Kathmandu Litehaul Pack 28L vs. Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack

Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.

Kathmandu Litehaul Pack 28L

Front facing view of the Kathmandu Litehaul Pack 28L
Capacity28 L
Weight1.12 kg
Dimensions56×32×25 cm
Airline fit26%
Price$160

Feature by feature

Kathmandu Litehaul Pack 28LFeatureKathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack
Storage
N Compression N
None Expanded Capacity None
3 Opening 3
N Passport N
Y Passthrough N
Carry
Y Backpack Y
Y Hip Belt Y
Y Sternum Strap Y
Inside
18in Laptop N
1 Main Compartments 1
N Organizer N
Outside
× Hard Shell ×
optional Rain-fly optional
1 Water Bottle Holder 1
N Water Resistant N
Material
100% Nylon & Polyester210 Nylon HT Rip Stop Cordura™, 210 Polyester Oxford

Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack

Front facing view of the Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack
Capacity20 L
Weight0.44 kg
Dimensions46×25×22 cm
Airline fit75%
Price$100

Key differences between the Kathmandu Litehaul Pack 28L and Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack

Both have: backpack straps, hip belt, sternum strap, rain cover, 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. 49 accept both. 0 accept only the Kathmandu Litehaul Pack 28L, and 92 accept only the Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack.

Only the Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack fits

Aer Lingus, Aeroflot, Aerolineas Argentinas, Aeromexico, Air Asia, Air Canada, Air Caraibes, Air France, Air India, Air Macau, Air Mauritius, Air Wisconsin, AirAsiaX, Alaska Airlines, All Nipon Airways, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, ANA, Austrian, Avianca , Azerbaijan Airlines, Bahamasair, Bangkok Airways, Biman Bangladesh, Boliviana de Aviacion, Brussels Airlines, Cambodia Angkor Air, Cathay Pacific, Cayman Airways, Cebu Pacific, China Airlines, CommutAir, Croatia Air, Czech Airlines, Delta Airlines, Dragonair, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Eurowings, EVA Air, Fiji Airways, Flair Air, Garuda Indonesia, Gol Linhas Aereas, Great Lakes Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, Iberia, Indigo, Interjet, Iran Air, Japan Airlines, Jet Airways, jetBlue Airways, Jetstar Airways, Jetstar Asia, Kenya Airways, KLM, Kulula, LATAM , LOT Polish, Lufthansa, Mahan Air, Malaysia Airlines, Mango, Mesa Airlines, Norwegian, Oman Air, Pakistan International, Peach, Porter Airlines, Qantas Airways, Qatar Airways, Ravn Alaska, Regional Express, Republic Airways, Royal Jordanian, SAS Scandinavian, Scoot, Sky Airlines, Skywest, Inc., South African Airways, SriLankan Airlines, Swiss Int'l Air Lines, Tiger Airways, Trans States, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Australia, WestJet.

Kathmandu Litehaul Pack 28L vs. Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack: which should you pack?

The Kathmandu Litehaul Pack 28L carries 8L more than the Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack (28L vs. 20L), while the Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack is the lighter pack at 0.44kg (vs. 1.12kg). For carry-on flexibility, the Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack fits 75% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Kathmandu Litehaul Pack 28L; if you want to travel lighter, the Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack is the better call.