Fitness doesn't only happen at the gym. Fitness is such a beautiful thing because it can be donealmost anywhere. Sometimes you’ll end up going out on a hike and you're going to need a bag that can keep up. You're also going to have a few electronics you'll have to keep charged and protected while you’re in the wilderness. Thats where The North Face’s Resistor Charged Backpack comes in. The GYMCADDY™ Team managed to get a hold of one of these and put it to the test while on a hike in up state New York. This is GYMCADDY’s review on The North Face Resistor Charged Backpack.
When we first got the Resistor we noticed the price tag. At $249.00 its a little steep when it comes to a backpack. And the included 20Wh (5,500mA) rechargeable battery from Joey Energy won't justify the price on its own. Sure this charger can charge your phone back up to 100% 3.5 times. The battery also features a water and shock resistant design. But here’s the kicker, you have to use your own micro USB cable to charge the included battery. You can easily buy your own portable charger and place it into a cheaper backpack and all of a sudden say you have a smart bag. It would have been awesome if The North Face included a battery that charged itself via kinetic energy instead.
Ok, so the included battery is really just a gimmick that a lot of manufactures are doing to attract young users with a bunch of electronics. And thats perfectly fine. What really makes this bag special is the design and the materials used in its construction. Thats where the price justification of this bag comes from. This bag follows in the foot steps of the Surge Transit, Access Pack, and Hot Shot Backpacks in the way of style. Like a sports car, the Resistor’s design features dramatic and angular lines that make it look sleek and beautiful. We will also argue that this bag is a great hybrid, good for both camping and commuting in the city.
Now lets get into its construction. The bag is constructed by a mix of 420D Nylon, 1680 Ballistic s Nylon, and 900D Polyester coated in TPE PVC. Which is technical talk for “This bag is made with flexible nylon, a slightly more rugged nylon, and has some polyester patches on it that are coated in plastic that makes them look like they were made out of leather.” With that being said, the nylon construction of the bag assures that anything placed inside of it will stay dry no matter how much water is splashed on it. The leather looking panels on the front of the bag makes it look great and is a breeze to clean. This bag also features 2 fleece lined pockets and a dedicated cushioned laptop compartment to help keep a wide range of electronics safe and charged. They are also very easy to access and this bags features The North Face’s Lay Flat design which makes getting to your laptop super convenient and easy to get passed the TSA. The Resistor can also hold a volume of 36 liters, which is rather impressive for its overall design. We were able to stuff its way more than enough equipment and the backpack still had room left over. The Resistor also has a rigid back that helps it keep its form when you stuff it with irregular shaped objects. The New FlexVent system is very well designed and padded. The raised pads allow for ample amounts of air to circulate while you're on your hike and keep you cool. The pads them selves are very soft and distribute weight evenly. Just be warned, the shoulder straps are a little short. So if you're a big chested or wider person you might look a little funny with this bag on. Another short coming of this bag are the bottle compartments. Although durable, they are small and can only hold 20 ounce bottles.
Like we mentioned before, the Resistor Charge justifies its $249.00 dollar price tag by being a hybrid of a bag. You can literally take it on a hike on Saturday and then pack it with your electronics and take it to the office on Monday. And it seems The North Face designed it with that in mind. There are organization pockets inside the bag that are extremely easy to get to and the included charger allow you to make sure you always have juice no matter how hectic your Monday to Friday schedule is. In conclusion, is The North Face’s Resistor Charge Backpack a little pricey? No, for the $249.00 you're getting a versatile backpack thats well made, very durable, lightweight, stylish, and will hold up for years to come.