Today I wanted to look at a basic backpack, or daypack rather, that has been around for quite a while. It's The North Face Borealis backpack and today I want to pay particular attention to the version of this model for women.
The North Face Borealis Backpack for Women
Probably more appropriate for day-to-day use, but if your hiking is light, the Borealis backpack will work fine. Plenty of storage and a stylish look are the main plus points.
Summary
Brand and Model | The North Face Borealis Backpack For Women |
Price | |
Our Rating | |
Pros | Lightweight with plenty of storage space; Waterproof and windproof so perfect for multi-purpose outdoor use; Zip cover adds additional waterproof protection to keep contents dry; Two very large main storage compartments are perfect for carrying extra gear and supplies; Modern look with good weight distribution |
Cons | No rain cover or a lot of other hiking specific features; No specific hydration pocket for a hydration pack; Not really relevant for hiking but if you're using it for college, watch laptop size as bigger ones may not fit |
Best Uses | Day-to-day casual use, light hiking |
Review
The North Face Women’s Borealis Backpack is a best seller from The North Face and has been for some time. The women-specific version of this daypack provides 25-liters of pack volume so there is a reasonable amount of space in there for most stuff you will need for a day hike.
There are two large zip pockets, similar to most standard day packs. These are of course easily accessible and so you can quickly pack your stuff away and hit the trail.
The main compartment features a padded laptop sleeve (fits most 15" laptops), and the other large secondary zip pocket has built-in organizational sleeves like pen holders and that type of thing. I think that gives you a hint about the main purpose of the design of this pack.
There's a bungee cord on the face of the pack that lets you store additional gear, or cinch down contents inside. The pack also has adjustable shoulder straps and a back panel that can also be adjusted for comfort.
Customer Reviews
As of the day of this posting, from 200+ reviews across multiple retailers, 93% gave the Borealis 4 stars or more out of 5, and 79% gave 5 stars. That's a lot of satisfied customers!
Our Rating 4.5 (Out of 5)
The North Face Borealis Backpack for Women Features Summary
- lexVent suspension system
- Women-specific shoulder straps
- Panel access
- Removable hip belt
- 210D Cordura nylon
- Fleece-lined sunglasses pockets
- Water bottle pockets
- 15-inch laptop compartment
Conclusion
I think The North Face Borealis pack for women is fine for general usage. Perfect for a weekend trip or if you're a college student packing books and so on away. It has a long history and oodles of positive reports from lot's of happy owners all over the internet.
Now, as you can probably tell, I don't think it's the most ideal for hiking. However, that does not mean it can't be used for that very purpose. You can always buy a rain cover separately and ultimately you just need space to put stuff in so you can take it out on the trail with you.
However, I don't think this day pack is designed with only hiking in mind and there are better day pack options available for the same price, that are more suited to hiking. In saying that though, if you're a casual hiker and want a multi-purpose bag, this will do the trick just fine and it is good quality, hence the high rating.
If you're unsure about what you should be looking for when buying a day pack for the trail, check out this buying advice which covers all the main points you should think about when making an informed decision.