Borealis MINI Backpack

For a recent trip to Paris, I wanted a small lightweight backpack to wear during my long walking excursions throughout the city. The backpack needed to be lightweight and hold a water bottle, light jacket or sweater, umbrella, extra iPhone battery, other small items, and anything else I might need to spend the day away from my hotel. It also needed to be "packable" (which typically means folding into a small pouch that comes with it and may or may not be attached)—or at least not take up a lot of space or weigh a lot. Thus, I embarked on a 3-month long search for exactly the right backpack, spending hours and hours online. However, I kept coming back to this one. This backpack comes in a variety of very nice colors. I considered black—so neutral and goes with everything. But I was really attracted to the “gardenia white” one. Since most of my travels will be, if not during summer, in milder temperatures, the light color appealed to me. It’s actually a warm off-white, rather than a stark white color. The black trim and zipper pulls give it some sophistication, and the total look is very appealing. Having decided on the color range, I then looked at hundreds of backpacks in white, off-white, and beige. Once again, I kept coming back to this one. While I was willing to pay more, this one met most of my needs and just happened to also be very reasonably priced. It has a small, but sufficiently sized, front pocket with an almost invisible zipper (which I like, in case of pick pockets). On the exterior, one side has a stretch pocket that holds a bottle of water or smaller umbrella. The other side is claimed to be a second water bottle holder. However, it is actually a very tiny pocket, which (as others have noted) has such a narrow opening that it is almost impossible to get into and thus useless as a practical matter (and I have very small hands). Ultimately, I used it as a place to store clean, loose tissues that I could quickly access if I needed to blow my nose, because of spring pollen, or needed to wipe something up. The padded top handle is useful and comfortable if one needs or wants to carry it that way (such as on a crowded subway or bus). And internally there is an open pocket and a nice sized zipper pocket with a key clip I hadn’t initially considered it necessary but began to really like the idea of the front bungee system. I could use it for compression. However, I found that the most practical use for it in my case was as another place to store a sweater or jacket. This way, if I acquired items along the way that I put into the backpack, the bungee system could be used to make way for them internally by attaching my jacket to it. Finally, the padded straps and back panel make this backpack very comfortable for all day use. This means that it isn’t foldable, but it’s small and thin enough to simply store flat in the bottom of your luggage. The slight amount of bulk the back panel padding adds is worth it. Backpacks without it means that items inside can protrude and bump against your back as you walk. The only downside is the lack of a true second outside pocket. I do miss this as exterior pocket for an umbrella that can be quickly accessed (always useful when travelling to Europe). But this meets all of my other needs so well that it was worth the trade-off. I’m back from Paris and truly love this backpack. I used it every day, all day. I found it more useful and comfortable than a sling bag would be, especially since I could put a lot in it-- from fruit purchased at a stand to souvenirs to everything needs to stay out for 8 or more hours at a time. Its light weight, along with padded straps and back panel, made it very comfortable. It looked great, with enough of a put together and appealing style that I never wished I’d brought a handbag. For all that it does, it is a terrific value.

Perfect size for my use, indoor climbing bag. Fits everything I have desired to put into it. She's pretty small so I don't wear it, usually just carry it with the carry handle. Quite durable so far and I'm planning on buying another for hiking and commuting during travel. The shoulder pads are very squishy and comfortable along with the carry handle. This bag sold me on buying the full-size and it's now my dedicated carry-on. Included picture of full size and mini.

Freaking love this backpack. It is the perfect size and lightweight for carrying a few things around. I like how flat it sits on my back, and that it doesn't stick out too much. I bought this for a cruise and it was awesome! It fit my Samsung tablet and many other things. It is roomier than it looks. The zippers are great quaily, and it sturdy.

Loved this Northface bag. Very small but compact enough to hold a few water bottles and other essentials. Have taken it hiking, does not trap sweat in your back. Lightweight and not a lot of padding but still has good support. Can fit an iPad, will not be able to fit a computer. Overall great for hiking and as a bag for sightseeing.

