Chrome Industries Warsaw 30L Pack

The Chrome Industries Warsaw 30L Pack is ideal for commutes where you need that extra bit of luggage capacity, or for weekend breaks where you want to pack fast and light. It's comfy to wear, mostly, with a decent amount of reflectivity, and all the pockets for your gear that you realistically need.

> Buy now: Chrome Industries Warsaw 30L Pack for £97.47 from Alpinetrek

The Warsaw is a mid-size pack that makes it ideal for all kinds of trips – it's not cycling specific but is adept on the bike as well as off.

It looks fantastic in my opinion, and as well as this black version is available in sage or 'Black XRF'. The latter is constructed from a mix of recycled 210D nylon, polyester, polyester taffeta, and 210D recycled nylon with TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) laminated, while the black and sage options are mostly recycled nylon (1050D and 210D).

The XRF option is possibly lighter and more water resistant (I didn't have this bag to hand, so can't confirm this), but the straight black one on test is reasonably light at just over 1.2kg (a little more than Chrome's 1.11kg spec), and is certainly built well enough to take on anything – the bottom of the bag features a heavier-duty material, so there's less chance of any wear holes here. While Chrome doesn't specify any level of waterproofing, the interior is fully lined in a weather-resistant tarp material.

Whichever colour you choose, the Warsaw is PFAS-free, so no harmful chemicals were used in its construction.

If you do go for the Black XRF option (an additional £10 over the price of the regular Warsaw), it has the advantage of a large reflective panel on the front flap. The regular bag isn't short of reflective flourishes, mind, with several areas on the front and some on the straps, but the Black XRF is superior in this regard.

At 48.26 x 30.48 x 15.88cm the bag is chunky but usable day-to-day, and comes in comfortably under all cabin bag airline allowances, so perfect for short trips.

Storage space

Its storage capacity is plentiful, and as the interior is one big space you can cram loads inside. On a trip to the local supermarket, I was able to fit several cartons of oat milk, a small loaf, veggies and plenty else with a little room to spare. The bag's messenger-style flap keeps the interior secure, and the single large release buckle means it's easy to open or close. There's plenty of adjustability to suit however full the interior is, and a hook keeps any excess in place.

There's room for all your other gear, too – the outer front section of the bag has a zipped laptop sleeve, which is big enough for my 16-inch MacBook Pro. It's not padded, although as it's at the front of the bag it won't be sitting against your back. The pocket is also lined with tarp, like the main compartment, and given the bag's flap goes over the zip, water ingress shouldn't be an issue.

Elsewhere, I loved the two small pockets, which are a perfect size for various small accessories like keys, AirPods, lip balm, and more. The magnetic flaps make it quick and easy to retrieve your goods when you're in a rush, and they feel very secure on the move.

Beneath these pockets is a narrow zipped pocket that's as wide as the bag, though I couldn't entirely figure out what this might be useful for, and tended not to bother with it.

There's also a small zipped stash pocket on the right hand side, which is useful for putting items you'd prefer to keep hidden in a public space.

Lotta bottle

Unlike some backpacks, Chrome has wisely given the Warsaw two bottle pockets on either side of the bag, which is useful if you like to keep hydrated on long days. Possibly less wise is the inclusion of straps above each bottle pocket, presumably for keeping particularly long bottles secure, which is fine, but I can't understand why the straps need to be so long.

Speaking of extra straps, there are two more with release buckles at the bottom of the bag, which is useful if you need to carry an additional load, such as a helmet, coat, or even a roll mat. My only gripe here is that when they weren't in use, I could feel the rolled-up straps touching the bottom of my back. Not a huge deal, but I'd prefer the option of being able to remove them altogether, or tucking them inside the bag out of the way.

On to the carrying straps, and they're just wide enough and chunky enough to offer a decent level of comfort, even when the bag is full to the brim, while a small cross-body strap gives you additional security.

There's also a carry handle at the top, and a decent level of padding on the back too.

The main straps have loads of adjustability for different back lengths or preferences, so you can have the bag sat right at the top of your back (which is what I normally go for), or hanging so low it's off your buttocks.

This is all well and good, though the downside is that when you do have it fully tightened, there's loads of excess strap, and for some reason Chrome has chosen not to add any kind of strap holder, so the excess dangles around. I put my own Velcro straps around them to stop this.

Value

As is often the case with Chrome Industries kit, the Warsaw is at the pricey end of the spectrum. We've reviewed a few that cost more – mostly from Chrome! – though the same size Camelbak H.A.W.G is only a fiver less at RRP. Liam thought it was excellent.

You can spend less: Decathlon's Elops Cycling Backpack Speed 520 is now £63, though its 25L capacity isn't quite as generous as the Warsaw's, and if you like Chrome's products then the Elops probably isn't going to appeal. But at least you'll get noticed, and your stuff is guaranteed to stay dry.

Another similarly inconspicuous option is Craft's Cadence Cycling BackPack Roll Top Waterproof, up a tenner since we reviewed it in 2023, to £109.99. Again, it's fully waterproof, and matches the capacity of the Warsaw at 30L.

For my money, I'd want something a lot more stylish than either of these, given the bag would be used for a bit of everything, but if you just want to get the job done, they're fine.

For more options, check out our guide to the best cycling backpacks.

Conclusion

Overall, there's certainly lots to like about the Chrome Warsaw, and it makes a great option for one bag that can do it all. Some of the design choices strike me as a little odd, such as the side straps for bottles, but nothing that's a major deal breaker.

> Buy now: Chrome Warsaw 30L Pack for £97.47 from Alpinetrek

Verdict

Brilliant, if expensive, backpack that can do it all in style, with just some slightly odd design details