Customer Reviews The North Face Surge Transit Backpack

I love how "sleek" this backpack looks. I wanted something that was stylish and didn't have a million things hanging off of it or look too bulky. My primarily use of it would be for a short, daily train commute, and secondary for travel. I first got the Microbyte, and even though I loved the look of it, I soon discovered it was pretty impractical and too small. I've been pretty happy since I decided to purchase this one. It's big so finding little items can feel a little frustrating, but love that I could carry whatever I need in it, from gym essentials to a lunch bag, or put away a big jacket if I don't need it anymore. It's comfortable and light weight, and well designed. I'm looking forward to using it for travel, too.

I really like this backpack. The dimensions scared me at first (I'm 5'3"), I thought it would look huge, but looks completely normal. It's smaller than I thought it would be. Two things I don't like: - the water bottle pockets are too large. I use a cycling water bottle and it has already fallen out - the backpack does not sit up. I like leaning it against the wall or my desk in class and it always slides down because of the shape of the back. Neither of these is a huge issue, and overall I very much like the backpack! I wanted a larger one for commuting and small trips so it works great for that.

I use the back pack for school and will have to set the backpack down on the ground but it doesn't stand. It carries all its weight in the front so it just tips and falls flat on its front because of the shape of the bag which is an inconvenience. I still like it though because there's a lot of pockets and the fabric is good for protecting electronics well.

This backpack is huge and it holds a lot! I'm 5'1 and it looks gigantic on me, but it's worth it because it fits everything I need (2 spirals, 2-3 folders, 2 one liter water bottles, 1 umbrella, 1 lunch tote, 1 pencil bag, etc.) It would probably be better if the design was wider instead of taller. Overall, it is great and I would highly recommend it!

This bag holds everything, even my 5 inch binder and book for Microbiology. This bag is amazing with pockets everywhere, including a lot more padded pockets than are shown. There is a pocket perfect for glasses that is padded, making it easy to keep up with the pesky things. The only con I had was when I first got it, the bag was SO STIFF. I had to wear it with books for about a week for it to loosen up. After you get through that the bag is amazing.

I use this for my school textbooks and laptop. I have 5 textbooks and a laptop in the bag at all times. Pretty durable!

This photo does NOT show the true colors of the backpack, which are a medium gray and a neon pink -- definitely not red. Additionally, the website does not clearly state that this color combo is for the Women's backpack only.

I am a current law student and bought this bag because of of its large size and pockets. It is roomy and pretty comfortable.

The bag is actually larger than I thought (even after reading other reviews) - I bought this for a trip, so that I could carry it on the airplane. After packing it full, I thought they honestly might make me check the bag, but they didn't! It was slightly uncomfortable but for how much stuff in it, it would only make sense. It worked perfectly for me, my only issue was the color was slightly different than the picture.. Heather grey/pink was more of a lavender color - not a big deal though!

This is a great stylish backpack. I'm a graduate student and basically live on campus so I have to carry everything with me when I step out of my house in the morning. This backpack fits my laptop, iPad, books, chargers, etc. while not making me look like a turtle with a huge backpack. The cons are that one: the biggest pocket only fits your laptop and maybe 1-2 notebooks comfortably without being super tight (which is not that big of a problem). Second con is that the backpack cannot stand up straight on its own. It does not sound like a big deal, but it gets really annoying every time I place my backpack down it either slides to the slide or falls face down and I worry about the stuff I have in there even though I know it provides great protection. I gave it four stars for that reason that it does provide great protection, it's really cute and I know it is durable and will last me a long time!

This is a great backpack that is extremely durable and I love how many compartments it has!

Okay, so I would really like to give this 4.5 stars. This bag is awesome! I take two different forms of transportation - bus and train - and I also frequently have work out clothes, shoes, files for work, my food for the day - breakfast/snacks/lunch - I really pack this to it's full capacity. It has tons of pockets - finally a safe place to put sunglasses! Even if you pack it full, b/c of the straps and support, it doesn't feel too heavy. (Though the bag itself, without anything in it, still has a bit of weight to it.) The only reason I wouldn't give it 5 stars is that I don't need the computer compartment and I feel like it takes up space that I could use better for the main compartment. So I tend to put my smaller size file folders in there and jam pack the bigger compartment in front. Also, because of the design, instead of packing out width wise, I tend to pack up the height of the bag. So my food bag tends to be the last thing I put in and it sits on top of everything else. If there wasn't the computer compartment, I think my things would be better distributed throughout the bigger compartment. But it's pretty impossible to find a commuter type bag without a computer compartment and I sort of had a feeling going into the purchase that I would have to work around this. I really, really love this bag. And the color! I got the Asphalt Grey Heather/Quail Grey. I use it to commute and bring between offices and I feel like it looks professional enough and not like I'm about to go to class.

I think this is a great product, I would buy again. I walk to work 1.5 miles each way, and this is what I usually have in my bag on my way home: lunch box, work shoes, coat, a planner, several notebooks, wallet, and then some little things. The bag still feels so light. Sometimes I also have a laptop in there. The straps don't dig in, I have pretty good ventilation, and still room for more if needed. My only complaint is that I can't easily reach my keys or phone without taking my bag off, there aren't any easily reached secure side pockets.

I really enjoyed using this pack

I bought this backpack for school after my extremely old Jansport began to fall apart. It was so much bigger than I expected it to be. I'm 5'9 and it was about the length of my torso. This backpack provides you with much more vertical space than horizontal, and as a student, I need more horizontal room for my books and binders. In addition to being long, it's HEAVY. This is due to all the padding and how it's built to last for a long time. The extra weight was too much for me. Sadly I had to return it because it wasn't right for me. Even though I never used it, I appreciated the many pockets it had for items. I think that this would be an excellent backpack for a serious hiker, or a person who wants a heavy duty backpack for college or other reasons. I will get the Recon instead. It looks like it's lighter and more geared towards students.

