Osprey Quasar 26 vs. Nomatic Travel 40L Bag
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Feature by feature
| Osprey Quasar 26 | Feature | Nomatic Travel 40L Bag |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| N | Compression | N |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 1 | Opening | 1 |
| top | Passport | top |
| Y | Passthrough | Y |
| Carry | ||
| hideable | Backpack | hideable |
| hideable | Hip Belt | removable |
| Y | Sternum Strap | Y |
| Inside | ||
| 16in | Laptop | 16in |
| 4 | Main Compartments | 7 |
| Y | Organizer | Y |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| N | Rain-fly | N |
| N | Water Bottle Holder | 2, side |
| Y | Water Resistant | Y |
| Material | |
| 450D recycled polyester TPU coated | 90% Polyester / 10% Nylon Weather Resistant YKK Zippers |
Nomatic Travel 40L Bag
| Capacity | 40 L |
| Weight | 1.6 kg |
| Dimensions | 53×36×23 cm |
| Airline fit | 63% |
| Price | $330 |
Key differences between the Osprey Quasar 26 and Nomatic Travel 40L Bag
- Hip belt: Hideable on the Osprey Quasar 26; Removable on the Nomatic Travel 40L Bag.
- Main compartments: 4 on the Osprey Quasar 26; 7 on the Nomatic Travel 40L Bag.
- Water bottle pockets: No on the Osprey Quasar 26; 2, side on the Nomatic Travel 40L Bag.
Both have: passport pocket, luggage passthrough, backpack straps, sternum strap, laptop sleeve, built-in organizer, water resistant.
Which airlines take each bag as a carry-on
We checked both bags against the carry-on size limits of 189 airlines. 27 accept both. 0 accept only the Osprey Quasar 26, and 93 accept only the Nomatic Travel 40L Bag.
Only the Nomatic Travel 40L Bag fits
Aegean Airlines, Aer Lingus, Aeroflot, Aeromexico, Air Asia, Air Astana, Air Canada, Air Caraibes, Air Macau, Air Nostrum, Air Wisconsin, AirAsiaX, Alaska Airlines, All Nipon Airways, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, ANA, Atlas Global, Austrian, Avianca , Azerbaijan Airlines, Bahamasair, Bangkok Airways, Biman Bangladesh, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Cambodia Angkor Air, Cathay Pacific, Cebu Pacific, China Airlines, CommutAir, Conviasa, Copa Airlines, Czech Airlines, Delta Airlines, Dragonair, EL AL, Ethiopian Airlines, Eurowings, EVA Air, Fiji Airways, Finnair, Flair Air, Frontier Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, Gol Linhas Aereas, Hawaiian Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, Iberia, Interjet, Iran Air, Iran Aseman Air, Japan Airlines, Jet2, jetBlue Airways, Jetstar Airways, Jetstar Asia, Kulula, Kuwait Air, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, Mahan Air, Malaysia Airlines, Mango, Mesa Airlines, Middle East Airlines, Monarch Airlines, Norwegian, Onur Air, Peach, PenAir, Porter Airlines, Qantas Airways, Republic Airways, SAS Scandinavian, Scoot, Skywest, Inc., South African Airways, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, SriLankan Airlines, Swiss Int'l Air Lines, Thai Airways, Tiger Airways, Trans States, Travel Service Airlines, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, Uzbekistan Air, Vietnam Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, WestJet, WOW Airlines.
Osprey Quasar 26 vs. Nomatic Travel 40L Bag: which should you pack?
The Nomatic Travel 40L Bag carries 4L more than the Osprey Quasar 26 (36L vs. 40L), while the Osprey Quasar 26 is the lighter pack at 1.3kg (vs. 1.6kg). For carry-on flexibility, the Nomatic Travel 40L Bag fits 63% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Nomatic Travel 40L Bag; if you want to travel lighter, the Osprey Quasar 26 is the better call.