Fjallraven Raven 28 vs. Waterfield Bolt
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Fjallraven Raven 28
| Capacity | 28 L |
| Weight | 1 kg |
| Dimensions | 47×36×15 cm |
| Airline fit | 84% |
| Price | $120 |
Feature by feature
| Fjallraven Raven 28 | Feature | Waterfield Bolt |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| N | Compression | N |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 4 | Opening | 4 |
| top | Passport | front |
| N | Passthrough | Y |
| Carry | ||
| Y | Backpack | Y |
| N | Hip Belt | N |
| N | Sternum Strap | N |
| Inside | ||
| 15in | Laptop | 15in |
| 4 | Main Compartments | 3 |
| N | Organizer | N |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| N | Rain-fly | N |
| 2, side | Water Bottle Holder | 2, side |
| Y | Water Resistant | Y |
| Material | |
| G-1000 HeavyDuty | Durable waxed canvas OR 1050 Denier Ballistic nylon |
Waterfield Bolt
| Capacity | 17 L |
| Weight | 1.5 kg |
| Dimensions | 41×32×13 cm |
| Airline fit | 95% |
| Price | $370 |
Key differences between the Fjallraven Raven 28 and Waterfield Bolt
- Passport pocket: Top on the Fjallraven Raven 28; Front on the Waterfield Bolt.
- Luggage passthrough: No on the Fjallraven Raven 28; Yes on the Waterfield Bolt.
- Main compartments: 4 on the Fjallraven Raven 28; 3 on the Waterfield Bolt.
Both have: backpack straps, laptop sleeve, water bottle pockets, water resistant.
Which airlines take each bag as a carry-on
We checked both bags against the carry-on size limits of 189 airlines. 158 accept both. 0 accept only the Fjallraven Raven 28, and 21 accept only the Waterfield Bolt.
Only the Waterfield Bolt fits
Aerolineas Argentinas, Air France, Air India, Air Mauritius, Air Tahiti, American Eagle, Boliviana de Aviacion, Cayman Airways, easyJet, flybe, Gulf Air, Indigo, InselAir, Jet Airways, Kenya Airways, KLM, LATAM , Ravn Alaska, Regional Express, Sky Airlines, Virgin Australia.
Fjallraven Raven 28 vs. Waterfield Bolt: which should you pack?
The Fjallraven Raven 28 carries 11L more than the Waterfield Bolt (28L vs. 17L), while the Fjallraven Raven 28 is the lighter pack at 1kg (vs. 1.5kg). For carry-on flexibility, the Waterfield Bolt fits 95% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Fjallraven Raven 28; if you want to travel lighter, the Fjallraven Raven 28 is the better call.