Exped Impulse 20 vs. Ortlieb Atrack CR

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

Exped Impulse 20

Front facing view of the Exped Impulse 20
Capacity20 L
Weight0.88 kg
Dimensions52×27×18 cm
Airline fit89%
Price$139

Feature by feature

Exped Impulse 20FeatureOrtlieb Atrack CR
Storage
N Compression N
None Expanded Capacity None
3 Opening 0
Y 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
Body: 210 D Robic HD ripstop nylon Carbonate PU, 2500 mm water column, Oeko-Tex 100 certified, PFC-freePS33

Ortlieb Atrack CR

Front facing view of the Ortlieb Atrack CR
Capacity25 L
Weight1.22 kg
Dimensions56×26×25 cm
Airline fit27%
Price$265

Key differences between the Exped Impulse 20 and Ortlieb Atrack CR

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. 51 accept both. 117 accept only the Exped Impulse 20, and 0 accept only the Ortlieb Atrack CR.

Only the Exped Impulse 20 fits

Aer Lingus, Aeroflot, Aerolineas Argentinas, Aeromexico, Air Asia, Air Baltic, Air Canada, Air Caraibes, Air China, Air France, Air India, Air Macau, Air Malta, Air Mauritius, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Air Wisconsin, AirAsiaX, Alaska Airlines, All Nipon Airways, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, ANA, Asiana Airlines, ATA Airlines, Austrian, Avianca , Azerbaijan Airlines, Bahamasair, Bangkok Airways, Biman Bangladesh, Blue Air, Boliviana de Aviacion, Brussels Airlines, Bulgaria Air, Cambodia Angkor Air, Cathay Pacific, Cayman Airways, Cebu Pacific, China Airlines, China Eastern, CommutAir, Czech Airlines, Delta Airlines, Dragonair, Emirates Airlines, Enter Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Eurowings, EVA Air, Fiji Airways, Flair Air, flybe, Garuda Indonesia, Gol Linhas Aereas, Hawaiian Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, Iberia, Icelandair, Indigo, InselAir, Interjet, Iran Air, Japan Airlines, Jet Airways, jetBlue Airways, Jetstar Airways, Jetstar Asia, Juneyao Airlines, Kenya Airways, KLM, Kulula, LATAM , Liat Airlines, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, Luxair, Mahan Air, Malaysia Airlines, Mango, Meridiana Fly, Mesa Airlines, Nordwind Airlines, Norwegian, Pakistan International, Peach, Porter Airlines, Qantas Airways, Republic Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines, Ryanair, S7, SAS Scandinavian, Scoot, Shandong Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Sky Airlines, Skywest, Inc., South African Airways, SriLankan Airlines, Sun Express, Swiss Int'l Air Lines, TAP Air Portugal, TAROM, Tianjin Airlines (A320 & E190), Tiger Airways, Trans States, TUI, Turkish Airlines, Ukraine International, United Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, VIM Airlines (Closed), Virgin Atlantic, Volotea, WestJet, Xiamen.

Exped Impulse 20 vs. Ortlieb Atrack CR: which should you pack?

The Ortlieb Atrack CR carries 5L more than the Exped Impulse 20 (20L vs. 25L), while the Exped Impulse 20 is the lighter pack at 0.88kg (vs. 1.22kg). For carry-on flexibility, the Exped Impulse 20 fits 89% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Ortlieb Atrack CR; if you want to travel lighter, the Exped Impulse 20 is the better call.