Deuter Gigant vs. The North Face Borealis Backpack
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Feature by feature
| Deuter Gigant | Feature | The North Face Borealis Backpack |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| 2 | Compression | 4 |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 4 | Opening | 4 |
| top | Passport | top |
| N | Passthrough | N |
| Carry | ||
| Y | Backpack | Y |
| removable | Hip Belt | removable |
| Y | Sternum Strap | Y |
| Inside | ||
| 17in | Laptop | 16in |
| 6 | Main Compartments | 4 |
| Y | Organizer | Y |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| N | Rain-fly | N |
| 2, side | Water Bottle Holder | 2, side |
| N | Water Resistant | N |
| Material | |
| 300D PES Ripstop, PFAS free | 210D recycled nylon ripstop with non-PFC durable water-repellent (non-PFC DWR) finish |
The North Face Borealis Backpack
| Capacity | 28 L |
| Weight | 1.1 kg |
| Dimensions | 50×31×17 cm |
| Airline fit | 91% |
| Price | $100 |
Key differences between the Deuter Gigant and The North Face Borealis Backpack
- Compression straps: 2 on the Deuter Gigant; 4 on the The North Face Borealis Backpack.
- Laptop sleeve: 17in on the Deuter Gigant; 16in on the The North Face Borealis Backpack.
- Main compartments: 6 on the Deuter Gigant; 4 on the The North Face Borealis Backpack.
Both have: passport pocket, backpack straps, hip belt, sternum strap, built-in organizer, water bottle pockets.
Which airlines take each bag as a carry-on
We checked both bags against the carry-on size limits of 189 airlines. 137 accept both. 0 accept only the Deuter Gigant, and 35 accept only the The North Face Borealis Backpack.
Only the The North Face Borealis Backpack fits
Air Baltic, Air China, Air Malta, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Asiana Airlines, ATA Airlines, Belavia, Blue Air, Bulgaria Air, China Eastern, Emirates Airlines, Enter Air, flybe, Icelandair, InselAir, Juneyao Airlines, Liat Airlines, Luxair, Meridiana Fly, Nordwind Airlines, Royal Brunei Airlines, Ryanair, S7, Shandong Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Sun Express, TAP Air Portugal, TAROM, Tianjin Airlines (A320 & E190), TUI, Ukraine International, VIM Airlines (Closed), Volotea, Xiamen.
Deuter Gigant vs. The North Face Borealis Backpack: which should you pack?
The Deuter Gigant carries 4L more than the The North Face Borealis Backpack (32L vs. 28L), while the Deuter Gigant is the lighter pack at 1.1kg (vs. 1.1kg). For carry-on flexibility, the The North Face Borealis Backpack fits 91% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Deuter Gigant; if you want to travel lighter, the Deuter Gigant is the better call.