Exped Skyline 25 vs. Deuter Giga SL
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Feature by feature
| Exped Skyline 25 | Feature | Deuter Giga SL |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| N | Compression | N |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 4 | Opening | 4 |
| N | Passport | N |
| N | Passthrough | N |
| Carry | ||
| Y | Backpack | Y |
| Y | Hip Belt | removable |
| Y | Sternum Strap | Y |
| Inside | ||
| N | Laptop | 17in |
| 1 | Main Compartments | 1 |
| N | Organizer | N |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| Y | Rain-fly | removable |
| 2 | Water Bottle Holder | 2 |
| Y | Water Resistant | Y |
| Material | |
| 210 D Robic HD Ripstop nylon, PU coated, 1'500 mm water column | 300D PES Ripstop |
Key differences between the Exped Skyline 25 and Deuter Giga SL
- Hip belt: Yes on the Exped Skyline 25; Removable on the Deuter Giga SL.
- Laptop sleeve: No on the Exped Skyline 25; 17in on the Deuter Giga SL.
- Rain cover: Yes on the Exped Skyline 25; Removable on the Deuter Giga SL.
Both have: backpack straps, sternum strap, 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. 74 accept both. 1 accept only the Exped Skyline 25, and 100 accept only the Deuter Giga SL.
Only the Exped Skyline 25 fits
Great Lakes Airlines.
Only the Deuter Giga SL fits
Air Asia, Air Baltic, Air Canada, Air China, Air Macau, Air Malta, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Air Wisconsin, AirAsiaX, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Asiana Airlines, ATA Airlines, Austrian, Avianca , Azerbaijan Airlines, Bahamasair, Bangkok Airways, Belavia, Biman Bangladesh, Blue Air, Brussels Airlines, Bulgaria Air, Cambodia Angkor Air, Cathay Pacific, Cayman Airways, Cebu Pacific, China Airlines, China Eastern, CommutAir, Delta Airlines, Dragonair, Emirates Airlines, Enter Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Eurowings, EVA Air, Fiji Airways, Flair Air, flybe, Garuda Indonesia, Hawaiian Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, Icelandair, InselAir, jetBlue Airways, Jetstar Airways, Jetstar Asia, Juneyao Airlines, Kulula, Liat Airlines, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, Luxair, Mahan Air, Malaysia Airlines, Mango, Meridiana Fly, Mesa Airlines, Nordwind Airlines, Norwegian, Oman Air, Pakistan International, Porter Airlines, Qantas Airways, Qatar Airways, Regional Express, Republic Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Ryanair, S7, SAS Scandinavian, Scoot, Shandong Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Skywest, Inc., South African Airways, SriLankan Airlines, Sun Express, Swiss Int'l Air Lines, TAP Air Portugal, TAROM, Tianjin Airlines (A320 & E190), Tiger Airways, Trans States, TUI, Turkish Airlines, Ukraine International, United Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, VIM Airlines (Closed), Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Australia, Volotea, WestJet, Xiamen.
Exped Skyline 25 vs. Deuter Giga SL: which should you pack?
The Deuter Giga SL carries 3L more than the Exped Skyline 25 (25L vs. 28L), while the Deuter Giga SL is the lighter pack at 0.96kg (vs. 1.03kg). For carry-on flexibility, the Deuter Giga SL fits 92% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Deuter Giga SL; if you want to travel lighter, the Deuter Giga SL is the better call.