Best North Face Backpack for Diaper Bag
Hey, it's Jen from backbackies.com andin this video I'm going to do a North Face Recon vs Borealis backpackcomparison. I'm going to explore each nook and cranny to see what the realdifferences are because when shopping for a North Face backpack I know thatthese two models are really popular.
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 So I want to answer the question: what's thedifference? Before I begin I just want to say that I do have the women's versionsof the Recon and Borealis in front of me. But trust me when I say that thedifferences between the men's and the women's versions are minimal. The maindifference is in the size of the shoulder straps and back panels.Â
On themen's version you will have wider shoulder straps to accommodate broadershoulders. In the case of the North Face Borealis the men's version is alsolarger by one liter. Other than that both the men's and women's versions havethe exact same pockets and compartments.
 I just wanted to point that out becausethis comparison will still be very informative even if you are shopping forthe men's version. With that said let's get into some quick specs so we can seehow the Recon and Borealis differ on paper. On the official North Face websitethe Recon and Borealis state measurements that are a bit misleading.It makes it seem like the Borealis is larger when it comes to dimensions.
 Whenactually measured however the Recon is the larger backpack of the two, coming inat around 21 inches in height with a 15 inch overall width. The main compartmentitself has a depth of about 8 inches with an overall depth being closer to 9inches. The borealis also measures differently with an overall height ofaround 19.5 inches with a 14.5 inches width.Â
The maincompartment inside the borealis is actually only 7 inches deep with theoverall outer depth being closer to 8 inchesIf we go by the actual measurements the Borealis is the slightly smallerbackpack both in volume and dimensions. The Borealis also has a smaller carryingcapacity at 27 liters for the women's version and 28 liters for the men'sversion. So it's worth noting that the men's Borealis will have slightly largerinternal main compartment dimensions when compared to the women's version.Â
TheRecon on the other hand has a carrying capacity of 30 litres making it thelarger backpack by 2 to 3 litres. So what does that even mean? Because a 3 literdifference really isn't all that much. Here is a 1 liter bottle of water forvisual reference. The extra space in the North Face Recon can be found in theheight and depth of the main compartment when compared to the North Face Borealis.The Recon is really not that much bigger but it can make the difference if you'rethe type of person to pack your backpack to it's max and need the extra room. When it comes to materialsI found that both backpacks use the exact same fabrics.
 The fabrics canchange depending on what color you choose, but both the Recon and Borealisuse 600 denier polyester, 500 denier nylon, Cordura nylon ripstop and a fewother materials. So it's pretty safe to say that both backpacks are the same inquality and construction since they used the exact same materials. What I foundinteresting about North East backpacks is how similar they are to each other.Some designs are very different but what I was surprised to learn was that theNorth Face Recon and Borealis are way more similar than they are different. Forexample both backpacks have small fleece lined pockets on the front.Both have the same front compartment with an organizer panel for things likepens, a phone and other small items.
 They even have the same stash pockets in thiscompartment. And both the Recon and Borealis have the same 15-inch laptopcompartment that is located in the back of the backpack. On the outside of thebags you have a padded top handle, stretch water bottle pockets on the sideand on the back of each backpack you can find a sternum strap and removable waistbelt. Both the Recon and Borealis also feature North Face's FlexVentsuspension system and injection molded shoulder straps.Â
So both backpacks feelthe same when worn because it's the same exact back-panel and shoulder strapsbeing used in both models. As you can see both backpacks are incredibly similar.When it comes to storage you are looking at the exact same pockets. So if you werewondering which backpack is better for school or daily carry then the answer isboth because they're just not that different. The real difference betweenthe Recon and Borealis are on the exterior.Each backpack has special carry features on the outside that are worthconsidering when choosing between the two.
 Let's start with the Borealis, thisbackpack is known for its elastic bungee system. It has these small tie out loopswith an elastic bungee cord running through them. You've probably seen thisbungee system in a ton of different backpacks. What it's used for isattaching large and bulky items to the front of the backpack. It's great forquickly tying down a jacket or sweater but it's also great for oversizeditems. Let's say you're going to the beach, you can tie down your beach toweland it can even work for longer items like a yoga mat. This elastic bungeesystem is actually incredibly functional and you can find a million ways to useit.Â
Below the elastic bungee you have asmall lash tab and that's for attaching something like a carabiner or bike light.Moving on to the North Face Recon you have a completely different outsidedesign. There is no elastic bungee system and instead what you have is this quickstash pocket. Although the pocket is extendable using the side compressionstraps it really isn't that large. The pocket itself measures down to about9.5 inches and there is no way to strap anything down.Unlike the Borealis oversized items aren't going to fit in here. If you havea light sweatshirt or jacket, it might fit.
 Smaller items like a bike lock or asmall notebook will fit just fine but it's definitely too small for a pair ofshoes or a bike helmet. I find myself using this stash pocket when I'm too busy toopen up a zipper and just need to put something away really quickly. So it isuseful it's just not very large. Another difference on the Recon is the inclusionof these daisy chains on the front of the stash pocket. These daisy chainsare made for attaching external items.
 The newer versions of the men's NorthFace Borealis do include something similar but the women's Borealis doesnot have any daisy chain attachments whatsoever. And just like the Borealisthe Recon also includes a small lash tab on the bottom of the bag. So that's it!Those are the differences between the North Face Recon and the North FaceBorealis.
 Since both backpacks are so similar itreally comes down to the Recon stash pocket versus the Borealis elasticbungee system. The North Face Recon is also slightly larger at 30 liters so ifyou need the extra space for books binders and clothes then going with thelarger backpack might be the better choice.
I hope this comparison has helped you decide on which backpack is best for you.Links to where to purchase these backpacks are in the video descriptionso make sure to check those out and for more backpack reviews and buying guidesmake sure to check us out at backpackies.com Thanks for watching.
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