Customer Reviews The North Face Borealis

I wish I could give this review a 0/5. Previously I had a North Face Borealis backpack for 7 years. The padding wore down but after 7 years it was justifiable to buy a new one. Last year I bought a new one an 3 months in I had to sent it in because the strap had broke off. After I sent it in I thought it was fixed or so I thought. So now a year after not only is the strap ripping that I sent in to get fixed but the stitching of the backpack is coming undone and the backpack is starting to tear apart. I did not pay this much money to have my backpack fall apart so many times. I tried to talk to customer service about replacing the backpack and they made it clear that I had to send it in and they would decide if it should be replaced or simply fixed. Clearly it should not be just fixed if this is the second time in two years. Also about myself I am a college student that uses this backpack for school and work. Most days I go straight from class to work. That being said as a college student working a low paying job I bought this backpack to last not to send in every few months.

I should have listened to the other bad reviews. I had high hopes for this though because there were also so many good reviews. THIS BACKPACK IS EXTREMELY STIFF! It is NOT comfortable at all! The back and the shoulder straps are sooo hard. I'm so disappointed. I also wish the backpack would stand up by itself if not leaned against a wall. For an expensive item, you would expect better. They really need to redo this design. I was really looking forward to this backpack, I'm so sad! I'm sure there are better options out there with other brands. I'm going to return this and find something else.

I bought this book bag to replace my first Northface book bag that I had for years and loved. I was really excited for this purchase when I finally got it in the mail. It had a lot of room and was extremely comfortable. But, within a week of using it at school, I began to notice that the water bottle pockets were ripping. I could not believe it because my original book bag never had wear and tear so quickly. Now, I have two large holes on both water bottle pockets. Also, the inside lining is ripping off. I don't know why the quality of the book bag has decreased so significantly, but I will be looking at different brands in the future.

I use this backpack for school. I love the laptop sleeve, which is the reason I bought it. But the backpacks's straps are breaking. I don't even carry a lot in it besides my laptop.

this backpack had really no room other then the exact pockets. it hurt my shoulders really badly and i only had it for one day. fit my laptop fine and has lots of pockets but just stiff as a board. i tried to return after one day of knowing it's not going to work and both face refuses to accept it because i used it. never shopping through north face again

I would not recommend this backpack if you need to carry a lot of things. It Can fit barely anything before it starts to weigh a ton. There is a large hard flat piece on the back not allowing the bag to get smaller, it always stays the same shape ( not practical on airplanes where space is limited). I used this backpack to travel and I could not comfortably fit a laptop and tablet inside, along with other travel necessities. I wish I could return this product- sadly it was a gift and I used it immediately after receiving it for a trip. Huge waste of money that I'll never get back. I'll be looking for another backpack.

I ordered this backpack in TNF WHITE/CALYPSO CORAL and was disappointed when it arrived. The backpack itself was very well designed but the white of the front was extremely see-through.

This bag is way too heavy. With just one laptop, one notebook, and a few pencils and pens, it weighs me down. Would not recommend for college.

This back is smaller than I expected and the padding on the back was really hard (like a piece of hard plastic). The straps are also quite hard. and bag itself has quite a bit of weight. When I had 3 notebooks, a laptop, and pens/calculator, and school supplies, it felt like there were several textbooks in my bag. The bag was bought primarily for university use, however, I wouldn't recommend this bag.

After 7 years with my old North Face Borealis backpack and the padding was worn down it was time for a new backpack. Well of course I got another Borealis when my last one lasted so long. After about three months of use for school the strap practically ripped off. I am very disappointed. Since I already purchased the backpack I sent it to get fixed under warranty which is a bear of it's own. Hopefully it is an easy and permanent fix but I am very upset about my backpack.

