I guess I can call
it the minimalist bag with big ideas.
But, let's get some basics out of the way first. The bag I bought was 1050 denier nylon, there
is a truck tarpaulin material version.
But, being that I don’t really like the sheen finish, I stuck with the
nylon. It has real-world dimensions of
14 inches long with a stretch limit of 15.5 to 16. 5.5 inches tall with a stretch limit of 7.5
inches to 8. Depth of 4 inches
comfortably with a stretch limit of 7.
There is a length-wise slotted pocket with two pen slots and an outer
zippered pocket with an opened space within.
There is also a padded sleeve-like area for a bike u-lock which inside
of this sleeve, it extended almost the entire dimensions of the bag.
Now, with my review,
I looked for a bag that helped me with my travels into NYC. I always wanted to bring everything with me,
including the kitchen sink. But, as of
late with growing age and experience in not needed a 1/10th of what I carry, I
decided a minimalist way of looking at bags was needed.
I have always
fancied messenger bags for their ease of use and the way most of them are built
with the user in mind. Some companies
tend to just slap together a bag with some straps and send it off into the
world like a very lazy college sending off ill-prepared students into the job
world. But, Chrome Industries really
took the time to keep the user in mind with their selections in materials and
designs. USER-FOCUSSED.
That made me bite the bullet with buying this small minimalist messenger
sling. Let me get this straight, this
bag is a big departure from the bags and slings I usually buy. It has no molle attachments. No hidden compartments. No "tactical" element
involved. Then again, having a tactical
mindset doesn’t necessarily demand tactic gear.
FIT: 8.5/10
- I took this bag on it's maiden voyage during a 15.5 mile hike in NYC with my
fiancé's family. At the first hour, I
was struggling bad with a nominal load of a Samsung 8.0 tablet, a kindle, a
battery pack, a pack of tissues, a maxpedition pouch with cords, emergency
blanket, a lighter, a mixed length of paracord, carabiners, hand sanitizer, a
led flash-light, a pack of tic-tacs, a monkey-first self-defense chain slipped
into the u-lock sleeve and a light-stick.
I wore the bag high on my shoulder and it was just tortured. But, once I stopped fighting the bag and
loosened the straps to where I saw everyone else on the inter-web wearing it,
the bag became a dream. It became an
extension of myself. Usually, with my
other slings or messengers or tactical bags, I feel like I have a giant panda
clinging to me, leaving the maneuvering around crowds quite difficult. But, with the Kadet, I felt like a nimble
troll dodging around the masses in Manhattan.
FUNCTION: 9/10 - For a minimalist day bag, it
forced me to carry what I needed. With
NYC being on security lock-down, I couldn't carry my usual arsenal and still
expect to take my woman's family into tourist spots. So, I carried only what I needed. The main compartment had a great design to
where when you zipper it open, it becomes a half-clamshell mouth which
prevented any spillage while moving.
Several times this came in hand when looting around for mints or getting
a battery pack.
TACTICAL: 2/10 - Being a messenger bag, there
were no real tones or looks to the tactical side. Did it offer a level of "No, Mister
Police Officer. I Have Nothing On Me And
Am Merely A Civilian" look? Hell
yes it did. I blended with the
crowd. No molle or tactical pouches to
make me a subject of involuntary police search.
BUILD AND FINISH: 9/10 - The bag is great. It is made of great material with rain
resistant zipper enclosures that sealed on top of the YKK zippers. The cinch straps can be a bit bigger, but I
guess if doing so, it may add bulk and weight.
It definitely could use an admin zipper pocket in the main compartment,
but that is just me being picky. But,
the Kadet looks to be a long-lifer in the way it is made and stitched.
STYLE: 10/10 - I love the seatbelt buckle. It got me looks and it functioned great. The seatbelt fabric strap was even more
comfortable, almost creating some sort of nostalgia when wearing it. Making me feel like I am wearing my seatbelt
in my car. The EVA foam padded shoulder
strap was stylish and functional in a minimalist way. Just a banging bag to get looks while still
functioning in it's intended purpose.
When I got the bag,
I had reservations for cutting back what I could carry with me when I was on
the run in the city with my girl. This
made me pick and choose the necessary things and none other. With the stylish looks of what comes with
Chrome Industries designs and rugged materials, they designed a minimalist bag that can keep up with you. I definitely recommend this bad boy. At $80 MSRP, you can search the web for
slightly cheaper pricing, but it be worth every penny.
Check out their
website! Great job guys! www.chromeindustries.com/
Pat - Shifter Life -
Gear Reviewer
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