Chrome Industries Kadet Sling and Kadet Photo Insert review - Sling into virtually any situation

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REVIEW – I love bags. If I’m ever endlessly scrolling on YouTube (that is my one social media vice), I can’t help but stop if I see a unique or fun bag. I want to be the kind of person that has that one bag they love and sticks with it for longer than you can imagine, but I very easily get distracted from that goal when a new bag comes along. And this is kind of a long time interest come to fruition. I have been eyeing the Chrome Industries Kadet Sling for a couple of years now. So when the opportunity to review it presented itself, I was honestly over the moon. And as an added bonus they threw in the new Kadet Photo Insert as well!

⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: $100.00 – $125.00 Kadet Sling
Price: $60.00 Photo insert
Where to buy: Chrome Industries and Amazon

What is it?

The Chrome Industries Kadet Sling is a crossbody bag that is seemingly part sling bag, part messenger bag. It has the Chrome Industries signature seatbelt buckle strap. While the Kadet Photo Insert is essentially an elongated camera cube designed to perfectly fit in the Kadet Sling.

What’s included?

Kadet Sling
Kadet Photo Insert (sold separately)

Tech Specs

Kadet Sling

9 liter capacity
Quick-release buckle with handy bottle opener
Crossbody adjustable padded strap with stabilizer
Padded rear U-lock holster
Amplify 2024 bags with swappable buckle technology (LG 2″)
Lifetime warranty against material or workmanship defects
Weather resistant
Bag dimensions: 7.75″H x 16.5″W x 3.5″D
Weight: 1.43lbs (0.65 kg)
Device pocket: 6″ H x 13″ W unpadded
Strap length: 20-46.5”
Materials: 1050D nylon with PU backing, lined in 150D recycled polyester
Heritage Suede: cotton canvas and suede

Kadet Photo Insert Tech specs

Slides seamlessly into the Kadet Sling
Adjustable dividers
Dual zipper closure and back handle
Padded and tricot-lined interior
Dedicated pocket to hold batteries, SD cards, and cables
Overall measurement 5.5″H x 14.5″W x 3.25″D
Lid mesh pockets measure 2.5”H x 7”W zippered and 2 smaller open pockets at 2.5”H x 3.25”W
Inner velcro-close pocket measures 4″H x 3″W x 3″D
PFAS-free and weather resistant
Materials: Recycled nylon and polyester exterior with polyester taffeta and a polyester tricot interior

Design and features

Let’s start with the overall looks of this bag and the color. As I have stated in prior reviews. I love me some earth tones, and I love the two tone brown of this bag. The suede on the front contrasts nicely with the tan or khaki of the rest of the bag. I generally don’t like black against brown, but for some reason it doesn’t bother me all that much here.

Then there is the signature metal car seatbelt clip that you find on most of their bags. I absolutely love it! At first I was concerned it would be too big and cumbersome, but it never once got in the way.

Right under the buckle there is a metal grab hook. When you pull up on this it lengthens the strap so you can twist it around for quick access. Apparently it also functions as a bottle opener as well. I can’t say I tried to use

While we are on the subject of the buckle we should talk about the strap itself. The strap is adjustable all over! You can adjust the section that goes over your shoulder as well as the stabilizer section that goes under your other arm. Once you get it adjusted to your frame it’s a very secure fit. And very comfortable.

None of the straps are removable. Meaning if you don’t use the stabilizer strap it’s just hanging there. I never felt like it was in the way at all so I wouldn’t say it’s a major issue, but it’s just there. Or you could cut it off, but I would not recommend that. I know this is meant more for bicycle riders to secure it better while riding. But I’m not a bike rider and I don’t really need the strap. I wish I could remove it, and replace it when necessary.

Speaking of bike riding; there is also a bike U-lock storage loop on the back of the bag. Not something I will use, but it’s a very nice touch for those that will.

