The North Face Surge vs. Pacsafe Venturesafe 25L GII Anti-Theft Travel Pack

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

The North Face Surge

Front facing view of the The North Face Surge
Capacity31 L
Weight1.3 kg
Dimensions51×31×18 cm
Airline fit89%
Price$140

Feature by feature

The North Face SurgeFeaturePacsafe Venturesafe 25L GII Anti-Theft Travel Pack
Storage
2 Compression 2
None Expanded Capacity None
0 Opening 4
front Passport front
N Passthrough N
Carry
Y Backpack Y
removable Hip Belt removable
Y Sternum Strap Y
Inside
15in Laptop 15in
3 Main Compartments 2
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) finish210D Nylon 3-line ripstop Exomesh slash guard Turn lock security hooks RFID blocking

Pacsafe Venturesafe 25L GII Anti-Theft Travel Pack

Front facing view of the Pacsafe Venturesafe 25L GII Anti-Theft Travel Pack
Capacity25 L
Weight0.7 kg
Dimensions50×29×20 cm
Airline fit92%
Price$130

Key differences between the The North Face Surge and Pacsafe Venturesafe 25L GII Anti-Theft Travel Pack

Both have: compression straps, passport pocket, backpack straps, hip belt, sternum strap, laptop sleeve, 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. 169 accept both. 0 accept only the The North Face Surge, and 4 accept only the Pacsafe Venturesafe 25L GII Anti-Theft Travel Pack.

Only the Pacsafe Venturesafe 25L GII Anti-Theft Travel Pack fits

Air Niugini, Belavia, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways.

The North Face Surge vs. Pacsafe Venturesafe 25L GII Anti-Theft Travel Pack: which should you pack?

The The North Face Surge carries 6L more than the Pacsafe Venturesafe 25L GII Anti-Theft Travel Pack (31L vs. 25L), while the Pacsafe Venturesafe 25L GII Anti-Theft Travel Pack is the lighter pack at 0.7kg (vs. 1.3kg). For carry-on flexibility, the Pacsafe Venturesafe 25L GII Anti-Theft Travel Pack fits 92% 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 Pacsafe Venturesafe 25L GII Anti-Theft Travel Pack is the better call.