The North Face Recon is a 30 liter daypack with a dedicated compartment for a laptop up to 16 inches. It suits school, commuting and day walks, and it stands up on its own when you set it down. The American Chiropractic Association certifies its FlexVent suspension system The North Face.
Recon at a glance
30liters
Volume
UP TO
16inches
Laptop compartment
2lbs 9 oz
Weight
11.6'' x 7.5'' x 19.3''
Dimensions
The North Face lists these specs on its Recon Backpack 30L page, style NF0A52SH The North Face.
Volume
30 liters (1,831 cubic inches)
Laptop compartment
Up to 16 inches, sleeve 18.9'' x 11''
Weight
2 lbs 9 oz (1,165 g) average
Dimensions
11.6'' x 7.5'' x 19.3''
Style
NF0A52SH
Sizes
One size
Suspension
FlexVent, certified by the American Chiropractic Association
Sternum strap with whistle buckle, removable waist belt, daisy-chain webbing, side and bottom compression, reflective details
How many liters is the North Face Recon backpack?
The Recon holds 30 liters, which The North Face also lists as 1,831 cubic inches The North Face. That is 2 liters more than the Borealis at 28 liters, and 1 liter under the Surge at 31 liters The North FaceThe North Face.
How big is the North Face Recon backpack?
The North Face lists the Recon at 11.6'' x 7.5'' x 19.3'' The North Face. In centimetres that is 29.5 x 19.1 x 49. The pack comes in one size. The women's version is shorter and narrower at 10.8'' x 7.5'' x 18.9'' The North Face.
Can the North Face Recon fit a 16 inch laptop?
Yes, The North Face lists a protective, dedicated 16 inch laptop compartment The North Face. The sleeve itself measures 18.9'' x 11'', or 48 cm x 27.9 cm. Measure the footprint of your own machine against those two numbers before you order.
How much does the North Face Recon backpack weigh?
The North Face lists an average weight of 2 lbs 9 oz, which is 1,165 g The North Face. That is 105 g above the women's Recon at 1,060 g, by our maths The North Face.
Recon or Women's Recon?
Both hold 30 liters and both take a 16 inch laptop. The men's Recon is the taller body with the larger laptop sleeve. The women's Recon uses a women-specific FlexVent yoke in a shorter shell The North Face.
The men's Recon carries 105 g more for the same 30 liters, by our maths. A third option, the Women's Recon Luxe 30L, matches the women's Recon and adds a metallic embroidered logo and metallic zipper pulls.
The North Face lists a DWR finish, which means water repellent and not waterproof. The finish makes the fabric shed light rain. In heavy rain, put a liner or a dry bag around anything that must stay dry The North Face.
!
The laptop sleeve measures 18.9'' x 11'' and takes a laptop up to 16 inches. A 16 inch screen sits at the top of that range. Check the width and the depth of your own machine first The North Face.
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The average weight is 2 lbs 9 oz, or 1,165 g, before you load anything. Count that in your daily carry. The Jester 28L is the lighter shell in the same family at 740 g The North FaceThe North Face.
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The North Face lists this pack in one size, with a removable waist belt. The belt comes off if you want a plain daypack shape. The women's Recon is the shorter shell for a smaller torso The North FaceThe North Face.
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The North Face says to spot clean bags and never to machine wash them. Plan on a damp cloth, mild soap and air drying. The brand also says not to submerge a bag, bleach it or iron it product care.
How the Recon compares
North Face Recon vs Borealis
The Recon gives you 2 more liters and a longer laptop sleeve. The Borealis is the lighter shell and adds an external bungee-compression system with clips, side bungee cords and bottom compression The North Face.
Bungee compression with clips, side bungee cords, bottom compression
Lash points
Daisy-chain webbing
Bungee compression with clips
Style
NF0A52SH
NF0A52SE
The Recon carries 115 g more than the Borealis, about 11 percent more, by our maths. The Borealis is the wider and slimmer of the two.
North Face Recon vs Surge
The Surge is the bigger pack at 31 liters, and both take a laptop up to 16 inches. The Surge adds two external J-zip pockets, one of them fleece lined The North Face.
The Surge adds 1 liter and 95 g over the Recon, by our maths. It is also the taller pack by 0.7 inches.
North Face Recon vs Jester
The Recon is the bigger pack, and the Jester is the much lighter one. We also have a Four Checks report on the Women's Jester. The Jester 28L holds 28 liters in a 740 g shell and keeps the 16 inch laptop sleeve The North Face.
The Jester is 425 g lighter than the Recon, about 36 percent less, by our maths. The Recon answers back with 2 more liters and the removable waist belt.
Is the North Face Recon waterproof?
No, The North Face lists the Recon as water repellent, not waterproof The North Face. The spec sheet names a non-PFC durable water-repellent finish, shortened to non-PFC DWR. That finish sits on the outside of the fabric and makes water bead up and run off.
