Handles: There are two thick haul handles on each end of the duffle for easy handling.One thing to note, be careful what you pack in that region because pointy items will be digging into your back when you wear the duffel as a backpack On the interior, there are two mesh pockets on the lid flap. Pockets: There is one exterior pocket that is sized well for a small tablet or travel documents.The latest version has a D ring buckle on the top making it even easier to remove. I'd do this if I was checking the bag to eliminate the chance of something getting snagged on the baggage carousel. Also, the top of the shoulder strap can be unthreaded to completely remove the shoulder straps. The ability to quickly remove one end of the shoulder strap is handy to get the straps out of the way when accessing the main compartment. This is still a duffel bag, just with the convenience of backpack carry.Īll Black Hole Duffels except the 45L have Patagonia's standard padded shoulder straps with a quick release buckle on the bottom end. With that said, don't expect carrying a fully packed duffel to be as comfortable as a pack made for backpacking. Shoulder straps make it much easier to carry a duffel compared an over-the-shoulder strap. Shoulder Straps: There are a bunch of expedition duffels on the market made of burly materials and that have shoulder straps for backpack carry.After a year of use, both my Black Hole Duffel and Black Hole 25L pack clean up easily and still look shiny and new. The current model uses 15-oz 900-denier polyester ripstop. My model uses 14.7-oz 1,200 Denier Polyester with a TPU laminate and a DWR finish. Fabric: Like everything in the Black Hole line, the duffel material is highly water-resistant and extremely durable.Finally, the rectangular shape is easily stacked versus a cylindrical shape like the North Face Base Camp Duffel. Also, a rectangular shape can hold more volume than a backpack which is generally taller and skinner with a rounded top. For carrying gear on a plane, a duffel bag has advantages over a backpack in that it doesn't have any hard panels that can't be compressed. With a little coaxing, I've gotten it to fit into even the smaller overhead compartments. Size/Shape: The 60L duffel is just within carry-on size limits.

Patagonia black hole duffel