Summary: I’ve always thought of Patagonia as a brand for people who scale mountains or spend weekends on a surfboard. Turns out, this luggage is for everyone. My summer adventures have been more car camping than backpacking per se, but the Black Hole Wheeled Duffel, Refugio Daypack, and Black Hole Packing Cubes are a welcome addition to my travel setup. In fact, they’ve changed how I think about which trips I want to say yes to.
What I Love:
- All materials are of high quality, with sustainability built into Patagonia’s supply chain.
- Everything is easy to clean. Dirt brushed off the duffel and the backpack like magic.
- The Black Hole Wheeled Duffel’s construction feels indestructible. It rolls nearly as smoothly as my other hardshell luggage, but can be dragged across dirt without flinching.
- The Refugio Daypack’s compartments make every item feel like it has a home.
- The Black Hole Packing Cubes are a game-changer, especially the large double-sided one for keeping clean and dirty clothes separate.
Things To Keep In Mind:
- The Black Hole Duffel is large. Great for packing everything, but maybe overkill for overnight trips.
- The bright colors I ordered might not be for monochromatic lovers, but they carry a great range of other color ways to choose from.
- Patagonia’s pricing reflects its quality. Expect to pay more than budget luggage brands.
I’m not outdoorsy, but I am outside-y. I love fresh air, but I also love air conditioning. Over the last several years, my boyfriend has been slowly indoctrinating me into the love of camping. Nothing crazy yet — just car camping so far. And while my Rimowa suitcase has been a source of absolute pride and joy, I find it to be comically out of place on these trips. I needed luggage I could toss into the back of a car, drag over gravel, and not wince when it gets manhandled. I didn’t want to purchase anything redundant to my spurlgey Rimowa, but I also didn’t want anything cheap.
“I needed luggage I could toss into the back of a car, drag over gravel, and not wince when it gets manhandled.”
For years, I’ve thought of Patagonia as the brand for serious outdoorsy people, which is why I never personally identified with it. But when I stopped by their store in Brooklyn last fall to pick up a windbreaker, I got the sense that this might be the perfect brand to fill the gap in my luggage collection.
Now, in going all out on a brand new Patagonia travel set (a duffle, a backpack, and packing cubes), I have concluded that you do not need to be outdoorsy to buy and love this luggage. It is truly for anyone who wants durable, well-designed travel gear that lasts. I’m a big fan of the Buy It For Life thread on Reddit, and I’m happy to report that the brand is BI4L-approved.
“Now, in going all out on a brand new Patagonia travel set (a duffle, a backpack, and packing cubes), I have concluded that you do not need to be outdoorsy to buy and love this luggage.”
Even outside of Reddit, Patagonia has a reputation for making gear that lasts decades. They’ve built an entire brand ethos around sustainability and repair. They’re a certified B Corp, use recycled materials across most of their product lines, and run a “Worn Wear” program that repairs or resells used items so they stay out of landfills. In my research on luggage, it was evident that buying from Patagonia means buying into a culture of gear designed to be used hard, repaired if needed, and kept in rotation for years to come. In the luggage world, where most brands want you to buy again every few years, this “repair over replace” sentiment is rare.
Also, there’s the IYKYK of it all. Patagonia’s Black Hole line in particular has its own cult following. It launched more than a decade ago for guides, climbers, and travelers who needed weatherproof, haul-anywhere bags that are light but durable. Apparently, the current version of this line is made from 100% recycled polyester with a signature TPU-film laminate coating that is weather-resistant and built to survive years of hard use.
I know I’m talking like a true outdoorswoman here, but I promise I’m just a shopping nerd. Which is why I was so excited for arrival day.
Arrival and unboxing
The gear arrived in simple, recyclable packaging. No fluff, filler, or unnecessary plastic. Just sturdy boxes and protective slip covers. Everything had that “new gear” smell–a little earthy, a little industrial. Substantial without being too heavy.
“The gear arrived in simple, recyclable packaging. No fluff, filler, or unnecessary plastic. Just sturdy boxes and protective slip covers.”
The second I pulled Black Hole Wheeled Duffel out of the box, I audibly gasped! That signature bright orange is even prettier in person. Glossy but not cheap-looking. And the construction is so professional and heavy-duty, I think my exact words upon opening were, “Hefty-girl!” The fabric had a satisfyingly rugged texture, and the wheels rolled with a smoothness that gave my Rimowa a run for its money.
The Refugio Daypack immediately felt just as considered. Clean lines, smart compartments, and that signature Patagonia durability you can feel in the stitching. I was previously using a free Cotopaxi backpack from my gym. No compartments, no structure. Everything just floated around in there! The Refugio is the opposite. First impression here was “Instant upgrade.”
The Black Hole Packing Cubes are the sleeper hit. As a Capricorn Moon who loves organization, I have tried many a set of packing cubes (Calipak, the default Amazon ones). Immediately, I could tell these weren’t your average mesh-and-zipper pouches. They are light but somehow structured with zippers that move like butter.
Overall, upon unboxing, I got that satisfying feeling that this Patagonia collection is less like average airport luggage and more like everyday durable gear that can work for me across so many occasions.
Putting my Patagonia luggage to the test
After taking all the gear out and back on an upstate New York camping weekend (including a vertical two-mile hike with the Refugio!) I am extremely impressed with every single item I ordered.
