When you’re trying to travel light, the last thing you need is to lug around a hefty and bag. And that tends to be what you get when you opt for some of the overbuilt designs you tend to see in market. Weight, after all, is the trade off for capacity with the durability and resilience to match. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Bag makers have started using high-performance technical fabrics that offer impressive tensile strength and inherent water resistance in remarkably thin and lightweight forms. The Chrome Industries Tensile Collection, in particular, wears its greatest attribute in its name, and the line deserves your attention in your search for your next EDC bag.
Tensile Ruckpack
The Tensile Ruckpack features the 3-layer recycled laminated nylon and polyester with crossbracing lined with 210D nylon that’s the signature touch of this line, in a stark white colorway that’s a rare appearance for the brand. The material is thin and lightweight, but still retains a lot of structure even when unloaded so the bag doesn’t fall in on itself when it’s unloaded or packed. light And the use of this material means that you get a full 25 liter pack with plenty of organization spaces inside and out at the cost of just 1.98 pounds when empty.
Less weight means you can actually add more gear if needed, or you can enjoy an even lighter load if you pare down to the essentials. Whatever you choose, there’s a dedicated laptop pocket for up to a 15″ device, a flip top + cinch opening that’s secured with Chrome Industries’ signature seatbelt buckle mechanism, and a quick access passthrough pocket for extra convenience.
Tensile Hip Pack
The Tensile Hip Pack sizes things down to a minimal 7 liters of capacity, and it can be used for either sling or hip carry. The main strap features the aluminum buckle that allows for quick release and length adjustment on the fly, and the waterproof YKK zippers help keep water out of your essentials. The Hip Pack is a great option if you’re looking to augment limited pocket space but don’t want to carry around a larger backpack.
In keeping with the core Chrome Industries design, you still get the seatbelt buckle mechanism front and center of the Hip Pack. There’s enough room for tech essentials including small electronics like a phone or a small camera, and a quick access front pocket sealed with a water-resistant PU zipper that allows for easy reach of important documents and valuables. And because of the technical material used in making the bag, it weighs just 0.84 pounds before it’s even loaded up with gear.
Due to the demand and limited nature of the Tensile Collection both bags are currently out of stock at the time of this writing, so be sure to sign up for notifications at Chrome’s site at the links above for when they become available again.
