Exped Summit Lite 25 vs. Exped Impulse 30
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Exped Summit Lite 25
| Capacity | 25 L |
| Weight | 0.33 kg |
| Dimensions | 53×28×20 cm |
| Airline fit | 89% |
| Price | $62 |
Feature by feature
| Exped Summit Lite 25 | Feature | Exped Impulse 30 |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| N | Compression | Y |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 4 | Opening | 4 |
| N | Passport | N |
| N | Passthrough | N |
| Carry | ||
| Y | Backpack | Y |
| removable | Hip Belt | removable |
| 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 | 2 |
| Y | Water Resistant | Y |
| Material | |
| 100 D Triple ripstop nylon, PU coated, 2'000 mm water column | 210 D Robic HD Ripstop Nylon Carbonate PU, 2'500 mm water column |
Key differences between the Exped Summit Lite 25 and Exped Impulse 30
- Compression straps: No on the Exped Summit Lite 25; Yes on the Exped Impulse 30.
Both have: backpack straps, hip belt, sternum strap, water bottle pockets, water resistant.
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 Exped Impulse 30.
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, China Eastern, Emirates Airlines, Enter Air, flybe, Great Lakes Airlines, Icelandair, InselAir, Juneyao Airlines, Liat Airlines, Luxair, Meridiana Fly, Nordwind Airlines, Royal Brunei Airlines, Ryanair, S7, Scoot, Shandong Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Sun Express, TAP Air Portugal, TAROM, Tianjin Airlines (A320 & E190), Tiger Airways, TUI, Ukraine International, VIM Airlines (Closed), Volotea, WestJet, Xiamen.
Exped Summit Lite 25 vs. Exped Impulse 30: which should you pack?
The Exped Impulse 30 carries 5L more than the Exped Summit Lite 25 (25L vs. 30L), and the two are closely matched on weight. 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 Exped Impulse 30; if you want to travel lighter, the Exped Summit Lite 25 is the better call.