Today we have come up with this Oakley Kitchen Sink backpack review. Customers have lately been crazy about this product, and others are going crazy about thinking what’s so special about this? So, you have come to the right place if you are looking for an answer to the same question. We have a detailed review, a whole article dedicated to Oakley Kitchen Sink Backpack. 

Well, when you first read Oakley, the first thing that comes in your mind must be sunglasses. Oakley is well-known for sunglasses, but their backpacks aren’t any less. Their backpacks come with the same quality and trust. But isn’t ‘kitchen sink’ a little weird for a backpack? That’s what I thought at first as well. But that’s okay once you come across all the features the company has for you. Probably that’s just meant to be weird, maybe to attract attention. 

Enough casual talks, let’s get into some real review now.

Build and dimensions

The back is pretty large when you compare it with other backpacks. The exact dimensions of this backpack as mentioned by the company is 36cm x 20cm x 51cm ( 14inches x 8inches x 20inches). It has a capacity of about 34L which is pretty good. You will get plenty of backpacks with this capacity or more, but the best thing about this backpack is not just the capacity but it opens up to give you access to a lot of space inside the bag, unlike others that have a small opening. The bottom of the backpack is made heavier and the top is made narrower for better stability. 

The backpack also has a flap on top of the bag which secures your items inside the bag. The flap can be closed by tying it with a pair of metal clasps. The flap also consists of an easy access pocket for sunglasses. The pocket is fleece-lined to ensure maximum protection, and is zipped. But overall the flap makes the backpack a bit difficult to access now and then. But don’t worry, you can still listen to your favorite song while on the go. The backpack has a port closed with rubber on top, that allows earphone wires to pass through for uninterrupted music. 

The backpack has enough space to accommodate most 17-inch laptops. So, go get ready for the extended excursion, or a day trip. The pocket dedicated to the laptop is well-padded to protect the laptop from the bumps. And another pretty cool feature about this backpack is it has a zipper that gives you direct access to the laptop compartment so that you don’t have to huddle between all those flaps and zippers to take out the laptop when urgent. And as the zipper is hidden in the back panel it’s safe too. 

The bottom of the backpack has a wet zippered compartment to let you keep the wet things separated from the dry ones, like shoes, etc. the backpack also features small dedicated zippered pockets to organize your stuff better.

Material

The backpack is made of 69% nylon and 31% polyester which makes it more durable as well as water-resistant. The fabric from which it is made is abrasion-resistant and can withstand a considerable amount of scrapping. The zippers are also made of heavy-duty metal. 

The backpack has two side pockets for water bottles, or you can use them as extra storage to keep things handy as they are not mesh-pockets. The side pockets also have compression straps to keep things secure. The backpack is also super comfortable, thanks to its breathable straps that are fully adjustable so that you can adjust according to your convenience. The back panel of the backpack is also made of breathable material to avoid sweaty back. It is very important that you feel comfortable carrying the backpack even when the backpack is heavy and you are in a hot and humid climate. The cushiony feel makes it even more comfortable by preventing the items inside the bag to dig into your back.

The backpack also comes with other straps for a better and more secure fit. It has a waist strap for added stability, adjust the waist strap and you are good to go. But to be honest,  a bit cumbersome to attach the waist strap, you need to thread it through a buckle and then secure it with velcro. Although the brand claims the backpack to be machine washable, all the metal clasps and hooks make it a bit difficult. So what you can do is, detach these metal bearings before putting the backpack into the machine. And another drawback of this backpack is all these metal things make the backpack heavy.

Design

When it comes to the design of this backpack, you must know by now it has that rugged look. The back[ack is designed to last for years, the material, the zipper, the flap, and everything. It has a bunch of pockets to keep organized the small items that you require now and then. You will see three metal handles at the front of the backpack, which can be used to attach gears. The structure of the bag itself is very stable. The bag comes in 3 different colors; black, stealth black, and herb. The stealth black has matte finish metallic handles and the black one has shiny metallic handles. And the herb is the trendy camouflage print. 

Pros and cons

Thanks for being patient and coming so far. Here are some bullets with pros and cons for you.

Pros

• Tough, durable abrasion-resistant fabric.
• Hidden in the back panel gives direct access to the laptop pocket without compromising on security.
• Secure and stable fit with adjustable waist strap.
• Wet compartment at the bottom to keep shoes or any wet item separated from the rest.
• Comfortable, breathable shoulder straps and back panel.
• Secure storage with the front flap.
• Spacious compartment and opens up to give you maximum access inside the bag.
• A bunch of pockets on the strap as well as the front of the backpack.

Cons 

• Access to the interior of the backpack requires effort.
• Metal accessories attached to the bag weigh down the backpack as well as make it difficult to be machine washable.

Comparison 

Here comes the best part of this article. We have also compared different popular backpacks from the same brand for a better understanding. We have compared the Oakley Kitchen sink backpack with the Oakley bathroom sink backpack, big kitchen backpack, and Ogio renegade (from a different brand). 

Oakley kitchen sink backpack vs bathroom sink backpack

Oakley bathroom sink backpack is the smaller version of the kitchen sink. The overall look and design of these are pretty much the same. The bathroom sink backpack has a capacity of 23L instead of 34L as in the kitchen sink. It is a much more compact version of the kitchen sink; the dimensions are 17″ H x 11.75″ W x 7″ D. So if you think the kitchen is pretty oversized for you, then definitely go for the bathroom sink. 

