Craft Cadence Roll Top 21L Backpack Review
Another cycling backpack?! Yes. For some reason, similar bags come to us in waves. Right after we received the Lomo Drybag Daysack, we also got the Craft Cadence Roll Top 21L to review. But the timing works well. As the weather warms up, we can get back on the bike to properly review these bags.
A few years ago, we tested a highly waterproof cycling backpack by Craft Cadence. Now we’re back with another of their bags, their 21L Roll Top Backpack. Similar to the previous one, the 21L Roll Top is intended for cyclists to use as an EDC bag and it prioritizes waterproofing. There are some key design changes, however, that make this a completely different bag, albeit for the same use cases.
Over the past several weeks of using the Craft Cadence Roll Top 21L Backpack, I’ve regularly cycled with it and used it nearly everyday as my work backpack. So I believe I got a good sense of the intended design
Disclaimer: This backpack was provided to us by Craft Cadence as a sample to review. We are grateful for the chance to try out the Roll Top Backpack, but as always, our reviews contain our honest opinions based on real usage, including both positives and negatives.
Overview and Access
As the name indicates, this backpack has a roll top opening. This is very common for cycling bags because it provides true waterproofing. Zippers can be sealed, aquaguard, and have zipper garages, but they are never absolutely waterproof because the zipper chain will always have tiny holes where water can seep through and there will always be a small hole by the zipper slider. A secure roll-top, on the other hand, can be totally waterproof, as long as the material is.
The Craft Cadence’s roll-top is secured by a center vertical strap with a G-hook. This hooks onto a daisy chain that runs down the middle of the front face of the backpack. This G-hook approach is actually not as secure as some other roll top bags that use buckles to hold the top down, like Craft Cadence’s 30L Roll Top and the Lomo Drybag Daysack that we just reviewed. That means you can’t use this backpack for situations where you might be submerging this bag or encountering heavy splashes of water (e.g., water sports). But it is sufficient for use in rain.
Personally, I like this central G-hook strap better. Since it’s only one strap, it takes less time to open/close than other backpacks that use two straps with side-release buckles (both bags previously mentioned). The design of the G-hook strap also lets you strap your jacket onto the outside of the bag, which I have done frequently with how confused mother nature has been the past several weeks in the northeastern US. An elastic strap keeper helps prevent the excess webbing from dangling around too. A drawback of this central strap, however, is that the rolled top can easily be crooked. All it takes it a tiny push or tap on one corner and you lose that satisfying symmetry. Then again… when it’s on your back, you won’t notice.
The roll-top gives you access to the main compartment, which is just a massive cavity where all the volume is. One nuisance with roll-top backpacks is that they are really deep, which can make it difficult to find things inside the main compartment. That becomes even more challenging with the Craft Cadence Roll Top because the inside is completely black. The backpack comes with a tech sleeve… which is also black. Craft Cadence does have a bright lime green version of the sleeve though, which helps a bit. But you still need to stick your whole arm into the bag to get anything at the bottom, and if that item is also black, then… good luck.
Organization
The Craft Cadence Roll Top 21L’s organizational features rely almost entirely on its tech sleeve. The tech sleeve attaches to the back of the main compartment with Velcro strips. It has a large laptop sleeve (14 x 11 inches), a zipped sleeve (12 x 11 inches), another 10.5 x 11 inch sleeve, two pen sleeves, and two small pockets (6.5 x 5 inches each). The small pockets are a good size for a mouse or glasses case. But keep in mind that non-flat items will protrude and you won’t be able to lay other flat items against the sleeve in a space-efficient manner. The experience with these small compartments could also be improved if they were elasticated. If you carry a lot of bulky items like chargers and a mouse, you might still be better off carrying an org pouch.
There is also a short keychain leash on the tech sleeve, which is a good thought but not great placement. You’ll have to open up the main compartment to get to your keys, so it’s not quick access at all. Further, since the main compartment is so deep, it’s not a quick process to get the keys out and since it’s a short leash, it’s hard to get out with one hand. So, it feels like the keychain leash wasn’t really given much thought.
There is a grab handle at the top of the tech sleeve, but this isn’t executed well either. The handle kind of gets in the way when you’re putting your laptop in or taking it out. It’s a very minor nuisance. Maybe if the handle were slightly shorter, it wouldn’t be in the way as much. Or just get rid of it. I can’t really see anyone carrying around just this tech sleeve.
Aside from the tech sleeve, the only other organizational features are two external side pockets with vertical zippers. While the pocket is 10.5 inches in height (and 5 inches in width), the zipper opening is only 8.5 inches. these are really great for their convenience, they are flat and don’t have their own volume. So if you put bulky things inside, it will push into the main compartment. Though my glasses case fits inside, it becomes difficult to pack the main compartment well because the glasses case starts taking away volume in the main compartment. These pockets are where the key leash should be placed.
Personally, I think a water bottle pocket would also be a great addition. I always carry a water bottle and since roll-top bags are a little less convenient to open compared to typical zipper backpacks, it’s a bit of a nuisance to have to deal with the roll-top just to get a sip of water.
Additional Features
- Daisy chains down the center of the front panel are not only for the G-hook strap but can be used as lash points for additional attachments or to hold your lock. Just keep in mind that U-Locks are really heavy, so if you don’t have large firm items in the main compartment, it can cause the bag to sag forward.
- Removable waist belt so your bag doesn’t jostle around as you ride. There is no padding on the waist belt, it’s just webbing straps. So, it’s not meant to relieve weight off your back, just to help stabilize the bag
- Adjustable sternum strap with whistle. It has an elastic component so that it feels comfortable and not too restrictive on your chest.
