MC Tested: Chrome Ivan Roll-Top Bag

Backpacks are a motorcyclist's main means of hauling cargo, and no pack is more of a workhorse than Chrome's Ivan roll-top bag. This capacious sack can swallow a full set of riding gear or two 12-packs of Pabst Blue Ribbon without stretching a seam or cramping your shoulders.

Chrome is a crank-and-pedal company, not a crank-and-piston company, but its no-nonsense backpacks are suitable for either discipline. Designed for an arms-forward riding position, the Ivan's broad, contoured straps rest on your collarbone, just beyond the shoulder armor in most motorcycle jackets. Empty or loaded with 50 pounds of swag headed for the photo studio, the pack hangs comfortably and naturally on your back without restricting movement or creating pressure points.

Made from 1000-denier Cordura (the same stuff as an Aerostich suit) and assembled with tough hardware and heavy-duty stitching, the Ivan looks ready to take a serious beating. The massive main compartment is flanked by a large document sleeve and two oblong pouches secured with laser-cut, stainless-steel clasps. During the spring rains, my cargo remained dry thanks to the main compartment's waterproof liner, welded seams and watertight, roll-top closure. In fact, the Chrome folks are so confident in the Ivan's integrity that they claim you can fill it with water (or ice, to chill those two-dozen PBRs), if you're so inclined.

Chrome sells its roll-top packs in three sizes ranging from the pedestrian Pawn ($180) to the stupendously large Sultan ($220), with the Ivan residing right in the middle in terms of size and price. It's available in black, brown, olive and red-though not chrome, as its name would suggest.

Chrome Ivan Roll-Top Bag
Price: $200
Contact: Chrome
www.chromebagsstore.com

Verdict 4.5 stars out of 5
A sturdy, bicycle-bred backpack that works just as well on a motorcycle