The North Face Borealis Convertible Backpack Review

The North Face Borealis Convertible Backpack transitions fairly seamlessly between backpack and waist pack; however, we’re curious how well both operate while traveling. Let’s dive in and find out!

External Components

The pack’s primary material is 210D recycled ripstop nylon with a non-PFC durable water-repellent finish. The bag is lightweight but has a reinforced boot, which is handy for high-contact areas. The materials have little structure, so the bag tends to get a bit saggy if you don’t spread out the weight when packing.

The zippers are YKK branded, which is one of our favorites in the gear world. They’re durable and smooth, which are the two most important factors when considering zippers. This pack is no different—everything works well.

The buckles and hardware are from Duraflex, another top-tier brand in the world of travel gear. Adjustments are easy, and the buckles are snappy. Some are quite small, which may be challenging for those with larger hands.

On the front of the pack, there’s a small bungee cord for attaching gear. You can stow a packable jacket here, a wet swimsuit, or another piece of gear you don’t want inside or won’t fit inside your pack. However, it’s a small area, so you can’t stow large items here.

To the right of the bungee is a mesh pocket that operates similarly and also works for a small travel water bottle. There’s no water bottle pocket, so using either of these features to stow a travel bottle is your best bet if you don’t want to eat up space inside the bag.

This daypack transitions into a unique waist pack-style sling. The top portion of the backpack (ripstop) stows inside a pocket inside the main compartment, which requires you to unclip the shoulder straps.

When you’re in sling mode, there aren’t any additional external features; however, the bag has more structure because the ripstop is out of play. It isn’t the most stylish-looking crossbody bag; however, most packable options aren’t. Sling mode is more water resistant than backpack mode because the boot material is more water resistant than the ripstop.

Fit Notes

In backpack mode, the back panel has very little structure. The lower portion is well padded and has aeration to keep you cool; however, the upper section is ripstop and lacks padding, aeration, or structure. Whatever you stow inside becomes the back panel, so you have to pack smart; otherwise, you might be left uncomfortable. Depending on how heavy the items you have stowed in the bottom of the pack are, the lower, padded section can dig into the small of your back, which isn’t ideal, either. This isn’t a packable backpack by definition; however, many of its features feel similar to one.

The shoulder straps are flimsy, though they have light padding and aeration. They’re comfortable if you don’t overload the bag with heavy gear; however, tech gear can add up quickly and become a problem. One attachment loop on the left shoulder strap (your left, not an observer’s left) is handy for sunglasses. There’s no sternum strap, but the pack feels small enough not to need one.

The pack does have a hip belt, doubling as the strap for the waist pack. It feels similar to the shoulder straps, and each side has a mesh pocket, which is handy for snacks or other small items. You can stow it behind the lower back panel if you want to, which is convenient for users who prefer not to have a hip belt on such a small pack.

In contrast to backpack mode, wearing the pack as a sling feels like it has too much of a back panel. The padding and aeration get bolstered by the entire top portion of the pack stuffed into a pocket on the backside of the sling’s main compartment, and it feels like a bit much. However, having too much back panel isn’t the worst problem, and it’s pretty comfortable. It’s awkward, but it works.

Inside The Pack

There’s a pocket on the top of the pack above the bungee and mesh features we mentioned earlier. It’s a large pocket, but flat items do well here due to a lack of depth. There isn’t any organization inside; however, we don’t mind, as the space functions fine without it. This is a solid place to stow some charging cables, a book, or similar-sized gear.

There’s another front pocket on the bottom of the pack, again with no organization. This one is accessible in either sling or backpack mode, so you can stow gear you always want access to here. This pocket lacks depth, too, and is crafted from more structured materials, making overpacking it even harder.

A pocket behind the back panel hides the sling’s top lid when you’re in backpack mode. We haven’t found a solid function for it yet, but it’s there. You could stow your phone there; however, there is enough room for it to slip out.

The main compartments for the backpack and sling are the same, continuous area. The only organization inside is a mesh pocket on the back wall in the lower section. When using the bag as a backpack, you can use it to lock down smaller items or hold a tablet or book. In sling mode, the upper portion of the bag gets stowed for safekeeping.

It’s hard to stay organized due to a lack of segmentation, so we recommend using packing cubes to make it easier to find your clothing and a tech pouch to ensure you can quickly find your tech at a moment’s notice. You lose a lot of space in the main compartment when using the bag in waist pack mode due to the extra materials from the upper portion of the bag, and it’s challenging to wear it in a way that’s comfortable in the long term.

Both backpack and sling modes lack features that would make them more usable and functional, and the entire system feels like it should be much lighter and packable. Still, the pack’s functionality is worth commending; we just wish it was more comfortable to use.