Chrome Industries Kadet Max WP bag review – A lightweight messenger that’s built to get wet

REVIEW – Chrome Industries has been making bags for 30 years now and have a loyal fanbase as a result. It all started with a messenger, so it’s only fitting that their newest it a minimalistic, super lightweight, waterproof version of… you guessed it, a messenger; an update to their Kadet line no less. Whether you’re already a fan, or somehow haven’t heard of Chrome, this one is absolutely worth checking out.

⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: $165
Where to buy: Chrome Industries and Amazon (previous version)

What is it?

The Chrome Industries Kadet Max WP is a lightweight messenger bag with fully waterproof zippers and welded seams to keep even the wettest conditions at bay.

What’s included?

• Chrome Industries Kadet Max WP
• Tube of lubricant for zipper (not shown)

Tech specs

• Waterproof 15L cross-body with reversible shoulder strap for left or right carry
• Swappable 3-pt plastic quick-release buckle for easy on/off
• Fully waterproof zippered main compartment and flat front pocket
• Knurled welded seams maximize weld surface area & weld strength to keep water out
• Airtight IPX7 waterproof zippers
• Lightweight, made from coated and backed nylon
• Internal padded device pocket, fits up to a 14″ laptop
• Padded rear U-lock holster and removable stabilizer strap
• PFAS-free, keeping forever chemicals out of our world
• Lifetime warranty against material or workmanship defects

Design and features

The Kadet Max WP takes the proven design of Chrome Industries’ long-running Kadet series and gives it a full waterproof construction with a super clean silhouette.

The standout feature is the two, fully waterproof zippers.

Instead of a zipper garage like commonly seen on apparel, here the stop at the end of the zipper is molded to completely fill the zipper head as the stop, creating a water-tight seal.

The zipper pulls are T-handles with a micro-grip texture to help provide the pulling power you’ll need to seat the zippers into the closed position.

The second necessity for opening the zippers are these pull-loops that are seriously well stitched in.

Inside the main 15L body (against your back) is a padded laptop pocket with a velcro closure that will fit a 13-14″ laptop. I’ve flipped the bag inside out to better show the internals on these next two shots as the center zipper opening creates a lot of shadows.

The opposite side has two top-load flat pockets, a mesh pocket, a gusseted pocket and a spot for two pen(cil)s along with a D-Ring to clip to.

The back panel is nicely padded with a minimal grab handle at the top. The shoulder strap is hot-swappable to run either right or left shoulder with a small strap that runs under your arm to create a 3-point harness (seen at the bottom of the photo) to keep the bag close when in motion.

In the front panel pocket are two flat pockets for some organization amongst everything you’ll dump in there.

The Chrome logo patch is nicely detailed and made of flexible TPU or something similar so it’s not going to absorb any water.

The last detail is the main buckle. Chrome is known for their seatbelt buckles, but in this case they’ve opted for a lightweight thermoplastic buckle.

Performance

The Kadet Max WP immediately feels like a Chrome Messenger Bag the moment you put it on. That buckle above might be polarizing to the fans of their long running seatbelt buckle. Most anyone who’s run a Chrome bag has had to build up lightning-fast reflexes to keep their bag from hitting the floor when a buddy jabs a finger into the release button.

This new buckle is super lightweight, as is the entire bag, and one of the improvements that might take a bit of muscle memory training is the new release grip required. You basically need to push both sides and the center top button with your thumb, index and middle finger. It looks like this and doesn’t take long to get used to the new hand position.

Let’s talk waterproofing since that is clearly the goal with this design. I live in SoCal and I don’t think it rained the entire review period, so it was time to break out the hose and have at it.

Here’s what it looked like immediately after being thoroughly soaked.

If you’re wondering how confident I was prior to the test, here’s what was inside that I pulled out of the bag moments later.

It’s worth noting that the laptop pocket will fit a 14″ and maybe even a bit bigger, but I’d err towards a 13″ being the max you want to use. That’s primarily due to the pocket being tucked back under the center mounted zipper which makes it a little tricky to get the laptop in and out.

One of my favorite features is the two bottom lash-straps for carrying extra stuff like a jacket or a tripod. The compression straps on the sides allow you to cinch it down when you’re carrying less.

Final thoughts

The Chrome Kadet Max WP is an easy carry. It’s remarkable how light it is given that you can still get a good bunch of gear in there. I feel like Chrome nailed the size as it’s hard to load it so full that your shoulder starts aching so it ends up being pretty ideal. The quality is top notch and you can see the care that went into making it. This thing should last a very long time.

What I like about the Chrome Industries Kadet Max WP bag

• Definitely waterproof
• Super lightweight and comfortable
• User swappable to be left or right shoulder

What needs to be improved?

• Zippers require force to fully close, and then open again
• Velcro anchor for shoulder strap undoes when strap anchor inevitably slides to longest position

Price: $165
Where to buy: Chrome Industries and Amazon (previous version)
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by Chrome Industries whom did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.

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