Whether you are searching for the best travel backpack for Europe, a nice jacket, a daypack for traveling, or an electronics organizer, TRAVELERS—WOMEN and MEN—NEED POCKETS… AND LOTS OF THEM! Am I right? In addition, you want a solidly built AND roomy backpack for your travel, adventures and hiking.
Or maybe you are searching specifically for a womens backpack that is lightweight and easy to use as an everyday work bag as well. Think of the North Face Recon quick access pack—with options for women and men—as style and function married together in one awesome bag.
Let’s be clear, this review is intended to showcase The North Face Recon quick access pack as not only the best personal travel hand bag but also my favorite hiking daypack as well. I have not received any free travel gear from The North Face and this review is solely my opinion.
25 Reasons Why the Recon Quick Access Pack is the Best Travel Daypack for Traveling & Hiking
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When Chris and I plan to travel abroad, The North Face Recon backpack is 100% THE best daypack for traveling for both of us.
To be honest, I take my Women’s North Face Recon Backpack—designed especially for women—everywhere when I travel and hike. My husband also travels and hikes with his North Face Recon Backpack.
At 5’2″ to my husband’s 6’4″, I need the best women’s daypack that is designed specifically for me. And The North Face Recon is the best daypack for petite women that I have discovered.
The good news? The North Face makes a STANDARD SIZE Recon backpack as well. It is a perfect travel backpack for Europe for my husband’s tall frame.
I use my Recon backpack as a personal daypack for traveling paired with my carry-on luggage. Both of these bags make it easy to get in and out of the airport.
I used to travel with a hand-me down backpack from my husband and would often return home from vacations with sore shoulders and an aching back. When the straps on that backpack started to tear, I began to research and look in earnest for the best women’s daypack that was designed specifically for women and for my petite size.
Tip * If you are planning a backpacking trip across your Europe with ALL of your clothes, toiletries and essentials in one bag, you may wish to look at a pack that is a little bigger.
1. It is Best Travel Daypack for Men AND Women
My husband and I both travel with our respective daypacks; they are just enough different that we don’t get them mixed up. Since we also LOVE to travel to Europe, the North Face Recon quick access pack makes the best travel backpack for Europe for both of us.
I’d like to say that his is heavier, but mine is usually filled with camera equipment, so it can be a toss up!
If you are in the market for a new backpack, look no further than The North Face Recon backpack for women (or men).
>> Related: 41 Cool Gift Ideas for Travelers (That They Actually Want!)
2. It Fits the Size Guidelines for a Travel Backpack for Europe
As a plus, The North Face Recon backpack can handily fit under the seat on an airplane as your daypack for traveling.
United Airlines specifies the maximum dimensions for personal items fitting underneath the seat in front of you should be: 9 inches x 10 inches x 17 inches (22 centimeters x 25 centimeters x 43 centimeters).
>> Related: 10 Super Smart Travel Hacks to Plan the Perfect Trip
3. There is Room for All of Your Travel Essentials
The benefit of traveling with a backpack as a personal daypack for traveling is that it allows you to travel hands-free through airports, on trains, and as you are sightseeing. Not only that, The North Face Recon quick access pack has pockets and storage galore.
When using The North Face Recon backpack as my travel backpack for Europe, I fill it with all of my essentials—items that I specifically want close at hand for easy access.
- Travel Documents that are easily accessible, ie., Driver’s License or Passport
- Boarding Pass (paper copy or on your phone)
- Phone and Portable Charger
- Headphones
- Electronics – Ipad, Apple Watch, Laptop, Keyboard
- Cables and Cable Organizer
- Water bottle
- Snacks, ie., Built Bar protein bars
- Miscellaneous Toiletries – check out my Amazon Storefront
- Hand sanitizer, Kleenex, Wipes
- Prescriptions and other Medications
- Change of clothes
- Umbrella
Features to Love About The North Face Daypack for Traveling
As I travel, hike, or sightsee as a tourist while on vacation, I often wear my North Face Recon backpack all day long.
You may find as YOU travel that your daypack becomes your home-away-from-home where you can have all of YOUR travel essentials close at hand.
The North Face Recon Recon quick access pack boasts the following features to make them comfortable for you to carry all of your essentials AND to wear for an extended length of time.
4. Suspension System
The suspension system on the North Face Recon is designed with the user in mind for both the standard and women-specific backpack.
