Best Gym Bags 2024 - Forbes Vetted

Oct 15, 2024

The best gym bags are the unsung heroes of any fitness regimen. Load them with apparel, shoes, electronics and the day’s essentials, and they dutifully haul your gear without breaking a sweat. Featuring separate compartments for clean and dirty clothes, nifty pockets for equipment and straps for mats or towels, what seems like a simple bag is actually a well-thought-out companion for the gym, studio and everyday life. We evaluated bags from Nike, Athleta, Under Armour and beyond to identify the best gym bags in 2024. As the seasons change and you transition from the road to the treadmill or the beach to the bench, invest in a gym bag to keep your stuff organized.

Employ one of the best gym bags to carry your essentials from home to the office to the studio and ... [+] beyond.

Based on our research and firsthand experience, the Nike Brasilia Training Duffel is our top men’s pick thanks to a handy separate compartment for shoes and exterior pockets for smaller items. Meanwhile, the Alo Yoga Mat Bag, our top pick for yogis, comes with a main compartment to carry your yoga mat and pockets for small essentials. And the Dakine Verge caters to those who prefer a backpack design over a duffel.

Nike

Dimensions: 23.6 x 9.45 x 11.8 inches | Materials: Polyester (partially recycled)

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Simple in its design, the Nike Brasilia Training Duffel is a classic carryall that’s always in style and ready for anything. Available in a few colors, the bag features a zip closure and multiple exterior pockets to hold your odds and ends. It also has a separate shoe storage compartment for your sweaty sneakers, and its main compartment is big enough to store football and basketball gear, according to reviews.

In terms of carrying options, it comes with a padded shoulder strap to offer a degree of cushioning if you’re hauling heavy loads, but grab handles also make it easy to move the bag about. Although it’s not fully waterproof, the bottom is coated in a water-resistant fabric to keep your equipment and apparel dry. For the price, the Nike Brasilia is a good all-rounder that caters to both casual and avid gym goers.

Amazon

Dimensions: 20 x 11.4 x 11 inches | Materials: Water-resistant nylon

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Ceneda may not be a brand name you’ve heard before, but it delivers on many fronts with the 20-inch duffel bag. Featuring a separate, air-ventilated shoe compartment, a waterproof pocket to store sweaty clothes and an adjustable strap to affix your yoga mat, it’s a serviceable gym bag for even the most avid athletes among us. There are also multiple pockets to discover—three at the front to tuck away your phone and keys, as well as side pockets (with inner elastic loops to secure your water bottle), a zippered pocket to store your cards and even a separate toiletry bag for your shampoos and body washes.

Carry options include a padded handle slung over your elbow or a detachable shoulder strap. Bonus: If you’re taking it on your travels, the trolley sleeve (with pocket) slides over your suitcase handle for easy transport. The bag is made from water-resistant fabric and comes in six color options.

Under Armour

Dimensions: 17.6 x 8.9 x 8.7 inches | Materials: Polyester

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If you want a quality gym bag without splashing the cash, look no further than the Under Armour Undeniable 5.0 Duffle. This lightweight bag is available in five colors and is made from durable UA Storm fabric, which means it’s treated with a durable water-resistant finish to keep contents safe and dry.

It has a ventilated pocket to tuck away your sweaty clothes and shoes, as well as an inside slip pocket to separate your smaller gear. On the outside, you’ll find a spacious front zip pocket and side mesh storage for grabbing what you need at a moment’s notice. And there’s even a loop to attach your key chain.

As with most gym bags, it has the option of an adjustable shoulder strap in addition to a double-top grab handle. While it lacks a lot of bells and whistles, those who simply need a gym-specific storage bag won’t find a more practical solution for the price.

Alo

Dimensions: N/A | Materials: Lightweight woven fabric

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If you’re looking for a gym bag that fits a yoga mat in addition to clothes, shoes and accessories, opt for a duffel that offers plenty of space and pockets. But if you simply need a bag to carry your mat and a few small essentials, the Alo Yoga Mat Bag will do the trick. It’s essentially a sling bag featuring a main compartment that’s designed to hold a yoga mat, and two small zippered pockets that fit a wallet, keys and earbuds. Alo also outfits the bag with a carabiner to secure your keys and a small bungee strap for a towel or sweaty top.

The biggest drawback to a bag like this is its limited potential—it can’t carry more than a yoga mat and a small layer or two at the end of the day. But if you’re a diehard yogi who simply needs a mat bag and can look past the sticker price, this is a great option that comes highly reviewed.

Athleta

Dimensions: 21 x 6.25 x 13.5 inches | Materials: Polyester (partially recycled)

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Fashion meets function with the Athleta All About Tote Bag. Made from partially recycled polyester, the bag features a water-repellent finish (wipe clean) to protect from sweat and light drizzles, and it’s UPF 50+ to protect the fabric on a sunny day.

