BRAW Explorer 2 vs Airback Original: The Straight Comparison
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BRAW, a trading name of Universal Fitness Exports Ltd, is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to Airback B.V. Airback is a trade mark of its owner and is used here only to identify their products for comparison. All Airback figures are taken from airback.store and were checked on 30 July 2026. If anything here is out of date, email us and we will correct it promptly.
Two bags, one idea: compress your clothes and skip the hold. The Airback Original made vacuum compression famous. The BRAW Explorer 2 builds the same idea around the 40 x 30 x 20 free allowance that Ryanair and Wizz Air actually enforce. Every figure below comes from the two live product pages, checked on 30 July 2026. For the full picture of what each airline lets you carry free, see our airline cabin bag size table.
The numbers side by side
| BRAW Explorer 2 | Airback Original | |
| Listed price (30 Jul 2026) | £115 (sale, from £135); mini pump sold separately | €199 (sale, from €299); air pump €60 add-on |
| Base size | 40 x 30 x 20 cm | 49 x 32 x 15-20 cm |
| Expanded / max depth | 40 x 30 x 25 cm via zip expansion | 20 cm max depth using the extension |
| Capacity | Around 25L base, over 30L packed with the ClipPod | 22-48 litres with compression |
| Shell fabric | 1050d Cordura shell, 900d weatherproof facing, Aquaguard and YKK zips | 100% recycled nylon 900D face, wax coating, PU-coated back, GRS certified |
| Compression | ClipPod vacuum system plus compression straps, included; mini pump sold separately | Vacuum compression; pump sold separately |
| Laptop | Up to 15in, padded sleeve | Up to 17in, per Airback's product page |
| Weight | Not published on the PDP | 1.7kg (1.9kg with weight handle) |
| Returns | 30-day returns | 100 days |
| Company | Scottish brand, run from Glasgow | Airback B.V., Amsterdam |
Prices as listed on each site on 30 July 2026, in each site's own currency. Both are sale prices. Check both live pages and any delivery or import charges before you buy.
Where the Airback is strong
Credit where due. The Original swallows more: up to 48 litres compressed against a bag that tops out at 40 x 30 x 25 cm. It takes a laptop up to 17in, per Airback's product page. Its fabric is GRS-certified recycled nylon, and the 100-day returns window is a long one. If you fly with priority boarding on every trip and want maximum volume overhead, it is a serious bag.
Where the Explorer 2 wins
The free allowance. The Explorer 2's base size is 40 x 30 x 20 cm, the exact free under-seat allowance on Ryanair and Wizz Air and the under-seat limit on Jet2. Its 25cm expansion goes beyond that free allowance, so you cinch it back down with the compression straps before boarding. Airback publishes the Original at 49 x 32 cm at the face, which is larger than the 40 x 30 x 20 cm free allowance Ryanair and Wizz Air publish, so it sits in the paid overhead tier on those airlines. Airback does list under-seat models, the GO among them; check their published measurements against your airline before buying either brand. See what every airline allows free in our airline cabin bag size table.
The fabric. The Explorer 2 runs a 1050d Cordura shell with a 900d weatherproof facing. Airback lists a 900D recycled nylon face. Denier is a measure of yarn weight, and the Explorer 2 carries the higher figure on its shell.
The price. £115 against €199 as listed on each site on 30 July 2026. Both brands sell a pump separately. Airback's is a €60 add-on. The BRAW mini pump is also sold separately, and the Explorer 2 can deflate without it: a household hoover or opening the one-way valve and pressing down both work, per the product page.
The home ground. BRAW is Scottish and built around the flights Scots actually take: Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2 and Wizz Air out of Glasgow, Edinburgh and Prestwick. The free-allowance obsession is the design brief.
The verdict
Pick by how you fly. If you buy priority boarding anyway and want the biggest possible bag overhead, the Airback Original earns its price. If you fly budget airlines on the free allowance and refuse to hand over gate fees, the bag built to the published 40 x 30 x 20 cm limit is the one designed to drop into the sizer.
Common questions
Is the BRAW Explorer 2 an Airback alternative? Yes, for travellers who want vacuum-style compression in a bag sized to the free 40 x 30 x 20 under-seat allowance rather than the overhead tier.
Which is cheaper? As listed on 30 July 2026: the Explorer 2 at £115, the Airback Original at €199 with the pump as a €60 add-on. Both brands sell a pump separately.
Which fits Ryanair's free allowance? The Explorer 2's base size matches the 40 x 30 x 20 cm free personal bag limit. Its 25cm expansion exceeds that limit, so it gets compressed back down before boarding. Per Airback's published dimensions, the Airback Original is larger than the free limit and rides in the overhead tier.
Does Airback make an under-seat bag? Yes, they list several, including the GO. Check the measurements on their product pages against your airline's published limit before you buy.
Sources: airback.store product and collection pages, brawstore.com Explorer 2 product page, both checked 30 July 2026.