North Face Recon vs Borealis - What's the difference?

[@sarahj3156]

I came to KZbin looking for the similarities and differences between these two and I was thinking there wouldn’t be a video that specific and I would have to watch different ones but I stumbled across this and saved so much time. This was perfect and exactly what I needed, thank you!

[@alicesrabbit7126]

You are doing amazing work that is saving us all a lot of time! I'm an adult returning to college, and I have sooooo much shit to deal with, ain't nobody got time to deal with choosing a decent, functional backpack from way too many! Thanks, love the channel, subbed.

[@mr.sluggz5420]

True

[@abmiveh9742]

Which one did you choose?

[@alicesrabbit7126]

@@abmiveh9742 LOL, tbh, I picked a Jansport Cool Student backpack in black and white herringbone. It was on sale for $19.95 around Christmas time!!! It's a good-looking backpack and it holds A LOT. I did buy a Recon, though, before that. I bought it from Amazon. It was nice, it was just STILL too small. I knew I needed a larger backpack, and before I watched this video, I grossly OVERESTIMATED the size of that backpack. Idk, maybe I just carry too much, but I just found it to be small. The other factor is that when I was a high school and college student, I did actually have a Jansport, so. I know it lasts forever (make sure the bottom is leather!) and that's what I'm comfortable with, I guess. Best of luck. I will leave you with some advice, though. Find a backpack you love and stalk the crap out of it for a couple of months. Check different TRUSTWORTHY, WELL-KNOWN websites and prices every day in a quick search. Watch the prices change. I had my eye on the Jansport Cool Student Backpack for a while. I noticed the patterns I didn't like would go up and down, and _the classic patterns and colors I reeeeeally wanted (the blacks, navys, grays, maroons, etc.)_ hardly ever changed...until they did! Have several patterns and colors as options when you are stalking prices. Be open. When the price on one of the ones you want goes down, GET IT. I wanted the Navy one. It was $25 when I went to bed and sold out when I got up to go ahead and purchase it. 🤦‍♀️ I kept watching and saw Macy's have a sale and lower the price down to $19.99 for the herringbone men's one I currently have. I just pulled the trigger and let go of getting a navy blue one, plus, I got one for men and not women. I still love it! Happy hunting.

[@margaretfulton3325]

I love my recon so much but I do find it can be a tiny bit small but I'm I'm high school!

[@BeautifuLakesStreamsBiologists]

For those who plan on using the borealis bungees often, plan on them eventually losing their elasticity. A good plan is to snake a separate bungee through the loops since it is easily replaced Cheers!

[@fldancer94]

This is the only thourough review I have ever seen! Thank you so much. It was very helpful.

[@j4nv]

Meticulously explained and showed up close. I would consider reviewing more products than just backpacks. Well done ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@duncanmattson475]

I have the Recon and the OG Borealis. I have always proffered the Borealis for day to day use. It was the backpack I used from senior year of high school through college. I still have it and use it from time to time and it is close to 10 year old. I got the Recon to replace the Borealis when I was in college I used it off and on but always went back to the Borealis for every day use. The Recon was just really big in comparison. The Recon is a great backpack for traveling. I was an athlete in college and used it for all my athletic stuff and athletic trips. Both backpacks are great options you really can’t go wrong with either one.

[@duncanmattson475]

Disclaimer the OG Borealis is much smaller then the newer version of the bag.

[@gilleojax]

Great review. I appreciate a quick review that gets right to it with “actual” specs and visual aids to explain the differences.

[@willderr20]

I love how in depth you go with your reviews. You really helped me narrow down my selection to The North Face brand of backpacks, and then down even further to the Recon for my own use case. I hope you all get a kickback from the referral links cause I just placed my order!

[@Live4Christ1995]

I think this is the best backpack review I've seen on youtube, very informative! You have a new subscriber :)

[@Backpackies]

Thank you!

[@julier.2418]

I agree

[@vivianhiralall7720]

Thank you for this! I couldn’t decide on which backpack would be better for school. Looks like it’ll be the recon. 😀

[@willthethrill521]

The most useful pack comparison on the net. god damn i wasted so much time until i found your videos. THANK YOU

[@emilys9017]

I recently bought the recon, excited to use it for college!

[@DanielleJaramilla]

I HATTTEE THE BOREALIS. Wish that wasn't my first choice 😫 no hate towards TNF, just don't LOVE the design of the borealis. First of all, it doesn't stand up straight, you always need to prop it up against a hard stable surface so it won't knock over... But most of all, it's designed in a SLANT and I hate that. it makes getting things out of the backpack so much harder and it makes it seem like there is much less space... it's not the most sound design ever & I would definitely go with the RECON AS FIRST CHOICE. no questions asked!

