Chrome Industries Urban Ex Backpack 20L Review

The Chrome Industries Urban Ex Backpack 20L offers a streamlined approach to daily carry, making it ideal for everyday essentials, commuting, or travel. It’s also available in a 30L size, but the 20L provides ample space with waterproof protection from the elements. The rolltop design allows you to expand up to 25 liters when needed but can also be compressed for a more compact look. This backpack’s sleek and modern face is functional and aesthetically pleasing, ensuring that any rain or moisture rolls down the side with no chance of affecting the gear inside.

The waterproof materials combined with the construction not only protect your gear but are also surprisingly lightweight. With plenty of attachment points and even a specifically designed area for a U-Lock, bikers, and commuters will definitely appreciate the attention to detail, especially when caught in the rain. This backpack also offers a dedicated laptop compartment, an organization panel, and a quick-access pocket that’s easy to access without taking the pack off.

External Components

The Chrome Industries Urban Ex Backpack 20L features a 100% interior-welded waterproof construction, utilizing 500D Nylon with PU coating and TPU backing through a knurl welding process. This essentially means that the external materials are fully waterproof, and Chrome Industries uses a special welding process to fuse the fabric together for a stronger seal.

While the lightweight materials may be somewhat noisy, similar to the rustling of a tarp or bending of plastic, they provide plenty of protection from the elements. They also tend to scuff and show signs of use over time, which, depending on your preference, can be either a pro or a con, similar to how a leather wallet develops character as it ages. However, when it comes to dirt, the pack is easy to spot clean.

The pack includes a daisy chain of six reflective loops with U-Lock compatible storage on the front. That not only offers external attachment points but also provides additional visibility out at night. The branding is pretty minimal, with just a Chrome Industries logo at the bottom of the pack’s front and their emblem on one of the backpack straps.

On top is a dedicated grab handle made from nylon webbing that feels secure but lacks padding. It works in a pinch but is uncomfortable for a heavier haul or extended periods of time. The bag also tends to lean forward when you carry it by the grab handle. There is another pair of grab handles located at the very top of the rolltop, but we will go over that in more detail later.

The backpack straps feature an ergonomic shape with a slight S curve that does a good job of contouring to the body while not chafing the arms in transit. They have a small amount of padding with ventilation as well for additional comfort. This, coupled with the 3D molded back panel, provides a decently comfortable carry. The back panel includes foam padding with dedicated air channels to help with breathability.

The straps use metal hardware and are super smooth to adjust, especially on the fly. Each shoulder strap also has two fairly wide attachment points for clipping on gear above a sternum strap. The non-removable sternum strap uses a button to connect the two pieces and is adjustable on a rail system that makes it easy to adjust for the perfect fit.

Fit Notes

This “Black” colorway features two distinct black textures, providing a black-on-black aesthetic. While the rolltop design may not fit everyone’s preference, the overall design offers a unique look, especially with the reflective daisy chain loop attachments on the front. This pack seems to lean more towards the casual side of the spectrum with a slight degree of edge or boldness. It may not draw too much attention in a professional environment, but one thing to note is that this backpack is not very quiet. While handling the materials, other peers and colleagues will more than likely be able to hear you rustling around inside.

Inside The Pack

When it comes to secondary compartments, the Chrome Industries Urban Ex Backpack 20L takes a fairly minimal approach with only an external quick-access zippered pocket on the side. This pocket has a nice zipper garage to prevent any water from getting through the seams, and the thread has an AquaGuard coating to ensure no moisture seeps through. While this pocket is fairly minimal, it has a decent amount of space to fit smaller items like a wallet, hand sanitizer, or even a phone. It is important to note, however, that due to the materials, this pocket does not have any flexibility or stretch.

The main compartment is a spacious dump site where you can store your gear as you see fit. The rolltop design allows it to expand to 25 liters and includes a pair of magnets at the top for a secure close. However, these magnets do not form a seal. They primarily act as a way to ensure that the opening is aligned properly before rolling it down. You can roll it down tightly and secure it with a buckle on each side that cleverly angles the sides down, ensuring waterproof protection, as any water that hits the bag rolls down the side with little to no chance of getting near the corners.

The interior lining features a 150D recycled polyester liner, which helps with waterproofing and, combined with the rolltop design, prevents very little light from getting through. However, visibility can definitely be an issue inside the main compartment. While this is not uncommon with waterproof backpacks since they require the materials to be, you guessed it, waterproof, this is still something to keep in mind. The lack of visibility is further exacerbated by the rolltop design, which makes the main compartment stand fairly tall, stretching up to about 24 inches, or a little under 61 cm, at its full height.

One thoughtful touch in this main compartment is the addition of grab handles at the top when the rolltop is at its full height. These super minimal nylon grab handles sit right under the magnets on each side, allowing them to snap together for a satisfying close. When not in use, they stay out of the way but are always there if you do need them. They offer a comfortable carry for a pseudo-extra-long-tote-style pack. It is a small touch, but these handles are incredibly useful in a pinch, for example, if you go slightly overboard when stocking up on groceries at the store or a farmer’s market.

Up against the back wall is a dedicated laptop compartment with a light degree of organization built into it. Unfortunately, this is not removable, but it typically sits flush up against the wall out of the way when you’re not using it, which is always appreciated. It can fit up to a 15-inch device and includes a carabiner near the top for easy and convenient key management. The front of the sleeve offers a decent amount of padding protecting the inner contents, although the back seems to lack any padding. On the front is another slip pocket suitable for a tablet and a smaller slip pocket next to two pen or stylus pockets.

The Chrome Industries Urban Ex Backpack 20L is a versatile and functional waterproof backpack ideal for everyday carry, commutes, and even travel. Its waterproof construction provides plenty of protection from the elements, while the expandable rolltop design allows for extra capacity. The pack’s minimalistic design includes a reflective daisy chain of loop attachment points that can also be used to store a U-Lock for all the bikers out there. The ergonomic shoulder straps and molded back panel provide plenty of comfort, and the built-in laptop sleeve ensures that all your devices are safe and secure. While the material can be a bit noisy, it does not detract from the flexibility and functionality of the pack. Overall, the Chrome Industries Urban Ex Backpack 20L balances sleek aesthetics with practical features, making it a reliable everyday carry.