Patagonia Tres MLC® 45L vs. Eagle Creek Expanse™ Hauler
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Patagonia Tres MLC® 45L
| Capacity | 45 L |
| Weight | 1.5 kg |
| Dimensions | 54×41×18 cm |
| Airline fit | 26% |
| Price | $179 |
Feature by feature
| Patagonia Tres MLC® 45L | Feature | Eagle Creek Expanse™ Hauler |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| N | Compression | Y |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 1 | Opening | 1 |
| N | Passport | N |
| Y | Passthrough | N |
| Carry | ||
| hideable | Backpack | hideable |
| N | Hip Belt | N |
| Y | Sternum Strap | N |
| Inside | ||
| 15in | Laptop | 15in |
| 1 | Main Compartments | 1 |
| Y | Organizer | Y |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| N | Rain-fly | N |
| N | Water Bottle Holder | N |
| Y | Water Resistant | Y |
| Material | |
| 630-denier nylon, 200-denier 100% recycled polyeste | 420D Two-Tone Poly, 300D Diamond Ripstop Poly, 500D Oxford Poly |
Eagle Creek Expanse™ Hauler
| Capacity | 50 L |
| Weight | 0.96 kg |
| Dimensions | 56×35.5×23 cm |
| Airline fit | 45% |
| Price | $109 |
Key differences between the Patagonia Tres MLC® 45L and Eagle Creek Expanse™ Hauler
- Compression straps: No on the Patagonia Tres MLC® 45L; Yes on the Eagle Creek Expanse™ Hauler.
- Luggage passthrough: Yes on the Patagonia Tres MLC® 45L; No on the Eagle Creek Expanse™ Hauler.
- Sternum strap: Yes on the Patagonia Tres MLC® 45L; No on the Eagle Creek Expanse™ Hauler.
Both have: backpack straps, 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. 44 accept both. 5 accept only the Patagonia Tres MLC® 45L, and 41 accept only the Eagle Creek Expanse™ Hauler.
Only the Patagonia Tres MLC® 45L fits
Air Caraibes, Caribbean Airlines, Czech Airlines, Iberia, Iran Air.
Only the Eagle Creek Expanse™ Hauler fits
Air Asia, Air Macau, Air Wisconsin, AirAsiaX, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Avianca , Bahamasair, Bangkok Airways, Biman Bangladesh, Cambodia Angkor Air, Cathay Pacific, Cebu Pacific, China Airlines, CommutAir, Conviasa, Copa Airlines, Delta Airlines, Dragonair, EVA Air, Garuda Indonesia, Hawaiian Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, jetBlue Airways, Jetstar Airways, Jetstar Asia, Kulula, Malaysia Airlines, Mango, Middle East Airlines, Monarch Airlines, Qantas Airways, Republic Airways, Skywest, Inc., South African Airways, SriLankan Airlines, Trans States, United Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, Virgin Atlantic.
Patagonia Tres MLC® 45L vs. Eagle Creek Expanse™ Hauler: which should you pack?
The Eagle Creek Expanse™ Hauler carries 5L more than the Patagonia Tres MLC® 45L (45L vs. 50L), while the Eagle Creek Expanse™ Hauler is the lighter pack at 0.96kg (vs. 1.5kg). For carry-on flexibility, the Eagle Creek Expanse™ Hauler fits 45% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Eagle Creek Expanse™ Hauler; if you want to travel lighter, the Eagle Creek Expanse™ Hauler is the better call.