Black Hole Pack 25L Patagonia vs Refugio Day Pack 30L: which is safer?
Black Hole Pack 25L Patagonia is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Our pick
Patagonia
Black Hole Pack 25L Patagonia
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
Possiblewater-repellent coating chemistry (unverified PFAS status)
PossibleNylon/polyester microfiber shedding
Patagonia
Refugio Day Pack 30L
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
Possiblewater-repellent coating chemistry (unspecified replacement for PFAS)
ReportedNylon and polyester fiber shedding / microfiber release
LikelyCoating degradation over time
Where these two actually differ
- We flag DWR coating chemistry (unverified PFAS status) and Nylon/polyester microfiber shedding on the Patagonia and not on the Patagonia.
- We flag DWR coating chemistry (unspecified replacement for PFAS), Nylon and polyester fiber shedding / microfiber release and Coating degradation over time on the Patagonia and not on the Patagonia.
- The Patagonia is nylon/polyester pack with DWR coating where the Patagonia is Nylon/polyester blend with DWR (durable water repellent) treatment, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- These two are level, close enough that price and fit should decide it rather than our grade.
- We are less certain about the Patagonia grade, at 35% confidence against 62%, because it discloses less.
Both products run through the same public rubric, which covers materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
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