Osprey Skarab 30 vs. Tom Bihn Brain Bag

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 30FeatureTom Bihn Brain Bag
Storage
4 Compression 4
None Expanded Capacity None
0 Opening 4
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 6
N Organizer Y
Outside
× Hard Shell ×
N Rain-fly N
2, side Water Bottle Holder 1, side
Y Water Resistant Y
Material
bluesign® APPROVED, 100% recycled 100Dx210D high-tenacity nylon, DWR treatment made without PFAS525 Ballistic Nylon

Tom Bihn Brain Bag

Front facing view of the Tom Bihn Brain Bag
Capacity36 L
Weight1.3 kg
Dimensions46×36×23 cm
Airline fit66%
Price$240

Key differences between the Osprey Skarab 30 and Tom Bihn Brain Bag

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

Which airlines take each bag as a carry-on

We checked both bags against the carry-on size limits of 189 airlines. 62 accept both. 12 accept only the Osprey Skarab 30, and 63 accept only the Tom Bihn Brain Bag.

Only the Osprey Skarab 30 fits

Aerolineas Argentinas, Air France, Air India, Air Mauritius, Boliviana de Aviacion, Great Lakes Airlines, Indigo, Jet Airways, Kenya Airways, KLM, LATAM , Sky Airlines.

Only the Tom Bihn Brain Bag fits

Aer Lingus, Air Asia, Air Canada, Air Macau, Air Wisconsin, AirAsiaX, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Austrian, Avianca , Azerbaijan Airlines, Bahamasair, Bangkok Airways, Biman Bangladesh, Brussels Airlines, Cambodia Angkor Air, Cathay Pacific, Cebu Pacific, China Airlines, CommutAir, Delta Airlines, Dragonair, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Eurowings, EVA Air, Fiji Airways, Flair Air, Garuda Indonesia, Hawaiian Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, jetBlue Airways, Jetstar Airways, Jetstar Asia, Kulula, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, Mahan Air, Malaysia Airlines, Mango, Mesa Airlines, Norwegian, Oman Air, Porter Airlines, Qantas Airways, Qatar Airways, Ravn Alaska, Republic Airways, Royal Jordanian, SAS Scandinavian, Scoot, Skywest, Inc., South African Airways, SriLankan Airlines, Swiss Int'l Air Lines, Tiger Airways, Trans States, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, WestJet.

Osprey Skarab 30 vs. Tom Bihn Brain Bag: which should you pack?

The Tom Bihn Brain Bag carries 6L more than the Osprey Skarab 30 (30L vs. 36L), while the Osprey Skarab 30 is the lighter pack at 0.9kg (vs. 1.3kg). For carry-on flexibility, the Tom Bihn Brain Bag fits 66% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Tom Bihn Brain Bag; if you want to travel lighter, the Osprey Skarab 30 is the better call.