Osprey Aoede Briefpack vs. Nordace Urban Max
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Osprey Aoede Briefpack
| Capacity | 22 L |
| Weight | 1.1 kg |
| Dimensions | 46×33×24 cm |
| Airline fit | 41% |
| Price | $150 |
Feature by feature
| Osprey Aoede Briefpack | Feature | Nordace Urban Max |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| N | Compression | N |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 1 | Opening | 1 |
| front | Passport | Y |
| Y | Passthrough | Y |
| Carry | ||
| hideable | Backpack | Y |
| N | Hip Belt | N |
| N | Sternum Strap | N |
| Inside | ||
| 16in | Laptop | 15in |
| 5 | Main Compartments | 1 |
| Y | Organizer | Y |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| N | Rain-fly | N |
| N | Water Bottle Holder | N |
| Y | Water Resistant | Y |
| Material | |
| 840D ballistic polyester, DWR treatment | Polyester |
Nordace Urban Max
| Capacity | 20 L |
| Weight | 1.05 kg |
| Dimensions | 43×30×18 cm |
| Airline fit | 95% |
| Price | $135 |
Key differences between the Osprey Aoede Briefpack and Nordace Urban Max
- Passport pocket: Front on the Osprey Aoede Briefpack; Yes on the Nordace Urban Max.
- Backpack straps: Hideable on the Osprey Aoede Briefpack; Yes on the Nordace Urban Max.
- Laptop sleeve: 16in on the Osprey Aoede Briefpack; 15in on the Nordace Urban Max.
- Main compartments: 5 on the Osprey Aoede Briefpack; 1 on the Nordace Urban Max.
Both have: luggage passthrough, 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. 78 accept both. 0 accept only the Osprey Aoede Briefpack, and 102 accept only the Nordace Urban Max.
Only the Nordace Urban Max fits
Air Asia, Air Baltic, Air Canada, Air China, Air Macau, Air Malta, Air Niugini, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Air Tahiti, Air Wisconsin, AirAsiaX, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, American Eagle, 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, easyJet, Emirates Airlines, Enter Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Eurowings, EVA Air, Fiji Airways, Flair Air, flybe, Garuda Indonesia, Gulf Air, 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, Pakistan International, Porter Airlines, Qantas 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.
Osprey Aoede Briefpack vs. Nordace Urban Max: which should you pack?
The Osprey Aoede Briefpack carries 2L more than the Nordace Urban Max (22L vs. 20L), while the Nordace Urban Max is the lighter pack at 1.05kg (vs. 1.1kg). For carry-on flexibility, the Nordace Urban Max fits 95% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Osprey Aoede Briefpack; if you want to travel lighter, the Nordace Urban Max is the better call.