Gregory Border 40 vs. Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Gregory Border 40
| Capacity | 40 L |
| Weight | 1.3 kg |
| Dimensions | 56×36×23 cm |
| Airline fit | 45% |
| Price | $200 |
Feature by feature
| Gregory Border 40 | Feature | Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| N | Compression | N |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 1 | Opening | 1 |
| top | Passport | top |
| N | Passthrough | Y |
| Carry | ||
| hideable | Backpack | hideable |
| hideable | Hip Belt | removable |
| Y | Sternum Strap | Y |
| Inside | ||
| 15in | Laptop | 15in |
| 3 | Main Compartments | 3 |
| N | Organizer | Y |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| N | Rain-fly | N |
| 1, side | Water Bottle Holder | 1, side |
| Y | Water Resistant | Y |
| Material | |
| PVC-Free Coated 210D High Density 66 Nylon PFAS free | 8.7-oz 300-denier |
Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L
| Capacity | 30 L |
| Weight | 1.3 kg |
| Dimensions | 51×30×18 cm |
| Airline fit | 89% |
| Price | $200 |
Key differences between the Gregory Border 40 and Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L
- Luggage passthrough: No on the Gregory Border 40; Yes on the Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L.
- Hip belt: Hideable on the Gregory Border 40; Removable on the Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L.
- Built-in organizer: No on the Gregory Border 40; Yes on the Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L.
Both have: passport pocket, backpack straps, sternum strap, laptop sleeve, water bottle pockets, water resistant.
Which airlines take each bag as a carry-on
We checked both bags against the carry-on size limits of 189 airlines. 85 accept both. 0 accept only the Gregory Border 40, and 84 accept only the Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L.
Only the Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L fits
Aer Lingus, Aeroflot, Aerolineas Argentinas, Aeromexico, Air Baltic, Air Canada, Air Caraibes, Air China, Air France, Air India, Air Malta, Air Mauritius, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, All Nipon Airways, ANA, Asiana Airlines, ATA Airlines, Austrian, Azerbaijan Airlines, Blue Air, Boliviana de Aviacion, Brussels Airlines, Bulgaria Air, Caribbean Airlines, Cayman Airways, China Eastern, Croatia Air, Czech Airlines, Emirates Airlines, Enter Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Eurowings, Fiji Airways, Flair Air, flybe, Gol Linhas Aereas, Iberia, Icelandair, Indigo, InselAir, Interjet, Iran Air, Japan Airlines, Jet Airways, Juneyao Airlines, Kenya Airways, KLM, LATAM , Liat Airlines, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, Luxair, Mahan Air, Meridiana Fly, Mesa Airlines, Nordwind Airlines, Norwegian, Oman Air, Pakistan International, Peach, Porter Airlines, Royal Brunei Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Ryanair, S7, SAS Scandinavian, Scoot, Shandong Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Sky Airlines, Sun Express, Swiss Int'l Air Lines, TAP Air Portugal, TAROM, Tianjin Airlines (A320 & E190), Tiger Airways, TUI, Turkish Airlines, Ukraine International, VIM Airlines (Closed), Volotea, WestJet, Xiamen.
Gregory Border 40 vs. Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L: which should you pack?
The Gregory Border 40 carries 10L more than the Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L (40L vs. 30L), while the Gregory Border 40 is the lighter pack at 1.3kg (vs. 1.3kg). For carry-on flexibility, the Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L fits 89% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Gregory Border 40; if you want to travel lighter, the Gregory Border 40 is the better call.