There’s also a narrower sleeve for a tablet or hydration reservoir, and a port to run a tube to the shoulder harness.
#PATAGONIA BLACKHOLE PRO#
Inside the main compartment there’s a padded laptop sleeve that Patagonia says will fit most 15” laptops (it fits my 15” MacBook Pro with a little room to spare). It’s not the most voluminous pocket, so don’t expect to jam a ton of stuff in there, but it’s great for a few thinner items. It’s great for stashing items you want easy access to like sunglasses, pens, or small books, and the water resistant fabric covers the zipper to keep out water. There’s a 11.75” (~30 cm) pocket on the front panel of the bag, and this is a carryover feature that I really like from the old 35L version. While its fabric is fairly hefty, the Black Hole 32L’s features are pretty minimal.
#PATAGONIA BLACKHOLE UPGRADE#
Though it doesn’t feel as beefy as the old fabric, I still believe that the new Black Hole fabric is a significant upgrade in terms of durability and water resistance when compared to the average plain-weave nylon you see on many casual daypacks. And, though there are plenty of factors that contribute to this, it is worth noting that the Black Hole 32L weighs 212 grams less than the old 35L version. The new fabric is noticeably more supple than the previous, and maintains the same excellent water resistance thanks to the TPU film and DWR. I was worried that the new lighter fabric wouldn’t be as durable as the previous version, but so far I haven’t had any issues. Patagonia replaced this with a lighter, 13 oz, 450-denier polyester ripstop weave and kept the TPU film and DWR finish. The older bags used a 14.7 oz, 1200-denier polyester plain weave with a TPU film and DWR finish. I can only attest to my own experience, but the fit of the Black Hole 32L seems pretty average for casual daypacks.Ī couple years ago, Patagonia updated their entire Black Hole line with a new fabric. For reference, my back measurement from C7 vertebrae to my Iliac crest is 18”. The foam back panel of the Black Hole 32L is 18.5” (~47 cm) tall, and I’ve found it to be very comfortable for my 5’8” frame. Like the old 35L version, and most of Patagonia’s other daypacks, the Black Hole 32L only comes in one size. So, my main questions for the new 32L pack revolved around how much of the durability, water-resistance, and versatility of the previous version the new pack maintained. The new Black Hole 32L Backpack features a lot of small, but significant changes: a new, lighter fabric, a completely different flap closure, a side zipper, and a new shoulder harness. So, when Patagonia released the replacement for the Black Hole 35L Backpack, I was very interested to see how similar or different the new 32L version was. I used the first version of the Black Hole 35L backpack for a few years and was very impressed by how well it held up to the daily abuses of bike commuting, various day hikes, and even some overnight backpacking trips. A few years ago, they expanded the line beyond just duffel bags, and it now also includes ski bags, messenger bags, totes, roller luggage, organizational “cubes,” and backpacks. Patagonia’s Black Hole duffel bags have been a staple in their line for years, and have always been designed with an emphasis on durability and water resistance.
Test Locations: Fort Collins & Rocky Mountain National Park, CO
Light and strong polyester ripstop with highly weatherproof TPU laminate and a DWR finish.