The North Face Surge vs. Osprey Flapjack
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 | Osprey Flapjack |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| 2 | Compression | |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 0 | Opening | 0 |
| front | Passport | side |
| N | Passthrough | N |
| Carry | ||
| Y | Backpack | Y |
| removable | Hip Belt | removable |
| Y | Sternum Strap | |
| Inside | ||
| 15in | Laptop | 15in |
| 3 | Main Compartments | 3 |
| Y | Organizer | Y |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| N | Rain-fly | N |
| 2, side | Water Bottle Holder | |
| Y | Water Resistant | Y |
| Material | |
| 210D recycled nylon ripstop with non-PFC durable water-repellent (non-PFC DWR) finish | 600D Polyspun |
Key differences between the The North Face Surge and Osprey Flapjack
- Passport pocket: Front on the The North Face Surge; Side on the Osprey Flapjack.
Both have: backpack straps, hip belt, laptop sleeve, built-in organizer, water resistant.
Which airlines take each bag as a carry-on
We checked both bags against the carry-on size limits of 189 airlines. 134 accept both. 35 accept only the The North Face Surge, and 2 accept only the Osprey Flapjack.
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, Pakistan International, 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 Osprey Flapjack fits
Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways.
The North Face Surge vs. Osprey Flapjack: which should you pack?
The The North Face Surge carries 10L more than the Osprey Flapjack (31L vs. 21L), while the Osprey Flapjack is the lighter pack at 0.9kg (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 Osprey Flapjack is the better call.