Top 5 compared
The best gym bags
Gym clothes, shoes, a towel and a water bottle in one bag, with the sweaty things kept away from the clean ones.
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The top 5 at a glance
A gym bag is usually a duffel: one big zippered compartment for clothes and a towel, with carry handles and a shoulder strap. Most add a separate pocket for shoes, plus small zippered pockets for keys and a phone, and some have a sleeve on the back that slides over a suitcase handle for travel.
Capacity is given in litres. About 40 litres holds a change of clothes, shoes and a towel with room to spare. A bag of 25 litres or so suits a class, a swim or a flight as a carry-on, and 60 litres takes bulkier sports gear or a few days’ clothes.
What matters
- A shoe pocket, ideally vented, so sweaty shoes can air out.
- A separate wet pocket, if you swim or shower after training.
- A water-resistant base, since locker-room floors are rarely dry.
- Measurements, if it has to fit a locker or an airline’s limit.
#1adidas Defender 5 Duffel Bag (Medium, 59L)
$30–$50
Cleats, a foam roller and training clothes all fit in its 59 litres, and a vented pocket lets dirty shoes or clothes breathe until they’re unpacked. Plenty of zippered pockets hold the small things, and the bottom panel is water-resistant.
What owners say: Owners find it solid, well made and big enough for everything they take to the gym, and they single out its many pockets and the colour choices.
Heads up: At 63 cm (24.75 in) long it’s too big for most airline carry-on limits, as adidas itself points out, so treat it as a bag for the car, the bus and team trips.
A closer look: Clip keys or a carabiner to the webbing loops on the outside, and wipe the bag down with a damp cloth when it comes back muddy from the field. Its padded shoulder strap takes the weight on a longer walk from the parking lot.
- Room for a foam roller
- Webbing loops clip on extras
- Padded shoulder strap
Best for: Team practice and gym sessions
- Capacity
- 59 L
- Size (L × W × H)
- 63 × 32 × 33 cm (24.75 × 12.5 × 13 in)
- Shoe compartment
- Vented zippered pocket
- Separate wet pocket
- No
- Water-resistant
- Water-resistant base
#2Nike Brasilia 9.0 Training Duffel Bag (Medium, 60L)
$50–$75
A zippered bottom compartment holds shoes, or keeps damp clothes apart from dry ones, beneath a big main compartment, and the base is coated against wet floors and spills. It suits training and team sports, with outside pockets for quick grabs and space for a weekend’s packing.
What owners say: Very good quality and roomy without being bulky, owners say, with storage that keeps their gear organized, and it has proved durable for them.
Heads up: This is the Brasilia 9.0. Nike now sells the newer Brasilia 9.5, and this one is still sold new.
A closer look: Pack shoes into the bottom compartment first, so they never end up on top of clean clothes. The shoulder strap adjusts in length to sit the bag at a comfortable height, and the handles are enough for a quick trip from the car.
- Outside quick-grab pockets
- Adjustable shoulder strap
- Takes a weekend’s packing
Best for: Hauling a full load of gear
- Capacity
- 60 L
- Size (L × W × H)
- 64 × 31 × 31 cm (25 × 12 × 12 in)
- Shoe compartment
- Zippered bottom compartment
- Separate wet pocket
- No
- Water-resistant
- Coated, water-resistant base
#3Under Armour Undeniable 5.0 Duffle Bag (Small, 40L)
$50–$75
A water-repellent UA Storm finish covers the bag, and a big vented pocket takes shoes or laundry. Under Armour began in 1996 in a basement in Washington, DC, when a University of Maryland football player grew tired of sweating through his T-shirts at practice.
What owners say: Owners like the big main compartment and a shoe pocket that takes a pair of men’s shoes, and say it’s tough. Not everyone thinks the price is fair.
A closer look: The padded shoulder strap comes off and tucks into a side pocket when the top handle is all you need, and two slip pockets take water bottles. The foam-lined base and sides hold their shape, so the bag doesn’t sag when it’s only half full.
