I have three Patagonia bags.. all shiny material which I dislike. When I first started watching this video I said finally they're getting rid of that shiny look. By the end of the video I realized wait a minute that's how you recognize Patagonia is by the shiny look. Now it looks like all the other bags. All of a sudden I'm digging the shiny look.
I absolutely love the update. The shiny material was a total turn off, like it was for most people I know. Only bummer is definitely the hydration port. Why get rid of it? Weird. Other than that, great bags.
I know I'm in the minority, but I loved the shiny material. It gave it such a distinct look. Still looks good overall, but it feels a little generic now.
I don’t know if you’ve seen the new ones in the flesh, but there’s still a slight sheen to the material. Definitely still looks unique. In fact the logo on the black ones is this really sleek black, not gray. I think it looks incredible.
I saw the one the other day in person, and they do still look nice, but I ended up lucking across an old Jansport Night Owl on ebay instead. I actually like that the night owl has two separate pockets on the front instead of the one big one (also way cheaper)@@buckerine
yeah i feel like these bags and the duffel bags especially are going to be much less sought after now that they arent shiny, and probably also have less water resistance now that they are a different material that doesn't use PFEs for water resistance
I have the 32 L, and I think Patagonia hit it out of the park with this update. I got lucky, and they released it just when I was about to buy the older model. I'm glad the laptop sleeve is less suspended than before. I have a 10 y/o Patagonia Refugio backpack, and the bottom is floppy and will ride up a little on my back, which is annoying, and I think is because of the large false-bottom in the laptop sleeve. I really like the smoulder blue color way. A little more generic looking than before but in my opinion still not too corporate / boring looking. Some of the more "minimalist" backpacks are a little too sleek for my taste. I think this Patagonia bag strikes a nice balance I really like the large size of the top compartment as it fits my rather large electronics pouch which is super useful during a flight. That's one reason I preferred this to the mini MLC clamshell bag. The laptop sleeve fits my 16" MBP no problem I personally don't use a tablet so the lack of tablet sleeve is a plus for me, as it would just add unnecessary bulk I'm a huge fan of the vertical zipper front sleeve pocket for stashing stuff through TSA. Easy to sling around and access similar to some Timbuk2 bags. The outside material is easy to clean even if it's not as shiny as before. I got some sunscreen on it and thought it might stain. Wiped away easily with a wet rag. Even though it's more matte it's still not absorbent which is great. It fits under an airplane seat pretty well I have two minor gripes I had to move the sternum strap all the way down to get it to a position that feels comfortable for me. Might be nice if there was a little longer range as it was barely enough for me When fully loaded the bag kind of wants to pull off my shoulders backwards. It could be because I put my electronics in the top compartment which makes it a little top heavy. Based on the silhouette, the bag does have more depth on top. I actually like the top-biased shape as it makes it fit better under an airplane seat, and I like the way it looks with the weight distributed this way, but there is a slight tradeoff while actually walking with it.
The main compartment has much more space at the top and less at the bottom. If it had a more boxy shape, it would have more room at exactly the same dimensions. The center of gravity is too high, so the backpack pulls the shoulders back. I don't like the shape of this backpack. I definitely prefer the Refugio 30L
Great reviews and especially comparisons to the previous models, both of which I own. No tablet sleeve is a big omission, and the move of the internal zippered pocket in the 32L to the back is another bad move. I will not upgrade! I also like the shiny material, and it seems like it is a bit stiffer, so the pack stays more upright when you place it down. Thanks again!
I recently bought the 32L for school and travelling, but i am doubting my purchase as i would also like a bag that i can use as a daypack/hike bag. Would the refugio 30L be better?
