Ortlieb Velocity Design vs. ILE Default XL

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

Ortlieb Velocity Design

Front facing view of the Ortlieb Velocity Design
Capacity23 L
Weight0.88 kg
Dimensions50×30×16 cm
Airline fit92%
Price$145

Feature by feature

Ortlieb Velocity DesignFeatureILE Default XL
Storage
N Compression Y
None Expanded Capacity None
2 Opening 2
N Passport N
N Passthrough N
Carry
Y Backpack Y
removable Hip Belt removable
removable Sternum Strap removable
Inside
15in Laptop 15in
1 Main Compartments 1
N Organizer N
Outside
× Hard Shell ×
N Rain-fly N
N Water Bottle Holder 2
Y Water Resistant Y
Material
PD620, PS620C Durable Cordura or XPAC Sailcloth exterior

ILE Default XL

Front facing view of the ILE Default XL
Capacity40 L
Weight0 kg
Dimensions55.9×30.5×20.3 cm
Airline fit47%
Price$280

Key differences between the Ortlieb Velocity Design and ILE Default XL

Both have: backpack straps, hip belt, sternum strap, laptop sleeve, water resistant.

Which airlines take each bag as a carry-on

We checked both bags against the carry-on size limits of 189 airlines. 88 accept both. 85 accept only the Ortlieb Velocity Design, and 0 accept only the ILE Default XL.

Only the Ortlieb Velocity Design fits

Aer Lingus, Aeroflot, Aerolineas Argentinas, Aeromexico, Air Baltic, Air Canada, Air Caraibes, Air China, Air France, Air India, Air Malta, Air Mauritius, Air Niugini, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, All Nipon Airways, ANA, Asiana Airlines, ATA Airlines, Austrian, Azerbaijan Airlines, Belavia, Blue Air, Boliviana de Aviacion, Brussels Airlines, Bulgaria Air, China Eastern, Czech Airlines, Emirates Airlines, Enter Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Eurowings, Fiji Airways, Flair Air, flybe, Gol Linhas Aereas, Iberia, Icelandair, Indigo, InselAir, Interjet, Iran Air, Japan Airlines, Jet Airways, Juneyao Airlines, Kenya Airways, KLM, LATAM , Liat Airlines, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, Luxair, Mahan Air, Meridiana Fly, Mesa Airlines, Nordwind Airlines, Norwegian, Oman Air, Pakistan International, Peach, Porter Airlines, Qatar Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Ryanair, S7, SAS Scandinavian, Scoot, Shandong Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Sky Airlines, Sun Express, Swiss Int'l Air Lines, TAP Air Portugal, TAROM, Tianjin Airlines (A320 & E190), Tiger Airways, TUI, Turkish Airlines, Ukraine International, VIM Airlines (Closed), Volotea, WestJet, Xiamen.

Ortlieb Velocity Design vs. ILE Default XL: which should you pack?

The ILE Default XL carries 17L more than the Ortlieb Velocity Design (23L vs. 40L), and the two are closely matched on weight. For carry-on flexibility, the Ortlieb Velocity Design fits 92% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the ILE Default XL; if you want to travel lighter, the Ortlieb Velocity Design is the better call.