Patagonia Black Hole Pack 25

This is the 25 liter Patagonia Black Hole Pack which is the smaller of the two Black Hole packs (the other is 35L). Like all of Patagonia's Black Hole line, the pack material is durable and water resistant. The pack is just the right size and has smart features making it a versatile day pack.

Likes

• Sleek and simplistic design: The fabric is burly and water resistant and has not shown any wear since I've had it (since fall '14). What sets this day pack apart is it has one main compartment with a wide opening making it easy to stuff large/bulky items. I can get a climbing rope in the bag without any trouble.

• The interior sleeve is quite large and I was surprised to find out that it could fit my 15" workstation laptop. The sleeve is also positioned above the bottom of the pack so it does not contact the ground when the pack is set on the floor.

• Hydration compatible: The pack has one hydration port.

• Top and front pocket: The top pocket is good for storing small items. The front pocket is great for a book or small tablet and is well concealed, I almost didn't see it when I first looked at the pack.

• Suspension: As this is a 25L pack, the shoulder straps have just enough padding to be comfortable but too bulky to be overkill. Same goes with the webbing hip belt which is minimal but more than sufficient for the typical loads of a day pack. With that said, having the hip belt and sternum strap help keep the pack in place when hiking/climbing/biking.

Dislikes

• There is an organizer panel on the inside of the pack, but there is no way to close the pocket. The key clip also on the panel but I would prefer if this panel was in a zippered pocket

• This is a personal preference, but I wish there was a stretch side pocket for a water bottle.

Recommended uses

• Travel, commuting and daily use.
• Climbing: I've used this pack is a minimal sport climbing pack but primarily bought the bag to use for multi-pitch climbing when I need to bring an extra rope. As a sport climbing pack, I could fit my 60m rope, harness, rack of quickdraws, chalkbag, and water bottle with my shoes clipped on the outside of the pack. 
  
  

  For multi-pitch, I usually my REI Flash 18 since it’s super light and comfortable. However if I have to pack an extra rope for the rappel, I’d use this and pack a rope, water and maybe some snacks. I have yet to take the pack on a multi-pitch climb but I did climb with it on in the gym and it carried pretty well. The hip belt and sternum strap keeps from pack in place while climbing.