Best Gym Backpacks – Best Gym bags Recommended by Fitness Guru

Gym backpack comes in all shapes and sizes, and no gym bunnies have time for that? They’re all about making gains. So let us save you the hassle and list out the top 10 gym backpacks.

As countries begin to roll out the booster dose for COVID-19, the world’s economy is slowly and steadily advancing towards a “new normal”, which means many businesses are reopening their doors, and so is the gym industry. Therefore, many are seeking to resume their training and are doing many of the prepping.

Among the common appurtenance of an average gym enthusiast, a gym backpack is usually the least thought about item. Why is it? Nobody knows really, why an item that packs and protects all of your stuff would end up last on the least of concern.

Gym backpacks are much different than any other bags, as they are designed specifically to boast features that many gym goers never knew they needed. Unlike casual bags, gym bags are lighter, more versatile, more durable, and are designed to be manoeuvred around easily, like being hurled into the benches or being emptied out quickly. Gym sacks are also designed to be able to distribute the weight evenly so as not to inflict any kind of unnecessary discomfort on the shoulders of those hard-working, heavy-lifting gym goers.

Oftentimes, you’d see people hanging around with their duffel bags. That’s not wrong, they are still bags after all. But that’s far from the best solution there is. But what is?

Whatever it is that you’re doing in the gym, whether you’re benching all those plates on a Monday, or whether you’re grinding the Cardio, a great gym backpack is almost like a trusty wingman.

Without further ado, let’s dive right in our list of the top 10 best gym backpacks available on the market.

Top 11 Gym Backpacks and Bags

CabinZero Military - best versatile choice

First up on the list is one of our all-time favourite backpacks, the CabinZero Military.

Image from CabinZero

CabinZero Military is truly a versatile champ. It comes in three different sizes, 28-36-44L, and tons of different colours, so people have plenty of room for choices. On top of that, as the name itself suggests, the backpack is meant to take everything like a champ. It’s superbly sturdy and durable, and will last for years. It isn’t a bag born for gym bunnies, but it performs equally as well, if not better.

CabinZero Classic Pro - Best backpack for gym and work

Next up on your list, is one of the best in the market right now, the CabinZero Classic Pro line.

Image from CabinZero

The Classic Pro line isn't quite a bespoke gym backpack line, but it performs so well it outclasses many other backpacks on the market. This line excels in its great capacity. Available in both 32L and 42L, the Classic Pro is sure to pack any resistance band or kettle bell that you’re maybe toting around. Moreover, at such a capacity, you’d be comfortably packing your laptop, your clothes, your lunch boxes, so on and so forth.

On top of that, the line boasts all the typical greatness of all CabinZero backpacks. They are sturdy, and they can take an entire week out in the field without the lightest scratch. They have multiple pocket sleeves; you can easily sort through your stuff for those who sought to pack an entire day into the backpack. And they come in tons of hip colours, and who doesn’t love that?

Lululemon Go Getter Bag 2.0 – best sleek backpack

Lululemon Go Getter Bag 2.0 is a gym backpack. Yes, you heard that right. It is. Looks can be deceiving, right?

Image from Lululemon

Its main forte is in its look. Although it only comes in a few selected colours, the sleek, smooth, unicolour leather makes for an incredible chick and mysterious appearance, which is suitable for any office worker. You can pack all your stuff in Lululemon, bust your ass in the gym and then change up and go to your workplace, and no one would even notice a thing.

Additionally, the backpack does boast some nice utility features. There’s an almost hidden phone pocket and a water pocket bottle on the outside of the backpack for quick access anytime you need. There’s a padded laptop sleeve inside that helps secure your laptop.

Adidas for Prada Re-Nylon Duffle Bag – Best class choice

What happens when you combine the iconic three stripes of Adidas with the logo of Prada? Absolute unrivalled class. You wouldn’t think this is a kind of backpack meant for the gym, would you? Until you remember at the heart of it, Adidas is a sportswear brand, so why would one of its largest collaboration products ever deviate from such core values?

Image from Prada

The bag has Prada signature leather, the Saffiano leather, defined by its sleek, smooth appearance and feel, as well as the crosshatch texture, which is the material for its signature three stripes. The rest of the bag is crafted from Re-Nylon material, an innovative fabric made from recycled plastic collected in the sea, which makes it still environmentally friendly but classy.

The interior doesn’t offer anything ground-breaking. It’s like many other gym backpacks, with water-resistant compartments spacious enough for any type of gym goers. But honestly, nobody comes to Prada for the interior, do they?

Gymshark LC Bag – best cheap option

The Gym shark LC Bag, at first glance, looks like any other run-up-the-mill bag in the market. However, retailing at only £25, it is one of the best cheap options there is, while still maintaining great utility.

Image from Gymshark

The highlight of the backpack is its side panel with a functional touchscreen for smartphones. What it is essentially is a small panel with a thin film-like outer layer with which you can still interact with your smartphone normally. This feature is going to come in handy if you were to use this bag for cardio, as you can easily see and track your workout with your phone.

Besides that, it’s a fairly functional gym bag. At less than 5.6L it would be enough to store your keys, towels, and a bottle of water, but not too much more. It’s mainly made up of lightweight materials like polyester, PVC, and PU, which makes the bag super light and comfy to wear.

ban.do Women's Work It Out Gym Bag – best choice for ladies

Sometimes the ladies just need a bit of a cute girly backpack for themselves, and this Ban.do Work It Out Gym Bag just hits that sweet spot. It boasts a utilitarian design but still maintains a stylish and feminine look.

