Ortlieb Atrack CR vs. Exped Impulse 30

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

Ortlieb Atrack CR

Front facing view of the Ortlieb Atrack CR
Capacity25 L
Weight1.22 kg
Dimensions56×26×25 cm
Airline fit27%
Price$265

Feature by feature

Ortlieb Atrack CRFeatureExped Impulse 30
Storage
N Compression Y
None Expanded Capacity None
0 Opening 4
N Passport N
N Passthrough N
Carry
Y Backpack Y
removable Hip Belt removable
Y Sternum Strap Y
Inside
N Laptop N
1 Main Compartments 1
N Organizer N
Outside
× Hard Shell ×
N Rain-fly N
2 Water Bottle Holder 2
Y Water Resistant Y
Material
PS33210 D Robic HD Ripstop Nylon Carbonate PU, 2'500 mm water column

Exped Impulse 30

Front facing view of the Exped Impulse 30
Capacity30 L
Weight0 kg
Dimensions55×30×21 cm
Airline fit69%
Price$159

Key differences between the Ortlieb Atrack CR and Exped Impulse 30

Both have: backpack straps, hip belt, 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. 50 accept both. 1 accept only the Ortlieb Atrack CR, and 80 accept only the Exped Impulse 30.

Only the Ortlieb Atrack CR fits

Great Lakes Airlines.

Only the Exped Impulse 30 fits

Aer Lingus, Aeroflot, Aerolineas Argentinas, Aeromexico, Air Asia, Air Canada, Air Caraibes, Air France, Air India, Air Macau, Air Mauritius, Air Wisconsin, AirAsiaX, Alaska Airlines, All Nipon Airways, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, ANA, Austrian, Avianca , Azerbaijan Airlines, Bahamasair, Bangkok Airways, Biman Bangladesh, Boliviana de Aviacion, Brussels Airlines, Cambodia Angkor Air, Cathay Pacific, Cayman Airways, Cebu Pacific, China Airlines, CommutAir, Czech Airlines, Delta Airlines, Dragonair, Ethiopian Airlines, Eurowings, EVA Air, Fiji Airways, Flair Air, Garuda Indonesia, Gol Linhas Aereas, Hawaiian Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, Iberia, Indigo, Interjet, Iran Air, Japan Airlines, Jet Airways, jetBlue Airways, Jetstar Airways, Jetstar Asia, Kenya Airways, KLM, Kulula, LATAM , LOT Polish, Lufthansa, Mahan Air, Malaysia Airlines, Mango, Mesa Airlines, Norwegian, Pakistan International, Peach, Porter Airlines, Qantas Airways, Republic Airways, SAS Scandinavian, Sky Airlines, Skywest, Inc., South African Airways, SriLankan Airlines, Swiss Int'l Air Lines, Trans States, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, Virgin Atlantic.

Ortlieb Atrack CR vs. Exped Impulse 30: which should you pack?

The Exped Impulse 30 carries 5L more than the Ortlieb Atrack CR (25L vs. 30L), and the two are closely matched on weight. For carry-on flexibility, the Exped Impulse 30 fits 69% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Exped Impulse 30; if you want to travel lighter, the Ortlieb Atrack CR is the better call.