“The women-specific FlexVent™ suspension system, certified by the American Chiropractic Association, has articulated shoulder straps, a rounded back panel, comfortable stitch lines and soft-touch chemise fabric.” ~ The North Face
5. Padded and Adjustable Shoulder Straps
The padded shoulder straps make such a difference if you are sightseeing or hiking with your daypack all day long.
6. Padded Back Panel
The padded back panel of the suspension system has air holes to allow your backpack to breathe along with a padded back panel that makes it comfortable for extended wear.
7. Large Middle Section
I use the large middle section for my camera equipment. There is still plenty of room for snacks, a puffy jacket and a bag of toiletries.
8. Protected Laptop Section
You will appreciate the attention to detail in the protected laptop section: it is lined with fleece to protect your expensive electronics.
9. Lots of Interior and Exterior Pockets
The exterior pockets provide plenty of room to keep your hand sanitizer and an umbrella handy as you travel or hike. A mesh front pocket with compression straps (the design varies on newer models) is perfect for tucking in a jacket.
For someone who loves to be organized and have lots of pockets, I love all of the interior pockets of the Recon quick access pack that keep my tablet, Blistex, pen, notebook, snacks, and more organized and close at hand.
10. Water Bottles Pockets
The water bottle pockets on The North Face backpack are expendable to allow room for your water bottle, elasticized to fit snuggly around your water bottle and keep it from falling out.
11. Interior Attachment for Keys
When selecting a travel backpack for Europe, hiking, or other adventures, you’ll love the carabiner attachment on the interior of the pack that keeps keys away from a pickpocket’s hands but secure for when you need to find them as you return home.
12. Adjustable Sternum Strap
The adjustable sternum strap can be adjusted for a snug fit, with a sliding track that allows you to move the strap up or down to a spot that fits you best. As a bonus, the buckle doubles as a whistle for emergencies.
13. Adjustable Waist Belt
The newer backpack models have removable waist belts. The adjustable waist belts keeps the backpack snug against your hips.
14. Fleece-Lined Tablet Sleeve
Not only does The North Face Backpack have a fleece-lined laptop section, but also a fleece-lined tablet sleeve and fleece-lined cell phone pocket.
15. Cell Phone Pocket
The external, fleece-lined small cell phone pocket protects your cell phone or sunglasses and puts them within easy reach.
16. 360° Reflectivity for Safety
You will love the reflector strips on the front, back and sides of your backpack designed to keep you easy to see at night.
17. Easy to Grab Zipper Pulls
I don’t know about you, but when I can’t easily find the zipper pulls on my backpack, I get a little frustrated. You will love the easy to grab zipper pulls.
18. Padded Top Grab Handle
If you need a grab handle on your daypack for traveling, perhaps as you board a train or plane, or even when you go through airport security, The North Face backpack sports a padded top grab handle to make it easier on you.
19. Lightweight
“Whether your travel backpack is carrying a Kindle, laptop, travel snacks and a travel blanket or if you’re using it as a true carry-on, packing it like a suitcase with your trip’s wardrobe and necessities, the key is finding the right one for you.
In addition to size, you’ll also want to be on the lookout for one that’s lightweight, that’s comfortable to wear and [is made of] durable materials…“
CNN
20. Cost: Is The North Face Daypack for Traveling Worth The Investment?
The North Face Recon Backpack—for women and men—comes in just over $100 for the regular price.
Is it worth the splurge?
As already noted, your backpack often becomes your home-away-from-home as you travel, especially as you travel through Europe. Whether it is a men’s or women’s daypack for traveling, it is an extension of you. You want your travel backpack to have room for travel essentials such as your phone, ipad or laptop, snacks, water bottle and an umbrella (in case of a sudden rain shower).
The pricing on The North Face Recon backpack is in line with similar backpack models.
21. Allows Me to Travel Hands Free
I love that I can travel and take pictures while wearing my backpack and keep my hands free.
22. It Makes a Great Personal Daypack for Traveling
Obviously you have options for a personal travel hand bag or backpack as you travel. I love traveling with a backpack as my personal travel daypack because of all of the storage, safety, and design features.
>> Related: My Favorite Crossbody Bag for Travel
23. The Recon Allows Me to Carry My Camera Equipment
In addition to carrying travel essentials in my backpack, I also use the Recon to carry my camera equipment.
