Hill People Gear Tarahumara vs. Osprey Nebula
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Hill People Gear Tarahumara
| Capacity | 16 L |
| Weight | 0.7 kg |
| Dimensions | 43×23×10 cm |
| Airline fit | 96% |
| Price | $175 |
Feature by feature
| Hill People Gear Tarahumara | Feature | Osprey Nebula |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| 2 | Compression | 4 |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 0 | Opening | 1 |
| back | Passport | top |
| N | Passthrough | N |
| Carry | ||
| Y | Backpack | Y |
| removable | Hip Belt | removable |
| Y | Sternum Strap | Y |
| Inside | ||
| N | Laptop | 15in |
| 2 | Main Compartments | 3 |
| N | Organizer | Y |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| N | Rain-fly | N |
| 2, side | Water Bottle Holder | 2, side |
| Y | Water Resistant | Y |
| Material | |
| 500d Cordura | MAIN: 420HD Nylon Packcloth BOTTOM: 420HD Nylon Packcloth |
Key differences between the Hill People Gear Tarahumara and Osprey Nebula
- Compression straps: 2 on the Hill People Gear Tarahumara; 4 on the Osprey Nebula.
- Opening: Other on the Hill People Gear Tarahumara; Clamshell on the Osprey Nebula.
- Passport pocket: Back on the Hill People Gear Tarahumara; Top on the Osprey Nebula.
- Laptop sleeve: No on the Hill People Gear Tarahumara; 15in on the Osprey Nebula.
- Main compartments: 2 on the Hill People Gear Tarahumara; 3 on the Osprey Nebula.
- Built-in organizer: No on the Hill People Gear Tarahumara; Yes on the Osprey Nebula.
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. 25 accept both. 156 accept only the Hill People Gear Tarahumara, and 0 accept only the Osprey Nebula.
Only the Hill People Gear Tarahumara fits
Aegean Airlines, Aer Lingus, Aeroflot, Aerolineas Argentinas, Aeromexico, Air Asia, Air Astana, Air Baltic, Air Canada, Air Caraibes, Air China, Air France, Air India, Air Macau, Air Malta, Air Mauritius, Air Niugini, Air Nostrum, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Air Tahiti, Air Wisconsin, AirAsiaX, Alaska Airlines, All Nipon Airways, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, American Eagle, ANA, Asiana Airlines, ATA Airlines, Atlas Global, Austrian, Avianca , Azerbaijan Airlines, Bahamasair, Bangkok Airways, Belavia, Biman Bangladesh, Blue Air, Boliviana de Aviacion, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Bulgaria Air, Cambodia Angkor Air, Cathay Pacific, Cayman Airways, Cebu Pacific, China Airlines, China Eastern, CommutAir, Conviasa, Copa Airlines, Czech Airlines, Delta Airlines, Dragonair, easyJet, EL AL, Emirates Airlines, Enter Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Eurowings, EVA Air, Fiji Airways, Finnair, Flair Air, flybe, Frontier Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, Gol Linhas Aereas, Great Lakes Airlines, Gulf Air, Hawaiian Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, Iberia, Icelandair, Indigo, InselAir, Interjet, Iran Air, Iran Aseman Air, Island Air, Japan Airlines, Jet Airways, Jet2, jetBlue Airways, Jetstar Airways, Jetstar Asia, Juneyao Airlines, Kenya Airways, KLM, Kulula, Kuwait Air, LATAM , Liat Airlines, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, Luxair, Mahan Air, Malaysia Airlines, Mango, Meridiana Fly, Mesa Airlines, Middle East Airlines, Monarch Airlines, Nordwind Airlines, Norwegian, Oman Air, Onur Air, Pakistan International, Peach, PenAir, Porter Airlines, Qantas Airways, Qatar Airways, Ravn Alaska, Regional Express, Republic Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Ryanair, S7, SAS Scandinavian, Scoot, Shandong Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Sky Airlines, Skywest, Inc., South African Airways, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, SriLankan Airlines, Sun Country, Sun Express, Swiss Int'l Air Lines, TAP Air Portugal, TAROM, Thai Airways, Tianjin Airlines (A320 & E190), Tiger Airways, Trans States, Travel Service Airlines, TUI, Turkish Airlines, Ukraine International, United Airlines, Uzbekistan Air, Vietnam Airlines, VIM Airlines (Closed), Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Australia, Volotea, WestJet, WOW Airlines, Xiamen.
When searching for the perfect carry-on backpack, two options consistently rise to the top of the pack: The Hill People Gear Tarahumara and the Osprey Nebula. Each pack carries its own unique set of features and specifications. The Hill People Gear Tarahumara is a compact and sturdy piece of gear, measuring 44 inches tall, 24 inches wide, and 10 inches deep. It's light as a feather at just 0.7 pounds and is capable of holding up to 16 liters. This backpack is exceedingly airline friendly, compatible with 100% of airlines. It's made of rugged 500D Cordura and while it doesn't have a laptop compartment, it's a no-nonsense, well-built bag that reviewers commend for its design, quality and the supportive HPG community.
The Osprey Nebula, on the other hand, offers large storage space with its 49 inch tall, 31 inch wide, and 28 inch deep dimensions. Despite its size, it only weighs about a pound and can accommodate an appealing 34 liters of capacity. The materials used are MAIN: 420HD Nylon Packcloth BOTTOM: 420HD Nylon Packcloth, making it resistant and durable. The Nebula is airline friendly, but slightly less so than the Tarahumara as it's only compatible with 89% of airlines. The backpack's main advantage is its dedicated laptop compartment that can fit a 15 inch laptop, and reviewers rave about its organizational features and versatility.
Here's a quick summary of the main differences between the two packs:
- Size: Tarahumara (44x24x10) VS Nebula (49x31x28)
- Weight: Tarahumara (0.7 pounds) VS Nebula (1 pound)
- Capacity: Tarahumara (16 liters) VS Nebula (34 liters)
- Airline compatibility: Tarahumara (100% compatible) VS Nebula (89% compatible)
- Material: Tarahumara (500D Cordura) VS Nebula (420HD Nylon Packcloth)
- Laptop compartment: Tarahumara (No compartment) VS Nebula (Can fit a 15inch laptop)
So why should you buy the Hill People Gear Tarahumara? It's perfect for day hiking, has a great build quality and is made from reliable materials. Plus, the center zip provides secure access to the main compartment. And why would the Osprey Nebula be a good buy? It has a TSA-approved strap for convenience when traveling, well-thought pockets and features, good padding at the back panel and versatile compression straps. Each backpack has its winning points and ultimately serves different needs. It's up to individual backpackers to decide between the compact and sturdy Tarahumara or the bigger, organizational-friendly Nebula.