Oakley Tool Box Pack

The Tool Box from Oakley is a striking bag. There’re straps all over it, with compartments, side pockets and adjustable sections everywhere, while the helmet carrier tells you that this pack is aimed at the freeride set. There’s more to this bag than its looks though.

Inside, there’s a separate compartment to take a hydration reservoir, with a loop and clips on both straps to hold the tube. Oakley doesn’t supply a reservoir, you’ll need to bring your own. The main compartment is deep and voluminous at 19 litres, putting it at the larger end of the hydration pack market. They kept this part simple, aside from a couple of smaller pockets for stashing a mobile phone and credit card/cash, and a removable clip for your keys.

Out front, starting from the top there’s a small pocket just big enough for your MP3 player, complete with padding to avoid crushed music player misery. Alternatively we found it handy for keeping our house keys in when commuting. Further down, there’s a large semi-rigid goggle/shades pouch, while around the sides are pockets for pads, water bottles or anything you’d want to have easily accessible while riding – compression straps keep it all secure.

On the outside of the Tool Box is a removable helmet web to carry your full face while you’re pushing your way back to the top of the hill. There’s loads of adjustment on the four straps so it’ll take a range of helmets quite happily. With all this storage capacity, Oakley had to ensure that the Tool Box would still be comfortable. The shoulder straps get adequate padding, and there’s padding on the back – split into smaller chunks for a better fit. There’s a chest strap, and the adjustable waist strap has a lot of height around the hips for increased comfort by spreading the load. Your mobile phone gets catered for with a Velcro-closing mesh pocket on the front of the strap. We found that we could just squeeze an Ixus camera in here, which was a bonus.