For several years I have used a Black Hole 25L (the smaller model) as carry on for air travel, and I loved how easily it could fit under airline seats when needed, and how practical it was. But after recent adventures with delayed luggage, I decided I wanted a pack in which I could put enough for 2-4 days. So I switched to the 32L after some advice from the forum, and here is a brief review as a thank-you.

I love it. I use two packing cubes in it, one medium and flat for shirts/trousers, one small one for socks/underwear. After that, all my travel essentials (that for me include binoculars, as an avid bird-watcher) fit easily. I like that the interior is a single space I can configure, so if I travel with my scope I can fit it in insoite of its odd shape.

The document pocket in front is super convenient for travel docs, and there is an internal pocket (which, crucially, is flat not to take space) for the truly important docs. The laptop sleeve is great, and it is infinitely more convenient to have a separate one as in the 32L than an interior one as in the 25L if you need to pull out your laptop in a flight.

I use it in conjunction with an REI Flash 18 pack. For travel, I put its rubber backing in the laptop sleeve of the Patagonia, I put what I need during flight in it (phone charger, earphones, etc) and I stuff it in the large top pocket of the Patagonia, where it fits easily. At destination, I put the backing back into it, and I have a backpack for day use.

I have traveled now for two weeks around the world with it and it was great.

I cannot say it’s better than the Cotipaxi Allpa. They are just different and I haven’t tried the Allpa; I think I would also have been quite happy with it. The Allpa is more organized and more capacious. Of the Patagonia, I love that it’s like a normal and very comfortable backpack (I am typing this while walking/standing in line for two hours at an airport somewhere), it has a bottle holder, narrow enough to fit under the seat, easy to access what I have at the top (hat, extra layer) without having to lay it flat to open, very practical layout.

I suspect that with the Allpa I would have found an equally long if somewhat different list of things to like, but as I am very happy with the Patagonia, I don’t think I will have an Allpa anytime soon!