The good: Quality made, durable, comfortable, and comes in a wide variety of colors. I chose purple. I love it. I've had to wash it (don't ask, but it involved eggs...it was dumb but what a disaster) and it went through the washer without losing any color. . . which is a bit of a duh because it's nylon and the color is built into the plasticized fibers. The water resistance didn't take a hit either, though, and I was relieved about that. I wouldn't put it through the washer often though. Hand cleaning, had it been an option, would have been a much better idea. Should have hosed it off outside, now that I think about it. I digress. Straps are comfortable to wear, elastic stays elasticky. Interior pockets and exterior elastic web will easily hold my e-reader and a composition sized notebook as well as a light sport jacket for those inevitably *super cold* AC environments one finds in Texas in the summer. There's a nice mesh pocket for keys and a wallet and a key strap to keep track of those hidey little things. I can even fit a re-usable Kleen Kanteen 27 oz water bottle inside with all this business. Which brings me to the bad... The Bad: No, this does NOT hold a reusable water bottle no matter what the rhetoric says in the marketing blah blah. MAYBE a 10-oz disposable bottle. MAYBE. But only on one side. The other alleged bottle pocket on the exterior holds . . . a small travel pack of tissues, which is exactly what I use it for. So limited pockets - a flat pocket in the back to hold a reader or a tablet, a bigger interior pocket for whatever else, which also has the mesh pocket for wallet and keys and whatever other small items you don't want to get lost in the interior, and a large-ish exterior pocket that also has the elastic bands to hold stuff like a jacket or a hat. The end of the usable pockets. Exterior pockets are basically kind of useless for me except for the Kleenex travel pack and the lip balm I carry there. The Ugly: There is no ugly. This bag is cute as hell.

great little bag! thought it was a little pricey at first but after using the bag i think the price is worth it for the quality. great for day trips like the zoo or amusement parks. would be good for hiking too. very comfortable. the only problem is the side water bottle pouch is very small and doesn’t fit most water bottles so if i bring a bottle i have to put it inside the backpack, but it’s not really an issue and does not affect my rating at all.

Let me start by saying this bag is definitely small. Please make sure you really consider the size before buying. I’m personally super happy with it, but I can imagine that even people who expect it to be small might still find it smaller than they thought. (For reference, I’m 5’3” and it still looks small on me — that says a lot!) You really shouldn’t expect it to carry a ton. It’s more like a backup bag, or something to replace your smallest eco bag. If that’s the mindset you go in with, you might actually be pleasantly surprised at how much it holds. (Though honestly, if your smallest eco bag is already tiny, this one might still be even smaller — sorry in advance!) Also, one thing to note: if you overstuff the front pocket right under the bungee cords, it will eat into the space of the main compartment. So it’s best to keep smaller, flatter items there unless you want to lose precious room inside. To give you an idea, I’ve packed mine pretty efficiently — the photo of the fully packed bag contains everything I usually carry day-to-day plus a birthday gift for a friend. I tend to carry a lot of little things and always end up stuffing whatever bag I’m using to the brim. That’s actually why I intentionally chose a small bag — to force myself to carry less. And honestly? I love it. The internal digital device pocket? It fits my 11” iPad Pro with the official Apple keyboard folio case snugly. Like, really snugly — it’s a perfect fit with no room to spare, but it works! As for features, I’ve found the outside bungee cords handy for stashing a thin jacket or slim sneakers (I use Nike Metcons — anything bulkier probably won’t work). The side water bottle pockets? Let’s talk. Only one side has an elastic top, and to be honest, even kid-sized water bottles don’t fit well in either. I just keep my bottle inside the main compartment, and use the side pockets for smaller items like a sunscreen stick or bug repellent stick — much more practical. Oh, and inside, there’s a little mesh pocket with a key hook — super useful!

Cute & stylish mini backpack! It’s great quality, very comfortable to use for hiking or a theme park. Has good padding & little zippers to store glasses or keys. I only wish the side pocket could fit a water bottle in it, but it doesn’t.