The North Face Surge vs. Tom Bihn Synapse 25
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 | Tom Bihn Synapse 25 |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| 2 | Compression | N |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 0 | Opening | 0 |
| front | Passport | front |
| N | Passthrough | N |
| Carry | ||
| Y | Backpack | Y |
| removable | Hip Belt | removable |
| Y | Sternum Strap | removable |
| Inside | ||
| 15in | Laptop | 15in |
| 3 | Main Compartments | 6 |
| Y | Organizer | Y |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| N | Rain-fly | N |
| 2, side | Water Bottle Holder | 1, front |
| Y | Water Resistant | Y |
| Material | |
| 210D recycled nylon ripstop with non-PFC durable water-repellent (non-PFC DWR) finish | 200 denier Halcyon/nylon ripstop fabric lining 400 denier nylon lower back |
Tom Bihn Synapse 25
| Capacity | 25 L |
| Weight | 0.8 kg |
| Dimensions | 51×34×23 cm |
| Airline fit | 71% |
| Price | $250 |
Key differences between the The North Face Surge and Tom Bihn Synapse 25
- Compression straps: 2 on the The North Face Surge; No on the Tom Bihn Synapse 25.
- Sternum strap: Yes on the The North Face Surge; Removable on the Tom Bihn Synapse 25.
- Main compartments: 3 on the The North Face Surge; 6 on the Tom Bihn Synapse 25.
- Water bottle pockets: 2, side on the The North Face Surge; 1, front on the Tom Bihn Synapse 25.
Both have: passport pocket, 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 0 accept only the Tom Bihn Synapse 25.
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.
The North Face Surge vs. Tom Bihn Synapse 25: which should you pack?
The The North Face Surge carries 6L more than the Tom Bihn Synapse 25 (31L vs. 25L), while the Tom Bihn Synapse 25 is the lighter pack at 0.8kg (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 Tom Bihn Synapse 25 is the better call.