North Face Borealis vs Patagonia Refugio - We Tested Both
The North Face Borealis vs the Patagonia Refugio. How do you choose? Both bags are great for daily use and have strong outdoor roots that make them perfect for both urban jungles and, well, actual jungles.
In this hands-on backpack comparison we have the Patagonia Refugio 30L and both the men’s and women’s versions of The North Face Borealis. We’ll point out the main differences in six crucial categories: comfort, pockets, weight, laptop sleeve, exterior storage, and packing space. By the end of this comparison, you’ll have a clear winner.
Video Review
Quick Specs
 |
 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Volume | Mens: 28L Womens: 27L |
30L |
| Materials | 210D Recycled Nylon Ripstop with DWR coating | 400D Recycled Polyester with DWR coating |
| Dimensions | Mens: 19.5” (H) x 12” (W) x 6.5” (D) Womens: 18.75” (H) x 11” (W) x 5.75” (D) |
19” (H) x 12” (W) x 6.5” (D) |
| Weight | Mens: 2 lbs 5 oz Womens: 2 lbs 1 oz |
1 lbs 12 oz |
| Laptop Storage | 15" Laptop Compartment | 15" Removable |
| Chest Strap | Yes | Yes |
| Hip Belt | Yes | No |
| Price |
1. The Borealis is More Comfortable (with some caveats)
When it comes to size and comfort, both the North Face Borealis and Patagonia Refugio 30L offer unique features, but they cater to different needs and preferences.
Women’s North Face Borealis vs Patagonia Refugio 30L - Model Height 5’6” (167.6 cm)
Fit and Sizes
The Borealis is available in both men's and women's versions, allowing for a more customized fit. If you have narrow shoulders and a shorter torso, the women's version is ideal. If you are taller with broader shoulders, the men's version will suit you better. To learn more about the differences between the women’s and men’s Borealis, check out our Mens vs Womens North Face Guide. This ability to dial in your fit makes the Borealis a versatile option for a wide range of body types.
In contrast, the Refugio 30L comes in just one size. If you need a smaller pack, you would have to opt for the Refugio 26L, which is a very different backpack. For more details on the differences between these two sizes, you might want to check out our Patagonia Refugio 26L vs 30L comparison.
The womens and mens North Face Borealis next to the Patagonia Refugio 30L backpack
In terms of overall size, the women's Borealis is slightly smaller than the Refugio 30L, while the men's Borealis has a similar footprint but is slightly taller.
Comfort is a critical aspect of any backpack, and below, we’ll review the difference in shoulder straps, adjustment points, and back panel.
Borealis vs Refugio Shoulder Straps
The Borealis features thinner, stiffer straps made of dense foam, while the Refugio’s straps are thicker and more padded. The Refugio also has load lifters on the top, allowing you to pull the backpack weight closer to your center of gravity, which is beneficial when the bag is heavy.
One problem that we sometimes have with the Borealis is that it’s thinner straps may sometimes cut into your shoulders and cause discomfort. We have never experiences this with the thicker Refugio straps.
Borealis vs Refugio Adjustment straps
North Face Borealis vs Patagonia Refugio - The Refugio is missing a waist belt
Both backpacks offer chest straps, but only the Borealis includes a waist belt that is adjustable and removable.
The chest strap on the Borealis is on a track that allows for fast and easy adjustments, whereas the Refugio’s daisy chain loops that make it harder to adjust and lacks the ability for fine adjustments. The one big pro for having the chest strap on a daisy chain loop, instead of a fixed track, is the ability to remove the chest strap on the Refugio altogether. However, we still have to go with the chest strap on the Borealis for its ease of use.
Borealis vs Refugio Back Panel
North Face Borealis vs Refugio back panels - Borealis has better padding and more air channels
The Borealis has a stiffer back panel with dedicated padding for lumbar support and upper back support. It also gives you lots of deep and generous air channels for breathability.
In contrast, the Refugio has a very flexible back panel with just two rows of padding that feels a lot less targeted than the padding on the Borealis and as a result has much less airflow. It seems like Patagonia has decided to not go with a frame sheet on the Refugio to save on weight but as a result you get a back panel that doesn’t provide the same support at the one the Borealis.
2. The North Face Borealis has better pockets (and more of them!)
At first glance, both backpacks appear pretty similar. Both have side water bottle pockets and a top pocket for quick access items. However, these three pockets are where the similarities end.
The Refugio is missing the front organizer compartment found in the Borealis. This organizer compartment is filled with pockets for storing your smaller daily essentials.
