I’m a full-time digital nomad who uses only one bag to travel – my Patagonia BlackHole 32L backpack. I’ve used it for over a year and have taken it with me all over the globe, from Phoenix to Bucharest to Seoul.
I have a longer post about how I use the BlackHole bag as my one bag for travel (including a packing list and some general one bag tips), but in this post, I want to give my review of this bag, as well as cover the basics of the bag.
Note: I bought this bag with my own money. I may earn a commission if you buy something I write about on this blog. If you return it, I lose that commission. Only buy what’s right for you.
The Patagonia BlackHole 32 Back Pack Review: A Quick Overview
- Great unique style / great Patagonia look. Made with bluesign recycled materials, this is a nice-looking bag that’s made sustainably. I got the Classic navy, but it comes in other colors such as black and a red color (often not available on the Patagonia site but through re-sellers).
- Excellent main compartment. I prefer one big compartment that I can customize vs. overly pre-customized compartments (such as the Nomatic travel bag).
- Laptop and tablet compartment (fits macbook pro and ipad pro – no case for either). I don’t use a case for my MacBook. I use a keyboard/case for my iPad, and it fits in BlackHole’s main compartment.
- Two sizeable mesh side pockets – fits water bottle or other accessories. When fully packed, I use one mesh pocket for my Yeti Yonder 750 ML bottle, a pocket-sized Anker charger, and a packable rain jacket.
- Great for travel – easy to lug around, but not something I keep on my shoulders comfortably for more than two hours, i.e., it’s not necessarily rugged/practical for hiking/camping etc. If you plan doing that, I’d think you want something with a waist strap and a better sternum strap to help deal with the weight.
- Has fit in the overhead bin of every airplane I’ve been on (including smaller-bodied planes)
Main thing: I love this bag. It’s perfect for me – someone who travels to a new city/country every 2-3 months, and who likes to pack light. It’s my main travel bag. I also have a packable daypack for my everyday use that fits inside this bag when I travel.
If you want to see the current pricing/availability of the BlackHole 32L click here for the Patagonia website.
Otherwise, keep reading for a more detailed review.
The Patagonia BlackHole Pack 32L – In-Depth Review
(Materials, Dimensions, Pricing, etc.)
Dimensions
- The Patagonia Blackhole 32L (liters) weighs 810 grams (1lb 12.6 oz), when empty. When mine is packed full for my trips, it weighs around 9kg (just under 20lbs).
- When empty and stretched out, the 32L’s dimensions are 22” x 10.5” x 6.75”, making it great as a carry-on. (I’ve had no trouble on RyanAir, WizzAir, Air Serbia, Air Bulgaria, Air Austria, American Airlines, United, etc.)
Materials
- The bag itself is made out of 100% recycled polyester ripstop. This gives the bag its shine. Overall, like a lot of Patagonia products, this bag has a unique look that you either like or hate. But this material, and the color choices, even when you choose all black, give it more of a personality than other bags.
- The back panel is heavily padded and ventilated for airflow. It is very comfortable, but the airflow is limited. Depends on how you’re using it – great for me as I walk through cities/airports/train stations, but not night be enough for someone hiking, camping, or climbing with it.
- It’s labeled as highly weather-resistant because of its TPU-film laminate. I’m comfortable walking in the rain with this backpack on. . as long as it’s not a heavy pour that I’ll be in for the duration of a hike. But walking to my Airbnb from a train station or moving around a city while it’s raining hasn’t been a problem. Some water will seep through, but not enough to make a difference. Everything inside is safe and dry, especially my laptop and tablet.
How Long I’ve Been Using the Bag
I’ve had and used this bag now for over a year. It’s been with me to twelve countries. No issues, no tearing. Again, my use is relatively light use. I use it on travel days (i.e. when I leave/arrive to a country), and then I hang it up in my closet.
I don’t think I’ll need another bag for a long time.
Note: Near the end of my first year of travel, I did consider getting a different bag for size reasons. I thought maybe a 40L capacity would be better for me. The reason was that I still used a side bag/messenger bag for my 1) ipad and 2) camera.
But I really wanted just one bag. And I really liked the Patagonia BlackHole 32L. So instead of replacing my bag, I improved my packing style/downsized my gear list.
Pricing and an Overall Review
New from Patagonia, the BlackHole 32L costs $169. It’s not uncommon for this bag to be out of stock, which means you’d either need to join a waitlist for the next shipment or get the bag from third-party sellers on eBay.
Overall, I rate this bag as heavy-duty and fairly-priced. It can take a beating; it can be in and out of tough situations, and it’s not going to tear or cut easily. Everything, from the bag itself to the straps to the daisy chains at the front of the bag where you can clip extra items, is made to last.
But it’s not definitely not the best travel bag for everyone, and below I look at some pros and cons to help you make a choice.