This backpack works great but as someone who has lots of binders and books it wasnt great because it had a lot of height for tall books but not enough depth. It looks like a hikers backpack there was no way i was gonna wear it to school but the blue and pink color was awesome. Also the padding on the backpack on the backpack is more hard than soft and comforting like the surge transit II

I have used a north face backpack for the past year and really enjoyed it. However, I wanted something with more pockets so that I wouldn't have to dig through my backpack looking for my keys. I chose this one because I liked the way it looked and the many pockets. When the backpack came I was impressed by all the storage, but it is very large if you are just looking to store books, binders and a laptop for school. The ultimate reason why I decided to return it is that it does not stand up, so it's constantly falling over which is very annoying and inconvenient.

The bookbag is so big. It's a great and roomy bag but it's really big.

I like the different compartments of this backpack. I previously had a very old style the "Sweeper" for the past 12 years. Nothing would break that backpack down. I got a new one was because the clip holding the laptop sleeve in that version was frayed. And because, well, it was 12 years old. I do love this bag. I got the ASPHALT GREY HEATHER/QUAIL GREY color and it is as expected. This is my first time owning a "women's" specific backpack. I love the compartments. They hold their form even when they are shoved full of small or large things. The very front pocket is particularly great. I do wish for a catch all sleeve in the main pocket for my pencil bag. There are pencil slots in the front pocket (not external pocket) but I don't like to have to reach into 3 different compartments for my things when I unpack at class. I fly a lot and a complaint of mine is the height and stiffness of the back. It is just a few inches too long to fit comfortably tucked under the seat in front of you on a standard flight. I am hoping it will loosen up a little for leg room while flying. My two biggest concerns are as follows. 1. The water bottle pockets are insanely loose. I have a 27 oz. Klean Kanteen bottle as well as a 17 oz. insulated Swell bottle and both go FLYING out of the water bottle pocket as a swing the backpack around to put it on. I can only assume something along the lines of a Nalgene would stay put. Since this bag is marketed for a commuter I was surprised to find that only large camping style water bottles would fit securely. 2. The back is very tall and stiff, but for some reason the bag will not stand up on its own. I am 5 5, but do have a very long torso. The bag spans my entire back and if I lean my head back the stiff back hits me in the back of the head. It is a mystery to me how such a stiff backed and form holding bag can still fall over no matter what position you try to prop it up in-- regardless of it if is full or empty.

I love how the bag is created very nicely, with the interiors able to protect all of your valuable devices, and overall how durable it is. However, I do not like how big it is. Me being 5'6" the bag was the size of my torso. I liked how it was from the color options, to the amount of space it had for any items you chose to put in it. The only downside was the size of the bag. I would recommend this item to anyone who likes hiking or another outdoor activities that requires you having enough storage, not for anyone who needs it for educational purposes (High school, college, etc.)

I have been looking for a backpack in lieu of my standard wheelie bag (carry on) for travel. When I saw the Surge Transit, it was like finding the holy grail. Not only would it accommodate my laptop, but I would be able to cram all my necessities in for a short trip. Even better: taking a longer trip with the family and having the ability to use both arms! The best: not having to wrestle with luggage at security. Unfortunately, the Surge Transit and I don't seem to play well together. It's a bit too large for my 5'3" frame. The shoulder straps dig into my neck and shoulders while the backpack is empty. The footprint of the bag is, essentially, the size of my torso. Absolutely nothing could be done to make it suitable for me. For as much as I want to keep the backpack (oh...the space, the pockets - the 80 billion pockets, and the lovely patriot blue), I'm going to have to do the sensible thing and return it. It's not a good pack (personally) if you can't use it comfortably. 3 stars as the quality of the bag is great. It simply does not suit the need of the customer.

This book bag is spacious I often loose stuff from all the pockets..however we went on a walking field trip with my campers my back was soaking wet in the shape of a square from the backpack...and wet where the straps were..won't do that again I brought the bag for traveling hopefully won't get wet again

We bought this backpack for our middle school daughter in March and it seemed to perfect...roomy, lots of pockets sturdy, etc. We were thrilled about our decision to spend extra for what appeared to be a durable backpack. After two weeks use the shoulder strap ripped. We contacted NF regarding an exchange/replacement since we had the back pack less than a month, we were forced to send it in for repair AFTER ONLY 2 WEEKS USE!! We mailed the backpack to NF the first week of April, we have not heard from them since...it is now June 24. NF has not updated us on the status of the repair nor responded to our multiple requests for a replacement. SO EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED IN NORTHFACE!!! The LIFETIME warranty is a joke-- there doesn't even seem to be a TWO WEEK warranty. Doubt we will buy another NF product.....ever.

The overall design of this backpack is disappointing. The most frustrating thing about this backpack for me was that it will not stand on its own. Second, I cannot fit all of my books and notebooks comfortably. I have three 1inch binders, two notebooks and two small textbooks and have to switch them out for my classes which causes me to forget things sometimes. In my opinion this backpack is very tall, the extra space in the height of this backpack should be used to make it wider so that it can accommodate more books.

Very poorly designed, it is completely impractical to load, unload or store. The back is curved which might be useful if you have a hunchback and or use it cycling, but most of the time that means it falls over whenever I set it upright to put things in or take things out. When I want to set it to the side, it always falls flat which is annoying because I don't know who would store or load or unload a backpack this way. This is my third North Face backpacks and I loved my other two (which lasted a long time), but this will probably be my last unless they fix these serious design flaws.