Patagonia Black Hole Duffel Review
"Classic. Satisfying."
A classic, affordable duffel with zero gimmicks and a whole lot of loyal fans.
The Black Hole Duffel from Patagonia is a classic. Solidly built. Fairly affordable. Zero gimmicks.
- Solid Build Quality: it’s built well.
- Great Capacity: it comes in a few different sizes, grab whichever one is right for you. No frills or thrills, just capacity to carry!
- Great Look: the materials and design strike a nice balance.
- Pretty Comfortable: It’s not the most comfortable bag in the world, but it does its job well.
You’ve seen this bag around at airports, it’s very popular, and for good reason.
More on the Patagonia Black Hole Duffel
What I like
- Coated, mostly water-resistant material that feels like it would tear but is surprisingly durable
- Padded bottom
- Little front pouch where I leave my phone charger so I never forget it
- Backpack straps are terrific: molded and comfortable for a duffel
- Padded side handles are my favorite part, great for chucking it into a truck
- You can fit a ton in it, and it's carry-on friendly and light
Watch for
- The backpack straps don't stow away, and taking them off is a nightmare
- The zipper doesn't go all the way around; there's a lip that makes getting things in and out a hassle
- On a big packing day, getting the last packing cube in takes a shove
Specs
- 40L: 1,045 g, 19.7 x 12.5 x 8.5 in (brand site)
Where I've covered it
- Patagonia Black Hole Duffel Bag Review (60L) at 0:00 (full review, earlier version)
- Nomatic Travel Bag (HUGE Review!) at 15:49
Similar Highly Rated Products:
Pakt One Travel Backpack
Modern ClassicAfter the success of their killer duffel bag, Pakt partnered with Chase Reeves to design a modern travel backpack for both pro travelers and weekend warriors alike.
Peak Design Travel Backpack (30L + 45L)
Intelligent Design.The Travel Bag from Peak Designs is an extremely well designed, quality bag for modern carry-on adventure, business travel and large camera carry.
Bellroy Venture Ready Duffel (40L)
Simple & ElegantSimple, large opening, excellent materials. An instant favorite for the simple, solid duffel along with the Peak.
Pakt One Travel Duffel (28L + 35L)
Dual SidedThe Pakt One travel bag is a stylish and extremely well thought through duffel bag for conscientious travelers. I definitely miss the aesthetics of V1 of the bag, but the dual sided usability of this thing is killer.
Nomatic 40L Travel Bag
Weatherproof. Boxy.The Travel Bag from Nomatic is a solid offering in one bag travel both as a travel backpack AND a duffel.
Able Carry Max
Solid & SoftReally lovely and thoughtfully crafted bag. Tons of organization, excellent comfort (super cushy straps), large enough for bigger EDC and travel needs but designed in a way that doesn't make it look funky when it's not packed out. Looks excellent, in fact. Super unique in its "softness." Watch the vid to get a sense of what I mean.