The Pros of Using the Patagonia BlackHole 32L
I purchased the Patagonia BlackHole 32L because of its:
- Laptop and tablet compartment. I travel with a Macbook Pro 15” and iPad Pro. They both fit in the two slots of the laptop compartment, though I usually have the iPad out as it’s what I use to write/watch movies while I fly or take a train. Either way, my electronics feel secure in this bag. The laptop sleeve is big enough for a 15” with a case, but keep in mind the more you fit into the laptop sleeve, the less you can fit in the tablet sleeve. For example, I can fit in a Macbook 15” with a case, but then I can only fit in my iPad without its case. Currently, I put in the MacBook and iPad into the compartment sleeves sans case.
- One big main compartment (more versatile). I don’t want a lot of mini compartments. In my experience, mini-compartments don’t work out. When a bag is designed for a very specific use case, it loses versatility. What works best? A big space that you can customize with compression bags, packing cases, toiletry bags, etc.
- Overall look/feel. I travel full-time, so I see a lot of bags. I see them in cafes, I see them being put in overhead bins. And I love the look and feel of the Patagonia BlackHole bag more. I like how it’s a backpack, not a duffle. It makes it look less invasive when it’s on my back.
- Comfy and padded shoulder straps. Self-explanatory. These shoulder straps don’t cut into you.
Overall, this is a great bag for travel. I use it for full-time travel, but it’s also great for weekend trips (though I use the much more compact, Matador 19L packable daypack for travel.). I think it’s more than capable of holding up to a lifetime of travel, but I do think if you’re going to be hiking a lot or camping a lot, then you might want a different bag. To me, this bag is more of the toughest city and full-time travel bag, but there are other bags out there more suited for hiking, camping, and climbing.
Plus, one final note: For me, this is not a fun bag fully stuffed. It looks better and feels better just below capacity. For some people, that might be a deal breaker, but it worked out well for me as it helped me really embrace a sort of minimalist traveling style. I like having room in my bag, I like it not feeling stuffed. To me a 32L bag, not maxed out in capacity, is the ideal travel set up.
Here’s a quick look at what exactly I fit in my 32L bag.
- 1 polo shirt, 2 t-shirts, 1 button-down shirt, 1 pair of joggers, 1 pair of shorts, 4 pairs of socks, 4 pairs of boxers — all of this is compressed down as small as possible via a compression sack (generally used for sleeping bags, these sacks save a ton of space).
- My Matador packable daypack, which is my everyday carry that I use to walk around cities, go work in cafes, go on hikes, go grocery shopping, etc.
- My Macbook Pro
- My iPad Pro
- My Kindle Paperwhite
- My vivabarefoot shoes
- My anker charger
- My AirPods pro
- My Fujifilm x100v camera (in a leather case)
- My nano puff Patagonia jacket (packed up)
- My Human rain packable jacket
- My toiletry bag (Herschel)
- My climbing shoes
- Some items of sentimental value
- My Yonder 750ML water bottle
- My passport/bank card holder
The Cons of the BlackHole 32L
- Problems with the mesh side pockets. The mesh side pockets work well for me, but I can see issues if you use this for hiking. Specifically, if you put a water bottle in there that isn’t big enough, it can easily slide out.
- Problems with the airmesh back ventilation. Again, some complains about the lack of airflow.
- Lack of easy access to your laptop and tablet. Some reviewers have complained about lack of easy access to their laptop and tablet, and I don’t see the problem. But I think the reason for me is that I use this as my travel backpack, i.e. the bag is basically my suitcase. It carries everything I own (quite literally) and once I get to my hostel or Airbnb, I take out what I use daily (laptop, Kindle, airpods, camera) and put it in my day bag. So I’m not constantly getting stuff out of my BlackHole bag.
- Everyone is packed in/hard to access. For example, one time I forgot I put my liquids (cologne, toothpaste, etc) in my shoes, which are at the bottom of my bag, while I was traveling through Europe by train. Then I had to get on a flight and of course the security wants yo to put all liquids in a separate bin. I realized right at the security line that I had my liquids at the very very bottom of my bag, under my clothes, camera, etc. So I had to move to the side, and unpack the entire bag. I pack pretty neatly, so it still only took me a minute. But the “black hole” back pack design that I love so much can be a pain if you need to easily access stuff throughout your trip.
And that’s my review in a nutshell. I love this bag. It’s going to last. It’s nice to look at. It fits a lot more than you’d think (look at my packing list above).
But it may not be the right backpack for your travel needs. If it isn’t, keeping reading for other bags to consider.
Other Travel Bags to Consider
A smaller travel backpack (for weekend trips).
- If you want to stick with Patagonia, consder the Refugio 26L.
- If you want to stick with the BlackHole collection, choose the BlackHole 25L.
- But my daily care/weekend travel pack is the Matador On-Grid Packable Daypack (16L) — click here for my review of the bag.
A similar-sized travel pack but better suited for hiking/camping and other outdoor adventures
- The Cotopaxi allpa 35L has more sturdy sternum straps and a waist strap, helping take weight off your back as you walk/hike.
A larger bag for digital nomads
- The Osprey farpoint 40L backpack. You can also go the duffel back route, and go up as large as a 55L duffel bag or a 70L Patagonia BlackHole duffel.
A non-backpack travel bag
- I’m partial to the backpack style, but it’s not for everyone. If you want something more like a traditional luggage, consider the Black Hole MLC.