Image from Amazon

The biggest eye-catching feature is a massive colourful line of text printed outside of the bag which reads “After this we’re getting Tacos”. It’s a nice little encouragement for the ladies to hit the gym and keep working towards their physique goal.

Aside from that, it’s still a gym backpack at its core. The bag is more than spacious enough for your everyday gym bag. Its lightweight, water-resistant, anti-wrinkle material is also a huge plus. It also features an option to thread your earbuds, so you can listen to music as you go.

Kindfolk Yoga Mat Duffle Bag – Best Yoga Choice

Not everyone goes to the gym for all those heavy weights, some people sometimes just like a therapeutic yoga day to relieve all of the pent-up stress. In this department, Kindfolk’s bag has done so well.

Image from Amazon

Because it’s designed to be able to carry a yoga mat, it’s very spacious. It’s up to 26 x 8 x 8 inches and can comfortably fit in anything if you don’t pack a mat in. If your mats are foldable (which they should be), then this bag can carry multiple ones at the same time, in addition to towers, shoes, extra clothes, etc.

The thing that makes Kindfolk’s bag stand out is in its concept. Kindfolk will donate $1 for each of its bag sold to help empower girls and women all over the world. Kindfolk is partnered with A21, Girls Empowerment Network, and Nicole's Place. Shopping with Kindfolk means that you’re helping to change the world. Moreover, Kindfolk’s bag are made of man-made leather, which means they are it’s entirely animal-friendly.

LA POCHETTE Sweat Bag – Best Compact Choice

If your gym is just around the corner, then maybe you don’t really need a massive, specialised gym backpack. What you’ll need is this compact but still functional La Pochette Sweat Bag.

Image from La Pochette

La Pochette’s design is much different than that of other gym backpacks. It’s neat and compact, so you can hold it right in your hand on the go. You can also fit it into a larger everyday bag, and it could act like a versatile mini bag for all of your gym gears. This minimalist of a design does feature a main compartment for your workout essentials, as well as a smaller compartment. The small cord atop the bag makes it easy to hang in a gym shower, while the antibacterial and water-resistant coating ensures the well-being of your belongings.

 Gucci Duffle Bag Line – Best Flex Choice

You wouldn’t think Gucci would tap into the gym backpack section of the market, until they do. But unlike Prada who collaborated with a traditionally sportswear-oriented brand like Adidas to carefully infiltrate the market, Gucci just does it on their own.

Image from Gucci

This line is made up of almost 70 different models, each has its own uniqueness. Some of them are a nod to some of the most unique patterns in the history of Gucci, like the Ophidia, the GG Marmont, the Bengal Gg Supreme, etc. Each of these are high-end, expertly crafted pieces of rucksack that guarantees not only the highest level of performance as well as but also the largest flex.

Retailing anywhere from £1000-2000, the price is a huge turn-off to the vast majority of people. But if you’re among the class of people who can and are willing to pay the price, you’re in for the best of the best quality.

Nike Utility Elite Backpack – Best Arm Day Choice

Most gym bags come in the shape of a duffle bag, as most people would sweat profusely after a workout. But on an arm workout day, they may be exhausted as well. Nike understands their customers so well and have come up with a fine solution.

Image from Nike

The bag is extremely spacious and can double dip as any travel or office bag. It features a full-length zipper on the main compartment allowing the bag to be opened all the way. It also featured an adjustable divider, mesh sleeve, side sleeve for extra adjustability and comfort.

To combat the sweaty situation on the wearer’s bag, Nike incorporates the back panel with its special “Max Air” cushion, which provides for extreme comfort but also ensures that no malodour will be trapped.

Under Armour Undeniable Duffle 4.0 – The Optimal Choice

Under Armour has long been known to be one of the best sportswear and sport equipment brands there is, so it comes as no surprise that their gym bag is also among the best. This time, with the 4.0 version of the Undeniable line, Under Armour is coming back with a bang.

Image from Under Armour

UA always stands by one of its values “tried-and-true”, and this time, the 4.0 has some great improvement. It features a removable, padded, HeatGear® shoulder strap for maximum comfort. The design is also streamlined and optimised for seamless wearing. Still, the bag still has plenty of pockets for organising your stuff easily and neatly. Most importantly, UA Storm technology ensures an element-battling, water-resistant coating, so you’ll never have to worry.

Fitness Backpack and Gym Sack Buying Guide

Gym bags are quite similar, but also quite different from other backpacks, in that they are specifically designed to serve one purpose, that is to go to the gym. Therefore, in order to buy a gym backpack that suits you, you’d need to pay attention to some of these details:

Size

Don’t go crazy about the sizing. Most of the gym bags are decently spacious, so you shouldn’t make a fuss out of it. What you’ll need to be mindful of, though, is the size of your gym’s locker. Some bags might be too big, but some lockers might be too small. It’s best to take the measurements of your locker in your gym and then use those to gauge how big a gym backpack you’d need.

Type of training

Decide what kind of training you’d be doing. For instance, if you’re doing yoga, you might as well aim for a long bag to accompany the mat. If you’re playing soccer or volleyball for example, consider a higher one with a shoe compartment for easy storage.

Multi-tasking

A lot of people will use their one bag for multiple purposes. If you want to travel with the same bag as well, look for a larger one with higher volume and more compartments. If you’re planning to go to work with the same bag, look for one that has a more formal and clean appearance and material. Air ventilation and anti-odour would also be very useful in this case.

Khoa Pham