I had felt like testing a bag of the brand Chrome Industries for a long time. I had heard my friends who are messengers speak very highly of their rucksacks and of their clothes. I am not a messenger myself: I bought this bag to carry my laptop safely when I ride my bike, among other activities. I love its 100% minimalist aesthetic, I like getting to the heart of the matter and remaining as discreet as possible when I go for a ride in town. It is undeniable : this bag is totally adapted to the use of a two-wheel vehicle. The front strap is reflective (let’s note a little trick in passing 😉 if you want to know whether a silk-screen printing is resistant or not, scratch it with your best sharpened nail ! That one hasn’t faded in spite of my frequent passing on it …), I can slip my ”U ”anti-theft device between the body of the bag and the front strap. However, I advise you not to do so when the bag is empty, for the whole weight happens to find itself at the extremities and you’ll work for nothing (see our article on how to load your backpack).
Thanks to the sternum strap you can draw the weight of the bag back against you and the bag is a 100 % waterproof, so you don’t run the risk of having your precious belongings soaked. Let me briefly mention the high frequency welding. There are several means of obtaining two waterproof assembled pieces of material : you can either stick them together, or sew them and stick a waterproof stripe on the seam , or seal them by making them vibrate at such a frequency that the two materials will melt on one another. That technique is used for the bags that are really a 100% waterproof, such as those used for canyoning or fishing. A bag may be resistant to water (it will protect your belongings from heavy rain, for several hours, it is the case for all the bags that we sell in our shop), or a 100 % waterproof (then you can unquestionably swim with it, not a single drop will get into it) . It is the case for Urban EX Daypack. Usually, high frequency welding bags are noticeably more expensive than others. For that reason, the choice made by Chrome engineers is understandable : to prevent the price of the bag from soaring, the conception had to remain sober. If you carefully observe the welded joint, you can see raised patterns : this contributes to the resistance of the weld.
The small braid on the zip is an advantage since you can catch it more easily. Yet, there’s nothing for catching hold of the zips on the front pocket, and as waterproof zips are always more difficult to move than classical nylon zips (because of their superior plastic cover) you have to catch the body of the bag to open the main pocket.
The access to the small front pocket is also possible from inside, which is very convenient. Inside I can keep my 13” laptop, my mouse, my books, my DVDs, a jacket … I’m not a very well organized person, but I quite appreciate the different compartments inside.
The back is composed of bits of foam rubber cleverly set at intervals : consequently it is very comfortable and above all, the air circulates freely, which is a real point in its favour (cyclists will know what I mean !) Clearly, the finishing touches are breathtaking. Really, not a single thread visible, flawless joints, perfect bartak seams… The panel of the small front pocket is astounding, the sewing together of the different parts offers no approximation… This bag represents a concentration of technology. For, as often, the simplest and most minimalist objects are those that required the most accurate research. Have a look at my photos so as to observe it.
This bag has a life guarantee, it will go on forever…, so I hope you’ll live with it for a long time ;). Have a look at a few detailed photos before checking my grading (more information about how we score). Further information about the brand Chrome Industries. Find this product in our shop.
Thomas.
