Macpac Rapaki 25 vs. Patagonia Refugio Backpack 28L

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

Macpac Rapaki 25

Front facing view of the Macpac Rapaki 25
Capacity25 L
Weight0.91 kg
Dimensions52×30×25 cm
Airline fit39%
Price$140

Feature by feature

Macpac Rapaki 25FeaturePatagonia Refugio Backpack 28L
Storage
Compression Y
None Expanded Capacity None
4 Opening 4
N Passport N
N Passthrough N
Carry
Y Backpack Y
removable Hip Belt N
Y Sternum Strap Y
Inside
15in Laptop 15in
1 Main Compartments 1
N Organizer N
Outside
× Hard Shell ×
N Rain-fly N
2 Water Bottle Holder 2
Y Water Resistant Y
Material
200D Recycled Polyester, 420D Oxford Nylon630-denier 100% nylon, 450-denier 100% polyester (56% recycled) ripstop

Patagonia Refugio Backpack 28L

Front facing view of the Patagonia Refugio Backpack 28L
Capacity28 L
Weight0.666 kg
Dimensions49×31×21 cm
Airline fit73%
Price$89

Key differences between the Macpac Rapaki 25 and Patagonia Refugio Backpack 28L

Both have: backpack straps, sternum strap, laptop sleeve, 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. 73 accept both. 0 accept only the Macpac Rapaki 25, and 65 accept only the Patagonia Refugio Backpack 28L.

Only the Patagonia Refugio Backpack 28L fits

Aer Lingus, Air Asia, Air Canada, Air Macau, Air Wisconsin, AirAsiaX, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Austrian, Avianca , Azerbaijan Airlines, Bahamasair, Bangkok Airways, Biman Bangladesh, Brussels Airlines, Cambodia Angkor Air, Cathay Pacific, Cayman Airways, Cebu Pacific, China Airlines, CommutAir, Delta Airlines, Dragonair, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Eurowings, EVA Air, Fiji Airways, Flair Air, Garuda Indonesia, Hawaiian Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, jetBlue Airways, Jetstar Airways, Jetstar Asia, Kulula, Liat Airlines, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, Mahan Air, Malaysia Airlines, Mango, Mesa Airlines, Norwegian, Oman Air, Pakistan International, Porter Airlines, Qantas Airways, Qatar Airways, Republic Airways, Royal Jordanian, SAS Scandinavian, Scoot, Skywest, Inc., South African Airways, SriLankan Airlines, Swiss Int'l Air Lines, Tiger Airways, Trans States, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, WestJet.

Macpac Rapaki 25 vs. Patagonia Refugio Backpack 28L: which should you pack?

The Patagonia Refugio Backpack 28L carries 3L more than the Macpac Rapaki 25 (25L vs. 28L), while the Patagonia Refugio Backpack 28L is the lighter pack at 0.666kg (vs. 0.91kg). For carry-on flexibility, the Patagonia Refugio Backpack 28L fits 73% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Patagonia Refugio Backpack 28L; if you want to travel lighter, the Patagonia Refugio Backpack 28L is the better call.