[@songpholaungkapipattanacha649]

I use Recon backpack for 7 months as EDC and weekend trip. The straps are comfort. The build quality is good. What I don't like is the main compartment opening is so small. There is plenty of space at the bottom of bag but the opening is the bottleneck. Packing this bag is not easy. And if you use the front organization pouch and laptop compartment it will getting much worse.

[@darkkittie099]

I also use the recon (women's) and I agree with everything you said. I do love the material used to make my backpack and the zippers (I have the gray/burnt coral design). I hope when they update the bag, they fix the organizational panel and the main compartment. I actually hope they get rid of the laptop compartment and make it into another large compartment. Also no slanting!

[@bxb26]

You read my mind choosing between these two bags, and now I've made my decision thanks to your perfectly detailed review. Thank you so much! Just liked/Subscribe

[@nicolasbusse]

Awesome, awesome, awesome. Best comparison I've seen in a while.

[@brookelvdk]

thank you!!! omg ive been trying to find out the difference between the womens and mens borealis for so long that ive given up. i clicked on this video because i wanted to find more about the recon but actually ended up getting an answer i wasn't looking for. thank you!

[@emilianoBPs]

Great amount of detail in this review, thank you!

[@jorgealfaro483]

Thank you now i have a good reference about those backpacks and I'm going to choose Borelais, for daily use and small hiking on weekends

[@tatespear5003]

WOW! this is so professional, informative, and helpful! thank you so much.

[@yvonne2965]

These look so much better in quality than the new ones

[@hipsie6587]

Honestly, the exclusion of daisy chains on the women’s borealis is sorta a deal breaker for me. It’s silly they don’t add them to the women’s version of this backpack!

[@evetmustafa5949]

This is a very informative video. I been having trouble deciding on a backpack. This helped a lot. Thank you.

[@jillianfitzgerald5978]

Are either of them waterproof?

[@franciscofuentes8916]

Thanks for the thorough review! I was thinking about a Patagonia Chacabuco but a Borealis is also an option. I think a Borealis is great for folks like me who like going to the park or doing outdoor activities whereas Recon is just for the city. Greetings from Chile

[@Backpackies]

Check out our 2023 Recon vs Borealis video to see what's new: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYecZIOsr8uclc0

[@pepperread1184]

Thanks so much for the actual dimensions and your thorough review. New sub. Looking forward to seeing more.

[@tirsajimenez265]

Thank you for this video I was debating between the two and this video was so informative.

[@yakovweinreb1921]

Great video, very detailed and easy to understand

[@tylerbowman3376]

Normal people: wow these are nice bags Me who has one: how is she standing these bags upright whats going on😂

[@ginnyweasley3515]

OMG I thought I was the only one thinking about this!

[@rednaxelagx8336]

Great video and good explained, thanks!

[@traj250]

Solid video! Really informative and high quality comparison video

[@AG_HP7]

I have the recon 2019 that I bought a year ago, is super tough for my college life, confiable for carrying a los of art stuff, it has a lot of apace,and is good for clip stuff on the outside, only complain I have is that is a bit to stiff on general and the mid section is a bit small, but over all is a fantastic bag

[@mr_red13]

As a college student myself, I'd like to ask a question if you don't mind as I'm considering either the Recon backpack or the Swissgear 1900. Would you recommend the Recon if you were to carry both a 13in laptop AND an 11in iPad (dedicated iPad holder)? I just don't want to be disappointed if the iPad doesn't fit with the laptop inside, while I'd still like room for books, binders, and a pair of noise canceling headphones.

[@AG_HP7]

@@mr_red13 I pick the Recon any day, it has a compartment for the iPad, and the front stash pocket has dayse chain to clip stuff and is can hold gloves and headphones, is a 30L backpack is a monster for holding stuff, check it out in the TNF website, is a good investment, it can hold pretty much any laptop and is good for those telly heavy loads, but is a bit weighty on itself but I'd say try both out and pick what your want brotha

[@mr_red13]

@@AG_HP7 thanks for your insight bro.

[@AG_HP7]

@@mr_red13 no worries mate! U welcome

[@fritz9880]

Excellent review and comparison - well thought out and informative. Thanks for making this video.

[@luispineda9566]

Thanks for this review!!! I love your channel

[@thekurtopian]

I found this video very helpful. Thanks for making it!