The Oakley bathroom sink backpack can fit most 13” laptops and tablets as compared to 17” in case of the kitchen sink. It is made of 80% Nylon and 20% polyester, so the fabric quality is moreover the same, both are water-resistant, abrasion-resistant fabric. So, in terms of material quality, Oakley hasn’t compromised even a bit. Be assured you won’t lose out on the quality of the bag. 

Similar to the kitchen sink, the bathroom sink also has a breathable, mesh-lined shoulder strap as well as a breathable back panel. Carrying the heavy backpack in a hot and humid climate is also comfortable. 

Another difference in the design of the backpack is the flap. The Oakley bathroom sink lacks the flap, which has both its advantages as well as disadvantages. The flap reduces the accessibility of the kitchen sink, so the bathroom sink keeps things handier as compared to the kitchen sink. And the disadvantage is that the absence of the flap reduces the security of the bag to some extent. But in my opinion, the advantage wins over the disadvantage. 

The other things like the side pockets, metal handles, zippers, media pocket are pretty much the same in both the kitchen sink and the bathroom sink. 

So if the choice is yours, if you want a backpack with lesser capacity and dimension then go for the Oakley bathroom sink. But if you want a backpack with much more capacity with the same functionality, then I would say go for the Oakley kitchen sink. The lesser the dimensions of the bag, the lighter the backpack is. 

Oakley kitchen sink backpack vs big kitchen sink backpack

As you can guess by the name, Oakley big kitchen sink is larger than the Oakley kitchen sink backpack. Compared to the 34L capacity of the kitchen sink backpack, the big kitchen sink has a capacity of 35L. Although the capacity isn’t that impressive, the interior of the bag feels a lot more spacious. It has a dimension of 24″ H x 17″ W x 12″ D, so now you can carry wider items in your backpack without any worry. 

The kitchen sink backpack has a waist strap, in addition to that, the big kitchen sink backpack has a chest strap as well for a better fit. Similar to the kitchen sink backpack, it’s big brother has flap closure in the front as well, which provides security. It also has multiple zippered pockets in the front for easy-access storage. The front of the backpack also features a compression-molded pocket which is semi-hard material to protect your glasses. 

The back panel of the backpack is nicely molded and cushioned for maximum comfort. This heavy-duty backpack is made for your comfort. The backpack is made up of 100%polyester, which makes it durable and water-resistant, as compared to 69:31 (nylon: polyester) in the kitchen sink backpack.

There are other small differences between these two heavy-duty backpacks that make a huge difference in the functionality. The big kitchen sink backpack has larger side-pockets and has two straps instead of one strap. There is also an extra metal carry handle attached to the back panel of the big kitchen sink backpack, which the kitchen sink backpack lacks. Another major difference in terms of looks is the big kitchen sink is much less tapered than its counterpart, which makes it look more aesthetic.

We like both these variants from Oakley. But in terms of looks and due to some additional features in the big kitchen sink backpack, it might be more appealing to some. Both are of great quality, and equally long-lasting. So these are the things you don’t have to worry about. 

Oakley kitchen sink backpack vs Ogio Renegade backpack

Now we move on to the comparison between two different brands to see which one wins over our expectations. So far we have compared the Oakley kitchen sink backpack with other backpacks from the same brand. 

Ogio Renegade comes from the same price range, and hence chosen for your comparison. This backpack was launched back in 2017 with high expectations. The backpack is made of 600D polyester Pindot, which makes it tougher than most other laptop backpacks. Comparing it with the kitchen sink backpack, they do not mention which denier polyester or nylon they use. But both of them feel almost equally tough.

The Ogio Renegade fits any 15-inch laptop, and ultra-slim 17-inch laptop. So here the kitchen sink backpack wins over the Ogio renegade if you want to carry a 17-inch laptop. But don’t let this convince you yet that Ogio Renegade doesn’t have enough space to store all your accessories and essentials. It has a capacity of 30L, which is enough to carry all your stuff. The interior of this backpack is designed in such a nice way that it will feel so spacious. The dimensions of this backpack are 19.5″ H x 14″ W x 10.5″ D. 

It is great for regular use, like business purpose, school, college, workplace, etc. while the kitchen sink backpack is more suited for adventure trips, hiking, camping, etc. Another very unique thing about the Ogio Renegade is its side pockets, you can use it as an extra storage area and secure it with the zipper. Other than that it has a dozen pockets and zippers to store everything you need. 

As we have mentioned earlier, the Ogio Renegade is best suited for regular uses, it is much easier to access your items with Ogio Renegade as compared to the kitchen sink backpack from Oakley. And the kitchen sink backpack is best suited for more tough uses like hiking, camping, etc. So, the choice is completely yours, if you want a backpack that’s more sophisticated then go for Ogio Renegade, if you want a more rugged-looking backpack for your next adventure trip, then go for the kitchen sink backpack. 

Read more: Best Waterproof Laptop Backpacks

Conclusion

We have discussed everything about the Oakley kitchen sink backpack starting from the material, design, quality, and everything. We have also compared it with other heavy-duty backpacks in the same price range for youtube to understand better. Oakley has put so much effort into its backpacks that it’s worth mentioning. Although there are a few extras, which might be unnecessary for some people. Oakley surely maintained their goodwill with backpacks as well.

Hope this article is helpful. Let us know your thoughts in the comments 🙂