- D-rings as additional lash points on the shoulder straps
- Grab handle at the top of the back panel. It’s webbing wrapped in a soft plastic, so it’s not padded but still comfortable.
- Strap keepers help prevent the excess webbing from dangling. The backpack didn’t originally come with these plastic clips. But Craft Cadence reached out to me after I started using the bag to let me know that they were sending some over and that these would be included with the bag going forward. Personally, I didn’t find dangly straps to be an issue with the bag in the first place, but it’s great to see Craft Cadence being active and making improvements where they can.
Construction and Comfort
The key to waterproofing backpacks is in the material. While tarpaulin is the gold standard when it comes to waterproof bags, traditional materials like nylon and polyester can offer a decent amount of waterproofing as well by using a tighter weave or having additional coating. The Craft Cadence is a 600D polyester with a TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) coating with seamless welding, which is all to say that it has excellent waterproofing. However, it’s still not a backpack that you can chuck into a lake or take white water rafting. The G-hook strap doesn’t secure the roll-top well enough to treat it like a drysack. But still, it should be able to handle any type of rain you get caught in while keeping the main compartment dry.
Personally, I like the TPU-coated polyester design better than tarp. It feels nicer against your skin and doesn’t stick to everything it touches in the humid summers. One downside of the TPU, though, is that when this bag’s fabric rubs against your skin, your skin cells will make their presence known by leaving white marks. It’s especially noticeable on this bag because of the roll top. As you roll the opening down, your knuckles will wrap against the exterior of the bag. It has no impact on the usability of the bag; it’s just something you’ll notice soon after your first use.
The hardware all feels robust. The external pockets’ zippers aren’t YKK but still feel great, have aquaguards, and a zipper garage to handle rain. The plastic components all feel sturdy and the G-hook feels like an anodized aluminum. The craftsmanship is likewise great. The only thing I’ve noticed is that the top of the roll-top has slight ruffles in the polyester. It looks like it’s caused by the stitching of the the webbing to the lip of the opening.
The Craft Cadence Roll Top 21L comes in at 24.5 x 15 x 5 inches when it’s unrolled. The height rolled up depends on how tightly you roll it, but it’s somewhere around 18.5 inches if you do the standard 3 rolls. The backpack is 1.8 lbs without the tech sleeve, which is quite light for a 21L backpack. The tech sleeve adds 0.2 lbs.
The Craft Cadence Roll Top 21L has a nice EVA foam in the shoulder straps and on the back panel with a mesh covering. The mesh is not too abrasive, which was a complaint I had with their 30L roll top backpack. It actually feels quite nice. The foam on the back panel is ribbed, which reduces the amount of surface area against your back to a certain extent, and is split into four quadrants, allowing air flow between the pieces of foam. The shoulder straps are nicely contoured so it doesn’t pinch around your armpits. Overall, it’s a great design as far as EDC backpacks go.
Additional Usage Notes
The backpack has a built-in flat bottom piece, so it stands up pretty well well on its own, but as always, it also depends on what you pack inside and how you pack it. If you have the top unrolled, the bag is taller, which means the center of gravity is slightly higher than it would be if the top is rolled down (especially if you unroll it because you’re overpacking it). So this might make it less stable and less able to stand upright on its own.
The biggest complaint I have about the backpack is that the webbing straps are very smooth, like seat belt grade straps. Because of that, the straps loosen very easily as you put the backpack on. When I’m putting on the second shoulder strap, it will almost always unintentionally loosen and I will need to retighten it. Unfortunately, the strap keepers that Craft Cadence sent over don’t prevent this.
Summary
Overall, the Craft Cadence Roll Top 21L is an excellent bag. I like the look better than most roll tops. Despite the daisy chain down the middle, it still maintains a relatively clean look and the colored logo is a nice contrast. Some part of the organizational features could be better executed and a water bottle pocket would be very useful. It’s lightweight but comfortable and provides excellent water-resistance.
This bag works for commuters, particularly cyclists, who are looking for something that can handle any rainstorm and have a more minimal carry.
It’s not ideal for a highly organized person who wants a backpack with plenty of dedicated pockets and compartments.
Features: 3 of 5 — Relatively simple bag by design, but it covers all your basic needs. The daisy chains serve dual purpose and the G-hook strap is nicely done. The shoulder strap’s webbing do present a nuisance though.
Organization: 3 of 5 — Very little organization of the backpack by itself, but since it comes with the laptop/tech sleeve, that certainly makes up for it. Elastic on the sleeve pockets would improve user experience and there are always limitations with a tech sleeve vis-a-vis dedicated pockets/compartments. But the sleeve along with the couple external pockets provides enough to satisfy most people’s needs.
Construction: 5 of 5 — Excellent waterproofing from the TPU-coated polyester and robust hardware. After several weeks of daily usage, I have not noticed any concerns at all.
Aesthetics: 4 of 5 —Some people aren’t fans of how roll-tops look, but I think the Craft Cadence still manages a pretty good aesthetic. It’s slightly minimal with the clean black face and only the single daisy chain running down the middle.
Comfort: 4 of 5 — Good padding design on the back panel and shoulder straps, plus the straps’ contouring make this backpack relatively comfortable as far as EDC bags go.
Life-Integration: 4 of 5 — It’s a relatively simple backpack, so there isn’t really anything to learn and it’s easy to integrate into your life. You just need to know how to use typical roll top bags and get used to using the tech sleeve.
X-factor: 2 of 5 — Craft Cadence is a relatively small team and serves a niche corner of the backpack market, specifically aimed at cyclists. As such, it doesn’t generate a ton of fanfare. But with their other product lines (cycling gear), they do have a good offering.