I’m always excited to see how long-trusted brands like Patagonia keep offering new versions of familiar items and improving their gear over time.
Patagonia’s Black Hole series of duffels, backpacks, totes, and cubes are beloved for being able to last through years of rugged travel. The newly introduced Black Hole Micro MLC Backpack 22L is built for the strictest airline requirements and under-seat spaces (don’t think I haven’t witnessed the shrinking under-seat space, United Airlines!). The pack is built with recycled materials (300-denier 100% post-consumer recycled polyester ripstop with a postindustrial recycled TPU-film laminate) and made in a Fair Trade Certified factory, which means the people who made this product earned a premium for their labor.
You can carry the pack three ways: as a backpack, shoulder bag/cross-body bag, or a briefcase. There’s also a wide webbing loop on the back panel that can be used as a grab handle or slipped over rolling luggage. The roomy main compartment is large enough for a few days of clothing and shoes (depending on what you pack), and has a mesh divider to keep things from spilling out. There’s space for a 15-inch laptop, as well as room for documents and cords.
The Black Hole Micro MLC Backpack 22L lists for $149 and comes in talon gold (pictured), noble gray, smolder blue, and black on the Patagonia site.
Unless I’m somewhere insanely cold, I rely on my Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody in cool climates. The brand recently updated the fit through the shoulders and arms to give better range of motion and tweaked the thread tension for enhanced thread resistance.
The jacket is made from lightweight 100% recycled polyester ripstop with a DWR finish to shed light moisture. The brick quilting pattern stabilizes lightweight, 100% recycled insulation for greater durability, and it stays warm when wet. The hood can be worn under a helmet, and it’s roomy and comfortable, offering great visibility when you’re completely covered up. There are two zippered handwarmer pockets and an internal zippered chest pocket that doubles as a stuff sack. The jacket packs small, which makes it ideal to pack along in your carry-on bag… or your Black Hole Micro MLC Backpack 22L.
The Nano Puff Hoody lists for $289 and comes in versions for women (dark ruby, birch white, current blue, Ellwood green, smolder blue, and black) and men (dried vanilla, clement blue, Marlow brown, pond green, smolder blue, and black) on the Patagonia site.