Ortlieb Messenger Bag vs. Exped Mountain Pro 40 Women
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Ortlieb Messenger Bag
| Capacity | 39 L |
| Weight | 1.3 kg |
| Dimensions | 50×39×15 cm |
| Airline fit | 59% |
| Price | $140 |
Feature by feature
| Ortlieb Messenger Bag | Feature | Exped Mountain Pro 40 Women |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| N | Compression | N |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 2 | Opening | 4 |
| N | Passport | N |
| N | Passthrough | N |
| Carry | ||
| Y | Backpack | Y |
| removable | Hip Belt | removable |
| removable | Sternum Strap | Y |
| Inside | ||
| N | Laptop | N |
| 1 | Main Compartments | 1 |
| N | Organizer | N |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| N | Rain-fly | N |
| N | Water Bottle Holder | N |
| Y | Water Resistant | Y |
| Material | |
| PD620, PS620C | 420 D Oxford nylon, PU coated, 3'000 mm water column |
Exped Mountain Pro 40 Women
| Capacity | 40 L |
| Weight | 0.2 kg |
| Dimensions | 62×29×24 cm |
| Airline fit | 13% |
| Price | $190 |
Key differences between the Ortlieb Messenger Bag and Exped Mountain Pro 40 Women
- Opening: Rolltop on the Ortlieb Messenger Bag; Top zip on the Exped Mountain Pro 40 Women.
- Sternum strap: Removable on the Ortlieb Messenger Bag; Yes on the Exped Mountain Pro 40 Women.
Both have: backpack straps, hip belt, water resistant.
Which airlines take each bag as a carry-on
We checked both bags against the carry-on size limits of 189 airlines. 24 accept both. 87 accept only the Ortlieb Messenger Bag, and 0 accept only the Exped Mountain Pro 40 Women.
Only the Ortlieb Messenger Bag fits
Aegean Airlines, Aer Lingus, Aeroflot, Aeromexico, Air Astana, Air Baltic, Air Canada, Air Caraibes, Air China, Air Malta, Air Nostrum, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, All Nipon Airways, ANA, Asiana Airlines, ATA Airlines, Atlas Global, Austrian, Azerbaijan Airlines, Belavia, Blue Air, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Bulgaria Air, Caribbean Airlines, China Eastern, Croatia Air, Czech Airlines, EL AL, Enter Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Eurowings, Fiji Airways, Finnair, Flair Air, Frontier Airlines, Gol Linhas Aereas, Iberia, Icelandair, Interjet, Iran Air, Iran Aseman Air, Japan Airlines, Jet2, Juneyao Airlines, Kuwait Air, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, Luxair, Mahan Air, Meridiana Fly, Mesa Airlines, Middle East Airlines, Monarch Airlines, Nordwind Airlines, Norwegian, Oman Air, Onur Air, Peach, PenAir, Porter Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Ryanair, S7, SAS Scandinavian, Shandong Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Sun Country, Sun Express, Swiss Int'l Air Lines, TAP Air Portugal, TAROM, Thai Airways, Tianjin Airlines (A320 & E190), Travel Service Airlines, TUI, Turkish Airlines, Ukraine International, Uzbekistan Air, VIM Airlines (Closed), Volotea, WOW Airlines, Xiamen.
Ortlieb Messenger Bag vs. Exped Mountain Pro 40 Women: which should you pack?
The Exped Mountain Pro 40 Women carries 1L more than the Ortlieb Messenger Bag (39L vs. 40L), while the Exped Mountain Pro 40 Women is the lighter pack at 0.2kg (vs. 1.3kg). For carry-on flexibility, the Ortlieb Messenger Bag fits 59% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Exped Mountain Pro 40 Women; if you want to travel lighter, the Exped Mountain Pro 40 Women is the better call.