Patagonia Black Hole 32L Pack Review – A Really Great Backpack

The Patagonia Black Hole 32L Pack is a really great EDC backpack. It is made of 100% recycled materials and carries more than enough gear for a big day in the city, traveling or on an adventure.

Patagonia Black Hole 32L Pack Review

I have been wanting to use the Patagonia Black Hole 32L pack $149 for many years.  This was on the top of my wish list, even before we started Engearment.  When this pack came in for testing, I was already excited!

I met with Corey Simpson at the Patagonia booth at the last Outdoor Retailer and he was stoked about the new Black Hole bags and packs being made of 100% recycled materials. I would agree that having this lineup of tried and true gear now be made of recycled materials is a really great thing.

Lightweight and yet durable

What sets this pack apart from others is that is really durable and robust, yet still manages to be lightweight.  Thanks to the 300D ripstop with TPU film laminate (and weatherproof coating). This makes the bag a great choice for use in snow and rain.

It is not waterproof per se, nor is it submersible, but for all the times I used it in snow and rain, it did just fine. I used it non-stop for over a month to test it out.  From biking around town in our late spring snow and rainstorms to winter conditions in the mountains, this pack held up just fine.

Some other packs we have tested did fine in these conditions as well, but they are all much heavier than the Black Hole 32L.  So keep that in mind when comparing features.  This pack comes in at just under 2lbs.

Features and function of the Patagonia Black Hole 32L pack

This backpack is great for urban commuting either on foot or on a bike.  I enjoyed using it while biking around town and found that it carried all my gear very well.  As an everyday carry backpack, the Black Hole 32L is perfect. The shoulder straps have enough padding to carry a good amount of weight.

You can even use it for outdoor adventures as there is a hydration port and sleeve.  I did not use this feature as I used it to carry all my cameras and laptop, and I would rather keep water away from that gear 🙂 I have had a learning experience with this before LOL.

I do keep water with me in the pack as it has two sizeable and stretchy side pockets that swallow up a water bottle, up to 40oz insulated in my case!  In fact, I was able to get one 40oz bottle in the right pocket and my travel tripod in the other pocket with ease.

TSA friendly

There is a dedicated laptop and table sleeve that opens up completely to make it easier for travel inspection.  This is also nice as it keeps the computer and table separate from the rest of the gear.  I found that the laptop sleeve was a great fit for my MacBook pro 13″ in a burly case.

Great pockets

There is a large double zippered pocket on top that swallows up gear.  The main compartment is large and streamlined with one mesh zippered pocket as well.  There is a verticle zippered pocket on the very front that is great for cables and a charger.

Bottom line – this pack has been around for a long time, and for a good reason – it is a great pack!  Add in that it is now 100% recycled and you have a great choice for a daily use backpack in the city or on an adventure.