Patagonia Black Hole® Pack 32L vs. Alpaka Gear Traverse Backpack
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Patagonia Black Hole® Pack 32L
| Capacity | 32 L |
| Weight | 0.8 kg |
| Dimensions | 52×28×21 cm |
| Airline fit | 71% |
| Price | $169 |
Feature by feature
| Patagonia Black Hole® Pack 32L | Feature | Alpaka Gear Traverse Backpack |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| N | Compression | N |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 4 | Opening | 1 |
| top | Passport | top |
| Y | Passthrough | Y |
| Carry | ||
| Y | Backpack | Y |
| N | Hip Belt | N |
| Y | Sternum Strap | Y |
| Inside | ||
| 15in | Laptop | 16in |
| 5 | Main Compartments | 5 |
| N | Organizer | Y |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| N | Rain-fly | N |
| 2, side | Water Bottle Holder | 1, side |
| Y | Water Resistant | Y |
| Material | |
| 8.7-oz 300-denier 100% postconsumer recycled polyester ripstop with a TPU-film laminate | Axoflux 400D ripstop nylon |
Alpaka Gear Traverse Backpack
| Capacity | 30 L |
| Weight | 1.5 kg |
| Dimensions | 47×28×18 cm |
| Airline fit | 93% |
| Price | $200 |
Key differences between the Patagonia Black Hole® Pack 32L and Alpaka Gear Traverse Backpack
- Opening: Top zip on the Patagonia Black Hole® Pack 32L; Clamshell on the Alpaka Gear Traverse Backpack.
- Laptop sleeve: 15in on the Patagonia Black Hole® Pack 32L; 16in on the Alpaka Gear Traverse Backpack.
- Built-in organizer: No on the Patagonia Black Hole® Pack 32L; Yes on the Alpaka Gear Traverse Backpack.
- Water bottle pockets: 2, side on the Patagonia Black Hole® Pack 32L; 1, side on the Alpaka Gear Traverse Backpack.
Both have: passport pocket, luggage passthrough, backpack straps, sternum strap, water resistant.
Which airlines take each bag as a carry-on
We checked both bags against the carry-on size limits of 189 airlines. 135 accept both. 0 accept only the Patagonia Black Hole® Pack 32L, and 41 accept only the Alpaka Gear Traverse Backpack.
Only the Alpaka Gear Traverse Backpack fits
Air Baltic, Air China, Air Malta, Air Niugini, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Asiana Airlines, ATA Airlines, Belavia, Blue Air, Bulgaria Air, China Eastern, Emirates Airlines, Enter Air, Etihad Airways, flybe, Icelandair, InselAir, Juneyao Airlines, Luxair, Meridiana Fly, Nordwind Airlines, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Regional Express, Royal Brunei Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Ryanair, S7, Shandong Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Sun Express, TAP Air Portugal, TAROM, Tianjin Airlines (A320 & E190), TUI, Ukraine International, VIM Airlines (Closed), Virgin Australia, Volotea, Xiamen.
Patagonia Black Hole® Pack 32L vs. Alpaka Gear Traverse Backpack: which should you pack?
The Patagonia Black Hole® Pack 32L carries 2L more than the Alpaka Gear Traverse Backpack (32L vs. 30L), while the Patagonia Black Hole® Pack 32L is the lighter pack at 0.8kg (vs. 1.5kg). For carry-on flexibility, the Alpaka Gear Traverse Backpack fits 93% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Patagonia Black Hole® Pack 32L; if you want to travel lighter, the Patagonia Black Hole® Pack 32L is the better call.