Osprey Skarab 30 vs. KS Ultralight KS27

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

Osprey Skarab 30

Front facing view of the Osprey Skarab 30
Capacity30 L
Weight0.9 kg
Dimensions54×28×25 cm
Airline fit39%
Price$160

Feature by feature

Osprey Skarab 30FeatureKS Ultralight KS27
Storage
4 Compression 2
None Expanded Capacity None
0 Opening 0
top Passport top
N Passthrough N
Carry
Y Backpack Y
removable Hip Belt removable
Y Sternum Strap removable
Inside
N Laptop N
2 Main Compartments 2
N Organizer N
Outside
× Hard Shell ×
N Rain-fly N
2, side Water Bottle Holder 2, side
Y Water Resistant Y
Material
bluesign® APPROVED, 100% recycled 100Dx210D high-tenacity nylon, DWR treatment made without PFASX-pac VX 07 YKK "waterproof zip"

KS Ultralight KS27

Front facing view of the KS Ultralight KS27
Capacity27 L
Weight0.3 kg
Dimensions55×28×16 cm
Airline fit87%
Price$130

Key differences between the Osprey Skarab 30 and KS Ultralight KS27

Both have: passport pocket, backpack straps, hip belt, water bottle pockets, water resistant.

Which airlines take each bag as a carry-on

We checked both bags against the carry-on size limits of 189 airlines. 74 accept both. 0 accept only the Osprey Skarab 30, and 90 accept only the KS Ultralight KS27.

Only the KS Ultralight KS27 fits

Aer Lingus, Air Asia, Air Baltic, Air Canada, Air China, Air Macau, Air Malta, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Air Wisconsin, AirAsiaX, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Asiana Airlines, ATA Airlines, Austrian, Avianca , Azerbaijan Airlines, Bahamasair, Bangkok Airways, 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, Emirates Airlines, Enter Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Eurowings, EVA Air, Fiji Airways, Flair Air, flybe, Garuda Indonesia, Hawaiian Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, Icelandair, InselAir, jetBlue Airways, Jetstar Airways, Jetstar Asia, Juneyao Airlines, Kulula, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, Luxair, Mahan Air, Malaysia Airlines, Mango, Meridiana Fly, Mesa Airlines, Nordwind Airlines, Norwegian, Pakistan International, Porter Airlines, Qantas Airways, Republic Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines, Ryanair, S7, SAS Scandinavian, 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), Trans States, TUI, Turkish Airlines, Ukraine International, United Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, VIM Airlines (Closed), Virgin Atlantic, Volotea, Xiamen.

Osprey Skarab 30 vs. KS Ultralight KS27: which should you pack?

The Osprey Skarab 30 carries 3L more than the KS Ultralight KS27 (30L vs. 27L), while the KS Ultralight KS27 is the lighter pack at 0.3kg (vs. 0.9kg). For carry-on flexibility, the KS Ultralight KS27 fits 87% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Osprey Skarab 30; if you want to travel lighter, the KS Ultralight KS27 is the better call.