Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC (30L Convertible Travel Backpack) 

Just wanted to say that your channel is hands down the best channel when it comes to reviewing travel bags. Your reviews are always fair and thorough. I’ve bought a couple of bags based on your reviews. Keep it up!

Honestly the best review (best style and quality of the review) of any backpack I’ve ever seen

You really have a knack with words, very convincing. I like all your back pack reviews.

Loved the style of your review. Covered everything I wanted to know. Thank yoU!

Wow, my prayer is answered! Thank you for the amazing review!

One of the best reviews. very thorough indeed!!! keep up the good work

Thank you for providing a great in-depth review on this pack! Helped me decide to buy this one for an international trip coming up. Subscribed!

The way you demonstrate this is so cool and shows how deeply you think about this. Thank you!

I agree - I love how to review travel bags. I love the suggestions on how to lock bags up or added functionality to the bags that I had no idea was possible. Thank you!

This is a great video, love your approach to reviewing bags.

Great job. No annoying music, clear video and audio, well thought out. Seems like ideal bag except for the giant logo.

Thank's a lot for your great review. I've been looking for a travel backpack for some weeks now. You've convinced me with this one!

Thanks for another excellent review. Thanks to you my wife and I have transitioned from 45 liter carry-on travel to personal item only travel using this pack or the Cabin Zero ADV Pro 32. It’s so liberating to be able to travel indefinitely with 12-14 lbs and no lost luggage worries. Biggest issue with this pack right now is availability. They sell out frequently on the Patagonia site and friends have had to scour the web to find them here and there at a few retailers.

what a great review which sold it to me, thanks! it was hard to find and paid for the first time the full price - but not regretting it's a great investment!

Wow this review is quite detail and has it all! He even tested the volume with packing peanuts!

Wow finally someone that knows how to review bags! Kudos!

Finały! Thank you for the rebusa keep it up!

Great review. I have no lingering questions now. 😅. Also, fantastic idea with the shock cord. I wouldn’t use it very often, but comes in handy when you have a large item to carry.

Ive managed to fly with this as a personal item several times. It sticks out a tiny bit but I’ve never been called on it even on spirit. It is probably officially a little too long but so far no issues. Your mileage may vary depending on how stingy the cabin crew is though!

I'll get this exactly same one for my coming christmas trip . Thank you for this vid..

Nice review. I appreciate your balanced and thorough overview. I picked up the Mini MLC a few weeks ago and it's a well designed (balanced design) and very usable. It's about the right size--big enough but not too big. I have the MLC 45 also and it's a bit big, but when you need the volume, you need the volume. I use it when I need to move quick (multi-modal, train to plane). If it's all plane, I think about falling back to a typical luggage w wheels if I need the extra volume. One particular advantage of these backpacks (both 30l and 45l) is that when I rebook flights at last minute, or go standby, I end up boarding late and the overhead bins are full. Mini MLC can be under seat on the carriers I fly. 45l MLC needs to be overhead, but often I can find narrow space vertically and the soft shape can be stuffed in where standard rollers won't fit. One surprise... I find the luggage pass through / handle on the back panel surprisingly useful. Never thought of needing a handle on the back panel, but once it's there, I find myself using it a lot more than expected. For even smaller volume and even easier on the run, I just picked up a Timbuk2 Never Check Backpack (not the duffle). I've got some criticisms (no luggage pass thorough, no key chain loop); admin/org panel is a too tight; it's zippered for clamshell opening, but lid only opens part way because they added gussets (so the lid won't flop open spilling contents--I ended up cutting out the gussets). but it's a useful size. I'm fond of the tubular straps they used for handles on the top and sides--one of the most comfortable, slim design handles, and very low profile. The backpack straps don't stow away so it's full time backpack. I'd be very interested in your take on it. Hope you do a review on the Timbuk2 Never Check Backpack and their Scheme convertible backpack/briefcase. Also, meant to express my appreciation for your review of the Patagonia Tres 25l. Your review tipped the scales and I picked it up. I'm very happy with the Tres 25l. Still wish they added a luggage pass through and a clip/loop for keys. I'm mulling over buying some tubular strap and having a cobbler bar stich it to the back (so it's like the handle on the MLC).

