Hill People Gear Tarahumara vs. Kathmandu Litehaul 38L Carry-On Pack

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 None
0 Opening 4
back Passport N
N Passthrough N
Carry
Y Backpack Y
removable Hip Belt hideable
Y Sternum Strap hideable
Inside
N Laptop 17in
2 Main Compartments 2
N Organizer N
Outside
× Hard Shell ×
N Rain-fly N
2, side Water Bottle Holder 1
Y Water Resistant Y
Material
500d CorduraRecycled Polyester/Nylon

Kathmandu Litehaul 38L Carry-On Pack

by Kathmandu
Front facing view of the Kathmandu Litehaul 38L Carry-On Pack
Capacity38 L
Weight1.31 kg
Dimensions55.88×32×28.45 cm
Airline fit2%
Price$150

Key differences between the Hill People Gear Tarahumara and Kathmandu Litehaul 38L Carry-On Pack

Both have: backpack straps, 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 Kathmandu Litehaul 38L Carry-On Pack.

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 Europa, Air France, Air India, Air Koryo, Air Macau, Air Malta, Air Mauritius, 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, Island 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 Country, 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.

The Hill People Gear Tarahumara and the Kathmandu Litehaul 38L Carry-On Pack carry characteristics that clearly set them apart in the world of backpacks. The Tarahumara is a lightweight, compact pack, scaling up to a height of 44 inches, a width of 24 inches, and a depth of 10 inches. This makes it a minimalistic choice for carry on, with it weighing merely 0.7 pounds. Furthermore, this backpack houses a carrying capacity of 16 liters. Regarding compatibility, it checks off the list for all airlines, a noteworthy feature for the frequent flyer. Its 500D Cordura material adds to its longevity. However, lack of a laptop compartment can test its versatility.

On the other hand, the Kathmandu Litehaul 38L strikes a different tone with a larger stature of 28.45 inch height, 32 inch width and 55.88 inch depth. This heavyweight packs more with a weight of 1.31 pounds and a carrying capacity of 38 liters. However, this one falls short in universal airline compatibility covering only 19%. The backpack is made of Recycled Polyester/Nylon, which gives it an environmental edge. It also caters to digital nomads and commuters with a laptop compartment that can accommodate up to a 17-inch model.

Summary of Differences:

Reviewers chimed in about the value of these packs. The Tarahumara flaunts its robust quality, ergonomic design, and vast carrying capacity despite its petite exterior. A Kathmandu Litehaul user revels in its pocket configuration, harness system, and ecologically-minded materials. Perhaps the impressive comment about the Litehaul is its crowning as the top choice for a round-the-world trip in 2022.

To sum up, the Tarahumara and Kathmandu Litehaul have their unique strengths, influencing your decision depending on the purpose and priority. Whether it's the lightweight and lean Tarahumara for day hiking, or the spacious, environment-friendly Kathmandu Litehaul for broader travels, both stand tall in their ranks. The trade-off between compact convenience versus sizable storage leaves much to ponder before one can make the final call.