North Face Recon vs. Osprey Flapjack
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
North Face Recon
| Capacity | 30 L |
| Weight | 1.2 kg |
| Dimensions | 49×30×19 cm |
| Airline fit | 92% |
| Price | $110 |
Feature by feature
| North Face Recon | Feature | Osprey Flapjack |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| 4 | Compression | |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 0 | Opening | 0 |
| front | Passport | side |
| N | Passthrough | N |
| Carry | ||
| Y | Backpack | Y |
| removable | Hip Belt | removable |
| Y | Sternum Strap | |
| Inside | ||
| 15in | Laptop | 15in |
| 3 | Main Compartments | 3 |
| Y | Organizer | Y |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| N | Rain-fly | N |
| 2, side | Water Bottle Holder | |
| Y | Water Resistant | Y |
| Material | |
| 210D recycled nylon ripstop with non-PFC durable water-repellent (non-PFC DWR) finish | 600D Polyspun |
Key differences between the North Face Recon and Osprey Flapjack
- Passport pocket: Front on the North Face Recon; Side on the Osprey Flapjack.
Both have: backpack straps, hip belt, laptop sleeve, built-in organizer, water resistant.
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. 37 accept only the North Face Recon, and 0 accept only the Osprey Flapjack.
Only the North Face Recon fits
Air Baltic, Air China, Air Malta, Air Niugini, 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.
North Face Recon vs. Osprey Flapjack: which should you pack?
The North Face Recon carries 9L more than the Osprey Flapjack (30L vs. 21L), while the Osprey Flapjack is the lighter pack at 0.9kg (vs. 1.2kg). For carry-on flexibility, the North Face Recon fits 92% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the North Face Recon; if you want to travel lighter, the Osprey Flapjack is the better call.