[@BillyBobMusic18]

which is better recon, borealis, quasar or nebula?

[@MsStarryEyed]

Thank you so much for this, it was incredibly helpful! Would you say both Recon and Borealis are the same in terms of sturdiness, as in, standing upright? The Recon appears to be more square in shape, so I’m curious if the Recon stands better than the Borealis. Any differences when each backpack is filled vs empty? (In how well it stays standing)?

[@dakshmota3480]

This is very helpful, thank you! I was wondering if you had any videos on The North Face Jester, Surge, and Router Transit. Thanks!

[@jpildave]

you are awesome! great job and thank you! now, if i could only make a choice between the Borealis vs. Surge! :)

[@thecasualdad84]

Awesome review! Can the laptop compartment actually fit a 15.6 in laptop? Or is the 15in the real max? Thanks!

[@sixtyfiveroses2968]

Awesome review, that was very helpful. Thank you!

[@LintonWong]

Very helpful review, thanks!!

[@E.T05]

Hey guys, how do you remove the waist belt?

[@bElMOdiS]

This video is AMAZING! Thank you!

[@doggodo6637]

Great video! 👍

[@LamoidZombieDog]

Looking at those backpacks they both look great. looking on the north face website its a completely different lookign bag, especially with the Recon, though also with the borealis? so what is going on here? your link takes me to a recon on a no longer sold option in moosejaw, and it looks like the video, but north face site looks different??

[@fatimaalobeidly70]

Hi. Thank you for the informative video. I would like to know if the recon and the borealis have a false bottom and if it thick enough to protector that laptop or not. 😁

[@ericwhill4647]

Perfect review! I look forward to warching more! Thank you!

[@simonvance8054]

Great review...detailed...thanks!

[@Arcanicious]

its not recommendable to decorate them with pins right?

[@PHUNGHIAPHAMLifeAdventure]

Thank you so much!

[@HotSizzleTV_]

Hey would you be able to do a video of “ recon, surge, borealies, jester” comparison I know the new versions came out 2021 of these packs would you be able to do the new ones that came out and the old ones 2020. I just bought the 2020 version of the recon and borealies, Surg but want to get the new ones as well I’m addictive to backpacks and also I can’t find any price for the bp20 and bp18 bags.

[@ABACUStoPC]

both models have been redesigned, now they look quite different from what are shown in the video

[@yoonie613]

Great video, thank you!!

[@LeOubreJr]

The bungee system seems a lot more usable than the quick stash pocket imo

[@jaiho745]

Great explanation!

[@sergiom9958]

I bought my borealis in Spain, and i think that it has some differences with the one in the video. I see the american version is more appropiate for real hiking.

[@yesseniaarauz7683]

Loved you video, I wish I would have seen this before I purchased my recon backpack. but love your review. Going to sub because of it hopefully you review other north face backpacks :)

[@abmiveh9742]

@Yessi A whats the issue with the recon?

[@yesseniaarauz7683]

@@abmiveh9742 Nothing actually, there wasnt any valid reviews for both backpacks at the time that i was looking to purchase my backpack. I went with the recon. And its AWESOME!!!!

[@philipbaldassini9528]

Awesome video can y’all u do the NF surge

[@abbyj3281]

How much do the bags weigh?

[@swarnavasarkar4360]

Awesome! Thank you.

[@egoeggo]

Great work!

[@Backpackies]

Thanks!

[@TechGearClothing]

Outside of these two packs, what’s your next favorite one? I’m always looking for new ones to review as well!

[@abbystephens5516]

Do they come in multi colors ?

[@salm8726]

I didn't even know that the bungee cord is used for all this!

[@bandarhawaii]

nice review!

[@gorgeouscassadario384]

I love backpackies and all the review. I have swissgear smartscan.I not a fan of northface.

[@paulyd7428]

Awesome video

[@aretti2491]

Great video! I think I go with Recon

[@sarah3796]

Could I see what it looks like on please?

[@norm9915]

i like the borealis better 🤘🏽

[@willyking5611]

Boreallis looks 👌pretty solid

[@StefanGPD]

I got the router, its like a mix of the recon 2019, router transit 2019 and surge 2019. Did a lot of hunting, even bought the recon, but if you want a backpack almost twice the size of the recon, but luck just as small as it, then I recommend the Router 2019.

[@ssjcj4081]

Thank you!!!

[@harrie6649]

Can a 17 inch laptop fit in the borealis

[@KhoaNguyen.08]

Great product vid! Now please do the North Face #Surge backpack.

