North Face Borealis vs Jester: Battle of the Backpacks
Traveling is an exciting and rewarding experience, but it may get stressful if you need to prepare with the right gear. A backpack is an essential item for any traveler. It is versatile and convenient and allows you to carry all your essentials with ease.
It’s essential to choose a backpack that suits your specific travel needs, is well-made, and will withstand the wear and tear of travel. North Face is a famous brand among travelers. And North face backpacks are of good quality and got thousands of great reviews from models.
NF Borealis and Jester are their bestselling backpacks. Though both models are similar, they have some significant differences, making them superior.
We have tried and tested both backpack models and are now providing you with firsthand information.
- Capacity: 28L (Men) & 27L (Women)
- Weight: 2Lb 11oz
- Dimension: 19.75 x 12 x 6.5 inch
- Laptop Section: 16 inch
- Material: Nylon, Nylon Ripstop & Polyester
- Capacity: 27.5 (Men) & 27L (Women)
- Weight: 1Lb 10oz
- Dimension: 19.75 x 13.25 x 7.5 inch
- Laptop Section: 14 inch
- Material: Recycled Polyester
The North Face Brand
The North Face is a famous American outdoor brand founded in 1966. The company is known for producing high-quality clothing, footwear, and equipment for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and skiing.
The North Face backpacks are made with durable materials and innovative features, making them popular among outdoor enthusiasts and travelers. If you own or plan to buy an NF backpack, do you know how to wash a North face backpack?
North Face Borealis Backpack
North face Borealis is an excellent choice for backpacks to use. It has a very stylish design both for women and men. This backpack has incredible value and easy access for the organization. North Face Borealis is made for you if you want a good-quality bag. It is a versatile and functional backpack for everyday use, outdoor activities, and travel.
North Face Jester Backpack
The North Face Jester is a popular backpack among travelers and hikers. It has an excellent design and a beautiful outlook. There is an inside zipper pocket to keep your valuable belongings safe.
Its flex vent technology will keep you sweat free and is not costly. This backpack provides comfort and is an excellent option for travelers and college and university students.
North Face Borealis Vs Jester: The Similarities
1. Color Variety
The first and favorite feature of these backpacks is Borealis, and jester backpacks come in various colors. And all the models have the same excellent quality. So, you can easily choose your favorite color and get the same design and quality.
2. Bungee System
At first glance, I noticed a bungee system on the outside compartment of both backpacks. Although they look similar, their anchor system is a bit different. The Borealis backpack’s bungee connects in the middle, whereas Jester crosses over. There are two adjustment spots for the Jester on each side, so you may tighten or loosen it wherever you need.
3. Comfortable Shoulder Straps
Now if I go toward the shoulder straps, both are comfortable and easy on your body. The jester backpack has flash sowing at the top, but it only gives that much flexibility. What I love about North Face Borealis is its nylon material at the top of the backpack. It is a lot more comfortable and flexible.
I easily conform Borealis to what I wear, especially in winter when we wear a lot. Regarding comfort, the padding of both bags’ straps is quite similar, with a good quantity of foam density.
4. Flex Vent Technology
Further, if I talk about the back panels of the backpacks, Jester seems a little softer and plusher. In contrast, Borealis is a little dense and robust. There is a Vent down on both packs. This vent helps to make the air circular, and your body will be sweat-free.
North Face Borealis Vs Jester: The Difference
1. Size & Storage Capacity
Both Borealis and Jester backpacks are available for both males and females. The Borealis has a storage capacity of 28L for men and 27L for women. In comparison, The Jester has a capacity of 27.5L for men’s backpacks and 27L for women’s versions.
When I look at the internal capacity and size of both backpacks, they are similar. But Borealis appears broader and deeper at the bottom. It is a giant backpack when it comes to overall dimensions.
How big is a 30L backpack? Here is the answer to this question.
2. Material & Construction
The new jester design is Recycled polyester that is lightweight to carry. However, it is a durable material but feels very thin when you handle it. The back panel has a rigid frame inside to give the pack some shape, but you can bend it easily.
In contrast, Borealis uses different materials according to the color you select. Yet they all have a mix of nylon, nylon ripstop, along with polyester. If we compare it to the recycled polyester of a jester backpack, nylon has more weight and feels tougher.
3. Side Compression Straps
When it comes to compression straps, they help you compact and stabilize the load in your backpack. The Borealis backpack has solid and durable buckles for its sternum strap, waist belt, and side compression straps.
In contrast, the Jester backpack lacks many of these features. It does not have side compression straps, and its waist belt is also absent.
4. Weight
Jester has the construction of recycled polyester, so it weighs significantly less than Borealis. The Borealis is nearly a pound heavier because of the thicker nylon fabric, better hardware, and more robust back panel. The Jester backpack weighs 1Lb 10oz whereas the weight of Borealis is 2Lb 11oz, slightly more.
5. Pockets & Compartments
1. Front Compartment
On the front of Borealis, we have a fleece-lined pocket that gives readily available access to your essentials like sunglasses or a phone while Jester still needs this pocket.
Now if I move towards the front compartment, the Borealis has a tablet pocket, and below this, we have a large zipper section with a critical leech. Here you can attach keys rather than placing them somewhere else in a bag and searching later. Some slip pockets keep small items like pens, headphones, or chargers.
The front compartment on the Jester is a stripped-down version like in the Borealis backpack. Although it doesn’t have a tablet compartment, there is a large zipper pocket with a critical leech.
Yet one feature I love about Jester is that its zipper opens much broader making it easy for you to access inner pockets. The Borealis backpack has zippers that open about halfway.
2. Main Compartment
Now let’s talk about the main compartment of both backpacks. The significant difference is laptop placements.
The jester model offers padded sleeves for laptops inside the main compartment. However, it can only accommodate laptops up to 14″ in size, while larger 15.6″ laptops may not fit comfortably. The Jester backpack provides ample protection for laptops as the sleeve has extra space to shield the device from the sides.
On the other hand, the Borealis backpack has a separate laptop compartment which is significantly more spacious than the padded sleeve of the Jester. It easily accommodates laptops as large as 15.6″ with some additional space. Moreover, the laptop compartment of the Borealis features a false bottom to safeguard the laptop against accidental drops, making it a more desirable option overall.
3. Water bottle Pockets
Another aspect where these two backpacks differ is the design of the water bottle pockets. The Jester features side pockets of the same mesh material as the front compartment. However, this mesh material feels rough and of lower quality than the material used on the Borealis.
In contrast, the side pockets on the Borealis are of a much more quality material that is soft to the touch and highly elastic.
6. Price
Another noticeable difference between the Jester and Borealis backpacks is their price point. The Jester bag retails at $69, whereas the Borealis model retails at $89, resulting in a $20 difference.
Final Recommendation: Which is the Winner
The north face is another name for durability, practicality, and suitability. People often wonder if North Face backpacks are waterproof. The answer is they are water resistant, so if you are hiking or on any other adventure, bring your rain cover.
Now if we decide who will be the winner among both backpacks, they have different benefits to offer. You may need clarification in deciding which backpack to buy. Although the Jester’s overall quality could be better, it could be more lovely than the Borealis. So, after research and personal use of experience, we recommended: the Borealis North face backpack.
Related Read: North Face Vault Backpack Review
