The North Face Big Shot Backpack

I have only had the backpack for about a month, and it has proven very versatile. My primary use up to this point has been for school. I am an engineering major and often carry around a lot of textbooks. Not only does the Big Shot provide plenty of room. It also distributes the weight well. I have had four fairly large textbooks in the large compartment (about the capacity of what I could stuff in there), and I did not feel like the pack put an inordinate amount of weight on my shoulders. The laptop compartment is also padded very well, so I feel like my laptop is always safe.

I have also used the pack for a trip. It served as a day pack and as my general travel pack for the flight to my location. The pack works great. The to exterior pockets fit my Nalgene bottles well and secure them when I am moving about. Additionally, the pack was able to carry all of the necessities for a day of hiking.

The only downside that I have found is the lack of organization in the pockets. The main compartment has an organizer which is pretty helpful for school (pens, pencils, calculator, etc). However, the pockets are oddly sized for putting trail gear (mess kit, bug spray, extra socks, etc). The two front zippered pockets are helpful for these things, but they too lack the organization. They open up to two separate overlaying pockets that are almost as wide as the front of the bag.

Overall, I would recommend this bag to people looking for versatility. It serves really well as a school/work backpack. It is comfortable and fairly largely sized, so it also crosses over into a day pack / short weekend pack very easily. The great versatility and size are a huge plus.