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North Face Surge

noodleyhead

noodleyhead

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 29, 2011
67
0
Sesame Street
I need a laptop bag for school and I found this great one from north face called the north face surge.
Its perfect and I also get $50 off from amazon since I have a Gift card.
Before I bought it, I had some questions.
Does it look too big on your back? I am about 5'4".
Is this bag worth it? Does anyone have any complaints about it?
I am choosing between this bag and the north face recon. Which one would you recommend?
 
noodleyhead said:
I need a laptop bag for school and I found this great one from north face called the north face surge.
Its perfect and I also get $50 off from amazon since I have a Gift card.
Before I bought it, I had some questions.
Does it look too big on your back? I am about 5'4".
Is this bag worth it? Does anyone have any complaints about it?
I am choosing between this bag and the north face recon. Which one would you recommend?
Click to expand...

I got my surge my freshman year of college. I'm now starting my third year and usually in the past after two years I would get a new backpack. I honestly think the surge is one of the best. I've used it every day in college. Days where it was over 100 degrees and I was sweating like a pig, days where it was a monsoon and the thing got soaked and days where it was 5 degrees and snowing out. You couldn't tell that it's been through two years of extreme use but it has.

Certain days the thing is jammed with tons of supplies and it holds. I use it for my travel bag now and it works wonders!

I even used it as a day pack when I hiked all of the way down an back through the Grand Canyon. These were harsh conditions with tons dust. The thing wiped down in a breeze.

I love my surge and think it's the best. Others may disagree but I doubt they've ever tried it. In terms of size I think you'll find yourself needing the space. I'm 5'10" and don't think it's bulky. The only thing that is annoying is the waist strap.
 
Battlefield Fan said:
Days where it was over 100 degrees and I was sweating like a pig, days where it was a monsoon and the thing got soaked and days where it was 5 degrees and snowing out. You couldn't tell that it's been through two years of extreme use but it has.
Click to expand...

:eek: my goodness where do you go to school! Sounds like some crazy weather.

I think I might check that bag out myself. I have been using my LL Bean that I had since 9th grade, has held up surprisingly well through the years but it's not a laptop bag so I'd like a backpack that could carry a laptop too.
 
The thing I like about it is that there is a separate padded area for easy access to your laptop.
Its a little pricey, but I'm getting $50+ off on my purchase from amazon so it should be fine.
And it seems worth the money even if you aren't getting $50 off like me since I saw a lot of people recommended this bag and not one review about it was negative.
 
50 bucks off that bag is not a bad deal. I have never seen the bag drop down under 90, so I really think you should go for it! College is coming up anyways and you're gonna need something good to carry all your stuff. The only other option I would recommend is a messenger bag, so you can look into that if you want.
 
Order Placed on Amazon!!!

Actually I found out that this bag is hard to find on amazon so I'll post the link:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005D4V1OW

or in blue: http://www.amazon.com/Surge-Backpac...1_15?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1312271722&sr=1-15

There might be others, but most of them were from external websites so I would only recommend buying off of amazon if you have a gift card like me.
If not, buy it off of ebags.com, they have great service and more color options, plus, its the same price.

I'll post what I think of the bag when it ships to me (in about a week) if anyone else is interested in getting this bag.
Thanks for the help! :)
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Shout-out to my SwissGear three compartment backpack. It is in it's 8th year of school (undergraduate+MS+PhD) and still looks new... I also use it for travel and it has been around the world (conferences, vacations) - both hot\cold and dry\wet.

I am itching for a new bag (it came out before iPod's we're mainstream) :eek: but cannot find a reason to buy one when my SwissGear bag is still mint.
 
I don't have this particular backpack, but I've had a Borealis for nearly seven years now. I use it every day and not a single scratch. The quality of North Face is just the best.
 
Agreed with poster above me

North face gear is quality.
I have a bunch of backpacks/jackets from them, used for all different activites (travelling, school, hiking, biking etc), and they all hold up

Also keep in mind they all have a lifetime guarentee, so if something rips/breaks (manufacturers defect) then you can send it in and they will fix it
(you have to pay for shipping, but still, better than having to buy a new backpack)
 
Yeah man! The Surge is a great way to go. Fits my 15.4" MBP great.. probably could fit the 17" too. Lot's of room for books and other things you might need. Also has straps on the side that you can compress the bag.. so that when it's empty.. it's not sticking out.
 
Battlefield Fan said:
I got my surge my freshman year of college. I'm now starting my third year and usually in the past after two years I would get a new backpack. I honestly think the surge is one of the best. I've used it every day in college. Days where it was over 100 degrees and I was sweating like a pig, days where it was a monsoon and the thing got soaked and days where it was 5 degrees and snowing out. You couldn't tell that it's been through two years of extreme use but it has.

Certain days the thing is jammed with tons of supplies and it holds. I use it for my travel bag now and it works wonders!

I even used it as a day pack when I hiked all of the way down an back through the Grand Canyon. These were harsh conditions with tons dust. The thing wiped down in a breeze.

I love my surge and think it's the best. Others may disagree but I doubt they've ever tried it. In terms of size I think you'll find yourself needing the space. I'm 5'10" and don't think it's bulky. The only thing that is annoying is the waist strap.
Click to expand...

To the OP and you, you may find the waist strap annoying as I do also, but it can be stowed away in the side pockets. You'll see what I mean when you get it. Mine is working great for me for 2 years so far in torrential rain and Boston snowy weather. It is great for your back when you have a lot of stuff because it is padded and the laptop compartment is raised higher than the other compartments with a bottom bumper in it. This helps protect the laptop against drops.
 
My North Face Surge just shipped to me and I just opened it up.
It was a little bigger than I expected, but definitely not too big( in the pictures I saw of it it seemed a little smaller).
It certainly has a lot of space, and the laptop compartment is wonderful. I am not worried at all about my macbook getting damaged.
My macbook is a 13", and it fits perfectly in the compartment. I have an incase shell on it, so it takes up a little more space, but I'm sure you could fit a 15" laptop just as easily in there.
Thee backpack is very well designed, and already I dont regret buying it. I think its definitely going to be worth the money.
It has a lot of useful little pockets, such as the bottom compartment where you can store your laptop chargers and cables if you carry your laptop with you.
The back has A LOT of protection, which adds to the protection on the laptop.
There is a waist belt which you can tuck away in a side pocket if you arent using it.
Overall, I think this is great backpack for people who want to carry their laptop and some books or a dSLR camera or something like that.
Its perfect for college.
I included some pics, and ask me any questions you may have.
:)
 

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Last edited:
Great pics, thanks!

I found it on eBay for $77, in the color black. Can't wait for it to arrive :)
 
The padding for the laptop compartment in the Surge is weak at the top. If you have several books, it'll completely push on the lid of your laptop.

For an expensive laptop bag, I expect better.
The outer flap with the dual zippers is just awkward to me.
 
Another recommendation for this pack. Had it for about 4 years now, went travelling for 18 months with it too and had my 15" MBP in the back compartment, also in its sleeve and worked fine.

Great pack!
 
I Too have a bag made by the same chaps who manufacture the Swiss army knives, swiss gear. It is a backpack style bag and is festooned with all the pouches and compartments one would expect, but the best thing about it is it's durability. Obviously it doesn't get thrown about much as it tends to have a treasured object in it, but after over a year of use there are no scuffs on the bottom of the bag and the straps, zips, and other component parts feel as strong as when it was new.

Have a look at the fellows here-

Www.swissarmy.com

Toodle-oo

Doris
 
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