Monster 'Roll-Top' Messenger Bag from Chrome

It’s called the Lieutenant, and the new messenger bag from Chrome Industries might just command that kind of attention or respect. The company ain’t messing around with this sucker — it’s a waterproof beast of a bag that packs up to 26 liters’ worth of goods inside and weighs a healthy 3.4 pounds when empty.

A padded strap with the company’s requisite seatbelt buckle straps the pig on your back. It seals shut with Velcro and a roll-top closure akin to what you see on a kayaking dry bag.

It costs $170. The aesthetic, like other Chrome products, grabs influence from Army Surplus as well as urban design. Tough Cordura nylon makes up its outer shell, while inside a “military-grade truck tarpaulin liner” keeps it watertight.

The 21-inch-wide bag will drape across your whole back, guaranteeing substantial sweat spots while pedaling in summertime. But if you need this kind of honking capacity — and a waterproof bag made in the USA to last for years — there are few options like the Lieutenant.

—Stephen Regenold