Exped Mountain Pro 20 vs. Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Exped Mountain Pro 20
| Capacity | 20 L |
| Weight | 1.12 kg |
| Dimensions | 50×29×17 cm |
| Airline fit | 92% |
| Price | $250 |
Feature by feature
| Exped Mountain Pro 20 | Feature | Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| N | Compression | N |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 3 | Opening | 3 |
| N | Passport | N |
| N | Passthrough | N |
| Carry | ||
| Y | Backpack | Y |
| removable | Hip Belt | Y |
| Y | Sternum Strap | Y |
| Inside | ||
| N | Laptop | N |
| 1 | Main Compartments | 1 |
| N | Organizer | N |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| N | Rain-fly | optional |
| N | Water Bottle Holder | 1 |
| Y | Water Resistant | N |
| Material | |
| 420 D Oxford nylon, PU coated, 3'000 mm water column | 210 Nylon HT Rip Stop Cordura™, 210 Polyester Oxford |
Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack
| Capacity | 20 L |
| Weight | 0.44 kg |
| Dimensions | 46×25×22 cm |
| Airline fit | 75% |
| Price | $100 |
Key differences between the Exped Mountain Pro 20 and Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack
- Hip belt: Removable on the Exped Mountain Pro 20; Yes on the Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack.
- Rain cover: No on the Exped Mountain Pro 20; Optional on the Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack.
- Water bottle pockets: No on the Exped Mountain Pro 20; 1 on the Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack.
- Water resistant: Yes on the Exped Mountain Pro 20; No on the Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack.
Both have: backpack straps, sternum strap.
Which airlines take each bag as a carry-on
We checked both bags against the carry-on size limits of 189 airlines. 137 accept both. 36 accept only the Exped Mountain Pro 20, and 4 accept only the Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack.
Only the Exped Mountain Pro 20 fits
Air Baltic, Air China, Air Malta, Air Niugini, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Asiana Airlines, ATA Airlines, Belavia, Blue Air, Bulgaria Air, China Eastern, Emirates Airlines, Enter Air, flybe, Icelandair, InselAir, Juneyao Airlines, Liat Airlines, Luxair, Meridiana Fly, Nordwind Airlines, Royal Brunei Airlines, Ryanair, S7, Shandong Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Sun Express, TAP Air Portugal, TAROM, Tianjin Airlines (A320 & E190), TUI, Ukraine International, VIM Airlines (Closed), Volotea, Xiamen.
Only the Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack fits
Great Lakes Airlines, Ravn Alaska, Regional Express, Virgin Australia.
Exped Mountain Pro 20 vs. Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack: which should you pack?
The Exped Mountain Pro 20 carries the same capacity as the Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack (20L vs. 20L), while the Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack is the lighter pack at 0.44kg (vs. 1.12kg). For carry-on flexibility, the Exped Mountain Pro 20 fits 92% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Exped Mountain Pro 20; if you want to travel lighter, the Kathmandu Dash 20L Lightweight Backpack is the better call.