[@soldier7338]

Maybe recon. (Petrol blue)

[@tatavelino]

If you're french you can carry beaucoup de baguette on this elastic bungee from Borealis ahhaa

[@shazadnadeem101]

I think old stuff like hackler hot shot and big shot are bigger and better than this new bags

[@adilenesanchez2519]

What specific color is the burgundy one

[@Backpackies]

It's a past season color: Deep Garnet Red/Cardinal Red You may be able to still find it from a retailer who still has stock of the older colors.

[@jgsk78]

all well done, except you didn't mention the hard back panel on the recon.. it looks like the borealis has got the same one.. (i only have the recocn) it's rather different from most other backpacks in how sturdy it is and how much protection it provides for laptop. one of the best in business..

[@wezzhunte3440]

Recon all the way 💯😈👍🏾

[@ye7451]

could the elastic bungie work for a snowboard

[@Backpackies]

The bungees on these backpacks might be too small for a snowboard unfortunately.

[@SassyMrsK]

Went from Jester to borealis

[@mayankpundir3120]

Can somebody tell me which one is for mens

[@katestrother6974]

I think both are available in a men's qnd women's version.

[@gabolujan3109]

I had no idea there was a woman’s and mens style

[@elitedragonslayer100]

Casual Marcus Aurelius cameo 👍

[@harrie6649]

Wil the PS4 fit in Both ?

[@lynnb2562]

Somehow every single comment ( including my original one) pointing out that the sizes of these bags are identical in size and TNF website has wrong measurements on it has been deleted... Hope that wasn't you because it is one thing to think you had it right because you followed the website, it is another to suppress truth.

[@Backpackies]

The comments weren't maliciously deleted. The entire video was deleted and as a consequence so were the original comments. This is a reupload with the correct information because a few viewers helpfully pointed out the measurement inaccuracies in the original video.

[@lynnb2562]

@@Backpackies That was my hope. You seemed like pretty decent folk, but these days, stuff is just weird on YT and you can never really tell. At any rate, I was at REI just today, these bags both measured identical to each other. I know that the Recon says it is 7 inches deep, but my measuring tape shows 8 inches just for the bottom panel not including the straps and front panel fabric, exactly the same as the Borealis. Same height and same width too. I become suspicious when I went to REI the first time to test stuff out with my packing cubes and fit a fully packed 5" garment folder, a 3" packing cube and still had an inch to stuff a flat daypack in the Recon. No way you do that with a 7" depth I don't care how tall and wide it is.

[@symmetricalastic]

I have the woman’s jester backpack 🎒

[@maritessafrica5942]

How much

[@symmetricalastic]

maritess Africa $69 plus tax I got mine at Journey’s but they also sell it at Nordstrom

[@PrincessSakuno]

I bought the recon because of all the good reviews online.. But I feel like it has some short comings. The backpack is a but too stiff and heavy for my personal liking, especially when I put alot of load in it. It's very good quality and has very good compartments but i feel like it's just a bit too heavy...

[@susanlopez9941]

Me too! I thought it was just me feeling it heavy. But you will get used to it.

[@lilinguyen3841]

PrincessSakuno the borelias is better

[@khalled2419]

Can’t concentrate with hodgetwins music in the back lol

[@brian55513]

Will recon hold an Ipad pro 10.5inch ?

[@Backpackies]

Hey, yes an iPad Pro will fit in the laptop compartment.

[@Sain065]

Borealis and it’s not even close 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@DanielleJaramilla]

Okay, honestly I have the new model of the Borealis and IT’S TRASH. First of all, WHO TF DESIGNED ITTTT??????????? I want to know. It’s designed slanted and it’s the worst thing ever because it won’t stay STANDING UP. 😠 Also, SPACE IS SO TINY !!!!! And it’s just not ergonomic !!!!! It’s terrible- I’m definitely switching to Recon 😑😪😪

[@lilinguyen3841]

민트Mint yes it won’t stand up on its own

[@vy4648]

👍👍👍

[@YoungHotYello]

hodgetwins

[@TobyIKanoby]

When they don't realize most of the world diesn't use inches... Bye bye.

[@sosilverraider7119]

They made the video in America I’m not gonna be mad a China man for speaking Chinese just because the majority of us speak English

[@TobyIKanoby]

@@sosilverraider7119 They only sell in the USA? Maybe quite a lot of people can speak English and understand English without living in the USA? It is just stupid, pretty much end of discussion.