Athleta, an athleisure brand, seamlessly blends active and leisurewear with a tote that transitions from the office to the gym. Slip away your laptop in the dedicated sleeve that’s separate from the water bottle storage pocket and pop your toiletries and gym essentials in the tote’s interior pockets. There’s also ample space to fold away your change of clothes as you switch from one outfit to the next.

While the tote only features two carrying handles, a handful of reviews note surprising comfort when hauling this bag on your shoulder.

Amazon

Dimensions: 20 x 13 x 9 inches | Materials: Nylon, polyester

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If you’re in the market for a gym backpack that carries your clothes, shoes and other accessories, you might as well opt for a pack that pulls double duty as a daypack, and that’s what you get from the Dakine Verge. In addition to gym-friendly features, like a separate storage compartment for wet or dirty clothes and pockets aplenty, it also comes with a 16-inch laptop sleeve, a fleece-lined pocket for sunglasses and an expandable zippered water bottle pocket. This makes it a great gym bag that you’ll pack with a day’s worth of essentials to seamlessly transition from home to the office to the gym and back again.

Of course, a true backpack like this is going to cost a bit more than a basic gym bag, which is why the Verge hovers around $70 when it’s on sale, or $140 when it’s not. But if you wind up using it as a do-it-all backpack for gym sessions, travel, work and so on, we think you’ll find that its versatility is worth the price.

At Forbes Vetted, we’ve published many expertly researched gear articles that cover a range of fitness topics. These include dozens of useful and insightful guides for those who regularly go to the gym, and those who simply wish to improve their well-being by being a bit more active.

To identify and recommend the best gym bags, we relied on our own expertise, consulted others who regularly go to the gym and read customer reviews from those who bought a gym bag with their own money.

Ready to invest in a gym bag of your very own? Before you do so, it's important to consider a few important variables to ensure that you choose a bag that meets your specific needs and preferences. These include:

Start by determining how much space you need for your gym gear and consider the types of workouts you'll be doing. Do you need only enough space for a spare set of clothes, or do you intend to use a massage gun, yoga mat or CrossFit shoes? Ensure a gym bag has enough room to accommodate your essentials without being too bulky.

A gym bag made from durable materials can withstand the wear and tear of regular use. Common materials include nylon, polyester and canvas, many of which are now being manufactured with recycled plastics. Though high-quality zippers and reinforced stitching are less important, they boost longevity if you’d like your gym bag to last for years to come.

You can never have too many compartments and pockets that make it easier to store and locate your essentials. Multiple pockets can help you organize your items effectively, separating your gym shoes, clothes, toiletries and small accessories to ensure nothing gets lost. Some bags on this list even have dedicated compartments for laptops or water bottles.

Gym bags feature three different carrying options: handles, shoulder straps and backpack-style straps. Some bags, like a tote, only allow for one carrying method, while others, like a duffel, often employ handles and a shoulder strap. Choose a bag with carrying options that are comfortable, especially if you have specific preferences or mobility needs.

The design and style of a bag isn’t critical, but it just might be the variable that determines how often you use your bag. You can find gym bags in a wide range of designs, from sleek and minimalistic to bold and colorful. Select one that aligns with your taste.

Consider how easy it is to clean and maintain the gym bag. Keep in mind that these trusty haulers can accumulate odors and dirt over time, so you'll want one that's easy to wipe clean or even machine wash after periods of extended use.

The most suitable gym bag depends on your needs. For example, do you prefer to shower at the gym and take a change of clothes and toiletries with you? Heading from the office to the gym and need a bag with padded straps that won’t hurt your shoulders? On that note, many bags employ separate compartments to store your post-workout clothes, shoes, tech and other equipment to keep your work essentials in safe distance from sweaty gym clothes. The same applies if your favored sport entails bulky gear—rackets, boxing gloves and maybe even a TRX for outdoor workouts. In this case, a bag with a larger capacity will serve you well. On the other hand, if a small towel and water bottle are all you have in tow, a smaller, easier-to-carry bag may be ideal.

If you tend to pack in a lot—a change of clothes, spare shoes, toiletries and gym bag equipment— you’ll know the haul can become bulky. In this case, a gym bag of around 30 to 40 liters is perfect for comfortably folding and storing your gym essentials, rather than overstuffing. If you’re storing hefty equipment too, something in the 60 to 70 liter range will better suit you. On the flip side, if you pack light for the gym, a bag under the 20-liter mark will mostly likely do the trick.

While there are many different fabrics to choose from, we recommend polyester for its durability, water resistance and the fact that it’s easy to clean. You might also consider nylon because it’s more affordable, though it’s also lighter and less durable. Some high-end gym bags feature leather constructions or accents, and while leather is a durable material, you should opt for a synthetic fabric that’s easy to clean over a natural material like leather.