Patagonia Black Hole Duffel Review

After extensive testing and real-world use of previous versions of this bag over the last several years, we are more impressed than ever with the latest Patagonia Black Hole duffel. Its recycled materials are more durable and water-resistant than ever, and the backpack-style shoulder straps are easily removable for quick airport transitions with an intuitive buckle design. To remove the shoulder straps with previous versions of this bag, you had to delicately unthread them through some very tight-fitting buckles. Now, each strap is a combination of an easy pass-through buckle on top, and a side-release buckle on the bottom; a similar design to many other top bags in our review. This convenient feature is one of several well-executed design details that earn this bag a high ranking.

Performance Comparison

Storage and Ease of Packing

The Black Hole was one of our higher-scoring bags in our storage and ease of packing metrics, thanks to many industry-leading design features. It features a large D-shaped zippered opening that makes it easy to load and access the main storage compartment. The 900-denier recycled polyester is also a bit softer and more flexible than other more rigid expedition duffels, which makes the bag easier to handle in certain circumstances, though it is more challenging to hold its shape while packing.

On the 100-liter model, our entire review team loved the two well-designed pockets located under the lid that helped us stay just a little more organized. After using these two pockets, we truly missed them every time we packed up a different model with only a single giant mesh pocket, where everything would inevitably get clumped together and be more difficult to find. The 55-liter model only has a single lid pocket, but at almost half the size of the larger version, we didn't have as much of an issue with this. It also has an externally and internally accessed zippered pouch along the size of the bag that is convenient for small items.

The small dual-access zippered pocket conveniently located on the front of the bag also doubles as a stuff sack in which you can store the empty bag. While this pocket is a convenient addition, getting the duffel bag back into the pocket for compact storage is easier said than done.

Ease of Transport

This model is one of the top-scoring duffels we tested in this performance metric and is also one of the most comfortable bags to carry backpack-style for extended durations. We like the design of the contoured and padded shoulder straps.

Our only wish is that the shoulder straps had a sternum strap to make extended carries more efficient. Besides being among the most comfortable in this review, the new version of the Black Hole has two backpack straps that are very easy to remove when checking in at the airport. They feature an easy pass-through buckle-in-loop design on top and traditional side-release buckles on the bottom.

In addition to the backpack straps, the Black Hole also features two shorter permanently attached straps for a traditional briefcase-style carry system. These handles are a common feature across most duffels, but Patagonia employs two snap buttons to secure the handles together, whereas most use velcro. We found these snaps somewhat stiff and difficult to use during testing. It also includes two low-profile grab handles that are convenient for lugging the bag in and out of vehicles or on and off luggage racks. Four sets of vertically oriented daisy chains, plus a few extra lash points, help facilitate attaching the bag to auto rooftops, yaks, or whatever else you might need.

Finally, when your trip is over, the Black Hole also stuffs laboriously inside its side pocket for convenient low-profile storage. If you have limited storage space for your gear, this feature certainly gives the bag a smaller footprint when not in use and allows it to easily fit inside another piece of luggage.

Protection

In addition to our real-world testing on camping trips, climbing expeditions, and family vacations, we tested each contender by filling them with towels and spraying them down with a hose. The Black Hole performed about as well as any of the other top performers. The seams and zippers are not submersible or watertight, but the fabric thoroughly kept the precipitation out.

We also really like the Black Hole's padded base. A thin layer of padding between the outer material and the internal lining not only helps protect your gear from overzealous baggage handlers and the rigors of rugged travel, but also adds to the bag's overall strength and durability.

We let the Black Hole sit outside in the middle of a tropical storm for about an hour during our most recent round of testing. Throughout that, the contents stayed dry, and water beaded right off the waterproof material. Only in our hose test, when water hit the bag from all angles, did the contents get wet.

Construction Quality

The Black Hole's 900-denier recycled polyester held up to everything we could throw at it during our side-by-side testing and throughout a few remote expeditions. It's not quite as durable as other top-rated bags we tested with 1000-denier materials, though it's close. The fabric is relatively supple and thin compared directly to the burliest duffels, which makes it more comfortable to carry and easier to store but ever so slightly compromises its overall durability.

We liked the balance between the toughness and durability of the Black Hole fabric, combined with the weight savings and packability of the 900-denier fabric. Seams and zippers are all well-made and thoroughly stitched. The Black Hole can survive being loaded to max capacity and thrown in and out of cars, planes, boats, and more.

Weight-to-Volume Ratio

We have tested multiple iterations of the Black Hole Duffel through the years, and at one time, it was the lightest all-around expedition duffel that we tested. While improvements and additional features added through the years have increased its weight compared to its former self, it remains a reasonable weight for a full-size expedition pack.

The 100-liter size that we tested weighs in at 3.8 pounds, while the smaller 55-liter version is only 2.6 pounds. When comparing this weight-to-volume ratio to other duffel styles, it's about average for expedition-style models.

Should You Buy the Patagonia Black Hole?

The Black Hole is an excellent all-around performer that scored above average in all of our testing metrics. Its sleek design, comfortable carrying options, and high-quality materials make it an excellent multi-purpose duffel bag choice. Unless your duffel bag requirements fall into niche categories, we think this is a great option for world adventurers, weekend warriors, and casual business travelers alike.

What Other Duffel Bags Should You Consider?

If you're looking for a duffel bag on a budget, the Gregory Alpaca offers a design, durability, and performance similar to the Black Hole at a lower price point. If you're looking for bags that can survive the most extreme environments, consider the Yeti Panga Duffel 50, a fully waterproof duffel bag and dry bag hybrid, or the The North Face Base Camp, a simple and durable duffel bag that is built to survive global expeditions for many years. Alternatively, we highly recommend the HYC00 Travel duffel for casual weekend and day trips thanks to its plentiful organization options and the Adidas Defender for your everyday gym bag or sports practice duffel.