Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L vs. Tom Bihn Techonaut 30
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L
| Capacity | 30 L |
| Weight | 1.3 kg |
| Dimensions | 51×30×18 cm |
| Airline fit | 89% |
| Price | $200 |
Feature by feature
| Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L | Feature | Tom Bihn Techonaut 30 |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| N | Compression | N |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 1 | Opening | 1 |
| top | Passport | top |
| Y | Passthrough | Y |
| Carry | ||
| hideable | Backpack | hideable |
| removable | Hip Belt | removable |
| Y | Sternum Strap | removable |
| Inside | ||
| 15in | Laptop | 16in |
| 3 | Main Compartments | 5 |
| Y | Organizer | N |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| N | Rain-fly | N |
| 1, side | Water Bottle Holder | 1, side |
| Y | Water Resistant | Y |
| Material | |
| 8.7-oz 300-denier | 400d Halcyon/420d nylon ripstop exterior |
Tom Bihn Techonaut 30
| Capacity | 30 L |
| Weight | 1 kg |
| Dimensions | 50×32×21 cm |
| Airline fit | 73% |
| Price | $400 |
Key differences between the Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L and Tom Bihn Techonaut 30
- Sternum strap: Yes on the Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L; Removable on the Tom Bihn Techonaut 30.
- Laptop sleeve: 15in on the Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L; 16in on the Tom Bihn Techonaut 30.
- Main compartments: 3 on the Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L; 5 on the Tom Bihn Techonaut 30.
- Built-in organizer: Yes on the Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L; No on the Tom Bihn Techonaut 30.
Both have: passport pocket, luggage passthrough, backpack straps, hip belt, 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. 136 accept both. 33 accept only the Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L, and 2 accept only the Tom Bihn Techonaut 30.
Only the Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L fits
Air Baltic, Air China, Air Malta, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Asiana Airlines, ATA Airlines, Blue Air, Bulgaria Air, China Eastern, Emirates Airlines, Enter Air, flybe, Icelandair, InselAir, Juneyao Airlines, Luxair, Meridiana Fly, Nordwind Airlines, Royal Brunei Airlines, Ryanair, S7, Shandong Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Sun Express, TAP Air Portugal, TAROM, Tianjin Airlines (A320 & E190), TUI, Ukraine International, VIM Airlines (Closed), Volotea, Xiamen.
Only the Tom Bihn Techonaut 30 fits
Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways.
Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L vs. Tom Bihn Techonaut 30: which should you pack?
The Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L carries the same capacity as the Tom Bihn Techonaut 30 (30L vs. 30L), while the Tom Bihn Techonaut 30 is the lighter pack at 1kg (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 Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L; if you want to travel lighter, the Tom Bihn Techonaut 30 is the better call.