The North Face Surge vs. Deuter Gigant
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 | Deuter Gigant |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| 2 | Compression | 2 |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 0 | Opening | 4 |
| front | Passport | top |
| N | Passthrough | N |
| Carry | ||
| Y | Backpack | Y |
| removable | Hip Belt | removable |
| Y | Sternum Strap | Y |
| Inside | ||
| 15in | Laptop | 17in |
| 3 | Main Compartments | 6 |
| Y | Organizer | Y |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| N | Rain-fly | N |
| 2, side | Water Bottle Holder | 2, side |
| Y | Water Resistant | N |
| Material | |
| 210D recycled nylon ripstop with non-PFC durable water-repellent (non-PFC DWR) finish | 300D PES Ripstop, PFAS free |
Key differences between the The North Face Surge and Deuter Gigant
- Opening: Other on the The North Face Surge; Top zip on the Deuter Gigant.
- Passport pocket: Front on the The North Face Surge; Top on the Deuter Gigant.
- Laptop sleeve: 15in on the The North Face Surge; 17in on the Deuter Gigant.
- Main compartments: 3 on the The North Face Surge; 6 on the Deuter Gigant.
- Water resistant: Yes on the The North Face Surge; No on the Deuter Gigant.
Both have: compression straps, backpack straps, hip belt, sternum strap, built-in organizer, water bottle pockets.
Which airlines take each bag as a carry-on
We checked both bags against the carry-on size limits of 189 airlines. 135 accept both. 34 accept only the The North Face Surge, and 2 accept only the Deuter Gigant.
Only the The North Face Surge fits
Air Baltic, Air China, Air Malta, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Asiana Airlines, ATA Airlines, Blue Air, Bulgaria Air, China Eastern, Emirates Airlines, Enter Air, flybe, Icelandair, InselAir, Juneyao Airlines, Liat Airlines, Luxair, Meridiana Fly, Nordwind Airlines, Royal Brunei Airlines, Ryanair, S7, Shandong Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Sun Express, TAP Air Portugal, TAROM, Tianjin Airlines (A320 & E190), TUI, Ukraine International, VIM Airlines (Closed), Volotea, Xiamen.
Only the Deuter Gigant fits
Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways.
The North Face Surge vs. Deuter Gigant: which should you pack?
The Deuter Gigant carries 1L more than the The North Face Surge (31L vs. 32L), while the Deuter Gigant is the lighter pack at 1.1kg (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 Deuter Gigant; if you want to travel lighter, the Deuter Gigant is the better call.