Replacement for *Old* The North Face Borealis Backpack Suggestions
Hey y'all, sorry in advance for the long post!
Unfortunately, my Borealis backpack that I bought from the North Face in 2014 for college is on its last legs. (See the photo for the model I'm referring to--this is *not* my photo, it's a random one from Google images.) I'd love to replace it but it seems like the current iteration of the Borealis backpacks is missing some key features, including the small front pocket/pencil pouch. And in general, I feel like none of the backpacks I can find online in this day and age have these or are missing other features that are important to me???
I figured maybe I'd just crowdsource some ideas from the internet hivemind--let me know if you have suggestions based on my criteria below!
I'm looking for a decently-sized women's backpack. I mostly use it for transporting groceries, carrying my laptop, carrying my tennis racquet in lieu of a tennis bag, and general travel. I really like the little front pouch for carrying my airpods/chapstick/etc, in addition to the middle pocket with extra compartments for carrying my passport, sunglasses, snacks, etc. Ideally those would be separate pockets and everything isn't just hanging out loose in the main part of the bag. The other thing that's important to me is that there's a water bottle pouch on each side *with straps above them.* My water bottle is pretty tall and those keep it secure, plus I also hang my keys on a carabiner from the other strap, so this feature is pretty crucial for me. And lastly, it also needs to have a laptop sleeve.
I would also love all the closures to just be regular zippers. I really don't like models that use a drawstring and a clasp or magnets or whatever, it just feels un-secure to me.
Honestly, if I could just repurchase a new version of my current backpack, I'd do it in a heartbeat. I'm open to pretty much any brand, though--is there anything out there that fits my specifications? Or is the current iteration of the Borealis the best I'm going to get? Let me know if you've recently purchased a backpack you really love and swear by, even if it's not a perfect match. Thank you so much :)