The previous version is better I think, unfortunately I must’ve missed the last opportunity to get the older version so when I ordered I got the newer. Do you know if it’s possible to call and get a previous or if there are any retailers selling the previous version still? I do live in Canada so some retailers don’t ship here
I think the same. Previous one is better, the laptop compartment is much more safer than newer version. Searched all the internet but couldn’t find old version
Thank you for watching! Might be a while before I can get to that one, but in general between the two, the black hole offers a bit more built in organization and it’s nice it has the luggage pass through but I think the biggest difference will be the laptop compartment, it’s nice the black hole has a built in sleeve but it’s in the main compartment so it takes up space whereas the Refugio has the removable sleeve in a dedicated compartment so depends on how you prefer to access your laptop and whether having the removable sleeve is useful for your needs
Hi Danny! Thank you so much for the highly education and entertaining content! I hope you can offer a recommendation for me, as my use case is pretty specific. I'm looking for a larger EDC, to carry when I go to conventions. I am a kidney transplant recipient, and hydration is very important for me, so I need a bag with at least 1 outside water bottle pouch that will handle a 1 Litre bottle. 2 of those pouches would be even. better. I also need external. storage for small items that I purchase, so I don't need to get into the main compartment. Something that wears close to the body, instead of sticking way out is also important, as there are between 50 and 100,000 people at these cons. Thank you very much for any recommendations you can offer. Keep up the great work, I really enjoy your content! The CHZ26 looked like a very close contented, but the lack of external storage was a no go.
Thank you for watching and definitely a tough choice! I do think the recon is a bit more comfortable and the size works better for daily use for me, but overall I still prefer the layout of the black hole and it can hold a bit more for travel
Im wearing evergoods chz22 now. Looking for a slightly bigger bag for daily daypack for travelling. Considering 25l patagonia vs rei rugpack 28L. Which one would you prefer? Thank you
Thank you for watching! Both are really solid bags, if you need a laptop protection or luggage pass through the Patagonia has those, but if not I wills probably go with the REI
Thank you for watching! They’re pretty similar but I would give a slight edge to the MLC as it feels like it has a little more rigidity in the back panel
@@dannypacks thank you for keeping always the quick replies! I am a bit divided between the two as the clamshell opening and mesh is more useful and I basically can skip packing cubes. On the other side I have no use all the small pockets and all the tech compartment stuff and the BH is 70% of the weight of the MLC
What a bummer about losing the hydration port. I don't use it often but its such a simple thing to include. Guess Patagonia prioritized the profit margin this time.
i was about to pick up the new 25l. It has almost all of the features in a "do it all" pack that i can use for work, or repurpose as a daypack for hiking, except it doesn't have the waist strap like other similar bags in this catagory do like my current old north face recon pack. yeah its a daily/ school pack but if i want to hike with it all i have to do is pull out the waist and chest straps and boom a solid hiking pack. I don't really like the design of the new recon packs so i was looking for something new and i really fell in love with the 25l patagonia pack, but the lack of the waist strap really killed it for me. won't be buying one for hiking at least
This is complete mess of a comparison. A mixture of 4 backpacks almost impossible to track which one you showing or talking about. Horrible style of the review.
I have three Patagonia bags.. all shiny material which I dislike. When I first started watching this video I said finally they're getting rid of that shiny look. By the end of the video I realized wait a minute that's how you recognize Patagonia is by the shiny look. Now it looks like all the other bags. All of a sudden I'm digging the shiny look.
I absolutely love the update. The shiny material was a total turn off, like it was for most people I know. Only bummer is definitely the hydration port. Why get rid of it? Weird. Other than that, great bags.
Thank you for watching and definitely like the new appearance of the bag!
I know I'm in the minority, but I loved the shiny material. It gave it such a distinct look. Still looks good overall, but it feels a little generic now.
I just drove 6 hours yesterday to get a shiny one
Thank you for watching! That’s a good point on the uniqueness of the look, I prefer the new look but it is definitely a little less distinct
I don’t know if you’ve seen the new ones in the flesh, but there’s still a slight sheen to the material. Definitely still looks unique. In fact the logo on the black ones is this really sleek black, not gray. I think it looks incredible.
I saw the one the other day in person, and they do still look nice, but I ended up lucking across an old Jansport Night Owl on ebay instead. I actually like that the night owl has two separate pockets on the front instead of the one big one (also way cheaper)@@buckerine
yeah i feel like these bags and the duffel bags especially are going to be much less sought after now that they arent shiny, and probably also have less water resistance now that they are a different material that doesn't use PFEs for water resistance
I have the 32 L, and I think Patagonia hit it out of the park with this update. I got lucky, and they released it just when I was about to buy the older model.