I HATE this backpack. >:( I was excited for this purchase but was highly disappointed. These backpacks suck if you're a college student. There is no way to make the straps comfortable and its unnecessarily bulky, it really isn't that spacious! DO NOT RECOMMEND

This backpack hurts my back!! I've used it all year because it's expensive, but I'm ordering another backpack right now from another brand. The straps are horrible and I can never make them feel comfortable. The inside also doesn't have as much space as I was expecting and it was difficult to fit all of my things for school in it. However, I like the laptop sleeve and the organizational features.

I have had 2 older model Borealis in the past which I really liked. My wife has one now. Unfortunately TNF has ruined the backpack with the latest redesign. They have added a very rigid back plate which ruins the pack and they have converted the Borealis into a laptop/school backpack which is worthless for day hiking. Even though TNF states that this is a 28L pack, the same as my previous one, this version does not hold anywhere as much due to the backplate and the narrower sides. This is a real shame as the previous Borealis were great. To make matters worse, the back zipper snags due to the new stiff handle and backplate. Wish I could buy an old design some where.

I can't get it to sit on the ground without falling over. Very frustrating

I got this backpack for high school because the padding on it helps with my back problems and gives off extra support. After trying to wash it and putting it inside a pillow case like what you are supposed to do when you wash a backpack, it now has a big rip in the side of it and is non usable now!

Currently looking for a backpack that won't ruin all of my shirts. Get it together North Face. I'm nothing short of angry.

I bought this bag because I really liked the idea of having a north face bag. Once I started college and used the bag I noticed many annoying things of the bag. If i put a laptop (MacBook air) and two flat folders in it my bag looks like I'm carrying 2 college textbooks and a bunch of rocks. Second, if I try to lay it near me while I am sitting it can not stay up by itself like any other normal bag I have owned, instead it just tips over onto the ground. Also there is a very limited amount of space to carrying course materials around. I spent about 100$ to be very disappointed in my purchase I was looking forward to buying in the beginning.

It started raining on my way to class today and I figured my belongings were safe due to the fabric that this backpack is made out of and also the flaps that cover the zipper. When I got to class, however, I pulled out my soaked notes, textbooks, and laptop, most of which were sitting in excess water at the bottom of the bag. I had hopes that my laptop was safe in its pocket but when I opened it there was water all over the screen and in the keyboard so I might be looking at irreparable water damage. I was only in the rain for a max of five minutes and this thing couldn't protect my stuff.

Carried this for not even 30 days for school and the inside has already ripped open. I only carry my macbook air and a notebook in it. would not buy again

I purchased this pack for my daughter for college. The fit and look of the pack was nice, however, the first time she walked in the rain we realized it was not a good choice. Everything in her pack got soaking wet. And I mean soaking, dripping useless wet. We now have to buy all new supplies and books. Thank God her laptop cover protected her laptop and just the cover was wet. (at least some companies know how to make good products) So for the money, maybe Northface could have thrown in a rain cover like some packs do.

Took this backpack with me while studying abroad. One day I got caught in a small, short rain shower. The water seeped through the backpack and got my laptop wet which destroyed my hard drive. Not only did it lose a computer, but I also lost all of my pictures and memories from my six months abroad. I would not recommend this product, especially for the prices. I expected more from the north face.

This backpack is terrible. I had an older NF backpack that was lost to a house fire. I purchased this as a replacement as that model was no longer made as they were about equivalent sized. This thing has a giant piece of plastic in the back. The plastic bends if it is not carrying a laptop, making this backpack awkward and awful. The bendy plastic thing proceeds to limit what you can get in/how you can pack the bag. Because it is a NF bag, I'm sure it will last forever, which in this case is a horrible realization.

My daughter ordered this backpack for HS. The dimension say 8" deep. However the only part that is 8' was the very bottom. The portion that you would keep notebooks is only 6" deep at best. This is a lot of money for a backpack that is only 6" deep. She does however like the front pocket and and how is it organized.

Overpriced

the back of it is so stiff it hurts my back and the straps of it are like rock hard north face this backpack sucks don't get it there like no room what so ever