Osprey Skarab 30 vs. Topo Designs Mountain Pack
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Feature by feature
| Osprey Skarab 30 | Feature | Topo Designs Mountain Pack |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| 4 | Compression | >5 |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 0 | Opening | 2 |
| top | Passport | top |
| N | Passthrough | N |
| Carry | ||
| Y | Backpack | Y |
| removable | Hip Belt | removable |
| Y | Sternum Strap | Y |
| Inside | ||
| N | Laptop | 15in |
| 2 | Main Compartments | 3 |
| 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 PFAS | 1000D exterior, 210D coated pack cloth liner |
Topo Designs Mountain Pack
| Capacity | 30 L |
| Weight | 1 kg |
| Dimensions | 48×29×18 cm |
| Airline fit | 93% |
| Price | $180 |
Key differences between the Osprey Skarab 30 and Topo Designs Mountain Pack
- Compression straps: 4 on the Osprey Skarab 30; >5 on the Topo Designs Mountain Pack.
- Opening: Other on the Osprey Skarab 30; Rolltop on the Topo Designs Mountain Pack.
- Laptop sleeve: No on the Osprey Skarab 30; 15in on the Topo Designs Mountain Pack.
- Main compartments: 2 on the Osprey Skarab 30; 3 on the Topo Designs Mountain Pack.
Both have: passport pocket, backpack straps, hip belt, sternum strap, 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. 73 accept both. 1 accept only the Osprey Skarab 30, and 102 accept only the Topo Designs Mountain Pack.
Only the Osprey Skarab 30 fits
Great Lakes Airlines.
Only the Topo Designs Mountain Pack 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, 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, Emirates Airlines, Enter Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, 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, 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, Qatar Airways, 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.
Osprey Skarab 30 vs. Topo Designs Mountain Pack: which should you pack?
The Osprey Skarab 30 carries the same capacity as the Topo Designs Mountain Pack (30L vs. 30L), while the Osprey Skarab 30 is the lighter pack at 0.9kg (vs. 1kg). For carry-on flexibility, the Topo Designs Mountain Pack fits 93% 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 Osprey Skarab 30 is the better call.