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 for keys
- Padded shoulder strap
Best for: Drying muddy cleats
- 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, 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: Leave the bottom compartment open to air after each session, so damp shoes or clothes don’t sit zipped in overnight. 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
Best for: Separating dirty from clean
- 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, a big vented pocket takes shoes or laundry, and webbing on the front takes clip-on extras. 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: The big main compartment wins owners over, along with a shoe pocket that takes a pair of men’s shoes, and they 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
- Foam-lined base and sides
Best for: Carrying water bottles
- 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 bag folds up when it isn’t in use, and its tough polyester is waterproof and tear-resistant, Laripwit says.
What owners say: It holds up well over time, by owners’ accounts, 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: Separating wet from dry
- 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: Flying carry-on
- 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 | Drying muddy cleats | Separating dirty from clean | Carrying water bottles | Separating wet from dry | Flying carry-on |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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