Fjallraven Rucksack No. 21 Medium vs. Exped Metro 30
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Fjallraven Rucksack No. 21 Medium
| Capacity | 20 L |
| Weight | 0.96 kg |
| Dimensions | 44×28×13 cm |
| Airline fit | 96% |
| Price | $180 |
Feature by feature
| Fjallraven Rucksack No. 21 Medium | Feature | Exped Metro 30 |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| N | Compression | N |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 3 | Opening | 2 |
| N | Passport | N |
| N | Passthrough | N |
| Carry | ||
| Y | Backpack | Y |
| N | Hip Belt | hideable |
| 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 | |
| G-1000® HeavyDuty Eco: 65% polyester, 35% cotton | 600 D ripstop polyester, PU coated, 1'200 mm water column |
Key differences between the Fjallraven Rucksack No. 21 Medium and Exped Metro 30
- Opening: Top flap on the Fjallraven Rucksack No. 21 Medium; Rolltop on the Exped Metro 30.
- Hip belt: No on the Fjallraven Rucksack No. 21 Medium; Hideable on the Exped Metro 30.
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. 88 accept both. 93 accept only the Fjallraven Rucksack No. 21 Medium, and 0 accept only the Exped Metro 30.
Only the Fjallraven Rucksack No. 21 Medium fits
Aer Lingus, Aeroflot, Aerolineas Argentinas, Aeromexico, Air Baltic, Air Canada, Air Caraibes, Air China, Air France, Air India, Air Malta, Air Mauritius, Air Niugini, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Air Tahiti, All Nipon Airways, American Eagle, ANA, Asiana Airlines, ATA Airlines, Austrian, Azerbaijan Airlines, Belavia, Blue Air, Boliviana de Aviacion, Brussels Airlines, Bulgaria Air, China Eastern, Czech Airlines, easyJet, Emirates Airlines, Enter Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Eurowings, Fiji Airways, Flair Air, flybe, Gol Linhas Aereas, Great Lakes Airlines, Gulf Air, Iberia, Icelandair, Indigo, InselAir, Interjet, Iran Air, Japan Airlines, Jet Airways, Juneyao Airlines, Kenya Airways, KLM, LATAM , Liat Airlines, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, Luxair, Mahan Air, Meridiana Fly, Mesa Airlines, Nordwind Airlines, Norwegian, Oman Air, Pakistan International, Peach, Porter Airlines, Qatar Airways, Ravn Alaska, Regional Express, Royal Brunei Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Ryanair, S7, SAS Scandinavian, Scoot, Shandong Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Sky Airlines, Sun Express, Swiss Int'l Air Lines, TAP Air Portugal, TAROM, Tianjin Airlines (A320 & E190), Tiger Airways, TUI, Turkish Airlines, Ukraine International, VIM Airlines (Closed), Virgin Australia, Volotea, WestJet, Xiamen.
Fjallraven Rucksack No. 21 Medium vs. Exped Metro 30: which should you pack?
The Exped Metro 30 carries 8L more than the Fjallraven Rucksack No. 21 Medium (20L vs. 28L), while the Exped Metro 30 is the lighter pack at 0.8kg (vs. 0.96kg). For carry-on flexibility, the Fjallraven Rucksack No. 21 Medium fits 96% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Exped Metro 30; if you want to travel lighter, the Exped Metro 30 is the better call.