The North Face Trail Lite 36 vs Tom Bihn Brain Bag
The The North Face Trail Lite 36 is 36L and 1.36kg3lb; the Tom Bihn Brain Bag is 36L and 1.3kg2.9lb. The Tom Bihn Brain Bag is 0.06kg0.1lb lighter. The The North Face Trail Lite 36 costs $85 less. The The North Face Trail Lite 36 fits the carry-on limit of 1 of 36 major airlines and the Tom Bihn Brain Bag fits 24; under the seat, 0 and 0 of 26.
| Spec | The North Face Trail Lite 36 | Tom Bihn Brain Bag |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $170Best | $255 |
| Volume | 36L | 36L |
| Weight | 1.36kg3lb | 1.3kg2.9lbBest |
| Carry-on compliance | 3% | 67%Best |
| Personal-item compliance | 0% | 0% |
| Dimensions | 65×25×21cm25.5×10×8.5in | 46×36×23cm18×14×9in |
| Laptop | no laptop sleeve | no laptop sleeve |
| Compartments | n/a | 5 |
| Bottle pockets | 2 | 2 |
| Compression straps | n/a | 2 |
| Opening | Top-loading, Cinch-top opening with removable two-compartment top lid; large zippered main compartment | Panel access, panel (dual zip) |
| Warranty | Lifetime | Lifetime |
| Sizes | S/M, L/XL | n/a |
| Organizer | Yes | Removable |
| Shoe compartment | No | No |
| Hydration sleeve | Yes | No |
| Frame sheet | Yes | No |
| Water-resistant | Yes | No |
| Rain cover | No | No |
| MOLLE | No | No |
| Hip belt | Yes | Yes |
| Sternum strap | Yes | Yes |
| Load lifters | No | No |
| Shoulder strap | No | Yes |
| Luggage pass-through | No | No |
| Camera compartment | No | No |
| Material | 210D nylon ripstop with fluorine-free DWR finish; 600D recycled polyester boot with fluorine-free DWR | Ballistic nylon exterior (bluesign-certified, default Aubergine Ballistic), 210d Cerylon ripstop interior (bluesign-certified) |
| Last checked | 2026-09 | 2026-09 |
Where their airline fit differs
| Airline | Limit | The North Face Trail Lite 36 | Tom Bihn Brain Bag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Canada | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
| AirAsia | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
| Alaska Airlines | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
| Allegiant Air | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
| American Airlines | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
| ANA (All Nippon Airways) | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
| British Airways | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
| Cebu Pacific | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
| Delta Air Lines | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
| easyJet | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
| Frontier Airlines | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
| JetBlue Airways | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
| Lufthansa | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
| Norwegian Air Shuttle | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
| Qantas | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
| Qatar Airways | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
| SAS | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
| Southwest Airlines | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
| Turkish Airlines | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
| Vietjet Air | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
| Volaris | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
| WestJet | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
| Wizz Air | Carry-on | Too big | Fits |
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Specs come from each brand's own product page. Fit uses listed dimensions in any orientation. How we score carry-on fit.