Phenominal review, than you! Subbed

nice quality review dude!

Hi. Nice review. I’ve been using that bag for a few months and I love it. There’s a little pocket inside the main compartment, at the bottom where you can fold the mesh divider if you don’t want to use it.

Great video. You earned my sub! I opened a bunch of Mini MLC videos to see what the purpose of the lashing points was and how I could attach a jacket to it and *boom*, you delivered exactly what I was looking for. I've used this pack on a 14-day in Italy and a 7-day in Canada but am trying to figure out how to configure it for a 14-day in Iceland where I likely need more gear than I'm used to carrying. Thank you for helping with part of the puzzle!

Appreciate that you demo what packing this actually looks like

Great review!

Thanks!

9:45 this mesh zipper compartment is great for when you’re carrying it like a brief/duffle. Can easily store items in there and zip open the top side for access

that paracord trick is ingenious! I'm doing that to mine that's coming in a few days I gotta find that trigger you have at the end. Marvelous! Fantastic review.

good video, great bag! by the way, the straps that come with all of the peak design stuff which have those little plastic hooks on the end are great for the external lash points on the MLC 30 (the dimensions of the lash points are very similar to those on all the PD stuff).

Thanks for the review! I just got mine for 20% off. The black is sold out in so many places but somehow managed to get lucky at a random retailer after weeks of searching

The mesh can get a bit redundant, but it has a little stow-away pocket it tucks into! Great for when you no longer need it, like when it says put for a couple days and you live out of it.

Quality content 🤌 This is a good looking bag. I’d probably opt for this over the Cotopaxi Allpa 35 because of the subtle logo and colors. I like having a bucket too.

11 months later and this bag is still available in Tokyo. I copped this bag in a heartbeat

Another thought on the side loops: Might be able to run non-stretchy paracord from the loop closest to the back panel diagonally over the pack to the opposite corner to cinch down / compress the pack. You’d want a quick release option since it would run over that outside panel but, regardless, could help reduce dimensions for travel.

Great idea with the shock cord, just added that to this bag, a feature on other bags, mainly backpacks the I love so I can smash my jacket. Odd that Patagucci did not think to do that and those little spring toggles are good to secure clothing strings in the laundry so they don't run through the garment and the hassle of running it back through...just a thought when you end up with extra toggles. Overall I feel the bag is 7/10 stars, had one TSA agent appreciate the ease of checking the laptop.

I have the blackhole 25L backpack that I have used for years for under my seat travel. I might upgrade to this 30L. The shoulder strap will let me use my black hole 55L as a backpack and carry-on. It would be easier to carry both together like this. No more checking bags for international travel with 85L total. Now I need a 20% off coupon.

Great review, greetings from Panama.

very helpful thorough review (made me realize this is NOT the bag for me) thank you!

Very nice. A lot more streamlined and modern than previous iterations. Im really digging patagonia as a travel pack. All these aer, able carry, goruck, black ember travel packs just looks over engineered and heavy

Would love to see a side by side comparison with the dragonfly; they seem like good options for a dialed in one bag for the plane.

W review.

Love your reviews. As of June 6 the referral link above links to an Able Carry bag, not the Patagonia, FYI.

Just impulse ordered this 😅. Usually when I go to japan I just use a standard suitcase and then a timbuk2 spire backpack and/or a Muji sort of hybrid duffel/tote things for side trips. I'm going back this fall and was thinking of getting a pack that could handle both the backpack and duffel duties for when I take the train and this review answered most of my questions. So hopefully a good decision haha. My side trips are 4 and 4 nights basically, and I'd be leaving the suitcase in a major city. The only questionable thing is if I'll have space for my small size peak design camera bag (I forgot which model it is offhand). My estimate is it would work where you place the small cube in this video 🤔 or maybe even on top of it. Do you have suggestions of where to buy some of that cord and the tying piece on the shell? Not used to buying those things. Thanks!

Great video, thanks. Need an additional carryon for long Europe trip, have to take a checked bag and also want a convertible bag with luggage handle pass thru that fits on Ryanair/Vueling overhead bins. This MLC mini is a possibility,. Any other ideas?

