Chrome Industries Metropolis 40L Messenger LTD

The Chrome Industries Metropolis 40L Messenger LTD is a big, tough, and rain-resistant sling bag that’s been resurrected – and slightly updated – to celebrate Chrome having been at this for 30 years. If you’ve actually got serious stuff to carry, rather than just wanting to look like you’ve got stuff to carry, it’s a great option.

> Buy now: Chrome Industries Metropolis 40L Messenger LTD for £200 from Chrome

If you’re a courier and time is money, this bag has much to offer. It’s large, forms a usefully thick rectangular box shape, and is very easily accessed even without taking it off. Thanks to a waterproof liner and substantial flap closure it’s also as weather resistant as you ever really need, and as that liner is red it’s easy to see things in its depths. Not that there’s much in the way to obscure any ambient light: the big, broad opening makes life very easy. For rapid packing and unpacking it beats a regular backpack hands down.

If speed and ease of access isn’t a real priority, however, there are downsides here over the many backpacks available elsewhere – not least this thing’s 1,400g (3lb!) weight and £200 price. More on that in a bit, though.

Chrome has a range of similar sling bags but they’re all smaller. This 40L Metropolis is based on an old design aimed at actual couriers rather than commuters, and as such can take a 16in laptop. In truth you could probably get 10 of them inside, and still not worry about it taking the weight.

Not that there’s a padded laptop sleeve here, or really any proper divider at all; yes, you can pull away the velcro to separate the red liner from the front of the bag and create another section that’s just outer fabric, but anything in here will get wet and/or slide right underneath the liner.

There’s a small organiser sat centrally under the flap that offers an 21x21cm open flat pocket, a slightly smaller zipped one on top, and three flat 11cm pockets on top of that. They’re useful as far as they go, but if you want serious internal organising you’re best looking elsewhere. This bag is all about the unrestricted main volume.

Both the laminated TPA liner and the outer 1050D nylon skin feel incredibly rugged, while the stitching of the seams and various straps is extremely strong.

The seatbelt-style strap and metal buckle feel more than up to the task, though as always with Chrome’s buckles they feel and sound tinnier than they look. Peer closely and there are noticeable lines in the chrome plating, which is presumably the rough surface of the folded metal showing through. It feels a little cheap and is probably not the finest quality metal under there, but again it’s more than man enough for the job.

The shoulder strap can be swapped for right or left shoulder use, by the way, and the buckle – which Chrome still insists is ‘iconic,’ as everything from toothpaste to mass-production cars apparently is these days – can be swapped for a host of other designs.

They’re £20-£35, sold separately.

It’s a comfortable and stable bag once on, especially with the smaller second strap attached.

Value

At £200 this is an expensive way to get 40L of cargo on your back, but if you want what it’s really offering – very accessible capacity, rapid deployment and an impressively tough build – it’s almost certain to perform without fuss for years.

However, if you don’t mind spending a few extra seconds getting in and out, value low weight, want lots of internal pockets or need greater stability for rough riding, you can get a similarly sized pack for considerably less money.

A big rucksack such as the 50L Simond Men’s 50L Trekking Backpack MT100 can be had for £59.99, though the padded belt of such designs will get pretty hot and sweaty while riding. The Simond is not waterproof either, though it includes a rain cover.

Ortlieb’s 39L Messenger Bag is cheaper at £125 and slightly lighter at a claimed 1,300g, though its roll-top closure inevitably takes a little more time to use.

Oxford’s Heritage 30L is 10L smaller and also uses a roll top, but it’s retro-stylish in a different way and boosts the waxed-cotton outer’s weather protection with a removable waterproof liner. If you don’t really need all 40L of capacity it’s a serious option at £99.

For other options, check out our best cycling backpacks buyer’s guide.

Overall

If you want fast and easy access to an impressively large cargo space, plus you value strength and ruggedness over low weight, the Metropolis is great. There are cheaper (and more stringently waterproof) ways to carry the same amount of stuff, but this fills its niche with aplomb.

> Buy now: Chrome Industries Metropolis 40L Messenger LTD for £200 from Chrome

Verdict

Capacious, rugged and very quick and easy to use. But if speed of access is not your number one priority, there are downsides

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