Oakley is one of those “jack of all trades” brands. They are obviously known for their sunglasses, but they produce a ton of different products. Boots, gloves, and bags, to name a few. Oakley has been a huge advocate for the military community and offers a great discount to veterans and first responders alike through their Oakley SI program. I am a huge fan of Oakley products as are most of the men in the 75th Ranger Regiment. Most of our issued eye protection is Oakley branded and it is extremely common to see guys rocking Oakley assault gloves or boots while “Rangering” around. It’s also pretty easy to see that large chunks of society make Oakley their go-to for sunglasses, made obvious by the big O’s on the side of everyone’s sunglasses. When it comes to Oakley’s bags, their reputation holds true, they are high-quality pieces of equipment that hold up to sustained use. I’ve had an Oakley Icon backpack for years. Almost 13 years to be exact. It’s been through the wringer, and while it still works fine, it’s a little rough around the edges so to speak. Recently, I was fortunate enough to receive the Oakley Enduro 20L 2.0 Backpack to try out. This couldn’t have come at a better time as the holiday season is in full swing and like most people, I tend to travel pretty frequently around this time frame. Upon first glance, The Oakley Enduro 20L 2.0 looks pretty cool. Not too big, not a lot of frills, and 20L is a perfect size for myself. I also noticed that they have their old school Factory Pilot logo going down the pack which is a nice touch. Now onto the nitty gritty…
The backpack is pretty simple, it has one main storage compartment and a smaller outer-side zip pocket for quick access things; notebook, cell phone, med supplies etc. The main compartment has 2 padded sleeves internal, one of which can fit a laptop up to 15” (or an AR500 Armor backpack soft armor insert) and another which is a little larger than your average IPad (or tablet for you anti-Apple rebels.) One of the cooler features is a sunglasses pocket towards the top of the bag on the outside. The pocket is lined with a soft microsuede material just in case you lose your glasses bag and don’t want them to get scratched up. On each side of the bag, there is a mesh water bottle pocket with elastic around the top, which is pretty standard with most backpacks. The shoulder pads and back of the pack are slightly padded, and not overly so. (If you have read any of my other articles you will know that I am not a fan of overly padded straps. You also know that I am not a fan of things that are overly-engineered.) I don’t need a daypack that has a sternum strap and a padded waistband. I’m not loading down my daypack with 80lbs of shit, otherwise, I would carry a rucksack. I personally don’t like to walk through an airport looking like I’m about to go hike Kilimanjaro. Nor do I like walking around with an assault pack covered in Velcro looking like some basic training private. Oakley hit the nail on the head by leaving those things off of the Enduro 20L 2.0. The Oakley Enduro 20L 2.0 is 100% polyester and seems very well made. My last Oakley bag has lasted about 13 years, and I’m sure this one will be the same.
To end it, there really isn’t a whole lot more I can say about the bag. It’s a backpack. It doesn’t try to be something it isn’t which is a huge plus in my book. It isn’t too big nor too small, it’s not covered in Velcro, and it is well made. I’m a huge advocate for all things Oakley, as is the bulk of the Special Operations community which speaks to the quality of their products. The Oakley Enduro 20L 2.0 retails through Oakley for $50.00 which is insanely cheap for a high-quality backpack. It also pairs well with the Oakley FP Dopp Kit which is a toiletry kit worth checking out. They produce the Enduro in a variety of colors so take your pick. And if you’re a Vet/MIL/LE/First Responder type and you haven’t already, register for an account through Oakley SI for some great deals on gear.
Author – Tim M. is an Army Ranger who has served in Afghanistan and is currently a K9 handler for ARSOF. In his free time he enjoys shooting, working out and hitting the trails with the dog.