Last Updated: April 4, 2022
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Oakley Kitchen Sink Backpack Review

FEATURED PRODUCT

Oakley Kitchen Sink Stealth Backpack

The Oakley Kitchen Sink Stealth is made for keeping your gear secure and organized whether you're taking on your daily commute or venturing into the great outdoors. It's comfortable, durable, and full of useful features that'll make your daily life a bit easier. View Latest Deal

Oakley is known for making excellent sunglasses but they also make great backpacks too. The Oakley Kitchen Sink backpack is quite aptly named as it kind of does have a little space for everything, except the ‘kitchen sink’. 

The Oakley Kitchen Sink Backpack is the perfect balance of where urban needs meet the great outdoors. They have really put a lot of thought into making this backpack and have filled it with features that are great for city life and commuting while being ready to handle the great outdoors too.

In this review, we are going to focus on the Oakley Kitchen Sink Stealth, which is their newest version. We have put everything you might need to know about the Kitchen Sink Stealth in this review, so keep scrolling through to find out why it might be the right backpack for you. 

To start off with, we are going to look at a brief overview of the Kitchen Sink Stealth to give you a bigger picture view before we get into the nitty-gritty details. 

Pros

  • Dual access through the top flap and the zippers makes the bag very secure
  • Padded laptop sleeve with its own zipper for quick access
  • Bottom wet compartment with a drainage hole
  • Lots of organizational pockets
  • Water-resistant
  • Durable materials plus a thick abrasion-resistant base

Cons

  • Two steps to access the main compartment
  • A bit heavy at 2.2lbs when empty

Product Rating

90Overall Rating
Materials And Durability
9/10
Comfort
9/10
Accessibility And Organization
9/10
External Gear Attachment Points
8/10
Value for Money
10/10

Product Information

  • Dimensions: 20 x 14 x 8 inches
  • Capacity: 34L
  • Material: 69% Nylon, 31% Polyester
  • Weight: 2.2lbs
  • Water Resistant: Yes
  • Compartments: 1 main compartment & 1 bottom shoe/wet compartment
  • External Pockets: 5 external; 2 side pockets, 1 shoulder strap pocket, 1 front organizational panel, 1 protected glasses/media pocket on the top lid
  • Internal Pockets: 1 padded 17" laptop sleeve with its own zipper access
  • Backpanel And Harness: Breathable compression-molded high-density foam back panel, adjustable harness length
  • External Attachment Points: 3 D-ring tie-downs, 4 fixed webbing points

Oakley Kitchen Sink: Materials & Durability

Oakley Kitchen Sink Backpack, Stealth Black, One Size

The Oakley Kitchen Sink backpack is made tough and it needs to be in order to keep up with the busy lives we all lead in this day and age.

Materials

It’s made from a blend of 69% nylon and 31% polyester both of which are excellent tear and abrasion-resistant materials. This means the Kitchen Sink will be able to take a few knocks and still come out on the other side no matter what your everyday wear and tear might look like.

Oakley has added an extra abrasion-resistant lining to the backpack base of the Kitchen Sink to enhance the longevity of the backpack by stop any wear from rubbing through into the wet/shoe storage compartment.

Water-resistant?

Both nylon and polyester are water-resistant materials and when combined with the layout of the bag, make the Oakley Kitchen Sink backpack pretty good at dealing with some weather. If you get caught in a downpour you won’t need to worry about your belongings getting wet while you look for cover.

Zippers

Now on to the zippers. There is nothing more annoying than a dodgy zipper that keeps getting stuck or simply opens up in the middle of a busy street. Thankfully the zippers and the metal clasps are all heavy-duty on the Kitchen Sink, there is little to no danger of rust or the zippers failing.

Washable?

The Oakley kitchen sink backpack is machine washable and if you do decide to put it in the machine for a clean, bear in mind the metal D-rings. These could damage your washing machine and it’s best to remove them before washing. We advise just wiping the bag down with a damp cloth and adding some soap if needs be.

Overall this is a heavy-duty bag that will stand the test of time. It also comes with Oakley’s 90-day manufacturer’s warranty against any defects, so be sure to check it on arrival.

Carrying Comfort

Oakley Kitchen Sink Backpack, Stealth Black, One Size

The Oakley Kitchen Sink is great for a number of reasons, is covered in pockets, and has a great capacity. But if you’re going to fall in love with it, it’s going to need to be comfortable to carry around. There’s nothing worse than an uncomfortable backpack but luckily for us, the Oakley Kitchen Sink has been made to sit comfy on your back.

Back Panel

The bank panel on the Oakley Kitchen Sink Backpack is made from breathable high-density foam. The foam is rigid while being soft to squeeze. This is ideal, as it will keep your back aligned while also providing enough padding to stop anything in the backpack from sticking into your back. It’s also nice to know that there is an extra layer of padding between the world and your laptop.

The foam, while being breathable, has also been shaped with grooves to allow for airflow. This is key in order to ensure the back panel is as breathable as possible to stop your back from sweating and overheating while you carry the backpack around. There is no better feeling than arriving at the office dressed smartly without a sweaty back.

The great breathability not only makes the Kitchen Sink great for work but also means it can be used in any season, hot or cold, from the top of a mountain to the subway in NYC.

Shoulder & Sternum Straps

The first step of ensuring maximum carrying comfort with a backpack is getting the shoulder straps to fit you perfectly. The Oakley Kitchen Sink comes with highly adjustable shoulder straps that work for both tall and shorter people.

They are made to be breathable and are padded to ensure maximum comfort. The shoulder straps are also quite wide to make sure they don’t dig into a groove on your shoulders and cause discomfort.

