Load it up for a commute to work, a day on the trail, or even an overnight adventure; the Patagonia Black Hole Pack has you covered. Patagonia’s midsize workhorse pack in the Black Hole® collection is made with a 100% recycled body fabric that is certified as blue sign approved, lining, and webbing and features a DWR (durable water repellent) finish.
Patagonia Black Hole Pack 32L Review
Size Matters
The Patagonia Black Hole Pack comes in both a 25 liter size and 32 liters, we checked out the 32L and found it to be ideal. On several occasions, it has made 36 to 48-hour trips a breeze when you don’t need a ton of gear. The 32L size can hold clothes for 3 to 4 days, a pair of shoes, a laptop, an iPad, some misc chargers, and a stash of energy bars. I was actually able to manage a try to St. john for a week with this backpack. Out of the trail for a day, stuff it with a shell, dry socks, and some food and water, and you’ll still have room for your camera gear and more.
To and from your destinations are a snap, and on the trail or commuting on a bike is pretty comfy as well. During travel, since you are using this as a backpack, you can be nimble and motor through town or the airport. It is also small enough to stow in the overhead compartment on a plane or cram (we do mean cram) under the seat in front of you. The pack is designed with a padded shoulder harness and adjustable sternum strap for all-day, load-carrying comfort
For week-long trips or if you are carrying gear, you might want to consider the Patagonia Back Hole Duffle bags, another bag in our staple of gear. They offer the room you would expect from a duffle bag, but also has shoulder straps for tossing on your backpack.
Laptop Sleeve
One of the key features of this pack is the laptop sleeve which can hold most 15″ laptops along with a tablet. The TSA-approved padded laptop pocket zips open and lies flat, and if you are lucky, you won’t have to remove your laptop at airport security. It has gone both ways for me. A safety strap is also in place to keep it from falling out if it is lifted while unzipped. It also accepts a hydration reservoir when you head to the trails. Maybe it’s not a great idea with your laptop in there.
While resting on your back, an air-mesh back panel allows increased ventilation for all-day comfort and provides extra protection to your laptop.
Roomy Main Compartment
As mentioned above, the Black Hole Backpack’s easy-access main compartment is roomy enough to hold a full day’s worth of gear or a weekend’s worth of travel clothing and such. A zippered mesh pocket inside the main compartment keeps easily misplaced items within reach
Extra Places to Stash Necessities
The Black Hole Pack features two large stash pockets. One is in the main compartment as mentioned above, and one is on top helping keep daily essentials like wallets, sunglasses and phone organized and accessible.
On the side are two external stretch-woven side pockets to carry water bottles and on the front you’ll find daisy chains provide some attachment options for your helmet, yoga pad or muddy shoes.
Overall the 32L Patagonia Black Hole Pack is a solid bag, made from responsible materials and carries the Patagonia name. For a smaller pack it is ideal and it has found a lot of uses from weekend trips, riding to the pool, commuting and even business meetings. Color choices are a little limited on the 32L with only black and navy blue available. Empty the pack weighs in at 1lb 13oz. External dimensions are 22″ x 10.5″ x 6.75″.
The 32L Patagonia Black Hole Pack retails for $149.00 and is available at patagonia.com.