The Black Hole Wheeled Duffel (70L) | $349
While packing, the wheeled Duffel swallowed everything I put in it without ever feeling like I was playing luggage tetris. Packing cubes, camp gear, shoes, and towels all fit in with room to spare! And the compartments kept me from digging through an abyss of clothes.
At camp, the duffel doubled as a makeshift hamper. Clean clothes stayed in their respective packing cubes, while campfire clothes went straight into the duffel. And when the inevitable happened (mud, crunched leaves pine needles), the exterior instantly brushed clean like nothing had ever happened. This is the magic of that famous recycled TPU-film laminate fabric. It’s tough, weather-resistant, and built to look good after getting roughed up.
The rolling performance of this duffel genuinely impressed me as I rolled it over terrain that would make any luxury carry-on owner cry. Gravel, dirt, and uneven parking lots we’re no problem. In fact, it had rained the day before we arrived at our site, so I had to wheel the duffel across wet grass and puddles, and it didn’t slow down at all. I popped it open under the awning of the tent, and everything inside was bone dry.
“The rolling performance of this duffel genuinely impressed me as I rolled it over terrain that would make any luxury carry-on owner cry.”
Lastly, I just love the way this duffle looks in our tent. What a nice color story! I could easily see everything at night with just the light of my lantern because the orange fabric popped so well. It’s the little things that keep me enthusiastic about being outdoors — like having a tent that looks like a spread in Outside magazine.
The Refugio Daypack (26L) | $109
This has quickly become a default “everything” bag in my lineup. Hiking, errands, gym. The pockets are intuitively placed, and while on the trip, it felt seamless to use. Water bottle in the side sleeve, sunscreen and bug spray in the front zip for quick access, lunch stashed deep in the main compartment where it even stayed cool thanks to the insulated material. Even on our steep, 2-mile constant-elevation hike, the straps were comfortable and supportive. The bag never slouched or sagged.
Ultimately, the padded laptop sleeve is what elevates this bag beyond hiking and into a hybrid between a work bag and a trail pack. This is ideal for me. As a freelancer, I bring my laptop everywhere — to the gym, coworking space, quick upstate trips. I have a feeling I’m going to be keeping this thing in constant rotation.
The Black Hole Packing Cubes (3L, 6L, 14L) | $29–$45
I cannot overstate how much these have upgraded my packing game. Here’s the breakdown:
- The Large (14L): The double-sided design on this is genius. Outbound, I packed bottoms on one side, tops on the other. Inbound, I flipped it — clean clothes on one side, dirty on the other. This kept the travel clothing chaos to a minimum, and for that, I love it and will never go back.
- The Medium (6L): Another double-sided design that I didn’t know I needed. In this case, one side for socks and one side for underwear. I like to keep these separate from A) each other and B) from all my other clothes (cause I’m a freak like that), and this cube kept it all contained without any wasted space. Chefs kiss!
- The Small (3L): Meet my new toiletry bag! Saying goodbye to my old LL Bean hanging toiletry and swapping in this moving forward. I fit all my skincare, my toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, hairbrush, a little bit of makeup, and it zipped easily! While taking up virtually no space. This one really felt like it defied physics, living up to that “black hole” name.
Seeing all of these pieces color-coordinated inside my duffel was just a JOY! Everything had a place, nothing floated around loose, and even after days of camping, I could find what I needed in seconds. While my old packing cubes always bust at the seams, these make overpacking feel impossible — and that’s coming from a chronic overpacker. I have to go so far as to say, this set — the duffle, the cubes, and the backpack — made me feel like a better packer, which made me feel like a better traveler.
“I have to go so far as to say, this set — the duffle, the cubes, and the backpack — made me feel like a better packer, which made me feel like a better traveler.”
After multiple uses of everything in this set, nothing has frayed, dented, stained, or stuck. Zippers are smooth, straps are sturdy, wheels are gliding. And knowing Patagonia’s repair and reuse program, if something does go wrong, I’ll just get it fixed instead of replacing it.
So, is it worth it?
Adding these pieces to my lineup has made me realize that the best luggage doesn’t just get you from point A to point B — it makes you want to go somewhere in the first place! And that has to be the highest purpose a set of luggage can aspire to.
“Adding these pieces to my lineup has made me realize that the best luggage doesn’t just get you from point A to point B — it makes you want to go somewhere in the first place!”
The Black Hole Wheeled Duffel retails for $349, the Refugio Daypack for $109, and the Packing Cubes range from $29–$45. None of these are bargain-bin prices, but Patagonia’s build quality, lifetime repair program, and commitment to sustainability make them a long-term investment.
If you take (or want to take!) more diverse kinds of trips — camping, cabin-ing, road tripping, or any adventure-y vacations, I’m now convinced that you need something like this set in your luggage lineup. If you already have a great hard-shell suitcase for city travel, this is the piece that goes “rugged mode” and opens you up to more kinds of trips.If you don’t have a nice suitcase at all and are considering this as your go-to luggage, I think you’ll be really happy. It’ll handle anything and everything, and you’ll have it forever.
I can see this set working for so many different kinds of travelers. Families could use the duffel, backpack, and cubes for everything from school trips to summer beach trips without worrying about wear and tear. Solo travelers who like to pack light but need gear that works in both cities and nature will appreciate all the compartments and quality in these bags. And if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t want to baby your luggage — who wants to throw it in a car, drag it up a porch, and still roll it through an airport, you’ve found the set that can do it all.
Allie Carr is a freelance writer and creative director based in New York․
