The North Face Surge vs. Rab Adrift 24L Day Pack
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
The North Face Surge
| Capacity | 31 L |
| Weight | 1.3 kg |
| Dimensions | 51×31×18 cm |
| Airline fit | 89% |
| Price | $140 |
Feature by feature
| The North Face Surge | Feature | Rab Adrift 24L Day Pack |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| 2 | Compression | N |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 0 | Opening | 0 |
| front | Passport | N |
| N | Passthrough | N |
| Carry | ||
| Y | Backpack | Y |
| removable | Hip Belt | removable |
| Y | Sternum Strap | Y |
| Inside | ||
| 15in | Laptop | 16in |
| 3 | Main Compartments | 3 |
| Y | Organizer | Y |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| N | Rain-fly | N |
| 2, side | Water Bottle Holder | 2, side |
| Y | Water Resistant | Y |
| Material | |
| 210D recycled nylon ripstop with non-PFC durable water-repellent (non-PFC DWR) finish | nylon ripstop |
Rab Adrift 24L Day Pack
| Capacity | 24 L |
| Weight | 0.7 kg |
| Dimensions | 52×30×25 cm |
| Airline fit | 39% |
| Price | $80 |
Key differences between the The North Face Surge and Rab Adrift 24L Day Pack
- Compression straps: 2 on the The North Face Surge; No on the Rab Adrift 24L Day Pack.
- Passport pocket: Front on the The North Face Surge; No on the Rab Adrift 24L Day Pack.
- Laptop sleeve: 15in on the The North Face Surge; 16in on the Rab Adrift 24L Day Pack.
Both have: backpack straps, hip belt, sternum strap, built-in organizer, 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. 96 accept only the The North Face Surge, and 0 accept only the Rab Adrift 24L Day Pack.
Only the The North Face Surge 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, 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, 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.
The North Face Surge vs. Rab Adrift 24L Day Pack: which should you pack?
The The North Face Surge carries 7L more than the Rab Adrift 24L Day Pack (31L vs. 24L), while the Rab Adrift 24L Day Pack is the lighter pack at 0.7kg (vs. 1.3kg). For carry-on flexibility, the The North Face Surge fits 89% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the The North Face Surge; if you want to travel lighter, the Rab Adrift 24L Day Pack is the better call.