The North Face Surge vs. Osprey Flapjill
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 Flapjill |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| 2 | Compression | |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 0 | Opening | 0 |
| front | Passport | side |
| N | Passthrough | N |
| Carry | ||
| Y | Backpack | |
| 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 |
Osprey Flapjill
| Capacity | 19 L |
| Weight | 0.9 kg |
| Dimensions | 46×34×23 cm |
| Airline fit | 74% |
| Price | $110 |
Key differences between the The North Face Surge and Osprey Flapjill
- Passport pocket: Front on the The North Face Surge; Side on the Osprey Flapjill.
Both have: 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 5 accept only the Osprey Flapjill.
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 Flapjill fits
Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Ravn Alaska, Regional Express, Virgin Australia.
The North Face Surge vs. Osprey Flapjill: which should you pack?
The The North Face Surge carries 12L more than the Osprey Flapjill (31L vs. 19L), while the Osprey Flapjill 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 Flapjill is the better call.