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Totes and briefcases have their place, but when it comes to convenient carrying, it’s still hard to beat a backpack. The North Face’s backpacks are as popular on the hiking trail as they are on college campuses, and their backpacks make great options for travel, too. North Face has an almost overwhelming number of options, but the Jester backpack is a versatile pick for everyday carrying.
The Jester backpack has an outdoorsy but streamlined look that can be taken just about anywhere, and it’s also one of the brand's more affordable bags. It’s an even better value when it’s on sale for just $53.
The colors on sale include the neutral green Sulphur Moss colorway, as well as the bold Chlorophyll Green print, which is impossible to lose but perhaps less suited to use as a work bag. The Forest Olive color is available for $60.
The backpack features a breathable, cushioned back panel vent and comfortable shoulder straps with an adjustable sternum strap. That makes it suited for long days, whether that’s navigating switchbacks or airport terminals. The roomy main compartment has a sleeve that can hold a 16-inch laptop. Otherwise, the main compartment has no internal organizers, leaving room for packing cubes, notebooks, or clothes.
The smaller front compartment features mesh pouches and a zip pocket for organizing smaller essentials. There are two water bottle pockets and an adjustable bungee strap on the front of the bag for securing items like jackets.
The Jester is a good pick for shoppers who want an all-purpose backpack. One shopper wrote, "It is the perfect size to carry my laptop and essentials needed for the day. It's also a great size to take on a day hike and to use for travel, making it a very versatile backpack!" Similarly, another appreciated that the bag had "just enough space for any daily activities, hiking, and carry-on bag for flying." Another plainly called it "the most durable, comfortable, and stylish backpack."
The shock cord was a popular design feature, with one shopper writing that they "love the bungee cord, which enables me to stuff my lightweight jacket in it." Another noted that when they put their jacket in the bungee, they had "no concern of it falling out." The bag is compact, but still has enough room, according to a shopper who wrote, "It can hold more than you would think from its size."
If you have a trip or hike planned but realize you only have a tattered bookbag from college, The North Face’s Jester is a great replacement. And at $53, it’s the kind of bag you can buy on a college student budget, too.
