Craft Cadence Backpack

The Craft Cadence backpack is great looking, with loads of space and some clever storage ideas. It's aimed at commuting cyclists, designed to carry pretty much everything you'd need in a stylish and comfortable manner – and it does. It's up there with the best cycling backpacks, in my opinion.

It's a very well made bag. I'm a bit of a backpack nerd – I have owned custom bags as well as some messenger bags, and this one is up there with the best. It's made from 600D polyester with a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) coating and welded seams, and is tough and waterproof.

I got caught in some changeable weather during the test period and had no issues with anything getting wet. I kept phones and the like in the outside pockets and my laptop in the middle with zero fear that I was going to get home to find them swimming.

The bottom of the bag is made of a far thicker material designed to take some abuse, so you don't have to worry about throwing it around.

The metal buckle to get into the roll top feels like it's going to outlive me, let alone the rest of the bag.

The only bit I was a bit disappointed with were the waist straps, which seem like a bit of an afterthought. I had to do them up so tight to hold the bag in place that I found them uncomfortable – they have no padding and no flexibility, so when you breathe in and out they dig in.

I ended up simply removing them, and the only time I felt I could have done with them was hopping over speed bumps when my laptop would sometimes tap me in the back of the head.

Storage

There are three storage areas to the bag: the 21-litre compartment, and two zipped pockets on the outside.

Inside the main compartment are two Velcro straps holding an eight-pocket organiser sleeve. This includes a pocket for a 15in laptop (mine's a Dell Precision 7560) plus a large, zipped pocket. There's also an A4-sized pocket and some smaller ones, plus two pen holders with a key strap.

I used all these pockets and didn't have any issues with anything moving around. The only slight niggle I had was that if you remove the sleeve to organise your equipment, getting it back in without it sticking to the first of the two Velcro strips can be a pain.

Both zips on the two outer pockets have a waterproof seal, and the pockets themselves are big enough to put a phone or pump in. I used these for stuff I needed to get to quickly – keys, work pass and the like.

In addition to all of these pockets, the bag is covered in loads of extra little fixings to help you carry locks or attach lights: both shoulder straps have a plastic loop, and the back of the bag is covered in loops that are great for strapping your bike lock to.

Comfort

On your bike, this bag is very comfy – both shoulder straps are supportive yet flexible, with adjustment to distribute the weight where you need it. These are vented to try to keep you from sweating and I didn't notice any issues here.

On the rear there are four panels made of EVA foam and covered in a mesh. EVA foam is a high-density foam used in the sports industry to absorb impact. Here they're designed to increase the amount of air flow around your back while riding, and minimise the chances of a sweaty back.

I started using the pack back in the summer, and on really warm days – remember those? – I did have a sweaty back by the time I got to work, but it wasn't really an issue for me.

Visibility

Although Craft Cadence says the bag is designed for commuting, for some the visibility will be a bit too minimal: two small logos on the back of the bag and one strip per shoulder strap.

If you're worried about being seen then you might want to strap a light on, too.

Value

At the time of writing, you can buy this bag for £89.99, but even at its rrp of £94.99 it's competitive with other brands. It's just £5 more than Oxford's Aqua Evo 22L Backpack, which Steve tested last year and thought was excellent, and the 17L Ortlieb Velocity, which George reviewed in 2020, is £96 (the 23L is £106).

It's far cheaper than others. As Steve pointed out in his review of the Oxford, the Brompton Backpack made with Liberty Fabric Jonathan is £145 despite being 14L and only waterproof with a cover, and though Matt loved Chrome's BLCKCHRM 22X Yalta 3.0 backpack, it's £160.

Conclusion

I've really enjoyed using the Craft Cadence backpack while riding to work or to the shops. It's a great design that I would happily recommend.

Verdict

Great quality, loads of storage, comfortable to carry, and waterproof