I consider myself a hobby photographer and usually only travel with one or two lenses. Hardcore photographers may travel with three or four or more lenses, which add significantly to the weight of the backpack. A camera backpack is designed for their specific needs. While the Recon may not be the best backpack for professionals, it is the best women’s daypack for my camera.
I add a camera insert to the roomy middle section of my backpack and find that it works perfectly to carry my camera equipment PLUS what I need when I travel:
A backpack is the perfect size to fit all of my travel and camera essentials:
- iPad
- iPhone
- Canon 6d Mark II Camera
- Canon EF 24-105 mm f/4 L IS USM Lens
- Canon Nifty Fifty Lens
- Lenses
- Camera insert
- Waterproof Backpack Cover
The camera insert has two removable fleece-lined dividers that you can detach and reattach to DIY the interior space to best fit your camera body and and lens needs.
The material for the camera insert is anti-static, offers thicker padding and enhanced water resistance for camera protection.
24. There is Room to Attach my Peak Design Camera Clip
If you look at the picture above, I have attached my camera to my Peak Design Camera Clip on my backpack strap. It is perfect when I want to be hands free or get tired of my camera bouncing around.
Easily attach the clip to the padded shoulder strap at the height that works best for you.
25. There is Room for a Camelbak Hydration Reservoir
One of the must-haves on our family vacations is to bring a 3.0L Camelbak Hydration Pack Reservoir with a high flow, self-sealing, bite valve.
Say what? It may sound weird and strange, I know.
Chris’ The North Face backpack with the padded laptop section is perfect for transporting his electronics on the plane to our destination, but then transforms to a travel backpack for Europe and other destination that we fill with snacks, the Camelbak, and extra water bottles for our sightseeing.
The laptop section of Chris’ backpack is padded enough to keep the water in the reservoir cool and minimizes any leaks to other sections of the backpack.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I carry cash in Europe?
Yes. While a credit card is essential in Europe, you will also need to have a little cash on hand as well. Be sure to use the interior pockets in your North Face Recon backpack to keep your coins and bills secure.
Is a backpack ok to bring as a carry on?
If it meets the airline’s carry on size limits, yes. A backpack or daypack is perfect as a personal item under seat bag.
Does TSA consider a backpack a personal item?
Yes. A backpack, similar to a travel handbag, daypack, purse, laptop bag, or briefcase, is generally considered a personal item IF it fits under the seat in front of you.
What size personal hand bag is allowed on European flights?
While United Airlines specifies the maximum dimensions for personal items fitting underneath the seat in front of you should be: 17 in x 10 in x 9 in (43 cm x 25 cm x 22 cm), many European airlines specify these maximum dimensions of your personal hand bag to be 16 in x 12 in x 6 in (40 cm x 30 cm x 15 cm). Be sure do your own research to ensure your bags are within specified guidelines and to avoid paying extra baggage fees.
Do you have a recommendation for a crossbody or messenger bag?
A little secret here: I like to travel with my backpack AND the Travelon crossbody bag when I travel as my personal travel handbag. I make sure that I can easily slip the Travelon Crossbody bag into my backpack if needed.
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Final Thoughts on the Best Travel Backpack for Europe, Adventures and Hiking
Choosing travel gear is often left up to personal preference. Sometimes you just don’t know what to choose though.
Whether you are looking for the standard Recon backpack (the best travel daypack for men) or a backpack created specifically for women, The North Face Recon backpack makes a perfect travel gift. For me, it is the best women’s daypack. (In my humble opinion).
As you sightsee and plan travel adventures and day trips in Europe, you will use your travel backpack literally all the time.
For women, finding the best travel backpack for Europe may seem like a daunting task as it may be one of your bigger investments in travel gear. A smaller women’s backpack—designed specifically for women—is essential. They are still big on storage and pockets and functionality. They just fit YOU better.
The opinions in this post are solely my opinions. I purchased my own backpack and have not received any gifts in exchange for this article. (The North Face did send me a few pictures though!)
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As an avid backpacker, I can appreciate this post! Very thorough and seems like a great pack!
Thank you, I will check it out, going to Europe has always been my dream!
Great post! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing. I’m still using my husbands hand me down backpacks and the straps are way too wide for me too.
Hmmm, Christmas idea?
The North Face Recon Backpack sounds like the perfect solution to fitting all your travel necessities while traveling. I also prefer to use a backpack instead of a purse. Love this one!
I love finding out about new pieces of gear. This makes me excited. Thanks!
That backpack looks super functional! Thanks!
