COMFORT/FIT
The Chrome Rostov is a lightweight pack that provides decent overall comfort even while carrying heavier loads, including a laptop and a change of clothes.

While the Chrome Rostov does not offer a hip belt, its ergonomic shoulder strap design offer a wide-enough range to accommodate a variety of shoulder widths. However, the top of the shoulder strap harness is two inches deep and dug into our cyclist’s neck when in the cycling position. Loosening the shoulder straps helped minimize the annoyance but then compromised stability. The metal clip of the sternum strap can also be used as a bottle opener.

The thick padding of the EVA foam back panel adds nicely to the comfort of this backpack and allows for a moderate degree of breathability. However because our tester lives in in Minneapolis and tested this pack in November, she was unable to experience true back sweat.

STABILITY
The Chrome Rostov is moderately stable. Compression straps on each side and an adjustable sternum strap to help distribute load. However the shoulder straps had to be loosened to mitigate the yoke digging into the back our tester’s neck, which reduced stability when riding. 

STORAGE
The Chrome Rostov offers twenty-three liters of cargo capacity. Inside the pack is a waterproof liner and a padded laptop sleeve holds up to a fifteen-inch laptop. Additional internal organization includes a pocket large enough to hold an iPad mini, a pocket to hold a smartphone or sunglasses and two narrow pockets to hold pens.

Outside the pack, a zippered external pocket that zips down the right side allows the cyclist to access the outer pocket without fully removing the pack. An unsecured pocket on the right side of the pack holds a bike lock or water bottle.  

DURABILITY
Made of an abrasion-resistant military-grade 1,050 denier Nylon, the Chrome Rostov is a tough and well-constructed pack. The compression buckles are an industrial-grade plastic and the underarm compression buckles and the d-rings on the shoulder straps are industrial-grade metal. Mounting straps and webbing loops are all heavy-duty and strong. The bottom panel of the Chrome Rostov is made from 1680-denier ballistic Nylon.

EXTRAS
The Chrome Rostov offers a few options for reflectivity, such as two webbing loops on the bottom to hold a rear blinkie light and reflective webbing loops down the shoulder straps.

A metal d-ring on each shoulder strap allows the cyclist additional options to attach extra gear that requires quick access. The main pack compartment contains a waterproof liner and is secured with a seam-welded waterproof zipper. 

As with all Chrome bags, the Rostov comes with a lifetime warranty.