Chrome Kadet WP Sling

The Chrome Kadet WP Sling fixes the big issue I had with the regular Kadet: as the WP in the name indicates, it’s waterproof. That makes it year-round useful in the UK, as do its deceptive roominess, comfortable padding and nicely designed buckle.

> Buy now: Chrome Kadet WP Sling for £120 from Wardow

While the plastic buckle here is sadly not iconic – unlike the ‘iconic swappable LG seatbelt buckle’ on the regular Kadet – it is a better design. To open it you squeeze the side tabs, while with the other hand you press a button to disengage a safety lock. As a result there’s no accidentally releasing this, and as you naturally end up holding both halves of the strap it’s not going to plummet to the floor when it undoes. That’s not true of the supposedly fancier (yet rather tinny) seatbelt-style LG.

Still, as all buckles are swappable you can retrofit an iconic two-inch LG one (£36) to this iconic bag and severely damage the self-esteem of anybody foolish enough to gaze upon your legendary wonders as a result.

The Kadet WP gives a small-ish 9L of capacity, but there’s a 15L Max version and a 5L Mini should you prefer. This size is just right for things like iPads (if you’re carrying a laptop you’ll need the Max), and will easily take food, a water bottle, tools/pump/tube, and a spare layer. Got some big colourful headphones, an avocado and a bottle of beard oil? Throw those in too. The 9cm(ish) depth means the Kadet is roomier than its narrow footprint suggests.

The thin second strap keeps it stable and secure enough for road and gravel use, and it’s removable (the lower buckle is split) for regular walking. Both straps are very easy to adjust for comfort, and all the padding is well judged. You can stuff a D-lock behind the main padding via dedicated holes, though you’re still definitely going to know it’s there.

The welded seams and polyurethane coated, thermoplastic polyurethane-backed fabric would be wasted without waterproof zips, and these IPX7-rated ones are impressive. Like all such zips they’re harder to pull than normal – especially from their fully closed docking position – but Chrome’s tough little T-handle pullers really help there. You also get a small tube of zip lube to keep them running smoothly, which is a nice touch.

Fully zipped, this bag will keep everything in the main compartment and the small front pocket entirely dry. The IPX7 rating actually involves sitting under a metre of water for 30 minutes without leaking, and while I can’t do that personally, I like it when my zips can.

The main compartment has a basic divider at the back, which creates a notebook-sized pocket and a couple of pen holders (for clarity I’m referring to actual paper notebooks rather than electronic devices, because I’m fantastically old). The rest is open, and while the lack of a lining keeps the weight down, the black TPU makes it a bit dingy when you’re rummaging for your avocado. Still, it’s not a huge bag so nothing can go far.

Value

At £130 this really isn’t cheap, especially for the capacity, but the premium does get you a bag you just don’t have to worry about, whatever the weather does.

For instance, while The North Face’s Borealis Sling is significantly cheaper at £50, it’s also smaller (6L) and only water-resistant with its DWR coating.

The Patagonia Atom Sling Bag is closer in size at 8L, and also cheaper at £55, but it too is also only water resistant via a DWR treatment. It is lighter, though, at 340g, and matches the Chrome’s eco-cred in that it’s largely recycled and PFAS-free.

> Buyer’s Guide: Best cycling backpacks

You might look at something like the 8.1L Rains Trail Sling Bag at £95, however, and think the Kadet WP is still a bit spendy. The Rains is built from waterproof PU fabric and is deadly fashionable, judging by just how sad and strange the models on its dystopian website look, and fashionably cool companies are hardly shy of a price premium. Yet it’s still £45 cheaper than the Chrome.

To be clear, I’ve never seen the Rains (either here or down in Africa… ask your dad), but I’d put money on the Kadet WP looking less cool at the Pret bus stop but being considerably tougher, longer lasting and secure on a bike thanks to its knurled seams, extra straps and waterproof zips.

Overall

The Kadet WP is a rugged, very reliably waterproof bag that gets the job done just as it should. Even the theoretical downgrade to a plastic buckle works in its favour, and while the price is high, you’ll struggle to find this kind of spec in a conveniently zipped sling bag for less.

> Buy now: Chrome Kadet WP Sling for £120 from Wardow

Verdict

Really good and very usable pack for worry-free stowage, but quite an investment

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