Seems like the perfect backpack! I love when there’s enough space to safely fit all the camera equipment!
I honestly didn’t know you could buy camera gear separators for any backpack! I have a backpack specifically for camera gear but it doesn’t leave room for much else. I’ll have to check this out!
I’m heading to Norway next summer! This would be perfect for my trip. Thanks for sharing all the great info about it.
Norway sounds amazing. Hope that backpack suggestions helps.
This post couldn’t have come at a better time. I am planning to visit Europe next year, and I am looking for a backpack I can fit lots of stuff in. This one looks great! Thanks for sharing.
I hope you love it.
I wish I read this post before our 3 weeks in Europe this summer. Very detailed and helpful post. Seems like a good choice. Thanks for the recommendation.
This backpack looks really great. However, I use backpacks only for day tours since I hate to carry all my stuff. But also as a carry-on, this backpack should be great. Well, North Face is a popular brand for a reason, can’t argue with that!
I had been looking for a sustainable travel backpack for a while. This post is literally a revolutionary for me.
I own far too many backpacks. Each seems to have its own strengths and weaknesses. So I keep checking out new recommendations like this. I carry a lot in my backpack so need somethign like this where things are accessible and the backpack is strong enough to carry it all. But doesn’t add weight for just the backpack. I love the idea of an external fleece pocket! And I am going to be checking out that camera insert.
Such a great travel backpack! Not only for hiking, but think it would make a great carry-on or exploring new destinations where I need to bring my camera.
I love a lightweight and durable backpack that doubles as a personal travel bag. And this one seems perfect for Europe.
When we travel, we try to just bring carry-on luggage to avoid the hassle of checked bags (and the risk of them getting delayed or lost!). Bringing a backpack as a personal item rather than a handbag is a great idea to maximize the amount of space you have to work with.
That backpack looks very comfortable, I’m going to look into getting one for my travels. Great post, thanks for sharing!
I love traveling with backpacks too. I just might give this one a try. I like that its made for women. My husband and I have a similar height discrepancy. 5’4″ and 6’4″ 🙂
This is such a helpful post! I never have luck finding good travel backpacks, so definitely saving this post.
So important to choose the right backpack while traveling – don’t need to add extra soreness when it’s unnecessary. Thank you for sharing.
I have heard a lot about this brand actually. I think I will be buying one now for my husband.
My backpack is getting pretty run down, so I’ve actually been looking for a new one. Thanks for putting this one on my radar. It seems really great!
The North Face Recon backpack looks like an amazing backpack choice for travel purpose and built for women. It had padded shoulder straps, laptop section, and several compartments for carrying camera parts, snacks and other travel essentials. I indeed looks like a “home away from home”.
Thanks so much for breaking it down, this was just what I needed.
As a non-backpacker person this post helped me a lot ? Thanks for sharing
I wish I found this post earlier! It would’ve been so helpful in deciding what backpack to buy for my trip to Korea. I actually ended up buying a north face backpack which was so handy to use as a carry-on bag. I’ll be sure to pass along this information for my friends asking recommendations for a back pack!
So great to read such a detailed and thorough review of this backpack, this is exactly what you hope to find when you google backpack reviews!! I love that it’s specifically made for smaller frames as well, very well thought out in a world of super thick straps.
The North face is a great company and I have always use their packs for backpacking. I’m sure this is a great day pack too. Thanks for all the extra info on it.
I’m more of a hobby photographer too so this also looks like it would be a great choice for me!
I totally agree about the sizing. Having a pack that fits your body (rather than a big backpack designed for blokes) makes such a difference. It’s great you found one that works so well for you.
wow! i can totally see why it’s priced higher. I checked and am glad to see it’s available online in India as well!
I love that this backpack is fully adjustable. I am quite small and too often I have had backpacks that are uncomfortable because they are simply too big. I am with you on the camelback too. Great for hiking!
The North Face Recon has so many design features that I never considered for a backpack. Since we always travel with laptops a good laptop section is important. And lots of pockets means everything will have its own place. A good choice when it is time to replace our current backpacks.
Been looking for a new travel bag for months!! This is exactly what I needed to see.
I’m a travel bag collector and felt so intimidated by the North Face line since there are so many options so thanks for helping me whittle down this choice!
I know how difficult it is to buy a perfect backpack. Great post. Very helpful.
Great post, thanks! I like how do you wear your camera. Good advise!