Lowe Alpine Edge 26 vs. 5.11 Rush 12
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Lowe Alpine Edge 26
| Capacity | 26 L |
| Weight | 0.6 kg |
| Dimensions | 50×30×25 cm |
| Airline fit | 40% |
| Price | $93 |
Feature by feature
| Lowe Alpine Edge 26 | Feature | 5.11 Rush 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| 2 | Compression | 2 |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 0 | Opening | 1 |
| top | Passport | top |
| N | Passthrough | N |
| Carry | ||
| Y | Backpack | Y |
| removable | Hip Belt | removable |
| removable | Sternum Strap | removable |
| Inside | ||
| 15in | Laptop | N |
| 4 | Main Compartments | 4 |
| N | Organizer | N |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| N | Rain-fly | N |
| 2, side | Water Bottle Holder | N |
| Y | Water Resistant | Y |
| Material | |
| Water-resistant 1050D nylon | |
Key differences between the Lowe Alpine Edge 26 and 5.11 Rush 12
- Opening: Other on the Lowe Alpine Edge 26; Clamshell on the 5.11 Rush 12.
- Laptop sleeve: 15in on the Lowe Alpine Edge 26; No on the 5.11 Rush 12.
- Water bottle pockets: 2, side on the Lowe Alpine Edge 26; No on the 5.11 Rush 12.
Both have: compression straps, passport pocket, backpack straps, hip belt, sternum strap, water resistant.
Which airlines take each bag as a carry-on
We checked both bags against the carry-on size limits of 189 airlines. 75 accept both. 0 accept only the Lowe Alpine Edge 26, and 104 accept only the 5.11 Rush 12.
Only the 5.11 Rush 12 fits
Aer Lingus, Air Asia, Air Baltic, Air Canada, Air China, Air Macau, Air Malta, Air Niugini, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Air Wisconsin, AirAsiaX, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, American Eagle, Asiana Airlines, ATA Airlines, Austrian, Avianca , Azerbaijan Airlines, Bahamasair, Bangkok Airways, Belavia, Biman Bangladesh, Blue Air, Brussels Airlines, Bulgaria Air, Cambodia Angkor Air, Cathay Pacific, Cayman Airways, Cebu Pacific, China Airlines, China Eastern, CommutAir, Delta Airlines, Dragonair, easyJet, Emirates Airlines, Enter Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Eurowings, EVA Air, Fiji Airways, Flair Air, flybe, Garuda Indonesia, Great Lakes Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, Icelandair, InselAir, jetBlue Airways, Jetstar Airways, Jetstar Asia, Juneyao Airlines, Kulula, Liat Airlines, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, Luxair, Mahan Air, Malaysia Airlines, Mango, Meridiana Fly, Mesa Airlines, Nordwind Airlines, Norwegian, Oman Air, Pakistan International, Porter Airlines, Qantas Airways, Ravn Alaska, Regional Express, Republic Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Ryanair, S7, SAS Scandinavian, Scoot, Shandong Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Skywest, Inc., South African Airways, SriLankan Airlines, Sun Express, Swiss Int'l Air Lines, TAP Air Portugal, TAROM, Tianjin Airlines (A320 & E190), Tiger Airways, Trans States, TUI, Turkish Airlines, Ukraine International, United Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, VIM Airlines (Closed), Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Australia, Volotea, WestJet, Xiamen.
Lowe Alpine Edge 26 vs. 5.11 Rush 12: which should you pack?
The Lowe Alpine Edge 26 carries 2L more than the 5.11 Rush 12 (26L vs. 24L), while the Lowe Alpine Edge 26 is the lighter pack at 0.6kg (vs. 1.2kg). For carry-on flexibility, the 5.11 Rush 12 fits 95% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Lowe Alpine Edge 26; if you want to travel lighter, the Lowe Alpine Edge 26 is the better call.