Also, because the main strap is not removable, you can’t switch sides. Meaning this is a one shoulder bag. That being over the left shoulder. The padded part will only go over the left shoulder. I prefer to wear my sling bags over my right shoulder, but if you wear it on the right it’s just the seatbelt material. Still plenty comfortable, but clearly it’s not meant to be worn like that.

On each side and on the bottom you will find some cinch straps. These serve two functions; to flatten the bag if you don’t have thick items in it, or to secure something to the exterior of the bag in the event you have, say a jacket that will not fit in the bag but still need to go hands free. Very nice.

On each end of the bag you will find small nylon loops. I always love some loops on the exterior of bags. I like to attach my keys to loops like this, or use carabiners to attach things I can’t carry inside the bag. The only issue with these is the size of them, and the way they are angled. It makes it hard to get a larger carabiner through. So I put some brass key rings on them so it’s a larger attachment point, and easier to clip on the carabiner I keep my keys on.

The zipper situation is on point as well. I can’t see any branding in them, so I don’t know if they are your tried and true YKK zippers, but they feel great. They feel smooth and sturdy. You get a double zipper on the main compartment so you can open it from whichever side you prefer. And the suede pulls are a really nice touch.

As for compartments; there are two. The front pocket is large enough, but very narrow so best for flat items such as a wallet, notebook, etc. And there is no organization in the front pocket either. It’s just one open compartment. The main compartment is where most of your 9 letters of storage are going to come from. It’s very spacious, but also lacking some organization. It does have a slip pocket along the back of the bag for, say a tablet or something. As well as two pen holders. But again, that’s it for org. I would suggest using some pouches to organize yourself. But it is very spacious. I was able to get all my daily carry in it and still had room for tossing in a sweatshirt for my daughter on one outing.

There is no padding on the bag at all except for the back of the bag that sits against your back. And that’s where the camera cube insert comes into play. It adds a good amount of padding, as is required if you are carrying around an expensive camera for the day. The one thing to note here is that it takes up the entire bag. So if you have to carry anything else you will have to bring another bag. It would have been nice if it was two separate cubes that could sit on either side of the bag in the event you don’t need the entire thing for a camera and accessories. It’s also hard to unzip the camera cube when it’s in the Kadet. I would suggest leaving it unzipped inside, and just zipping the Kadet. But if all you need to carry is a camera and some lenses, then this is going to work great.

To get back to that padding, I do wish at the very least the bottom of the bag had a small layer of padding so things were a little protected when you set it down. But it’s not a deal breaker by any means.

While driving, what I normally do is leave a sling bag on and twist it around to my front so i dont have to take it off everytime i get in the car. The seatbelt just goes over the bag. You can still do this with the Kadet, but its just a little too big and cumbersome to be comfortable.

Oh and there is a D-ring on the inside of the main compartment to hook things like your keys to, for quicker access.

Final thoughts

I think my final thoughts are summed up by an interaction I had while out at a local coffee shop here in town. I literally had some guy I had never met before stop me to ask about the bag. He loved the color and said he was specifically looking for something to carry around camera gear while filming. Seriously. I can’t make this stuff up! It’s a great looking bag that is going to turn heads of anyone that has an interest in bags at all. And on top of that it’s outrageously functional. Most sling bags do not have such a large capacity so it easily adapts to whatever your carry situation is. And the photo insert takes it that much further, allowing for serious photographers to consider it as a daily carry while on smaller shoots.

What I like about Chrome Kadet Sling and Photo Insert

Large capacity
Looks great (color)
Good zippers
Very secure while in use

What needs to be improved?

Some way to switch the strap to the other side for those that want to carry over their right shoulder
Removable stabilizer strap
A little padding on the bottom of the bag
More built-in organization
Maybe the one long camera cube could be broken into 2 separate cubes

Price: $100.00 – 125.00 Kadet Sling
Price: $60.00 Photo insert
Where to buy: Chrome Industries and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by Chrome Industries. Chrome Industries did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.