Did The North Face Accidentally Design the Ultimate EDC and Travel Carry-On?

Sometimes, brands don’t see the true potential of the products they offer. While something might be built to serve a specific function, it might just suit another purpose perfectly, sometimes even better.

Take, for instance, The North Face’s Fastpack Waterproof Shoes, which I recently wrote about. These Hoka-alternative hikers are sneakily ideal as a travel shoe, as well as hikers.

Turns out, that same brand has another recent launch that fits a similar bill. The North Face Universal Daypack has hidden depths that the brand seems not to have explicitly considered.

The North Face

In through the outdoors

The Universal Daypack is, first and foremost, an outdoor hiking bag. But it’s not quite that simple.

The bag is a part of The North Face’s Universal collection, as its name suggests. This lineup of gear is specifically designed with input from the brand’s adaptive athletes, and all of it is made as universally accessible as possible — meaning it’s far more friendly to users of all abilities than traditional gear.

The North Face

The thing is, these adaptive, accessible features are also what make this bag such a strong contender for everyday carry and travel. For instance, the pack eschews zippered closures in favor of magnetic closures and cinches, which are speedier and more convenient, especially on the go, without sacrificing security.

And the feature set pairs beautifully with a robust construction, as is typical of The North Face’s outdoor bags. This is to say, the accessibility angle does not in any way mean there are sacrifices elsewhere.

The North Face

Comfort, convenience and capability

The bag is a trimmed-down 20 liters, helping to keep the bulk down while still offering a capacity that’s plenty big enough for daily use and short-form travel (or as an auxiliary pack alongside larger luggage). It’s also lightweight, weighing just 1.6875 pounds, courtesy of its 210D nylon exterior.

While that external fabric is naturally durable, puncture- and abrasion-resistant, and weather-resistant, it’s also aided by a TPU coating that helps boost all the aforementioned factors. It also has a cinch closure and a Fidlock flip top to even better protect the gear inside from inclement weather (and prying eyes and hands).

It also gets a wealth of external pockets, pouches and webbing mounting points, which expand its overall capabilities and capacity. Furthermore, it features strategic trims with discernible textures, to make navigating the exterior and making adjustments by touch a simple, convenient prospect.

It also has stowable, padded shoulder straps with a sternum strap and hip belt. It’s designed to stand upright on its own, is narrow enough for wheelchair usage, can expand and contract for more comfortable wear for all body type and has grab handles all over, which altogether make it convenient for travel storage and quick escapes.

The North Face

It also has an internal laptop sleeve (or 3L hydration bladder sleeve, depending on your usage).

Honestly, the sheer amount of useful features built into this bag without making it look overly bulky or confusing is truly impressive and really speaks to the TNF design team’s prowess.

The North Face

Availability and pricing

The North Face’s Universal Daypack is now available on the brand’s site for $140.

The North Face

The North Face Universal Daypack

• $140 at The North Face

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