Borealis vs Refugio - The Refugio backpack is missing the front organizer compartment
We counted the total number of pockets in each pack and found that the Borealis has a lot more:
The North Face Borealis: 10 pockets
Patagonia Refugio 30L: 6 pockets
But all is not as it seems with the Patagonia Refugio, because three of its six pockets are on the removable laptop sleeve. If you ever remove that laptop sleeve, you will be left with only the three exterior pockets. That might be great for hiking, when you want to lighten the backpack, but inconvenient on days when you want to leave your laptop at home but still need some organization.
North Face Borealis vs Patagonia Refugio - the top pocket on the Refugio backpack is not fleece lined
Not only does the Borealis have more pockets, but their quality is also much higher. The front pocket on the Borealis is fleece-lined to protect delicate items like sunglasses and tech, while the top pocket on the Refugio just uses a lightweight polyester lining. There are even more fleece-lined and padded pockets inside the organizer compartment. In comparison, the mesh pockets on the Refugio laptop sleeve feel flimsy.
3. The Patagonia Refugio is Lighter
After using the Patagonia Refugio, it becomes clear that Patagonia designed this backpack to be as lightweight as possible. With this in mind, it makes sense that Patagonia uses 400D recycled polyester and features stretchy mesh for the side pockets. This results in a lightweight and flexible backpack that takes its cues from a lightweight hiking pack.
The North Face Borealis offers two material options: 210D Recycled Ripstop Nylon or 300D Heathered Recycled Polyester, with a heavier abrasion-resistant material used on the side pockets and bottom of the pack. However, this robustness comes at a cost, with the men's Borealis weighing in at 2 lbs 5 oz and the women's version at 2 lbs 1 oz, compared to the Refugio's mere 1 lb 12 oz.
When worn, the difference in weight is very noticeable and can make a real difference if you use either on a day hike where every ounce counts.
4. Both Have Great Laptop Compartments
Both the Refugio and Borealis cater to modern needs with dedicated laptop compartments, but they take different approaches. The North Face Borealis has a laptop sleeve in the back with a generous false bottom that elevates the laptop about five inches from the bottom of the bag, providing great protection from drops.
The Patagonia Refugio 30L features a unique removable laptop sleeve. Although there isn’t much of a false bottom for laptop protection inside the rear laptop compartment itself, the sleeve offers 360-degree padding, including the bottom, to protect your laptop from bumps and drops.
North Face Borealis vs Patagonia Refugio - laptop compartment and removable laptop sleeve
Both sleeves are designed for 15-inch laptops, but we found that they can fit slightly larger models as well, like a 15.6-inch PC or a 16-inch MacBook Pro. Here are the laptop sleeve dimensions so you can check if your laptop will fit:
Refugio 30L: 14” x 9.7” (35.5 cm x 24.64 cm)
Men’s Borealis: 13.75'' x 11.25'' (34.9 cm x 28.6 cm)
Women’s Borealis: 12.5'' x 11'' (31.8 cm x 27.9 cm)
One great feature of both models is that each laptop compartment can be turned into a hydration pocket for hiking. Both include velcro hooks and pass-through ports for attaching a hydration bladder.
5. The North Face Borealis Has Better Exterior Storage
When it comes to exterior storage and bungee systems, the Borealis easily has one of the best backpack bungee systems we have ever tested. What makes it special are the clips in the middle of the bungee that allow you to open the bungee cord, place your item exactly where you want it, and then secure it. This system makes storing items in the bungee quick and easy.
In addition to the bungee, the Borealis also has compression straps on the bottom, instead of the sides. This allows for extra attachments of items like a jacket or hoodie and can easily double your storage when combined with the bungee.
The North Face Borealis vs Patagonia Refugio - Bungee and exterior storage
The Patagonia Refugio 30L has a basic bungee setup, which is much less flashy. However, it compensates with additional features such as lash points on the corners and a loop for a bike light. It also includes side compression straps, useful for securing longer items in the side mesh pockets.
Although having lash points on the Refugio is great, it doesn’t compare to how much more storage you can add with the Borealis’ bungee and bottom compression straps. For this reason, we prefer what The North Face Borealis has to offer.
6. The Refugio 30L Has More Packing Space
Finally, let’s compare the main packing compartments. The men's Borealis and the Refugio 30L have similar dimensions, with the Borealis being slightly taller. However, the men’s Borealis offers 28 liters of space compared to the Refugio’s 30 liters because the front organizer compartment eats into the main compartment space.
When packed with the same folders, binders, and notebooks, the Refugio will have a bit more room depth-wise, allowing for an extra item. The women’s Borealis, with only 27 liters of packing space, offers even less room, with a slimmer main compartment.
Final Score - Which Is Better?
The North Face Borealis
The North Face Borealis: 4 points
More comfortable back panel and adjustment straps
More pockets and better quality pockets
Very protective laptop compartment
Better bungee and exterior storage
Patagonia Refugio 30L
Patagonia Refugio 30L: 3 points
Lighter weight
Protective removable laptop sleeve
More packing space
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