Patagonia MLC 45L

[zion zig zag]

I have a blue Patagonia MLC, probably 10 years old, in great shape. Not used a ton, all straps included.
This one, but in blue: https://onebagtravels.com/patagonia-headway-mlc-45l/

No idea how to price this. $90 plus shipping? PM me for photos.

[t-the-east]

My wife and I were talking about this bag yesterday. We’re doing 3 weeks in Italy in the fall and debating whether to bring a rolling carry on and a backpack or something similar to the MLC. A roller might be a total pain in the ass walking around cities. How’d you like the bag for trips like the one I have planned? If you used it for anything like that…. Seems like a good price for one of us if we go that route.

[zion zig zag]

My wife and I were talking about this bag yesterday. We’re doing 3 weeks in Italy in the fall and debating whether to bring a rolling carry on and a backpack or something similar to the MLC. A roller might be a total pain in the ass walking around cities. How’d you like the bag for trips like the one I have planned? If you used it for anything like that…. Seems like a good price for one of us if we go that route.

I’m kind of anti-roller bag for my travels. I move around a lot and it’s invariably in cities without sidewalks, have tons of stairs, cobblestone streets, water of unknown content, etc. All of which make a roller bag impractical, and you end up carrying them anyway.
I used this bag for a two week trip to Croatia and Hungary and it was great for that. One caveat with this bag, if you wear it as a backpack in crowded areas (metro’s) then the zipper is on the outside and not against your body. In those situations I would usually wear it in front of me.

[Yukonrider]

My wife and I were talking about this bag yesterday. We’re doing 3 weeks in Italy in the fall and debating whether to bring a rolling carry on and a backpack or something similar to the MLC. A roller might be a total pain in the ass walking around cities. How’d you like the bag for trips like the one I have planned? If you used it for anything like that…. Seems like a good price for one of us if we go that route.

EDIT: I have the newer one, seems similar but different.

I did essentially this trip with this bag last year. I quite liked it. Main complaint was that it doesn't really have any structure, but I had a big laptop that provided that. Tons of little stash pockets, durable and water resistant, a few weird quirks that I find odd: there are almost too many pockets, and I would invariably forget to close one, then open a main pocket and fling stuff all over the floor. That and my...lid pocket would often end up heavier than the clothes pocket which the lack of overall structure made hte bag a little weird. Use with packing cubes and this problem is eliminated.

Had room for running shoes, and all my stuff for a month in Eurp, with questionable clothes washing standards of course.

It comes with backpack straps, a shoulder strap, and brief case mode. I would backpack mode around, then switch to briefcase on trains and planes, or for short moves for ease.

If you carefully cut one of the stitches where I think the luggage tag or something stowed it will fit a water bottle on the outside, and it won't fall out during normal use.

[singlesline]

My wife and I were talking about this bag yesterday. We’re doing 3 weeks in Italy in the fall and debating whether to bring a rolling carry on and a backpack or something similar to the MLC. A roller might be a total pain in the ass walking around cities. How’d you like the bag for trips like the one I have planned? If you used it for anything like that…. Seems like a good price for one of us if we go that route.

FWIW, I did a europe trip last fall with an Osprey convertable roller/backpack. I thought I was a backpack person, but that this would give me a nicer airport experience (and hold up to being checked better than an actual backpack). I ended NOT using it as a backpack a single time...as long as it is a nice bag with good/bigger wheels (not a fricking spinner bag), it will do fine. For just walking around cities, navigating public transit, etc., it was nice to have the weight off my back and not get sweaty.

Also the way it was designed...it didn't hold anything more than I can fit in a carryon despite needing to be checked. I swapped it out for a mid-size rolling duffel with nice wheels for when I need more space.


That said, I have a RMU Mountain Duffel which is a very similar bag to the patagonia MLC and I really like it a lot. It is not great for wearing on your back for extended periods of time if it is fully loaded (no frame, compromises made in the design to maximize space), but it is a really slick bag and I often choose it over my rolling suitcase for domestic travel. It can also easily swallow a pair of ski boots along with a bunch of other stuff...so I assume the MLC can do that as well.

[t-the-east]

Great info and solid reviews of some real world use. Zion zig zag, that’s a good point on the zippers facing outside, i just looked up some pictures of the older model, looks like they changed it on the newer version. Although I do like the small outside pockets on your version, the new one just has one massive zipper.
I think singlesline brought up one of my concerns in getting all back sweaty too.
I do have a black hole roller carry on that has been bombproof for years. Decisions….

ZZZ - sorry for the thread Jack. This is now a “what baggage on my Italy trip” thread

[zion zig zag]

Bag is sold.