Patagonia Black Hole® Mini MLC® 26L vs. Aer Flight Pack
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Patagonia Black Hole® Mini MLC® 26L
| Capacity | 26 L |
| Weight | 1.3 kg |
| Dimensions | 52×30×18 cm |
| Airline fit | 88% |
| Price | $200 |
Feature by feature
| Patagonia Black Hole® Mini MLC® 26L | Feature | Aer Flight Pack |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| N | Compression | N |
| None | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 1 | Opening | 1 |
| top | Passport | top |
| Y | Passthrough | Y |
| Carry | ||
| hideable | Backpack | hideable |
| removable | Hip Belt | N |
| removable | Sternum Strap | N |
| Inside | ||
| 16in | Laptop | 16in |
| 3 | Main Compartments | 4 |
| Y | Organizer | Y |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| N | Rain-fly | N |
| 1, side | Water Bottle Holder | 1, side |
| Y | Water Resistant | Y |
| Material | |
| 8.7-oz 300-denier 100% postconsumer recycled polyester ripstop with a postindustrial recycled TPU-film laminate | 1680D Cordura ballistic nylon |
Key differences between the Patagonia Black Hole® Mini MLC® 26L and Aer Flight Pack
- Hip belt: Removable on the Patagonia Black Hole® Mini MLC® 26L; No on the Aer Flight Pack.
- Sternum strap: Removable on the Patagonia Black Hole® Mini MLC® 26L; No on the Aer Flight Pack.
- Main compartments: 3 on the Patagonia Black Hole® Mini MLC® 26L; 4 on the Aer Flight Pack.
Both have: passport pocket, luggage passthrough, backpack straps, laptop sleeve, built-in organizer, 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. 167 accept both. 0 accept only the Patagonia Black Hole® Mini MLC® 26L, and 11 accept only the Aer Flight Pack.
Only the Aer Flight Pack fits
Air Niugini, American Eagle, Belavia, easyJet, Etihad Airways, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Ravn Alaska, Regional Express, Royal Jordanian, Virgin Australia.
Patagonia Black Hole® Mini MLC® 26L vs. Aer Flight Pack: which should you pack?
The Patagonia Black Hole® Mini MLC® 26L carries 6L more than the Aer Flight Pack (26L vs. 20L), while the Patagonia Black Hole® Mini MLC® 26L is the lighter pack at 1.3kg (vs. 1.5kg). For carry-on flexibility, the Aer Flight Pack fits 94% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Patagonia Black Hole® Mini MLC® 26L; if you want to travel lighter, the Patagonia Black Hole® Mini MLC® 26L is the better call.