's a great product.

Mary B.

Great Pack in this Size for Heavy Loads

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

This stands out over other packs in its size with how well it carries when loaded when loaded. It's not a frame pack, clearly, but it hauls heavier loads better than most daypacks thanks to the stiff sheet in the back. It's easy to load and has deep side pockets for water bottles. The laptop sleeve is easy to access and works for large books, too. As another reviewer noted, it doesn't stand up on the ground, so if that's an issue for you, consider the Patagonia Refugio, Marmot Tool Box, or Osprey Quasar.

dannew

Excellent Customer Service!

I ordered this backpack on discount, sadly it was sold out without knowing. I called and I spoke with NITA about getting a new pack at that price. They worked around the issue and totally made my experience with Backcountry super easy and friendly. They took care of me so fast and she had excellent customer service skills, she is a rad chick! I will continue to go to Backcountry for all my gear!! Love my new backpack and Backcountry!

Katy Tarr

TAKE NOTICE OF NEW STYLE

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

If you have a Borealis from before 2018, keep it. With this updated style, there is a separate dedicated zip compartment for a laptop. While this can be an awesome feature, it fails big time when you do not carry a laptop. For example, if you wanted to pack this out for a hike with just clothes and gear, the laptop compartment does not really fit anything else and sits very awkwardly when empty on your back. If you carry a laptop every single day, this bag will work for you. The only other difference is the accessory zip pouch only goes halfway down the bag. I actually like this except when my accessories outweigh the rest of the space in the bag then it tends to tip over. Everything else stays the same from previous North Face bags (materials, zips, flex vent padding, and straps.)

Payton Snyder

Perfect for day hikes and school books

I bought this for my son to replace his previous school bag. He uses it daily for school and weekends for hikes. Great sturdy pack!

Trish Nichols

Excellent

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

This backpack is STURDY. I can put all of my crazy amounts of school books in it and not feel like my back is going to die. The only thing that is slightly annoying is almost how stiff it is, so getting books in and out of the main compartment is a little difficult sometimes. Besides that, they are lots of places to put things and I LOVE this backpack!

Megan K.

great pack

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

love this bag. ive had it a little over a year, have done a ton of work travel and day trips with it. it can hold so much stuff, ive been able to put about 4 to 5 days worth of clothes in it.. the straps are comfortable... the only negative ive found is that with the way the bag is formed to fit someones back, it always falls forward (or lays flat) on the ground. cannot be stood up, unless it is leaning against something

Riley O.

Great day hike pack

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

This is a great size for a say hike and the quality does not dissappoint!

Nestor Cardenas

NORTH FACE BOREALIS BACKPACK

I've owned an earlier model Borealis for many years, it finally 'quit'. Ordered the current version and then ordered another for my wife. Backcountry.com's service and execution were perfect, arrived in 2 days, as advertised. Could not have been smoother. The Borealis is about the perfect size and design for most non 'big carrying needs, great all around every day pack.

ROGER CHRISTIAN

The swiss army knife of backpacks

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

The North Face's Borealis pack has all the features you want and none you don't. This is one of best and most functional packs I've ever used. It really excels in filling the need between work and the trail. Sometimes I find myself in a situation where I only have an hour or so to get out but I'm coming straight from work and I don't want to leave my laptop in my car. This pack handles that transition perfect. Whoever the genius was behind this pack really nailed it. Buy one. You won't regret it.

Aaron Libby

Backpack

Very nice bag. Just what my son wanted.

George Akers

Great fit and comfort

Perfect for all the essentials on and off the trail.

robert venner

Great all purpose backpack

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

This is my go-to pack for college. It has a pocket for everything, lightweight, and I like the curved back support. I fill it up with my computer, books, lunch. Because of the nice long zippers, I don't need to unpack everything to find stuff. It just sits by my leg, and unzipped, and I can reach in and easily grab whatever I need.

Sam Robbins

Good General Use Backpack

I took advantage of a Backcountry sale to snag this NF bag. It is a great value for the cost. A truly great value. I toted it to Fiji and New Zealand, recently. No complaints.

Mitchell B.