Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L Review

Ever since we committed ourselves to ditching our suitcases as often as we can and travelling as light as possible, it goes without saying that our backpacks have become the most essential part of our gear.

It’s also for this reason that we’re always looking forward to upgrading our packs, and why we were so excited to finally get our hands on the Patagonia Mini MLC 30L!

This is a review that we were super excited to write, because this backpack has been on our radar for a really long time. Now that we’ve taken it out for a couple of trips, we’re going to share with you our thoughts about the Patagonia Mini MLC 30L, what it manages to do well and what its shortcomings are, and whether or not it should deserve a spot in your travel set up.

With that out the way, let’s jump right in!

“In this review we’ll be referring the 30 liter version exclusively, although we will include a comparison with the slightly different 45 liter option.”

Size and Weight

Measuring 20 in x 12 in x 7 in (50.8 x 30.5 x 17.8 cm), the Patagonia Mini MLC is a pretty large backpack, and will definitely look oversized if you’re below average height; this is also due to the fact that it lacks external compression straps to reduce its volume. Its weight, while not exactly ultralight at 2.84 lb (1.3 kg), is also pretty manageable, thanks in part to the extremely well designed carry system.

Despite the large size, the Patagonia Mini MLC should easily meet carry-on requirements for the majority of airlines, although it might be too big for some low-cost carriers. So far, we’ve not had any issues whatsoever with taking this backpack with us as a cabin bag and even storing it under our seats.

With that said, don’t forget to be responsible and always check your specific carrier’s baggage allowance; don’t give those sneaky airline companies any reason to force you to pay more than what you already have!

Durability

Buying durable and wear-resistant travel gear is a must for us. That’s why we were immediately impressed with how incredibly premium and high-quality the Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC feels; everything, from the fabric to the zippers and buckles, feels like it’s made to survive through everything the world can throw at it and last a lifetime!

The Mini MLC really is built like a tank, with an exterior shell made of ultra-tough 100% TPU-lined ripstop fabric that is going to provide some awesome abrasion and general gear-and tear resistance, while also being highly water resistant. What’s more, the underside of the bag is also reinforced for some extra durability.

All external zippers are large and feel very high quality, and open easily and without catching. The steel zipper pullers also have large holes that can easily fit a lock to secure your bag, giving the Mini MLC an extra edge in safety.

Storage and Capacity

The Patagonia Mini MLC’s offers 30 liters of storage, shared among three primary compartments, an elastic bottle holder and a multitude of pockets, all of which should give you more than enough space to carry enough gear for at least a week of travelling, or even more if you’re a light packer.

In addition, there are plenty of molle-style attachment points on the sides of the pack that will allow you to attach carabineers and extra gear, along with four nylon loops for either more carabineers or bungie cords.

Now let’s take a closer look at the Patagonia Mini MLC’s storage:

Main compartment

The pack’s large main compartment is easily accessible via a super practical clamshell opening, and is divided in two by a mesh divider. In addition to help with compressing the contents of the backpack like a packing cube, this design is supposed to make it so one side of the main compartment remains accessible without having to open the divider, allowing you to store and access items you might need on the fly.

The lid also has two large zippered pockets on the inside for extra storage. We didn’t find ourselves using these internal pockets on the lid that much, since any large item would end up creating a bulge on the outside of the pack; in the end, we mainly used these pockets as dirty laundry storage.

We absolutely loved how easy and efficiently we were able to pack the main compartment with the Patagonia Mini MLC. As we mentioned before, the zippers open smoothly and without catching, making it a breeze to load and unload your gear, especially if you use packing cubes ( something which we definitely recommend you do).

Laptop and electronics compartment

The Patagonia Mini MLC has a clamshell laptop compartment with two padded laptop sleeves that can each fit a 15” laptop, or a tablet or notebook. The other side of the laptop compartment features large a zippered mesh pocket on the bottom, as well as two elastic mesh pockets and two nylon pockets, one of which is secured with velcro. Two pen holders complete the storage, and are perfect to store a tablet pencil.

The amount of storage space available on the Mini MLC’s laptop compartment really is huge, making it an awesome choice for digital nomads looking to organise their electronic equipment!

Stash pocket

Completing the storage available on the Patagonia Mini MLC, a huge pocket on the top of the pack will allow you to keep essential items within reach.

We found it extremely handy to stash headphones, extra water bottles and snacks, more than often all at the same time. Keep in mind though that, because the pocket takes up space within the main compartment, it might get compressed if the bag is completely filled.

Fit and comfort

It’s good and all if you can easily and efficiently pack your bag, but it doesn’t mean much if it ends up being a pain to carry around. Fortunately, the Patagonia Mini MLC is designed to be extremely practical, comfortable and ergonomic.

The shoulder straps are well padded but also extremely breathable; they provide a great level of support even when the bag is fully loaded, especially when used in conjunction with the included hip belt and sternum strap.

What’s more, both the hip belt and the shoulder straps can be stowed away to make the bag easier to store under your seat or in an overhead compartment, and the hip belt can even be removed and used as a crossbody strap as an alternative carry system. The semi-rigid back panel is also very breathable which, combined with the breathable shoulder straps, makes this backpack an awesome choice to pick if you’re planning a trip to a hot-weathered or tropical destination.

If we had to nitpick anything about the Patagonia Mini MLC’s carry system it would be that the belt is quite short, slightly limiting the amount of support it provides; it’s not very noticeable unless you’re carrying an abnormal amount of weight, but it’s still something worth mentioning.

Comparison with the Patagonia MLC 45L

This larger version features the same overall design and carry system, while increasing the storage from 30 to 45 liters; this also comes with a small increase in weight from 2.84 lb (1.3 kg) to 3 lbs 9.7 oz (1.6 kg). The dimensions are also upped to 22" x 14.5" x 7.6” (55,9 x 36,8 x 19,3 cm). The dimensions still keep it within the maximum allowance for most major airlines, but you’ll probably have some trouble when it comes to low-cost carriers.

The main difference between the two models is in how the main compartment opens: while the 30 liter version has a vertical clamshell opening that makes the interior easily accessible from the top, the MLC 45L instead has a later clamshell opening. We don’t love this opening system, since it forces you to either put the bag on its side (exposing it to more dirt and abrasion) or to access the compartments from the side (increasing the likelihood of something falling out).

We also found the overall size of the MLC 45L to be excessive for us. With that said, whether you find it too big will depend on your own body size.

Overall, the Patagonia MLC 45L is still an incredibly well designed and rugged travel backpack, but some strange design choices definitely make the Mini MLC 30L our favourite of the two.

Should you buy the Patagonia Mini MLC 30L?

So, having looked at all the ups and downs of this backpack, should you go ahead and het yourself the Patagonia Mini MLC 30L?

In our opinion, yes, you absolutely should.

• With a price tag of $199, it sure is an expensive purchase, but is also one of the best designed travel backpacks we have ever used. The intuitive storage space makes it easy to pack, and the ergonomic carry system makes it a breeze to carry even when heavily loaded. Finally, the rugged, durable and 100% recycle build should insure this pack remains with you for countless travels around the world.

• If you’re a frequent traveller looking to leave your suitcase behind and replace it with a great backpack to start your ultralight travel journey, then we recommend you check out the Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L.

And there you have it, these are our thoughts on the Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L after taking it with us on a couple of trips abroad.

What do you think, does it deserve a spot on your load out? What is your go-to travel backpack?

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