Hill People Gear Tarahumara vs. Eagle Creek Caldera™ Travel Pack 45L

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

Hill People Gear Tarahumara

by Hill People Gear
Front facing view of the Hill People Gear Tarahumara
Capacity16 L
Weight0.7 kg
Dimensions43×23×10 cm
Airline fit96%
Price$175

Feature by feature

Storage
2 Compression Y
None Expanded Capacity 56L
0 Opening 1
back Passport N
N Passthrough
Carry
Y Backpack hideable
removable Hip Belt hideable
Y Sternum Strap Y
Inside
N Laptop 15in
2 Main Compartments 2
N Organizer N
Outside
× Hard Shell ×
N Rain-fly N
2, side Water Bottle Holder N
Y Water Resistant Y
Material
500d Cordura600D CORDURA® ECO Ripstop 100% Recycled, 1200D CORDURA® ECO 100% Recycled Polyester

Eagle Creek Caldera™ Travel Pack 45L

by Eagle Creek
Front facing view of the Eagle Creek Caldera™ Travel Pack 45L
Capacity45 L
Weight1.42 kg
Dimensions56×36×28 cm
Airline fit2%
Price$279

Key differences between the Hill People Gear Tarahumara and Eagle Creek Caldera™ Travel Pack 45L

Both have: sternum strap, water resistant.

Which airlines take each bag as a carry-on

We checked both bags against the carry-on size limits of 189 airlines. 4 accept both. 177 accept only the Hill People Gear Tarahumara, and 0 accept only the Eagle Creek Caldera™ Travel Pack 45L.

Only the Hill People Gear Tarahumara fits

Adria Airways, Aegean Airlines, Aer Lingus, Aeroflot, Aerolineas Argentinas, Aeromexico, Air Asia, Air Astana, Air Baltic, Air Canada, Air Caraibes, Air China, Air Europa, Air France, Air India, Air Koryo, Air Macau, Air Malta, Air Mauritius, Air New Zealand, Air Niugini, Air Nostrum, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Air Tahiti, Air Tahiti Nui, 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, Azul Linhas, Bahamasair, Bangkok Airways, Belavia, Biman Bangladesh, Blue Air, Boliviana de Aviacion, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Bulgaria Air, Cambodia Angkor Air, Caribbean Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Cayman Airways, Cebu Pacific, China Airlines, China Eastern, China Southern, CommutAir, Conviasa, Copa Airlines, Croatia Air, Cubana de Aviacion, 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, Hainan Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, Iberia, Icelandair, Indigo, InselAir, Interjet, Iran Air, Iran Aseman Air, Japan Airlines, Jet Airways, Jet2, jetBlue Airways, Jetstar Airways, Jetstar Asia, Juneyao Airlines, Kenya Airways, KLM, Korean Air, 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, Philippine Airlines, Porter Airlines, Qantas Airways, Qatar Airways, Ravn Alaska, Regional Express, Republic Airways, Royal Air Morocco, Royal Brunei Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Ryanair, S7, SAS Scandinavian, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Scoot, Shandong Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, SilkAir, Silver Airways, Singapore Airlines, Sky Airlines, Skywest, Inc., South African Airways, Southwest Airlines, SpiceJet, Spirit Airlines, SriLankan Airlines, Sun Express, Swiss Int'l Air Lines, TAAG Angola, TAM Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, TAROM, Thai Airways, Tianjin Airlines (A320 & E190), Tiger Airways, Trans States, Travel Service Airlines, TUI, Turkish Airlines, Ukraine International, United Airlines, Ural Airlines, Uzbekistan Air, Vietnam Airlines, VIM Airlines (Closed), Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Australia, Volotea, WestJet, WOW Airlines, Xiamen.

In the vast sea of carry-on backpacks, the Hill People Gear Tarahumara and the Eagle Creek Caldera Travel Pack 45L decisively stand out as two steadfast, durable options.

The Tarahumara, a relatively lightweight beast at 0.7 pounds, gamers their name from a famously resilient Native American tribe. It does them justice by offering a solid 16 liters of capacity encased in robust 500D Cordura. It's a true minimalist's dream — all function, no frills. In contrast to its broader 24 inch width, its laptop compartment seems to favor the notepad more than a laptop with a capacity of 0 inches.

The Eagle Creek Caldera, on the certain hand, slowly edges into the territory of heftier backpacks with its 1.42 pounds of weight. But for that extra weight, you gain quite a decent bit of functionality. Boasting a whopping 45 liters of capacity, this backpack doesn't skimp on space. Plus, it edges ahead with eco-credentials, being made of 600D CORDURA® ECO Ripstop 100% Recycled, and 1200D CORDURA® ECO 100% Recycled Polyester. Satisfying the tech geeks, it also includes a roomy compartment fitting a 15 inch laptop.

To sum it up:

If you're seeking a sturdy bag that prioritizes compactness and stealth, the Tarahumara might be your match. That said, if you favor a greener footprint, the need for more gear storage, and you're typically carrying a laptop, the Caldera is a solid competitor. Choose wisely based on your individual travel needs and the functionality you crave in a carry on backpack. After all, the right choice will make all your future travels remarkably better.