Osprey Nebula vs. 5.11 Skyweight 36L Pack
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Feature by feature
| Osprey Nebula | Feature | 5.11 Skyweight 36L Pack |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| 4 | Compression | 4 |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 1 | Opening | 1 |
| top | Passport | top |
| N | Passthrough | N |
| Carry | ||
| Y | Backpack | Y |
| removable | Hip Belt | removable |
| Y | Sternum Strap | Y |
| Inside | ||
| 15in | Laptop | N |
| 3 | Main Compartments | 4 |
| Y | Organizer | N |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| N | Rain-fly | Y |
| 2, side | Water Bottle Holder | 2, side |
| Y | Water Resistant | N |
| Material | |
| MAIN: 420HD Nylon Packcloth BOTTOM: 420HD Nylon Packcloth | 330D ripstop nylon |
5.11 Skyweight 36L Pack
| Capacity | 36 L |
| Weight | 1.1 kg |
| Dimensions | 56×33×22 cm |
| Airline fit | 47% |
| Price | $200 |
Key differences between the Osprey Nebula and 5.11 Skyweight 36L Pack
- Laptop sleeve: 15in on the Osprey Nebula; No on the 5.11 Skyweight 36L Pack.
- Main compartments: 3 on the Osprey Nebula; 4 on the 5.11 Skyweight 36L Pack.
- Built-in organizer: Yes on the Osprey Nebula; No on the 5.11 Skyweight 36L Pack.
- Rain cover: No on the Osprey Nebula; Yes on the 5.11 Skyweight 36L Pack.
- Water resistant: Yes on the Osprey Nebula; No on the 5.11 Skyweight 36L Pack.
Both have: compression straps, passport pocket, backpack straps, hip belt, sternum strap, water bottle pockets.
Which airlines take each bag as a carry-on
We checked both bags against the carry-on size limits of 189 airlines. 25 accept both. 0 accept only the Osprey Nebula, and 63 accept only the 5.11 Skyweight 36L Pack.
Only the 5.11 Skyweight 36L Pack fits
Aegean Airlines, Air Asia, Air Astana, Air Macau, Air Nostrum, Air Wisconsin, AirAsiaX, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Atlas Global, Avianca , Bahamasair, Bangkok Airways, Biman Bangladesh, British Airways, Cambodia Angkor Air, Cathay Pacific, Cayman Airways, Cebu Pacific, China Airlines, CommutAir, Conviasa, Copa Airlines, Delta Airlines, Dragonair, EL AL, EVA Air, Finnair, Frontier Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, Hawaiian Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, Iran Aseman Air, Island Air, Jet2, jetBlue Airways, Jetstar Airways, Jetstar Asia, Kulula, Kuwait Air, Malaysia Airlines, Mango, Middle East Airlines, Monarch Airlines, Onur Air, PenAir, Qantas Airways, Republic Airways, Skywest, Inc., South African Airways, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, SriLankan Airlines, Sun Country, Thai Airways, Trans States, Travel Service Airlines, United Airlines, Uzbekistan Air, Vietnam Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, WOW Airlines.
Osprey Nebula vs. 5.11 Skyweight 36L Pack: which should you pack?
The 5.11 Skyweight 36L Pack carries 2L more than the Osprey Nebula (34L vs. 36L), while the Osprey Nebula is the lighter pack at 1kg (vs. 1.1kg). For carry-on flexibility, the 5.11 Skyweight 36L Pack fits 47% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the 5.11 Skyweight 36L Pack; if you want to travel lighter, the Osprey Nebula is the better call.