13 Best Alternatives for Patagonia’s Popular Black Hole Bags
Patagonia’s Black Hole bags always top the list of best travel accessories. For one, it seems most travelers have been bitten by the Patagonia bug and are true fans of the brand’s approach to ethics and sustainability. Beyond that, the Black Hole bags are just plain good. Durable. Spacious. And available in plenty of fun colors.
But is the bag you’ve been keeping your eye on sold out? Bummer, but don’t despair. We’ve got the backups for you. Here’s a round-up of the best Patagonia Black Hole bag alternatives.
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13 best alternatives to Patagonia’s Black Hole bags
1. Best Black Hole Duffel 70L alternative: Away
For a no-frills large travel duffel bag that’ll stand by your side journey after journey, we think Away is a pretty darn good runner-up to the famous Patagonia. Specifically, their F.A.R. Duffle 70L is a great Black Hole® Duffel 70L alternative. As the largest bag in their F.A.R. collection, this large duffel gives you enough space to pack up for well over a week on the road. It’s abrasion-resistant, weather-resistant, and made out of recycled materials. It even features a trolley sleeve so you can double up on top of a wheeling suitcase for those trips when you really need to pack it all in.
Price: starting at $190
2. Best Black Hole® Wheeled Duffel 100L alternative: Gonex
Of course, you can’t forget the cardinal rule of packing a duffel bag: Whatever you stuff into it, you’ve got to somehow manage to carry. So if you’re really planning to go big or go home, it’s a good idea to travel with a large rolling duffel, like this one from Gonex. Their Rolling Duffle Bag is 33 inches of waterproof, weather-resistant, but magically lightweight 1200D high-density PVC fabric with durable YKK zippers and a telescopic handle to make transport easy and comfortable. It’s “sturdy, roomy, and affordable,” explains this five-star Amazon reviewer, “with many compartments for organization.”
Price: starting at $136
3. Best Black Hole® Duffel 40L alternative: Topo Designs
For weekend getaways where a wheeled suitcase feels cumbersome but you need more than a standard backpack, the small duffel is the way to go. Next to Patagonia’s Black Hole® Duffel 40L, we think Topo Designs is a little-known brand that deserves some of the spotlight. Particularly, their Mountain Duffel will have you turning heads at the airport with its modern, color-blocking design and recycled nylon. “This bag is structurally sound, utilitarian, and adorable,” informs a reviewer. While another points out that “the size works well for a carry-on.”
Price: starting at $89
4. Best Black Hole® Duffel 55L alternative: The North Face
This one’s too small … This one’s too big … If shopping for a Patagonia Black Hole alternative has got you playing the Goldilocks game, look to the Base Camp Voyager Duffel from The North Face. At 42L, this medium duffel bag is the ideal size for overnight trips. It’s lightweight but durable. It has padded shoulder straps for extra comfort. And you can even sport it as a backpack when you need to go hands-free. 89% of The North Face customers would recommend this product—and it’s easy to see why: “It’s perfect for a trip I’m taking,” says one. “Not too bulky and just the right size to fit all my necessities.”
Price: starting at $135
5. Best Black Hole® MLC® Backpack 45L alternative: G4Free
If carrying anything more than a travel backpack already makes you feel like you’ve seriously overpacked for your weekend trip, then this is the Patagonia dupe for you. The G4Free Hiking Travel Backpack is 45L of pure utility: one main compartment; two zipped front pockets; one unzipped middle pocket; two side pockets; one bottom pocket with rain cover; and nine adjustable straps. That’s right—nine. Best of all, at only 2.2 pounds, it’s a lightweight package that makes it easy to stay mobile and adventurous when you’re on the road.
Price: starting at $42
6. Best Black Hole® Pack 25L alternative: ROPES SUPPLY CO
ICYM: A backpack is not just a backpack. There are backpacks that are rugged enough for hiking. There are backpacks that are big enough to pack for a three-day trip. And then there are backpacks ideal for a day trip. That’s the ROPES SUPPLY CO Dry Bag Backpack. At 25L, this backpack won’t make you feel overstuffed while you’re out and about and on the go. And because it’s 100% waterproof, it’s also the ideal companion for outdoor travel journeys when you need to be ready for anything. Take it from this reviewer, who put it to the test: “No worries about water or the elements; this is a very tough backpack … Needless to say, it’s going to be very secure no matter where you are.”
