Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

review

Chrome BLCKCHRM 22X Yalta 3.0 backpack

9
£160.00

VERDICT:

9
10
Fantastic on-the-bike pack that is built to last and ultra-functional – in fact, you might never need another bag
Very well made
Excellent access from top or side
Tote shopping bag is a fun extra
A little heavy and chunky
Sits quite high on the back
​Not cheap
Weight: 
1,090g

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

What the road.cc scores mean

Good scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.

  • Exceptional
  • Excellent
  • Very Good
  • Good
  • Quite good
  • Average
  • Not so good
  • Poor
  • Bad
  • Appalling

The Chrome BLCKCHRM 22X Yalta 3.0 is a well-made, capacious, weatherproof and comfortable roll-top backpack with the extra practicality of an almost-full-length side zip to really enhance access. Add in some other unique features and you've got a bag that's just as good for the weekend shop as the daily commute.

I've never been totally sold on roll-top rucksacks because the ability to chuck everything in rather compromises the necessity to keep order of busy lives. But, coming from the same company that created the eccentric Kojak Convertible waterproof coat, it's no surprise to find the BLCKCHRM 22X Yalta 3.0 is jam-packed with details, some of which address this particular issue.

> Find your nearest dealer here

> Buy this online here

So let's go through its features. Roll top for easy access and secure waterproofing? Check. Sturdy nylon sailcloth construction? Check. Multiple external and side pockets including specific options for phone and water bottle? Check. Internal 15in laptop pocket? Check. Chest strap? Check. Zipped side access for courier bag convenience? Er, check. Detachable waterproof inner tote bag? What?

2020 Chrome Blckchrm 22X Yalta 3.0 backpack - inner bag 2.jpg

Those last two concepts are a little unusual. I've only ever used roll-top bags in pannier form, where essentially they act as a sack with little much in the way of enhanced functionality. But the Yalta 3.0 is a 26-litre roll-top backpack with an almost full-length side access zip alongside the padded back panel. So, open the zip and you have access to the bag's side-mounted inners – including its laptop sleeve, three zipped pockets and one mesh pocket – just like a courier bag.

2020 Chrome Blckchrm 22X Yalta 3.0 backpack - side opening.jpg

On first opening of said zip, though, things can be a bit confusing because there's a profusion of Chrome-branded material in the way. Which leads us to the second quirk: a removable tote bag that can be Velcro-ed in place around the inner of the roll-top rucksack. Once you know what it is, it's quite clever and provides added usage, although in day-to-day use you may want to remove it for commuting and then refit it for shopping or transporting sweaty clothes.

2020 Chrome Blckchrm 22X Yalta 3.0 backpack - inner bag out 1.jpg

In terms of practicalities, there are a couple more factors to consider. The Yalta 3.0 passes the first, weatherproofing, with flying colours as the nylon sailcloth material, waterproof zips and super-sturdy construction prevent any moisture getting through. But in the case of the second, reflectivity, it could do better. There are a few flashes of reflective highlights here and there, on the roll-top-closure-retaining strap and shoulder straps, but – as its name suggests – it's 'BLCK' everywhere else.

2020 Chrome Blckchrm 22X Yalta 3.0 backpack - reflective 1.jpg

When it comes to on-the-bike performance, the Chrome Crossvent rear padding is good and provides decent airflow – even after a tough hour in the saddle, my back wasn't much more sodden than normal.

2020 Chrome Blckchrm 22X Yalta 3.0 backpack - back padding.jpg

In fact, my main complaint is the sheer size and specifically the length of the pack. With the design as it is, I find the roll-top pushes against the back of my helmet, especially when trying to sit a bit more upright for looking ahead on urban commutes. It's not so bad if you ride a drop bar bike but you'll want to position it correctly for flat bars.

2020 Chrome Blckchrm 22X Yalta 3.0 backpack - side.jpg

Comfort generally is good, though, with wide mesh and padded straps holding the Yalta 3.0 securely in place. Stability is excellent, too. As with most cycling-specific rucksacks, the Yalta 3.0 features only a chest strap rather than a hip belt. However, I think there's an argument that, being such a sturdy bit of kit with substantial carrying potential, it in particular would benefit from one. After all, Chrome seems to have included every other feature on its spec sheet.