The sternum strap connects with a plastic buckle and is very easy to open and close. This strap takes some pressure off your shoulders and is key to maximum comfort.

Hip Belt

Hip belts evenly spread a load of a backpack to remove pressure from the shoulders and ensure that the weight is distributed evenly across your body, so as not to put a strain on one area more than another.

The Oakley Kitchen Sink backpack has a solid capacity at 34L and when fully loaded will be quite heavy. That’s why we were so happy to see a hip belt included and this addition really makes it a bag for the outdoors. You’ll be so happy to have the hip belt there when you’re hiking up a steep trail.

The hip belt is padded for extra comfort, fully adjustable, and is easy to open/close with the buckle. There is also webbing on the outside of each of them so you can store things you might want to access quickly.

Organization & Accessibility

Oakley Kitchen Sink Backpack, Stealth Black, One Size

In this busy day and age, it’s becoming more and more important to save time where we can. There simply isn’t time to be rooting around your backpack to find a pen or USB stick that’s slowly sunk to the bottom.

Does the Oakley Kitchen Sink Backpack have all the storage needs for our busy lives of today? Yes, it sure does, and here’s why.

Main Compartment

The main compartment of the Oakley Kitchen Sink is accessed by unfastening the metal buckles, opening the lid, and then opening a zipper. This may sound arduous and time-consuming but it can actually be done in a flash. Simply unclip the buckles and open the lid in one movement and then open the zip.

The added benefit of this double-step opening system is security. It’ll be very hard for anyone to try and slip open your bag and take something, and you’ll notice before they can get very far.

Once you’ve opened it up, the main compartment is very spacious and has enough room for you to hold all your books, weekend clothes, work files, and more.

There is a dedicated, padded laptop sleeve that hugs the back panel. It’ll fit most 17″ laptops but if yours is a bit wide/thick, it may struggle a bit. All 15″ laptops will slip in and out easily. One fantastic addition is that the laptop sleeve has its own zipper along the side of the backpack, so you don’t have to go through the secure top flap and can access it quickly.

Wet Gear/Shoe Compartment

At the base of the Kitchen Sink is a wet storage compartment. It’s accessed easily through a zipper at the base and keeps your smelly shoes or wet gear separate from important things, like your laptop.

It’s waterproof so water doesn’t seep through and has two drainage holes at the base to make sure any water in there gets out. It’s spacious enough for some normal hiking shoes but some large hiking boots would push through into space in the main compartment.

Top Glasses/Media Pocket

On the lid of the bag is a protected, hardish shell, fleece-lined pocket. This is easily accessed through a zipper and is designed to hold your sunglasses, iPod or mouse, safely and securely. Just remember to close it, or when you open the top, your gear could fall out.

Side Pockets

Each of the two side pockets is spacious enough to hold two small bottles of water or one big one. They are accessed through the heavy-duty zipper and are ideal for storing anything you might want to access quickly.

There are also velcro compression straps on each side pocket so you can secure your gear or use it for extra storage.

Front Organizational Panel

Below the lid is a front organizational panel that’s accessible through a zipper. It might look like you need to open the top to get in there but you don’t. It’s a breeze to get in there and once opened there are molded storage slots for your phone, pens, note pad, and a front sleeve for anything a bit larger.

Shoulder Strap Pocket

There is a small pocket on the left that should strap with a velcro tab. it’s quite a small pocket and you might be able to squeeze a phone in there but it’ll be more useful for keys or an MP3 player.

External Attachment Points

Oakley Kitchen Sink Backpack, Stealth Black, One Size

External attachment points aren’t so useful in city life but once you’re trekking in the great outdoors, they are essential. In order to bridge the gap between city and outdoor life, the Oakley Kitchen Sink Backpack had to include some, and here is what they added.

Metal D-Rings

At the bottom front side of the Oakley Kitchen Sink backpack are three metal D-rings. These are fixed, durable metal rings that are ideal for adding anything you might need to take along with you. You can clip on keys, karabiners, ropes, bike locks, and more.

Webbing

On both sides of the hip belt is some webbing. This is ideal to attach any small item to which you may need to access quickly but it’s not really in the right place to help with any bulky items.

Compression Straps

There are three velcro compression straps on each side pocket which could be used to attach on some extra gear if needed. They aren’t very long so it would have to be something quite thin to fit in there.

Value For Money

Oakley Kitchen Sink Backpack, Stealth Black, One Size

The Oakley Kitchen Sink is a great backpack. It’s well made, with great organization, comfort, and some hugely beneficial features. But, it’s not cheap, saying that it’s not that expensive either.

You can pay a lot more for a premium backpack with similar features. You could also spend a bit less but you would most likely be compromising on quality, durability, and the extra features.

It’s pretty hard to find a backpack that’s durable, secure, and does it all, from hiking and camping to commuting. With that in mind, plus all the features, our opinion is that it’s worth every penny.

Rating

With a rating of 90, the Oakley Kitchen Sink backpack has performed well against our rating system. The only place it really didn’t hit top marks was in the external gear attachment points category. Overall though, it’s a sold piece of kit.

Verdict

Oakley Kitchen Sink Backpack, Stealth Black, One Size

So, after reading this detailed backpack review – is the Oakley Kitchen Sink Stealth worth buying? In a word, yes.

If you’re looking for a backpack that can do it all, then this is a great choice. It’s been made for people who love to spend time in the outdoors but also have a busy work life and need to keep things organized, safe, and accessible. If that sounds at all like you, then go for it, you won’t be disappointed.

Oakley Kitchen Sink Backpack, Stealth Black, One Size
  • Versatile backpack featuring padded side-access sleeve for 17" laptop and brushed media pocket at top for protective storage
  • Front organizer panel and mesh optics pocket