I'm glad the laptop sleeve is less suspended than before. I have a 10 y/o Patagonia Refugio backpack, and the bottom is floppy and will ride up a little on my back, which is annoying, and I think is because of the large false-bottom in the laptop sleeve.
I really like the smoulder blue color way. A little more generic looking than before but in my opinion still not too corporate / boring looking. Some of the more "minimalist" backpacks are a little too sleek for my taste. I think this Patagonia bag strikes a nice balance
I really like the large size of the top compartment as it fits my rather large electronics pouch which is super useful during a flight. That's one reason I preferred this to the mini MLC clamshell bag.
The laptop sleeve fits my 16" MBP no problem
I personally don't use a tablet so the lack of tablet sleeve is a plus for me, as it would just add unnecessary bulk
I'm a huge fan of the vertical zipper front sleeve pocket for stashing stuff through TSA. Easy to sling around and access similar to some Timbuk2 bags.
The outside material is easy to clean even if it's not as shiny as before. I got some sunscreen on it and thought it might stain. Wiped away easily with a wet rag. Even though it's more matte it's still not absorbent which is great.
It fits under an airplane seat pretty well
I have two minor gripes
I had to move the sternum strap all the way down to get it to a position that feels comfortable for me. Might be nice if there was a little longer range as it was barely enough for me
When fully loaded the bag kind of wants to pull off my shoulders backwards. It could be because I put my electronics in the top compartment which makes it a little top heavy. Based on the silhouette, the bag does have more depth on top. I actually like the top-biased shape as it makes it fit better under an airplane seat, and I like the way it looks with the weight distributed this way, but there is a slight tradeoff while actually walking with it.
The main compartment has much more space at the top and less at the bottom. If it had a more boxy shape, it would have more room at exactly the same dimensions. The center of gravity is too high, so the backpack pulls the shoulders back. I don't like the shape of this backpack. I definitely prefer the Refugio 30L
How comfortable you fund under heavy load?
Do u think the top compartment can fit a camera?
a mirrorless? For sure. Is almost fit my Size 11 shoes @@alethom_
The shiny bags were better IMO. Instantly recognizable look. Shiny + no logo would be prime
Thank you for watching! That’s a good point on the uniqueness of the look, I prefer the new look but it is definitely a little less distinct
Shiny look !!
Great reviews and especially comparisons to the previous models, both of which I own. No tablet sleeve is a big omission, and the move of the internal zippered pocket in the 32L to the back is another bad move. I will not upgrade! I also like the shiny material, and it seems like it is a bit stiffer, so the pack stays more upright when you place it down. Thanks again!
Thank you for watching and I’m glad the video was helpful! Although I like some of the updates overall I’d still stick with the originals
@@dannypacks Totally agree.
I recently bought the 32L for school and travelling, but i am doubting my purchase as i would also like a bag that i can use as a daypack/hike bag. Would the refugio 30L be better?
The previous version is better I think, unfortunately I must’ve missed the last opportunity to get the older version so when I ordered I got the newer. Do you know if it’s possible to call and get a previous or if there are any retailers selling the previous version still?
I do live in Canada so some retailers don’t ship here
I think the same. Previous one is better, the laptop compartment is much more safer than newer version. Searched all the internet but couldn’t find old version
would you be able to do a video comparing this new Black Hole 25L with the Refugio Daypack 26L? I can't decide which one to go with
Thank you for watching! Might be a while before I can get to that one, but in general between the two, the black hole offers a bit more built in organization and it’s nice it has the luggage pass through but I think the biggest difference will be the laptop compartment, it’s nice the black hole has a built in sleeve but it’s in the main compartment so it takes up space whereas the Refugio has the removable sleeve in a dedicated compartment so depends on how you prefer to access your laptop and whether having the removable sleeve is useful for your needs
Hi Danny! Thank you so much for the highly education and entertaining content! I hope you can offer a recommendation for me, as my use case is pretty specific. I'm looking for a larger EDC, to carry when I go to conventions. I am a kidney transplant recipient, and hydration is very important for me, so I need a bag with at least 1 outside water bottle pouch that will handle a 1 Litre bottle. 2 of those pouches would be even. better. I also need external. storage for small items that I purchase, so I don't need to get into the main compartment. Something that wears close to the body, instead of sticking way out is also important, as there are between 50 and 100,000 people at these cons. Thank you very much for any recommendations you can offer. Keep up the great work, I really enjoy your content! The CHZ26 looked like a very close contented, but the lack of external storage was a no go.
