Fitness is a big commitment; you’ll need a gym bag that’s up to the task.
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You don’t have to be a fitness enthusiast to feel the need for a high-quality gym bag. Whether you’re a professional athlete or you happen to work out regularly, you need a convenient way to carry all your workout essentials.
As much much gym bags are meant to be strong and rugged to withstand several months of use and abuse in the gym, it’s better to go for something cool, functional, and good-looking that can be used outside of the gym. The good news is that in this article, we’ll look at some of the best gym bags that are fashionable and classy enough to be conversation starters.
The material used in making the bag determines how long it lasts and what items you can use it for.
Generally, nobody wants to bring a lot of stuff to the gym. However, it’s better to have a bag with a sizeable capacity for the few times you may need to carry lots of gear.
It doesn’t make sense to spend time reading about the best gym bags if the durability of the bags does not matter to you. So we also looked at their durability through our review.
The price is important, if not for anything so that you won’t feel cheated when you get to the gym and others have better bags at lower prices.
Best Pick
A stylish gym bag for anyone who takes fitness serious.
This large and fashionable bag with a dedicated shoe compartment can hold all your gear in one go. With its 95-liter capacity, it makes a great choice for couples or gym partners who don’t mind sharing a bag.
This bag is by no means a typical gym bag; it’s a fashion statement. If there is one bag that can double as a gym and a travel bag, it’s the Nike Brasilia 9.5. It comes with a decent number of inner and outer pockets to help keep your essentials within reach and a dedicated shoe compartment. You don’t have to worry about sweat-soaked clothes ruining the interior because the bag is made of recycled polyester. It’ll be as good as new after a quick wipe-down.
Runner Up
This medium gym bag is perfectly rugged for the everyday fitness fanatic.
Following a workout regimen regularly is no easy feat. That’s why this Adidas Defender is built with durable materials rendering tough enough to see you through those rough gym days.
Available in six different colors, this pick has all the bells and whistles of a modern gym bag. This medium duffle bag should be a staple in every gym bunny’s closet. It’s tough enough for everyday use and has plenty of pockets for organizing your workout gear. The bottom of the bag is water-resistant to help combat the wet conditions found in most gyms and sports facilities. And if being stylish boosts your workout moods, you get six vibrant colors to choose from.
Most Cost-Effective
Packs all the bells and whistles in a compact package complete with a shoe compartment.
If you prefer a smaller gym bag, you are in luck. The Puma Evercat is a worthy contender because its design is not limited by size. You still get all the other amazing features offered by bigger bags.
Our budget contender allows you to pack all you need without breaking the bank. Cheaper does not always imply inferior quality. The Puma Contender packs a punch in a compact design without sacrificing style or quality. It’s especially useful for anyone who doesn’t need to bring much to the gym. Even though it’s smaller, it still has a dedicated shoe compartment.
Best Pick
Runner Up
Most Cost-Effective
Going to the gym has this cool vibe to it especially when you are kitted up in full gym regalia with your shoes, shorts, and t-shirts, topped off with a great gym bag that accentuates your style. We recognize though that style should not be the most important thing to look out for and that’s why we write this review to include everything you would be considered in a gym bag. So this is for people who want to get the most experience for as long as they can from their gym bag.
Gym Bag vs Duffel Bag vs Backpack
A gym bag is a kind of duffel bag specifically made for the rugged nature of the gym. It is made bearing in mind the specifications of the gym’s needs and usage. Things such as sweat, different kits, and different sports tools. They are made from sturdy materials, have extra compartments, and have hard bottoms with rectangular bases.
A duffel bag on the other hand is a general-use bag more rounded at the base and smoother exterior. It has an open structure with a zipper on the top in most cases and was named after a town called Duffel, near Antwerp in Belgium. It is used for travel, hunting, gym, exercise, and even in business environments.
A backpack is quite different from these two because it is carried on the back with the bag on your back while the duffel and gym bags are carried on one hand with the bag hanging on one side of the carrier.
We independently research the options available without affinity to any particular but beyond that, we understand that nobody wants to buy a gym bag and regret their purchase so we lay it all out for you so you always make informed decisions in your purchases.
We start by evaluating the materials used in making them because it needs to be rugged and strong while also giving allowance for the air to ventilate the bag, removing the sweat and fluid that can enter the bag.
This means that things like leather cannot be used because while they are strong and last long, they retain water. The best material for making bags has to be nylon or polyester. We also look at the straps and clasps used for the bags so that you don’t have a durable base but a weak hold.
Then we also look at the capacity. We consider if it can carry different sports gear like a tennis racket. On average, gym bags are around 30-40 decimeters; big enough for your equipment, yet small enough for air trips should you need to use them as such.
The price is also under review. In your search, you will find out that it’s easy to see bags that are unnecessary costs without offering anything more than the medium-priced ones. Needless to say that we discarded those for the medium-priced bags that offer you the same as the big prized bags. Sometimes even more.
Lastly, we look at the exterior features. The ease of usage and durability of the zippers, the different compartments bearing in mind their allowance for wet and dry things, and the designs. Our picks include bags ranging from simple and unassuming to embellished and adorned.
Our Best Pick
A stylish gym bag for anyone who takes fitness serious.