Price: starting at $59
7. Best Black Hole® Tote 25L alternative: Carhartt
No matter where you travel, it’s pretty much always useful to bring a tote bag along with you. Naturally, the Patagonia Black Hole edition is loved by travelers around the world—but Carhartt is also tugging on our heartstrings with their Legacy East West Tote. With a zip-top to secure your travel gear, this polyester tote bag is durable enough to cut it as your new travel sidekick. It’s water-repellent, machine-washable, and primed for organization with a divider pocket, two exterior pockets, and three interior pockets. “I needed a bag that I could travel with, but that wasn’t a backpack,” explains one reviewer. “The top of this bag is fantastic because it zips shut. The inside pockets are great, and it holds a lot. It’s durable and snazzy and I highly recommend it.”
Price: starting at $69
8. Best Mini Hip Pack alternative: Topo Designs
Remember the days when sporting a fanny pack used to give off serious Dad vibes (and not in a good way)? We’re glad those days are gone—and we’re never going back. Instead, you’ll catch us sporting one Patagonia Black Hole dupe after the next, like this one from Topo Designs. The Mountain Waist Pack is made out of lightweight, recycled nylon that features two pockets, adjustable webbing strap, and fun color combinations. Whether you’re an action adventurer or you’re just worried about your travel documents getting soggy in the rain, a durable, robust fanny pack is a must for any travel packing list.
Price: starting at $29
9. Best Ultralight Black Hole® Sling alternative: Peicees
Picture this: The Patagonia Black Hole backpack and the Patagonia Black Hole fanny pack had a baby. What do you get? The Peicees Small Sling. Jokes aside, a sling bag is seriously a good investment for anybody embarking on a location-independent lifestyle. It gives you more storage than the standard fanny pack but won’t weigh you down like a big backpack will. Plus, it’s a totally unisex, universal option that you can wear come spring, summer, winter, or fall. “After two weeks of using it, I'm sold!” Gushes this one Amazon reviewer: “The strap is actually very comfortable and the bag holds everything my bigger bag held in a much more compact way.”
Price: starting at $23
10. Best Black Hole® Wheeled Duffel Bag 40L alternative: Osprey
Even if you’re not lugging around a giant 70L duffel bag, it’s nice to have the option to use wheels, sometimes. That’s why we like this Patagonia Black Hole alternative from Osprey. The Transporter 40L Wheeled Travel Duffel Bag is a great pick for when you need to … well, transport stuff. With YKK zippers featuring lockable sliders, rain flap protection, and dual-sided TPU coating, this is one tough duffel bag. A rugged chassis with large wheels makes it easy to carry even heavy loads through the airport, train station, or city street. We especially like that it comes with six lash points so you can easily secure it to a roof rack if you’re road-tripping.
Price: starting at $260
11. Best Black Hole® Pack 32L alternative: Gregory Mountain
Need a serious backpack for a serious outdoor adventure? If the Patagonia Black Hole backpack is sold out, consider this alternative from Gregory Mountain. The Targhee 32 Alpine Skiing Backpack is, according to this five-star review, the “top choice for tall skiers/riders … or anyone.” What makes it such a knock-out? Well, to name a few features, its 1000D Cordura® front diagonal edge guard panel is top-notch at keeping your gear protected from sharp surfaces, while the padded shoulder straps give you ultimate comfort and even contain an insulated hydration sleeve and a safety whistle. (Now that’s some serious multi-tasking!)
Price: starting at $192
12. Best Black Hole® Tote Pack alternative: CYUREAY
Can’t decide between a backpack and a tote? CYUREAY makes the choice easy with their Convertible Backpack Tote. A good alternative for the Patagonia Black Hole Tote Pack, this convertible bag gives you a lot of options without hitting a three-figure price tag. For example, you can wear it as a backpack, a tote, or a crossbody bag. Either way, padded shoulder straps always keep things comfy, while the built-in USB port helps you stay connected during long travel days. “What a great find!” Says one Amazon reviewer. “I travel a lot and my shoulders get so tired and achy carrying a cross-body or shoulder bag all the time … This bag is great. It's big enough but not too big.”
Price: starting at $30
13. Best Black Hole® Cube alternative: VASCO
IMHO inside every suitcase, the first thing you should see is a row of neatly packed packing cubes. After all, isn’t that better than opening up your bag to a chaotic mess of dirty laundry, tangled cords, and jumbles of toiletries? We sure think so, which is why we’re always looking for dupes to the well-loved Patagonia packing cubes. This set from VASCO is coming in at the top of the list. Their Compression Packing Cubes have rounded up an impressive 1,105+ five-star Amazon ratings, with one reviewer calling them “ingenious, and I believe that everybody in the world should have at least one pack of these convention compressions for traveling.” High praise, indeed! But they’re not wrong …
Price: starting at $40