- Strap tucks into side pocket
- Two water bottle pockets
- Foam-lined base and sides
Best for: Quick daily workouts
- Capacity
- 40 L
- Size (L × W × H)
- 55 × 27 × 26 cm (21.7 × 10.6 × 10.1 in)
- Shoe compartment
- Vented pocket
- Separate wet pocket
- No
- Water-resistant
- UA Storm water-repellent finish
#4Laripwit 40L Gym Duffel Bag with Shoe Compartment and Wet Pocket
$30–$50
It has both a breathable shoe compartment and a separate wet pocket for a swimsuit or sweaty top, so a swim or a shower after the gym doesn’t dampen everything else. The tough polyester, which Laripwit calls waterproof and tear-resistant, folds up when the bag isn’t in use.
What owners say: Owners report it holding up well over time, and they like the size: lots of room for clothes and gym gear.
A closer look: At an airport, the sleeve on the back lets it ride on a suitcase handle. In a locker, keep keys and a wallet in the inner zippered pocket and toiletries in the side one, away from the clothes in the main compartment.
- Folds up when empty
- Luggage sleeve on the back
- Inner zippered pocket
Best for: Lane swims and post-workout showers
- Capacity
- 40 L
- Size (L × W × H)
- 53 × 25 × 25 cm (21 × 10 × 10 in)
- Shoe compartment
- Breathable compartment
- Separate wet pocket
- Front wet pocket
- Water-resistant
- Waterproof fabric, Laripwit says
#5BAGSMART 24L Gym and Travel Bag with Wet Pocket
$30–$50
A neat 24-litre duffel in soft, water-resistant fabric, with its own PVC pocket for a wet swimsuit or towel and a zippered pocket outside. It slips onto a suitcase handle, so it travels as easily as it goes to the gym.
What owners say: Owners use it for weekends away as much as the gym: light, roomy for its size, with pockets for everything, and it sits neatly on a suitcase.
A closer look: Zip the damp towel or swimsuit into the wet pocket after a swim or a class, and empty it at home so it can dry. The crossbody strap leaves both hands free. BAGSMART sells it as an under-seat bag, but at 19 cm (7.5 in) deep it’s over Air Canada’s and WestJet’s personal-item sizes, so pack it light for a flight.
- Slips onto a suitcase handle
- Crossbody strap
- Outside zippered pocket
Best for: Flights, classes and weekends away
- Capacity
- 24 L
- Size (L × W × H)
- 42 × 19 × 30 cm (16.5 × 7.5 × 11.8 in)
- Shoe compartment
- No
- Separate wet pocket
- PVC wet pocket
- Water-resistant
- Water-resistant fabric
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1adidas Defender 5 Medium | #2Nike Brasilia 9.0 Medium | #3Under Armour Undeniable Small | #4Laripwit 40L | #5BAGSMART 24L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Runner-up | Best for swimmers | Best compact | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.4 | 9.3 | 9.3 | 9.2 | 9.1 |
| Price | $30–$50 | $50–$75 | $50–$75 | $30–$50 | $30–$50 |
| Capacity | 59 L | 60 L | 40 L | 40 L | 24 L |
| Size (L × W × H) | 63 × 32 × 33 cm (24.75 × 12.5 × 13 in) | 64 × 31 × 31 cm (25 × 12 × 12 in) | 55 × 27 × 26 cm (21.7 × 10.6 × 10.1 in) | 53 × 25 × 25 cm (21 × 10 × 10 in) | 42 × 19 × 30 cm (16.5 × 7.5 × 11.8 in) |
| Shoe compartment | Vented zippered pocket | Zippered bottom compartment | Vented pocket | Breathable compartment | No |
| Separate wet pocket | No | No | No | Front wet pocket | PVC wet pocket |
| Water-resistant | Water-resistant base | Coated, water-resistant base | UA Storm water-repellent finish | Waterproof fabric, Laripwit says | Water-resistant fabric |
| Best for | Team practice and gym sessions | Hauling a full load of gear | Quick daily workouts | Lane swims and post-workout showers | Flights, classes and weekends away |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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