2020 Chrome Blckchrm 22X Yalta 3.0 backpack - straps.jpg

Value and conclusion

"A hundred and sixty quid? Blimey, that's a lot for a rucksack," said my 12-year-old son when he saw me testing the BLCKCHRM 22X Yalta 3.0, and he's not wrong. But that price is not unheard of. The semi-hardshell Jack Wolfskin Neuron I tested recently costs £140 and offers much of the same functionality as the Chrome, albeit in a more traditional form and with a funky built-in lighting system. Meanwhile, the Trakke Wee Lug is very similar to the Chrome in terms of feel and build, but costs a whopping £220.

> Buyer’s Guide: 18 of the best cycling rucksacks

So I'd say the Yalta 3.0 is quite a nice middle way between something with mass-produced levels of practicality, weatherproofing and design, but also just a hint of boutique-style construction and eccentricity. Add the chuck-it-all-in simplicity of a roll-top pannier to the easy accessibility of a courier bag, and you've really got the best of both worlds.

Verdict

Fantastic on-the-bike pack that is built to last and ultra-functional – in fact, you might never need another bag

road.cc test report

Make and model: Chrome Blckchrm 22X Yalta 3.0 backpack

Size tested: 26L

Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

This is a super-sturdy roll-top rucksack with a huge range of practical considerations designed probably mostly with commuters in mind.

Chrome says: "Born from necessity, BLCKCHRM explores innovative materials and new methods of craftsmanship to blow past the limits of carrying and moving in the city. Inspired by technical sailcloth material and the 22-degree bias that gives it strength to resist tearing. The BLCKCHRM 22X Yalta 3.0 is forged from the toughest and lightest material we've ever made."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Chrome lists:

Weatherproof rolltop with 22X nylon

Cordura TPX Durable Laminate Technology

Removable taped waterproof tote liner

Quick access phone pocket with waterproof zip

Padded laptop sleeve fits 15in Macbook Pro

Size: 20in x 11.5in x 7in

Volume: 26L

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
10/10

One of the best-made products I've tested for a long time.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

Comfortable on the bike and excellent functionality.

Rate the product for durability:
 
10/10

This is built to last forever – owners of previous versions of the Yalta have happily used them for years and years.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
5/10

Although the material used is a lightweight version of its type, this isn't a particularly light rucksack.

Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
8/10

I was impressed with the rear padding – the length of the rucksack is my only complaint.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

It's decent value because it's also almost-boutique quality and performs so well. But it's not cheap.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

I've been really impressed with the Yalta. Its side-opening function makes it a great commuting option when you need a bit of organisation, while in roll-top form it's great for almost anything else.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The side-opening zip and overall construction.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

I'd like it to have a hip belt/strap and a bit more reflectivity.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

The semi-hardshell Jack Wolfskin Neuron costs £140 and offers much of the same functionality as the Chrome, albeit in a more traditional form and with a funky built-in lighting system. Meanwhile, the Trakke Wee Lug is very similar to the Chrome in terms of feel and build but costs a whopping £220.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

The BLCKCHRM 22X Yalta 3.0 is a really fantastic option for on-the-bike carrying, whatever your daily requirements. The fact that it's built to last and offers a range of uses means you'll probably never need another cycling bag. Only a few minor points prevent it being 'perfect'.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 39  Height: 6'0  Weight: 16 stone

I usually ride: Islabikes Beinn 29  My best bike is: 25-year-old Dawes Galaxy

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, sportives, general fitness riding, mtb, Leisure

Add new comment

2 comments

Avatar
bobrayner | 4 years ago
0 likes

Call me old-fashioned, but... what kind of name is "Chrome BLCKCHRM 22X Yalta 3.0"? That doesn't even include the capacity (which is 26, not 22). What were Chrome thinking? Is there a teenager somewhere who thinks that one incomprehensible product name isn't enough, and adding three more names will make the product even cooler? What are all these words for

Avatar
brooksby replied to bobrayner | 4 years ago
0 likes

They've done a Yalta bag for years (presumably this is version 3?).  I think "Blckchrm" (checks he typed it right) means their black-on-black styled range of bags.  IIRC they do a Blckchrm Citizen bag, etc.

Latest Comments