North Face Borealis 28 Reviewed in 2025

The North Face Borealis 28L backpack is ideal for outdoor outings or to take to work. Make use of the pockets to organize your mountain gear or your notebooks and laptop for work.

After a year of testing, we can see why it’s so popular as a school bag and for commuters. It’s one of the most solid backpacks in terms of utility because of its size and features, and one of the best in terms of value.

It also has a hydration pocket and water bottle holder to easily transform your day bag into a hiking backpack.

Designed with padded shoulder straps, a mesh back panel, and Spine Channel it not only help distribute weight but, also helps with perspiration.

The primary tester has been Bradley who also used his friends and family to test different body shapes and responses to the ergonomics of the Borealis. He’s used it for hiking, as a carry-on and for commuting to work on a bike and by train.

Construction

The North Face Borealis backpack is a simple backpack that is easy to use. All the compartments close with easy-to-pull zippers. The main compartment opens up halfway, making it easier to find small items that get lost at the bottom. The separate computer compartment is great as it keeps your tech equipment separate from your other items. This is a great backpack for the average person since it doesn’t come with too many pockets. The adjustable bungee system and water bottle holders are functional and simple.

North Face made sure that this backpack is comfortable. The compression panel bottom can be pulled tight when the interior isn’t full. That prevents the bottom from swinging around unnecessarily. The thin hip-belt gives you a little extra support and takes the weight off your shoulders when you need it.

Water Resistance

It’s important to note that this backpack is not waterproof, but water-resistant. The zippers are protected by flap covers and offer a fantastic level of water protection when walking or cycling in the rain for a half hour or so.

With a laptop in the back compartment–the one also intended for a hydration pack–laptops survive without damage from condensation or rain. Should someone be stuck in a storm for more than. 30 minutes, a backpack cover is definitely a good idea. Otherwise, we’ve not had any issues when cycling in wet weather.

Capacity

The laptop compartment

As noted above, the internal notebook sleeve fits laptops and tablets up to 15 inches in size. Some reviewers, however have found that 15 inches is a tight squeeze and that this pocket works better for 13 inches laptops or tablets. WE FOUND THIS NOT TO BE TRUE TO EXPERIENCE.

We tested it with a 15-incher. It fit snugly without any issues and seemed to be nicely protected. The fleece material of the sleeve does a nice job protecting the top of a computer from getting scratched.

It’s also nice that North Face left out a velcro strap to prevent laptops from sliding out when doing cartwheels. This strap often just gets in the way, just takes up space. So, nice.

The large volume pocket

This has a good size for a pair of court shoes or books, gym clothes, or hiking gear. A small lunch too for the day will find its way in here without any problem. With no extra pockets in this space, it makes it easy to store a large amount of items. The bottom of the pack can expand or tighten your backpack when needed.

The medium pocket

The North Face Borealis Backpack is designed with a tiered system. This simply means that the smaller compartment sits on top of the large compartment without hindering its space. It’s about half the size and ideal for smaller notebooks, cables and power banks.

There are smaller pockets you’d expect from a bag that is often used to commute to school or work, allowing you to sort your fountain pens from your compact camera. An additional zippered pocket here also provides additional organization and potentially peace of mind for more important documents.

The small pocket

Ideal for smaller, easy to access items that you frequently use. Big enough for a 6.5 inch telephone–though maybe not the most secure location for such a device–it’ll give you an additional pocket for keys or a granola bar.

The water bottle holders

Made up of expandable mesh that fits wide bottles even when your backpack is fully packed. This feature is so practical and easy to use yet we rarely see it in other backpacks. The bungee system also works great to fasten a helmet or jacket to the outside of your backpack.

When it comes to the North Face Borealis Backpack there are no obvious changes we would like to make. It would be nice if the laptop compartment was a bit bigger but this is not a deal-breaker since a lot of people are going for smaller computers these days. Overall this backpack is great if you are on a budget and looking for a high-quality highly versatile backpack!

The North Face Borealis Backpack is definitely one of the most versatile backpacks we’ve seen so far. Whether you need it as a work, school travel, or hiking backpack it has got you covered. The high quality and high durability of this pack with a reasonable price tag makes this backpack suitable for most people and explains its popularity.