Chrome Industries Camden 16L Backpack Review

With a brand name like “Chrome Industries,” it wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine bags with sleek, dark, and utilitarian aesthetics. True enough, we’ve tested plenty of gear from them that embody this. Bags such as the Volcan and Kadet illustrate this with their sharp angles and chunky hardware. Mind you, it’s not a bad look; we think it’s part of the brand’s charm and identity. However, we wouldn’t say no to something different.

Such is the case with the Camden 16L Backpack, a daypack with a rounded shape, lightly colored fabric, and an overall more casual vibe than we’re used to. We’re particularly keen on how soft the harness system is, which feels starkly different compared to the somewhat stiff Barrage Cargo Backpack, for example. This makes the Camden feel like the brand can do well with more casual packs. So, without further ado, let’s check this bag out!

External Components

A key aspect of the Camden that makes it feel less intense than its more sharp-looking siblings is its fabric. It’s 400-denier recycled nylon, which doesn’t sound very durable given the relatively light denier. On the other hand, it’s robust enough for the stresses of daily commuting. We have spotted a handful of loose threads, which looks worrying initially, though these are mostly leftovers from the manufacturing process; it seems the machines didn’t cut them short enough. It’s not ideal, but it’s not like the Camden’s falling apart at the seams, either.

Other materials include YKK zippers and Duraflex hardware. Both brands are reputable among travel gear brands, and you’ll find them on everything from travel backpacks to everyday slings. We haven’t taken that for granted, though, and we’re happy to report that all the Camden’s buckles and zippers operate smoothly, with none feeling too resistive or easy to undo.

Interestingly, the fabric is listed exactly as “recycled crinkle nylon.” This is most likely due to the fabric’s softer feel compared to heavier deniers rather than how it sounds or looks. It’s simply not as crinkly-sounding as X-Pac, for example, or particularly wrinkly like ripstop fabrics. Still, within the brand’s lineup of industrial-looking designs, we get why it’s named “crinkle.”

By the way, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you; the Camden has a rather asymmetrical look. The logo is off-center, complemented by a nylon strip opposite it that spans the length of the bag. Overall, we’re digging the light shades of khaki this Sandstone colorway has. If you want something different, though, Sage, Royale, and Black are also available at the time of writing.

As much as we dig the Camden’s vibe, it’s relatively sparse on external features that its more serious sibling would otherwise have. Features like water bottle pockets and attachment points are nowhere to be found on the outside, and this simplified philosophy extends to the harness system.

Chrome Industries focused on making the back panel and shoulder straps as comfy as possible. The only extras you’re getting here are a luggage pass-through built into the back panel’s air gap and a non-intrusive top handle. That said, we like what the brand’s showing off here.

Simply put, there’s a lot of padding on the back panel and the shoulder straps. The padding feels like memory foam covered by stretchy mesh fabric that lets air flow more freely. Just how much is “a lot of padding?” Well, let’s just say we’ve seen travel backpacks in the 30-liter range with less cushion; this is pretty generous for a 16-liter daypack.

Fit Notes

It’s almost easy to dismiss the Camden’s carrying comfort as unremarkable since the foam padding numbs much of the pack’s weight. That said, we are appreciative of how slim the straps are, especially for those of us with smaller frames. It’s all relatively fuss-free since there’s nothing much to fiddle with, like a sternum strap, waist strap, or load lifters. The only adjustment we’ve made is tightening the length, which was already pretty well-fitting from the start.

Also worth mentioning is the straps’ ribbed underside. Given how padded everything is and how stretchy the mesh is, the ribbing helps the straps grip and stay in place more firmly.

Overall, the Camden’s fuss-free harness system complements its casual vibe, and we’re glad to see this level of cohesiveness with the design.

Inside The Daypack

The Camden (sort of) makes up for its sparse set of external features with a trio of secondary pockets. Starting with the one at the bottom front, it’s a wide zippered pocket that initially feels roomy but can quickly lose its capacity once the main compartment’s fully packed. It’s a shame because we like how wide and easy to open it is with the rubberized zipper pull. But, alas, the lack of gussets deprives this pocket of independent volume.

Alternatively, you can use the zippered pocket above to store your daily carry accessories. However, the problem with this pocket is its left-facing opening. That doesn’t sound like a big deal until you have to swing the bag around on your shoulder to get your gear. If you’re used to swinging your backpack on your right shoulder (like we are), then you won’t be able to reach this pocket’s opening. It takes some getting used to swinging the Camden on your left shoulder to access this pocket quickly while you’re wearing the bag. Silver lining: lefties will probably have an easier time.

However, our secondary pocket of choice has to be the one at the top. Its soft liner is best suited for storing easily scratched gear like sunglasses and smartphones. However, it’s roomy enough that we feel compelled to store more than just those two items. We might as well throw in a wallet and a pair of wireless earbuds to maximize the space since it’s unlikely to get crushed by the main compartment, too.

You may have noticed that neither of the front secondary pockets occupy the leftmost side of the Camden. That’s because there’s an internal water bottle pocket in the main compartment on that side. That’s good attention to detail by Chrome Industries. However, putting a tall water bottle in this pocket can also make closing the main compartment tricky since the zipper has to go around the gusset that acts as the pocket’s back panel. Fully packing the main compartment pushes the bottle even more to the left, exacerbating the issue.

It’s not that the Camden’s main compartment isn’t easy to open or not wide enough. The J-shaped opening provides excellent access to the interior, enabling us to stuff packing cubes and pouches with relative ease. Moreover, the Camden feels surprisingly roomy for a 16-liter bag. Perhaps it’s the liner’s light color and fun pattern or the 400-denier fabric’s softness that makes the packing space feel more maximized. Either way, we can pack a night’s worth of clothing and gear.

Organization-wise, the aforementioned water bottle pocket can fit a 24-ounce bottle, like the Owala FreeSip we’re using. Then there’s a laptop sleeve at the back that’s big enough for 15-inch laptops (we’re only testing with a 13-inch Macbook, and a 16-inch MacBook Pro doesn’t quite fit all the way in), with an adjacent drop pocket and two pen slots on the right. The setup is quite typical of daypacks of this size. However, we’re not too pleased with the drop pocket having a key leash.

Key leashes can be very useful, but only if they’re in a convenient location to grab. In the Camden’s case, having it in a drop pocket within the main compartment where other items could squeeze and block it is simply not optimal. We wish it were in one of the three secondary pockets outside instead.