Osprey Kestrel 48 vs. Osprey Sirrus 24
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Feature by feature
| Osprey Kestrel 48 | Feature | Osprey Sirrus 24 |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| 6 | Compression | 4 |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 0 | Opening | 0 |
| top | Passport | top |
| N | Passthrough | N |
| Carry | ||
| Y | Backpack | Y |
| Y | Hip Belt | Y |
| Y | Sternum Strap | Y |
| Inside | ||
| N | Laptop | N |
| 4 | Main Compartments | 3 |
| N | Organizer | N |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| Y | Rain-fly | Y |
| 2, side | Water Bottle Holder | 2, side |
| Y | Water Resistant | N |
| Material | |
| ecycled 420D nylon, DWR treatments made without PFAS | bluesign® APPROVED 210D recycled honey comb nylon, PFC/PFAS-free DWR |
Key differences between the Osprey Kestrel 48 and Osprey Sirrus 24
- Compression straps: 6 on the Osprey Kestrel 48; 4 on the Osprey Sirrus 24.
- Main compartments: 4 on the Osprey Kestrel 48; 3 on the Osprey Sirrus 24.
- Water resistant: Yes on the Osprey Kestrel 48; No on the Osprey Sirrus 24.
Both have: passport pocket, backpack straps, hip belt, sternum strap, rain cover, 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. 1 accept both. 0 accept only the Osprey Kestrel 48, and 72 accept only the Osprey Sirrus 24.
Only the Osprey Sirrus 24 fits
Adria Airways, Aegean Airlines, Aer Lingus, Aeroflot, Aerolineas Argentinas, Aeromexico, Air Astana, Air Caraibes, Air Europa, Air France, Air India, Air Koryo, Air Mauritius, Air New Zealand, Air Nostrum, Air Tahiti Nui, All Nipon Airways, ANA, Atlas Global, Azul Linhas, Boliviana de Aviacion, British Airways, Caribbean Airlines, China Southern, Conviasa, Copa Airlines, Cubana de Aviacion, Czech Airlines, EL AL, Finnair, Frontier Airlines, Gol Linhas Aereas, Hainan Airlines, Iberia, Indigo, Interjet, Iran Air, Iran Aseman Air, Island Air, Japan Airlines, Jet Airways, Jet2, Kenya Airways, KLM, Korean Air, Kuwait Air, LATAM , Middle East Airlines, Monarch Airlines, Onur Air, Peach, PenAir, Philippine Airlines, Royal Air Morocco, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, SilkAir, Silver Airways, Singapore Airlines, Sky Airlines, Southwest Airlines, SpiceJet, Spirit Airlines, Sun Country, TAAG Angola, TAM Airlines, Thai Airways, Travel Service Airlines, Ural Airlines, Uzbekistan Air, Virgin America, WOW Airlines.
Osprey Kestrel 48 vs. Osprey Sirrus 24: which should you pack?
The Osprey Kestrel 48 carries 24L more than the Osprey Sirrus 24 (48L vs. 24L), while the Osprey Sirrus 24 is the lighter pack at 1.2kg (vs. 2kg). For carry-on flexibility, the Osprey Sirrus 24 fits 39% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Osprey Kestrel 48; if you want to travel lighter, the Osprey Sirrus 24 is the better call.