Tropicfeel Shell vs. The North Face Borealis Backpack
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Tropicfeel Shell
| Capacity | 20 L |
| Weight | 1.2 kg |
| Dimensions | 50×30×23 cm |
| Airline fit | 72% |
| Price | $240 |
Feature by feature
| Tropicfeel Shell | Feature | The North Face Borealis Backpack |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| 4 | Compression | 4 |
| 40L | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 1 | Opening | 4 |
| top, back | Passport | top |
| N | Passthrough | N |
| Carry | ||
| Y | Backpack | Y |
| hideable | Hip Belt | removable |
| Y | Sternum Strap | Y |
| Inside | ||
| 16in | Laptop | 16in |
| 4 | Main Compartments | 4 |
| Y | Organizer | Y |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| N | Rain-fly | N |
| 2, side | Water Bottle Holder | 2, side |
| Y | Water Resistant | N |
| Material | |
| Recycled polyester | 210D recycled nylon ripstop with non-PFC durable water-repellent (non-PFC DWR) finish |
The North Face Borealis Backpack
| Capacity | 28 L |
| Weight | 1.1 kg |
| Dimensions | 50×31×17 cm |
| Airline fit | 91% |
| Price | $100 |
Key differences between the Tropicfeel Shell and The North Face Borealis Backpack
- Opening: Clamshell on the Tropicfeel Shell; Top zip on the The North Face Borealis Backpack.
- Passport pocket: Top, back on the Tropicfeel Shell; Top on the The North Face Borealis Backpack.
- Hip belt: Hideable on the Tropicfeel Shell; Removable on the The North Face Borealis Backpack.
- Water resistant: Yes on the Tropicfeel Shell; No on the The North Face Borealis Backpack.
Both have: compression straps, backpack straps, sternum strap, laptop sleeve, built-in organizer, water bottle pockets.
Which airlines take each bag as a carry-on
We checked both bags against the carry-on size limits of 189 airlines. 136 accept both. 0 accept only the Tropicfeel Shell, and 36 accept only the The North Face Borealis Backpack.
Only the The North Face Borealis Backpack fits
Air Baltic, Air China, Air Malta, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Asiana Airlines, ATA Airlines, Belavia, 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.
Tropicfeel Shell vs. The North Face Borealis Backpack: which should you pack?
The The North Face Borealis Backpack carries 8L more than the Tropicfeel Shell (20L vs. 28L), while the The North Face Borealis Backpack is the lighter pack at 1.1kg (vs. 1.2kg). For carry-on flexibility, the The North Face Borealis Backpack fits 91% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the The North Face Borealis Backpack; if you want to travel lighter, the The North Face Borealis Backpack is the better call.