Thanks for this killer video! Honestly the best travel bag channel I’ve come across on RU-vid. Do you think if not FULLY packed, I could make this work as a personal item on budget Euro flights? I’m 6’5” so thankfully most bags look small on me.

That Liter test is the best.

hi lovw your channel which one is more economical for 18x14x8 the allpack 28l or the MLC? the MLC looks too big for a personal item. it's so wide!!!

What's your feeling on this bag vs the ULA Dragonfly? Is one more comfortable to carry than the other? And would the Dragonfly be easier to use as a personal item? It seems so from the provided dimensions, but I wonder what its pockets would add.

looking at this for my first one bag trip next march. 1 week in vancouver. think it will serve my purpose? i've thought about going with 40L packs but they honestly just seem too big to me for a week in a large city where i can buy anything i need if it comes down to it.

How do you think this bag would work for edc to the office? Some say it does not have enough structure when its not packed out. What is your opinion?

I'm looking for an underseat backpack and am trying to decide between this and the ULA Dragonfly. Any suggestions? I really like that the ULA is made in the US.

It's been almost a year. Wondering how you feel about MiniMLC after so many other similar 30L light weight travel bags? A look back after a year's experience would be awesome! There's been other tempting go-to bags, but some of compelling options are pushing past $300. At sub-$200 (barely), MiniMLC seems very competitive to me. Would be great to year your thoughts. (FYI. I'm still mulling over covering the gawdy patagonia branding with black gear-aid repair tape, as ugly as that would be. I bought a roll of 3-inch wide gear-aid tape that's sitting around waiting to be used.

Thanks for the video . I am debating between this and the cotopaxi allpa 35l travel pack. It's slightly bigger by 5L ..

I've had a Rocky Mountain Underground 40L Briefcase. I love it, but I'd like to get something new & they don't make them anymore. I just found that Patagonia is making these, but my main critique of the previous MLC was the lack of structure. The RMU briefcase has some structure & can stand up on it's own, the MLC not so much. When fully loaded, bags without structure are a bit more cumbersome to carry. Can you say more about the structure of this 30L? I travel often, the 30L seems decent enough for 3 days, but I travel 4-5 days. Would the 45L be a better fit? TIA.

Great review! Think the water bottle pocket can hold a 1L yeti?

What is the internal height of the main compartment. Trying to see if it will fit a peak design camera cube. They are 6” high. Thanks

For someone thats 6'3, wanting to travel to New York area in October / November for over a week, would you recommend the 45L instead for the extra room? Also how does this compare to the Thule 40L Landmark? Trying to transition from going normal checked in luggage due to a few bad experiences.

Anyone with this bag have experience using it as a personal item with frontier? I think that the diy box was the same size, just curious about in person interactions.

I just got the north face base camp duffel in XS and managed to fit a weeks worth of clothes with 2 medium eagle creek packing cubes. thinking of returning it to get this instead. Is it worth it? Can I fit a weeks worth of clothes still and extra items in the pockets? Say a Nintendo switch?

One issue with the previous MLC's was the shape or lack there of, meaning it was at the whim of it's contents. Does this one hold it's shape better than say a duffle bag???

Seems like a tough call between this pack and the Thule Aion 28. Do you have any reasons to choose one over the other?

Could you please make a comparison with Topo Design Global Travel 30L?

curious - is that the smolder blue bag in your video?

TIP: Another test you can or should do for your viewer is the "pen test." Most zips can be opened with a simple pen and closed without that p[eople know it. this trick is usually used by airport inspectors and thiefs. but some zips are secure for that, and the pen test can reveal it.

How much does it weigh without the hip strap???

Can this fit under the seat in airlines?

Is this the black color or the blue? Hard to tell.

strange coz usually the Max u can get is 55x40x20 cm which is about 40/44L hmmm how can be 30L>?

You dont fond it annoying that it has full panel openenings on both sides? If its laying on its straps with the main bucket open, the entire tech section is completely inaccessible. And vice versa. Haven't seen anybody complain about it, but i just cant imagine how that isn't annoying to use!

what's your favorite one travel bag now?

This was 26 before, right?

1.3 KG... hmm not too light for the size.