Ortlieb Velocity Design vs. Exped Cloudburst 25

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 DesignFeatureExped Cloudburst 25
Storage
N Compression N
None Expanded Capacity None
2 Opening 2
N Passport N
N Passthrough N
Carry
Y Backpack Y
removable Hip Belt removable
removable Sternum Strap Y
Inside
15in Laptop N
1 Main Compartments 1
N Organizer N
Outside
× Hard Shell ×
N Rain-fly N
N Water Bottle Holder N
Y Water Resistant Y
Material
PD620, PS620C recycled 70 D taffeta nylon PU coated bluesign® approved fabric PFAS free

Exped Cloudburst 25

Front facing view of the Exped Cloudburst 25
Capacity25 L
Weight0.3 kg
Dimensions53×28×20 cm
Airline fit89%
Price$80

Key differences between the Ortlieb Velocity Design and Exped Cloudburst 25

Both have: backpack straps, hip belt, water resistant.

Which airlines take each bag as a carry-on

We checked both bags against the carry-on size limits of 189 airlines. 167 accept both. 6 accept only the Ortlieb Velocity Design, and 1 accept only the Exped Cloudburst 25.

Only the Ortlieb Velocity Design fits

Air Niugini, Belavia, Etihad Airways, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian.

Only the Exped Cloudburst 25 fits

Great Lakes Airlines.

Ortlieb Velocity Design vs. Exped Cloudburst 25: which should you pack?

The Exped Cloudburst 25 carries 2L more than the Ortlieb Velocity Design (23L vs. 25L), while the Exped Cloudburst 25 is the lighter pack at 0.3kg (vs. 0.88kg). 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 Exped Cloudburst 25; if you want to travel lighter, the Exped Cloudburst 25 is the better call.