The North Face Base Camp Voyager Pro Travel Pack Review

The North Face Base Camp Voyager Pro Travel Pack feels like an evolution of what we’ve come to expect from modern travel backpacks. That includes a clamshell opening, dedicated tech storage, plenty of organization, and enough harness features to make carrying a fully loaded pack comfortable. We recently took it on a road trip through Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where it spent time in the car, on the trail, tossed around a cabin, and exposed to a little rain and dirt along the way. Let’s dive in and see how it performed!

External Components

The main body of the pack is crafted from 300D recycled polyester with a TPU coating. It has a matte finish that looks sleek without drawing too much attention. The material feels durable and highly water resistant, which is exactly what we want from a travel pack that’s bound to encounter questionable weather and even more questionable airport floors.

For the bottom of the pack, The North Face uses 840D recycled ballistic nylon with a PU coating and non-PFC DWR finish. This area naturally takes more abuse because it’s where you’ll set the pack down most often. Thankfully, it feels even more durable than the main body fabric. After getting tossed around a cabin, dropped onto the dirt, and generally treated like luggage, we haven’t noticed any issues.

YKK zippers are used throughout the pack. There are a few different styles and sizes depending on the compartment, though none feature PU-coated zipper tracks. Still, they’re smooth, reliable, and exactly what we’ve come to expect from YKK. We haven’t experienced any snagging or durability concerns during testing.

Both ITW and Duraflex provide hardware. It’s sturdy, functional, and mostly disappears into the background—which is exactly what you want from hardware. Everything works as expected, and we’ve had no complaints.

Four compression straps line the sides of the pack. They do a nice job cinching things down when the bag isn’t fully loaded, helping maintain a cleaner profile. The straps connect to daisy chains via metal clips, giving you flexibility when attaching them. You can move them around depending on your loadout or even use the daisy chains to secure additional gear externally.

The only downside is that one side of each compression strap is permanently attached. The straps still hang around, even if you aren’t using them. Thankfully, they stay relatively tidy and don’t get in the way too often.

There are stretch mesh water bottle pockets on either side of the pack. They’re flexible enough to accommodate larger bottles, which we always appreciate. Smaller bottles can move around a little, though that’s fairly typical with highly elastic pockets.

These pockets become more versatile when paired with the compression straps. We’ve used them to secure larger items, such as a travel tripod, an umbrella, and oversized water bottles. If your bottle has a loop or opening near the top, you can even route the compression strap through it for extra security.

The pack has padded grab handles on the top and both sides. They’re covered in mesh and feel comfortable to hold. That said, once you’ve loaded this pack up for a trip, carrying it by the handles becomes less appealing. They work well for moving the bag around an airport, loading it into a car, or pulling it from an overhead compartment, but we’d much rather wear it as a backpack for longer distances.

Between the handles, you’ll find additional daisy chain attachment points. It’s a nice touch if you enjoy attaching extra gear externally or simply want more lashing options while traveling.

Fit Notes

The shoulder straps strike a nice balance between comfort and flexibility. They’re padded enough to handle heavier loads but don’t feel overly dense or bulky. The overall vibe is decidedly hike-y, which makes sense considering The North Face’s outdoor heritage.

Mesh covers the straps for breathability, and we found them comfortable throughout testing. They contour well to the body and don’t feel overly rigid, even with the pack stuffed to the brim.

Load lifters sit near the top of the harness and help bring the weight closer to your back. We always appreciate seeing these on travel packs, especially ones pushing into the mid-30-liter range. Small adjustments can make a noticeable difference when carrying heavier loads.

There are a few attachment points on the shoulder straps, including a D-ring for accessories. On the left strap, you’ll find a stretch mesh zippered pocket. It’s handy for stashing snacks, a Bluetooth tracker, cash, or even a phone if it fits comfortably.

The sternum strap rides on a rail system, allowing micro-adjustments to dial in the fit. Rail-mounted sternum straps can sometimes get knocked out of place if they catch on something, though that hasn’t happened to us during testing. The buckle also features an integrated whistle, a nice addition for outdoor adventures.

The hip belt is relatively simple. There’s no padding and no ventilation, so it’s really there to help transfer weight and stabilize the load rather than provide all-day comfort. If you crank it down too tightly or wear it for extended periods, it can dig into your hips a bit.

The back panel has two generously padded sections separated by a large air channel. Everything is covered in mesh, which promotes airflow and improves comfort. You’re still likely to work up a sweat if you’re carrying 36 liters through an airport or up a trail in the summer heat, but it performs well compared to similar travel packs.

The back panel also doubles as a luggage pass-through. Slide it over the handle of rolling luggage, and the pack rides horizontally. It’s easy to use and doesn’t interfere with comfort when worn normally.

Inside The Pack

On the front of the pack is a vertical zippered pocket that’s ideal for quick-access gear. There isn’t any organization inside—just a large open space. We used it for things like a packable rain jacket and other items we wanted easy access to throughout the day.

At the top sits another quick-access pocket. Like the front compartment, organization is minimal. There’s a key leash, but otherwise it’s an open dump pocket for essentials like your phone, wallet, passport, or sunglasses.

One feature we appreciate is the dedicated shoe compartment at the bottom of the pack. It’s handy for keeping dirty shoes separate from the rest of your gear, though it’s important to remember that it takes up space in the main compartment. If you aren’t carrying shoes, that volume becomes available again.

The main compartment utilizes a butterfly-style opening. To fully access it, you’ll need to unclip two of the compression straps first. It’s an extra step, but not particularly annoying.

On the back panel side of the compartment, you’ll find the tech organization. There’s a padded laptop sleeve that accommodates devices up to 16 inches, along with a separate padded tablet sleeve. Both feel very secure thanks to the generous padding from the back panel and additional internal cushioning.

There are also three elastic pen loops and a zippered mesh pocket for smaller accessories. If you travel with minimal tech, you could realistically store all of your electronics in this section and keep them neatly organized.

On the opposite side, things are more suitcase-like. The primary storage area is a large cavity designed for clothing and travel gear. It can accommodate a surprising number of packing cubes, though capacity decreases when you use the shoe compartment below. Of course, you can also skip the cubes and toss clothing directly inside if that’s more your style.

On the divider panel, there’s a zippered pocket that’s accessible from the exterior side of the organization panel rather than the interior. It’s a useful spot for socks, underwear, or other smaller clothing items that tend to get lost in larger compartments.

Overall, we came away impressed with The North Face Base Camp Voyager Pro Travel Pack. It handled a road trip through Michigan’s Upper Peninsula without complaint, surviving time in the car, hikes on the trail, rain, dirt, and plenty of rough handling around a cabin.

It feels equally comfortable exploring a city, hopping on a plane, or heading out for a weekend adventure. The organization is practical, the materials inspire confidence, and the carry system does a solid job supporting heavier loads. If you’re looking for a travel backpack that balances outdoor-ready comfort with travel-focused organization, this one is worth a look.