This large and fashionable bag with a dedicated shoe compartment can hold all your gear in one go. With its 95-liter capacity, it makes a great choice for couples or gym partners who don’t mind sharing a bag.
This bag is great if you are looking for a gym bag that can still double up as a travel bag. It’ll be able to carry all your gym essentials thanks to the inner and outer pockets and a shoe section well secured with a zip. While simple in design, it does tick all the right boxes. It is also made out of polyester with a waterproofing feature.
While this is a fantastic bag, it only comes in one color, black. This may be the standard color for most gym bags, but it does help to have choices especially if you are a stylish person.
While it is the costliest of the lots listed here, it is definitely worth the price with a 4.8 rating out of 5 and over 5,700 reviews on Amazon. It is easy to clean and maintain. Plus a reinforced bottom that protects your things and a separate water-resistant area to keep your shoes and sweaty towels.
Dimensions: 28 x 14 x 14 inches
Capacity: 95 liters
Detachable shoulder strap
Material: 100% polyester
Weight: 1.54 pounds
Our Runner Up
This medium gym bag is perfectly rugged for the everyday fitness fanatic.
Following a workout regimen regularly is no easy feat. That’s why this Adidas Defender is built with durable materials rendering tough enough to see you through those rough gym days.
If you are on a sports team that travels around for games or you are always transiting from one place to another, then this is the bag for you. Highly sturdy with a water-resistant base that can be left in a wet area without fear of water penetrating inside the bag. It comes with different well-ventilated compartments that cater to your different kits and their sizes. It has an adjustable and removable bag strap that is sufficiently padded, dual top handles, an interior pocket, and two exterior pockets.
The bag is amazing but unfortunately, the shoulder strap is attached to the bag using plastic hooks that squeak a lot.
The Defender comes at an amazing price, it is made with ripstop fabric for extra resistance against tearing. However, you have to be careful with handling because it is not double padded to protect your items in case of collision. So while it is reinforced, and water-resistant at the bottom, the polyester on the non-water resistant part is not extra padded. One more thing that we absolutely love is the fact that it comes in a range of colors.
Dimensions: 24 X 13 X 12 inches
Material: 100% polyester
Weight: 1.31 pounds
Adjustable and removable 8.75 inches shoulder strap
Most Cost-Effective
Packs all the bells and whistles in a compact package complete with a shoe compartment.
If you prefer a smaller gym bag, you are in luck. The Puma Evercat is a worthy contender because its design is not limited by size. You still get all the other amazing features offered by bigger bags.
A great bag from a brand you can trust. This is great for you if you want the big things (brand name and big gears) at a cheap price. Cheaper than the lot, it doesn’t compromise on the quality and rigidity of the others. It is peculiar with its spacious interior that contains quite a lot, many compartments, and a lightness of weight. The big zipper gives you easy access to the many things you are carrying with a well-ventilated interior. It comes with a different compartment for the shoe and different options for carrying it.
While it is light-weighted, it’s not very sturdy or durable. It is also not machine-washing friendly but beyond these, it is a great bag that does the job.
This bag is cool for light users and a quick trip when you don’t need to pack a lot. The price just makes it so you don’t have to think a lot in the consideration stage, and you really shouldn’t do that with this bag if you are looking for something cheap.
Material: polyester
Dimensions: 21 X 10.5 X 9.5 inches
Weight: 1.5 pounds
Almost Made The Cut
A stylish old but gold duffel bag with special designs for wet gear
It is quite accommodating as you can use it to carry different sports gear of varying shapes and sizes. Plus the overall construction is strong enough to last for long, and it comes complete with a flat structured bottom.
Originally produced over seven years ago, this bag is still in great demand because it is reliable and the users love it. It is medium-sized and feature-rich with its various compartments such as the separate water and shoe compartments it has.
The water bottle holder is not big enough for all kinds of bottles. There are also some big doubts about the velcro not being strong to last for long.
The Everest gym bag is a great duffel bag with a spacious interior, two pouches with zips, a side mesh pocket, and an adjustable shoulder strap. All these at an average price that does not break the bank.
Dimensions: 18 X 11.5 X 10.5 Inches
Capacity: 32 liters
Weight: 2.5 pounds
Material: polyester
Adjustable shoulder straps
There are four things to remove while cleaning your bag; dirt, dust, stains, and sweat odor.
To get rid of loose dry particles you can use a handheld vacuum, a lint roller, or turn the bag upside down and give it a nice shake. After this, you can some antibacterial wipes to clean out the inside of the bag. If the bag needs a little deep cleaning, start by using a scrub brush adequately soaked in a water and detergent mixture to thoroughly clean the outside of the bag and rinse away the foam gently. You don’t have to soak the bag in water, especially for a quick clean.
For stains in any part of the bag, use a stain remover. For smelly bags, after cleaning the inside with the soapy scrub brush, you can let them air dry in an open space. Also, add moisture-absorbing packs and deodorants to clear the stench while in storage.
If you will prefer to use a washing machine, remove the straps and any item that can damage the inside of the washing. Turn it inside out, put it inside the machine, and wash it delicately on cold. You can also put some vinegar into the machine to help fight the stench. After all, do not forget to adequately dry outside.
When you are not using the bag, store it in an aerated place and do well to sundry it in between times of use.
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