Osprey Skarab 30 vs. North Face Recon
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Feature by feature
| Osprey Skarab 30 | Feature | North Face Recon |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| 4 | Compression | 4 |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 0 | Opening | 0 |
| top | Passport | front |
| 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 | Y |
| 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 | 210D recycled nylon ripstop with non-PFC durable water-repellent (non-PFC DWR) finish |
North Face Recon
| Capacity | 30 L |
| Weight | 1.2 kg |
| Dimensions | 49×30×19 cm |
| Airline fit | 92% |
| Price | $110 |
Key differences between the Osprey Skarab 30 and North Face Recon
- Passport pocket: Top on the Osprey Skarab 30; Front on the North Face Recon.
- Laptop sleeve: No on the Osprey Skarab 30; 15in on the North Face Recon.
- Main compartments: 2 on the Osprey Skarab 30; 3 on the North Face Recon.
- Built-in organizer: No on the Osprey Skarab 30; Yes on the North Face Recon.
Both have: compression straps, 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 100 accept only the North Face Recon.
Only the Osprey Skarab 30 fits
Great Lakes Airlines.
Only the North Face Recon 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, 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, Volotea, WestJet, Xiamen.
Osprey Skarab 30 vs. North Face Recon: which should you pack?
The Osprey Skarab 30 carries the same capacity as the North Face Recon (30L vs. 30L), while the Osprey Skarab 30 is the lighter pack at 0.9kg (vs. 1.2kg). For carry-on flexibility, the North Face Recon fits 92% 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.