How comfort is the 32L when it's all packed out, compared to something like Mystery Ranch that has a great harness system?
Thank you for watching! It’s pretty comfortable overall but it’s not gonna have same level of padding and support as mystery ranch
wait, for the 25L, weren't you putting a laptop into the tablet sleeve? It seems like there's another pocket higher up
I though the same!!
Thank you for watching and good question! Unfortunately there was only one sleeve in the main compartment for the laptop
Danny, are you willing to sell your old shiny 32L?
Thank you for watching! No plans to let that one go at this time but will circle back around if that changes :)
what do you think about black hole 32l vs tnf racon?
Thank you for watching and definitely a tough choice! I do think the recon is a bit more comfortable and the size works better for daily use for me, but overall I still prefer the layout of the black hole and it can hold a bit more for travel
Im wearing evergoods chz22 now. Looking for a slightly bigger bag for daily daypack for travelling. Considering 25l patagonia vs rei rugpack 28L. Which one would you prefer? Thank you
Thank you for watching! Both are really solid bags, if you need a laptop protection or luggage pass through the Patagonia has those, but if not I wills probably go with the REI
Between the 32L and the MLC30 fully packed, which one you find more comfortable?
Thank you for watching! They’re pretty similar but I would give a slight edge to the MLC as it feels like it has a little more rigidity in the back panel
@@dannypacks thank you for keeping always the quick replies! I am a bit divided between the two as the clamshell opening and mesh is more useful and I basically can skip packing cubes. On the other side I have no use all the small pockets and all the tech compartment stuff and the BH is 70% of the weight of the MLC
What a bummer about losing the hydration port. I don't use it often but its such a simple thing to include. Guess Patagonia prioritized the profit margin this time.
Thank you for watching! I definitely think it would have made sense to keep that in
The layout reminds me a lot of the Evergoods CHZ 22
Thank you for watching and I agree, the 25l I’m particular feels really similar!
What size hero clip are you using? 😊
Thank you for watching! I use the medium hero clip
i was about to pick up the new 25l. It has almost all of the features in a "do it all" pack that i can use for work, or repurpose as a daypack for hiking, except it doesn't have the waist strap like other similar bags in this catagory do like my current old north face recon pack. yeah its a daily/ school pack but if i want to hike with it all i have to do is pull out the waist and chest straps and boom a solid hiking pack.
I don't really like the design of the new recon packs so i was looking for something new and i really fell in love with the 25l patagonia pack, but the lack of the waist strap really killed it for me. won't be buying one for hiking at least
Thank you for watching and I’m glad the video was helpful!
What is the size for the 25L laptop sleeve? Do you think a 16'' macbook would fit?
depends on the size
blob
praise the lord they got rid of that ridiculous shiny black stuff lol
Thank you for watching! I also prefer the look of this new material!
Maybe the lighting should be different when reviewing the black bags. 😢 Impossible to see anything most of the time. 😢
He had b-reel footage of everything he talked about which showed the bags in better lighting…
@@28radley that's why I said - most of the time 😼🤷
TBH, the new Black Hole series look like shit. The whole series used to be so special at presentation but now it's just any other backpack, kinda sad.
This is complete mess of a comparison. A mixture of 4 backpacks almost impossible to track which one you showing or talking about. Horrible style of the review.
Thank you for watching and for the feedback! Will revisit how I organize this style of video in the future :)