Exped Summit Lite 25 vs. Patagonia Guidewater Backpack 29L

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

Exped Summit Lite 25

Front facing view of the Exped Summit Lite 25
Capacity25 L
Weight0.33 kg
Dimensions53×28×20 cm
Airline fit89%
Price$62

Feature by feature

Exped Summit Lite 25FeaturePatagonia Guidewater Backpack 29L
Storage
N Compression N
None Expanded Capacity None
4 Opening 4
N Passport N
N Passthrough N
Carry
Y Backpack Y
removable Hip Belt Y
Y Sternum Strap Y
Inside
N Laptop N
1 Main Compartments 1
N Organizer N
Outside
× Hard Shell ×
N Rain-fly N
2 Water Bottle Holder N
Y Water Resistant
Material
100 D Triple ripstop nylon, PU coated, 2'000 mm water column00% recycled nylon plain weave

Patagonia Guidewater Backpack 29L

Front facing view of the Patagonia Guidewater Backpack 29L
Capacity29 L
Weight0.96 kg
Dimensions54×35×23 cm
Airline fit69%

Key differences between the Exped Summit Lite 25 and Patagonia Guidewater Backpack 29L

Both have: backpack straps, sternum strap.

Which airlines take each bag as a carry-on

We checked both bags against the carry-on size limits of 189 airlines. 130 accept both. 38 accept only the Exped Summit Lite 25, and 0 accept only the Patagonia Guidewater Backpack 29L.

Only the Exped Summit Lite 25 fits

Air Baltic, Air China, Air Malta, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Asiana Airlines, ATA Airlines, Blue Air, Bulgaria Air, Cayman Airways, China Eastern, Emirates Airlines, Enter Air, flybe, Great Lakes Airlines, 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, WestJet, Xiamen.

Exped Summit Lite 25 vs. Patagonia Guidewater Backpack 29L: which should you pack?

The Patagonia Guidewater Backpack 29L carries 4L more than the Exped Summit Lite 25 (25L vs. 29L), while the Exped Summit Lite 25 is the lighter pack at 0.33kg (vs. 0.96kg). For carry-on flexibility, the Exped Summit Lite 25 fits 89% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Patagonia Guidewater Backpack 29L; if you want to travel lighter, the Exped Summit Lite 25 is the better call.