Non-PFC means the finish is made without the fluorinated chemicals the industry is moving away from. Solid colors use 210D recycled nylon ripstop. Heather colors use 300D heathered recycled polyester ripstop. Both carry the same non-PFC DWR finish.
Tip
Water gets in at the zips and the seams. Put anything that must stay dry inside a bag of its own.
Is the Recon good for school and college?
The North Face aims it there. The brand describes a large main compartment for books and binders, and a front compartment with secure-zip pockets and a padded tablet sleeve The North Face. The laptop rides in its own protective compartment behind that.
Two more pockets sit on the outside: one fleece lined for sunglasses, a phone or keys, and one in stretch mesh. Two external water bottle pockets sit on the sides.
The pack also uses a stand-up design, which The North Face lists for easier packing and unpacking. A pack that holds its shape is simpler to load at a desk or a locker. Reflective details and a sternum strap with a whistle buckle round out the list.
Is the Recon good for hiking and day trips?
The North Face calls it a daypack. The brand says the 30 liter Recon excels as a daypack with its large mesh storage pocket and daisy-chain attachment points The North Face. Daisy-chain webbing gives you lash points for gear on the outside.
For heavier loads the pack adds a sternum strap and a removable waist belt. The North Face says those two plus the FlexVent system make carrying heavier loads easier.
This is a 30 liter daypack, not a multi-day pack. An overnight load sits outside what The North Face lists it for.
What the FlexVent back system does
FlexVent is the part the American Chiropractic Association certifies. The North Face describes articulated shoulder straps, a rounded back panel, comfortable stitch lines and soft-touch chemise fabric The North Face. The same system runs through the Borealis and the Surge.
The North Face's own fit guide says to use both straps at all times fit guide. The guide calls one-strapping a cause of spinal imbalance and long-term muscle strain. It also says to pull the shoulder straps down and back so they wrap close around your shoulders.
Loosen both shoulder straps and unclip the sternum strap before you load the pack.
Fit the removable waist belt, or take it off if you do not want it.
Put the heaviest items in the main compartment, flush against the back panel.
Keep those heavy items in the middle of the pack, not high and not low.
Pack soft items around them so nothing shifts as you walk.
Slide the laptop into its own compartment, screen side towards your back.
Put the tablet in the padded tablet sleeve inside the front compartment.
Load pens and cables into the secure-zip pockets in that front compartment.
Drop a bottle into each side pocket, one on each side, to balance the load.
Pull the side compression straps and the bottom compression in on a part-full load.
Lift the pack onto both shoulders, then pull the shoulder straps down and back.
Fasten the sternum strap across your chest so the straps sit closer in.
The packing guide explains why steps 3 and 4 matter. Heavy gear too high pulls you backward, and heavy gear too low makes the pack sag packing guide.
Care and quick fixes from the manual
How to wash a North Face Recon backpack
The North Face says to spot clean a backpack rather than wash it product care.
Empty every pocket and shake the loose dirt out.
Wipe the outside with a damp cloth.
Work mild soap into any marks that stay.
Rinse the soap away with cool water.
Leave the pack to air dry.
Before you start
The North Face says never to machine wash a bag or tumble dry it, and not to submerge it in water product care.
How to dry it
Air dry the pack product care. Open every zip first so air reaches inside. A machine dryer sits outside the care guidance, and heat is what damages the water-repellent finish. The brand also says bleach and irons can damage a bag.
If a zipper or seam fails
The North Face covers products that fail from a manufacturing defect under its Limited Lifetime Warranty warranty.
Photograph the damaged part.
Fill in the online warranty claim form with those photos ready.
Wait for the warranty team, which The North Face says answers in 5 to 7 business days.
Have proof of purchase to hand, because a claim may need it.
Send the item in if the claim is approved, then a repair or a replacement follows.
The warranty runs for the original owner, for the reasonably expected lifetime of the product warranty. Damage from accidents, improper care, negligence or normal wear and tear sits outside it.
Recon FAQ
Does the North Face Recon stand up on its own?
Yes. The North Face lists a stand-up design for easier packing and unpacking The North Face. A padded top grab handle sits above it for lifting the pack.
Does the Recon have a tablet sleeve as well as a laptop sleeve?
Yes, both. The protective laptop compartment takes a laptop up to 16 inches, and the front compartment holds a separate padded tablet sleeve The North Face.
Is the Recon made from recycled material?
Yes. Solid colors use 210D recycled nylon ripstop, and heather colors use 300D heathered recycled polyester ripstop The North Face. Both carry a non-PFC DWR finish.
How much is the North Face Recon backpack?
See today's price with the link above.
The verdict
4/4 PASS
No. 079 · The North Face Recon Backpack
Big everyday carry for school, work and trail.
The Recon 30L suits a student or a commuter who carries a 16 inch laptop and a full day of books. The North Face pairs 30 liters with a dedicated laptop compartment, a front organizer, two bottle pockets and a removable waist belt. The American Chiropractic Association certifies its FlexVent back system, and the non-PFC DWR finish handles light rain.
4/4 PASS
