Greenroom136 Metrorunner: Review

We are no stranger to Greenroom136, a Malaysian bag maker that has produced a long line of backpacks and messenger style bags. Their latest, the Metrorunner, is a 6L sling bag that seems to be a smaller and updated version of one of our favorites; the larger Metromonger.

Tech Specs

	Metric	Imperial
Length	33 cm	13 in
Width	12 cm	5 in
Height	15 cm	6 in
Capacity	6 L	366 cu in
Weight	720 gm	1.6 lb

Primary Materials

1000D Cordura Nylon

Quality and Comfort

The Metrorunner is made with 1000D Cordura all around with a 420D ripstop inner shell. The materials are polyurethane coated to improve water resistance, though it’s not waterproof. The zippers are #10 YKK all around which feel great to use. Construction overall is top notch as we’ve come to expect from GR136. Built like a tank would be an appropriate description.

The single strap is two inch seat belt material. The bag comes with a detachable padded mesh backed shoulder strap. The pad is not strictly necessary on a bag this size, but it does increase comfort. I like the way the strap itself is managed – it loops back onto itself so that there is never a dangling free end to get caught. There is a buckle at the end of the strap if you want to take the bag off quickly. This setup allows for quick on-and-off but the clean design means it’s not quite as easy to make micro-adjustments.

Note that the strap is not technically reversible. It is designed mostly for left shoulder carry because the buckle is closer to one end. If you carry the bag on your right shoulder, the buckle will be over the padded strap. It is usable but not as convenient or as comfortable.

The back panel is padded with a mesh back flanked by four D rings. You can use them for an optional chest stabilizer strap, or just to clip other items onto the bag as you see fit. Finally there is a small but very useful handle in the center back – useful for quickly grabbing or positioning the bag to access the inside.

The Metrorunner comes in multiple colors and two design. The one shown here is the tactical version, with a loop field for patches and two small rows of PALS webbing. If you prefer a cleaner look, there is a slick version with a plain front.

There are side compression straps on both sides of the bag. While they are not completely necessary, I find them useful if I have to hang a small hoodie on it, or a face mask.

Organization

The Metrorunner has a two compartment design typical of GR136 single strap bags. The front compartment has a 2cm / 1 inch depth. I use this compartment as the admin area, carrying my pens, notebook, and wallet. The back wall of this compartment has two small pockets and two small pen slots symmetrically positioned. The small pockets have a width of 12 cm / 4.75 inches, perfectly sized for my small notebook and my front pocket wallet. There is another D ring on the top side corner where I use a (not included) key leash to stash my keys. This still leaves room for snacks and other smaller items.

The main compartment is 10 cm / 4 inches deep. The front wall consists of three equal sized pockets each about 10.5 cm in width. The back wall has two unequally sized pocket. The larger one is about 21 cm, large enough for my kindle. The smaller one is about 10 cm wide, good for a small pouch or larger wallet. You can certainly fit a large water bottle in the main compartment if you don’t mind it being loose. I keep my small selfie stick / camera stand, battery pack and cables, and a small EDC pouch here on most days.

Note that because the Metrorunner is only 6 inches tall, it will not find larger tablets inside.

Since the Metrorunner is designed for use in an urban environment, there are two secret pockets on the bottom of the pack. They have a thin strip of hook and loop to keep them closed and are sized perfectly for a transit card. Of course you can also stash away some cash in there, or use it for other EDC items you want quicker access to. Note that I find the very small bit of hook-and-loop can be opened easily if I put heavier items in that pocket. So it is better for lighter or disposable items.

What’s Perfect

• Especially in these times, the 6L size is perfect. The rectangular shape means it can carry to the max capacity of the bag without odd corners and patterns taking up usable space.
• I like the various sized internal pockets. It helps keep items organized but not over-organized. As a EDC bag, I tend to put lots of smaller items inside.
• This is a well built bag with hefty materials that will last a long time.
• I always like the choice of colors with Greenroom136’s product. This time they added the slick vs tactical version giving everyone a lot of choices over how one’s bag will fit that individual’s style and preferences.

What’s Not

• I find the zipper pull extremely noisy. First thing I did was add paracord zipper pulls over them, as seen in the photos. You can go further and remove the metal pulls completely.
• I wish the hook-and-loop closure on the secret pockets were larger, or used a different closure altogether. I understand the use of the smaller strip is by design, so that a card can be removed or inserted easier, but it would be nice to find a way to use that pocket for heavier items.

Wrap Up

The Metrorunner is the third bag in the Metro line. The Metromonger is a larger sling bag that can comfortably carry a 13 inch Macbook Pro and the Metrodrifter is the mini-messenger that also offers similar capacity and organization. I have owned both – the Metrorunner, in my view, is an improved and smaller version of the Metromonger. Greenroom136 has taken a popular bag style and created a version that is easy to carry and easy to use. I can only hope that they will bring out a VX version of this bag in the future, and port some of the improvements over to the Metromonger line, which I’m sure we’ll see. Keep watch in The Perfect Pack for announcements around that.

The Metrorunner is available directly from Greenroom136, comes in a variety of colors, and retails for about $70 USD before shipping.