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Carrie Millemann photo
United States of America, Salem
1 Level
446 Review
0 Karma

Review on πŸŽ’ Stylish and Durable: North Face Surge Heather Black Backpacks for the Urban Explorer by Carrie Millemann

Revainrating 3 out of 5

Overall a great backpack but very uncomfortable when fully loaded.

I've been looking for a long time for a backpack that I can take with me on a trip with hand luggage only. After testing many bags I settled on the TNF Surge as it had all the features I needed, great organization and the perfect size. Overall it was an incredible bag, it fit under the seat in front of me, it had a compartment for tech gear and separate areas for laptop and tablet. However, there was one fatal flaw that became apparent after just a few days of use: *** it was very uncomfortable *** The shoulder straps cut into my chest and carrying the backpack hurt my back a lot. It was boxed for about 17 pounds. I have since replaced it with a more suitable hiking pack of the same size and it is very comfortable. It seems to me that this backpack is not designed to carry heavy loads or feel comfortable in fully loaded. The shoulder straps don't feel great, are very stiff and don't have any weight lifting features. The back panel lies flat against the back, which is a lot less comfortable than a bag with some curvature, and the hip belt is utterly useless for shifting weight off the shoulders. If you want this backpack to be able to carry a heavy load, I would look for brands that are more focused on comfort. (Osprey, Gregory and others). and would recommend waist belts. That aside, I'll probably use it as my daily wear when I'm done with my trip as I really liked it aside from those issues.

Pros
  • Cool
Cons
  • Almost everything is fine