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The North Face Shrinks an Iconic Pack for EDC Use — Along with Its Price Tag

TNF’s new fun-size bag comes with all the utility of its full-size predecessors, now in a more carryable form factor.

Cream-colored The North Face backpack with black logo patch and black handle loop.The North Face
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By Hayley Helms

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EDC doesn’t need to be complicated. Sometimes, the best way to streamline your loadout is to intentionally limit what you can reasonably take with you.

If you want a more minimal kit but tend to fill up any bag you pick, The North Face’s new Hot Shot Mini could be your perfect everyday companion.

Purple and gray The North Face Hot Shot Mini backpack with black mesh side pockets and black straps.
The mini version of the Hot Shot fits just as many features as its predecessors — but is roughly half the size, and less than half the cost.
The North Face

This fun-sized version of one of TNF’s most popular backpacks delivers comfort, utility and maybe most appealing of all, a wallet-friendly price.

Pint-sized utility

The Hot Shot already existed in two versions prior to the Mini’s release: the Hot Shot SE is a 30-liter, 2.9-pound update to the beloved 2010 release, while the Hot Shot Basecamp is a similarly sized 27.5-liter pack built with the brand’s rugged, durable Base Camp fabric.

Two people wearing The North Face backpacks, one beige and one black, standing against a green background.
The Hot Shot Basecamp (left) is roughly twice the size of the Hot Shot Mini (right).
The North Face

It could be argued that the new Hot Shot Mini represents the natural progression of the well-loved bag: it shrinks the original’s classic features into a pack roughly half the size while maintaining its everyday versatility.

It’s also much more affordable: the Hot Shot Mini costs $75, while the SE is $130 and the Basecamp is $170.

Beige and cream backpack with black straps, mesh side pocket holding a white bottle, and folded clothes inside.
The Hot Shot’s durable fabrics and functional organization make it a serious EDC contender.
The North Face

Signature features found in the new release include comfortable injection-molded shoulder straps, a main compartment with a built-in tablet sleeve, dual mesh water bottle pockets, side compression straps, a padded air-mesh back panel, top grab handle, a vertical secure-zip pocket on front panel and daisy chain lash points.

The main body of the bag is built with rugged 400D nylon with a non-PFC DWR finish, and the boot is constructed with 840D recycled nylon with a PU coating and non-PFC DWR finish.

Beige and cream backpack with multiple compartments holding a smartphone, pens, cables, and notebooks.
Internal organization keeps essentials close at hand and easy to find.
The North Face

The Hot Shot Mini Backpack is available in three colorways: Endless Dusk-Stone Slab-Transcendent Grey, TNF Black and White Dune/Desert Stone.

Availability and pricing

The Hot Shot Mini Backpack is available now on The North Face’s official website, retailing for $75.

About the Author: Hayley Helms is an associate editor at Gear Patrol specializing in outdoor gear. Once upon a time, she wrote for Men’s Journal, Gearjunkie and Shape. Whether it’s testing a new rain shell or putting a pair of hiking boots through its paces, she leaves no stone unturned (however, she always Leaves No Trace).

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