Black Ember Citadel R3 25 vs. Fjallraven Farden Carry-on
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Black Ember Citadel R3 25
| Capacity | 25 L |
| Weight | 1.6 kg |
| Dimensions | 50×31×18 cm |
| Airline fit | 91% |
| Price | $280 |
Feature by feature
| Black Ember Citadel R3 25 | Feature | Fjallraven Farden Carry-on |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| N | Compression | 4 |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 1 | Opening | 1 |
| top | Passport | top |
| Y | Passthrough | Y |
| Carry | ||
| Y | Backpack | Y |
| N | Hip Belt | optional |
| removable | Sternum Strap | removable |
| Inside | ||
| 14in | Laptop | 16in |
| 4 | Main Compartments | 4 |
| N | Organizer | N |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| N | Rain-fly | N |
| N | Water Bottle Holder | 3, side |
| Y | Water Resistant | Y |
| Material | |
| 421 VELOCITY CORDURA re/cor RN66 | 100% polyamide 500D |
Fjallraven Farden Carry-on
| Capacity | 42 L |
| Weight | 1.4 kg |
| Dimensions | 55×35×23 cm |
| Airline fit | 67% |
| Price | $205 |
Key differences between the Black Ember Citadel R3 25 and Fjallraven Farden Carry-on
- Compression straps: No on the Black Ember Citadel R3 25; 4 on the Fjallraven Farden Carry-on.
- Hip belt: No on the Black Ember Citadel R3 25; Optional on the Fjallraven Farden Carry-on.
- Laptop sleeve: 14in on the Black Ember Citadel R3 25; 16in on the Fjallraven Farden Carry-on.
- Water bottle pockets: No on the Black Ember Citadel R3 25; 3, side on the Fjallraven Farden Carry-on.
Both have: passport pocket, luggage passthrough, backpack straps, sternum strap, water resistant.
Which airlines take each bag as a carry-on
We checked both bags against the carry-on size limits of 189 airlines. 127 accept both. 45 accept only the Black Ember Citadel R3 25, and 0 accept only the Fjallraven Farden Carry-on.
Only the Black Ember Citadel R3 25 fits
Air Baltic, Air China, Air Malta, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Asiana Airlines, ATA Airlines, Belavia, Blue Air, Bulgaria Air, Cayman Airways, China Eastern, Croatia Air, Emirates Airlines, Enter Air, Etihad Airways, flybe, Icelandair, InselAir, Juneyao Airlines, Liat Airlines, Luxair, Meridiana Fly, Nordwind Airlines, Oman Air, Pakistan International, Qatar Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Ryanair, S7, Scoot, Shandong Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Sun Express, TAP Air Portugal, TAROM, Tianjin Airlines (A320 & E190), Tiger Airways, TUI, Ukraine International, VIM Airlines (Closed), Volotea, WestJet, Xiamen.
Black Ember Citadel R3 25 vs. Fjallraven Farden Carry-on: which should you pack?
The Fjallraven Farden Carry-on carries 17L more than the Black Ember Citadel R3 25 (25L vs. 42L), while the Fjallraven Farden Carry-on is the lighter pack at 1.4kg (vs. 1.6kg). For carry-on flexibility, the Black Ember Citadel R3 25 fits 91% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Fjallraven Farden Carry-on; if you want to travel lighter, the Fjallraven Farden Carry-on is the better call.