Best Gym Bags for Women in 2021

Editors' Choice: UA Hustle 3.0 Backpack

Under Armour

If you’re looking for a versatile, durable, comfortable workout bag that you can take on a hike as well as to a yoga class, check out Under Armour’s Hustle 3.0 Backpack.

This 100% polyester bag comes in eight colors, has multiple compartments, and is even water-resistant.

UA Hustle 3.0 Backpack Pros

• Affordable price: This bag won’t be a drain on your bank account.
• Comfortable straps: The padded straps ensure your shoulders won’t cramp under the weight of this bag.
• Durable materials: This gym bag is waterproof and has an abrasion-resistant bottom panel.

UA Hustle 3.0 Backpack Cons

• No structure: The bag cannot stand up on its own, making it harder to pack and unpack.

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Best Value: Adidas Alliance II Sackpack

Amazon

If you’re looking for an affordable gym bag that is lightweight and affordable, check out the Alliance II Sackpack from Adidas.

This 100% polyester bag has three compartments. It’s durable and perfect for everything from light hikes to yoga classes.

Adidas Alliance II Sackpack Pros

• Breathable fabric: This bag has air mesh ventilation to help prevent bad smells from your towel and workout clothes.
• Lightweight build: This bag weighs just 7.8 ounces.
• Multiple compartments: The Alliance II Sackpack has a front zippered pocket for valuables and two mesh pockets on the side.

Adidas Alliance II Sackpack Cons

• Functional aesthetics: While the bag isn’t stylish, it’s functional.

Best Stylish: Sweaty Betty

Nordstrom

If you’re looking for a stylish (yet durable) gym bag, take a look at this Sweaty Betty All Sport Backpack. It’s the perfect bag for from going from the office to the gym – in style! It even has straps you can attach your yoga mat to. If you’re going to a spin class, kickboxing session, or some other routine that requires extra great this may not be the best bag for you. However, if your fitness supplies are minimum and you’re looking for a stylish bag, this is our top pick.

Sweaty Betty All Sport Backpack Pros

• Stylish: This simple black backpack doesn’t look like your average gym bag
• Breathable:  Perforated fabric ensure your damp clothes won’t become too smelly
• Material: Made of lightweight scuba-style fabric
• Straps: Bag has straps you can affix your yoga mat to

Sweaty Betty All Sport Backpack Cons

• Higher price: This bag is more expensive than most gym bags on our list.

Best Small-Sized: Apera Studio Tote

Amazon

If you’re looking for a smaller gym bag, check out Apera’s Studio Tote. Fitness totes are great for yoga and other studio regimes.

This polyester bag features ventilation and sanitized-infused product protection to protect it from odors. It even has a large side pocket where you can store your shoes!

Apera Studio Tote Pros

• Breathable material: The bag features laser-cut ventilation for breathability.
• Comfortable strap: This bag features a comfortable shoulder strap.
• Exterior pockets: The tone features exterior pockets where you can store your shoes

Apera Studio Tote Cons

• Higher price: This option is more expensive than others on our list.

Best With Shoe Compartment: Nike Brasilia Training Duffel Bag (Small)

Amazon

Nike makes a lot of great products, so we weren’t surprised when we fell in love with its sports duffles.

Nike makes two Brasilia gym bags, a large and a small. We prefer the small size.

This 100% polyester bag measures 20″ L X 10″ W X 11″ H and features several compartments, including a separate one just for shoes.

Nike Brasilia Training Duffel Bag Pros

• Comfortable strap: This option features an adjustable shoulder strap (which is padded, too).
• Gym-friendly size: The small version has more than enough space for your fitness gear and can easily fit into most gym lockers.
• Multiple compartments: It has a main compartment with an interior pocket (perfect for your keys and smaller items) and a shoe compartment so you can separate your dirty or wet shoes from the rest of your gym clothes.

Nike Brasilia Training Duffel Bag Cons

• Color variety: Bag only comes in one version, black and white.

Types of Gym Bags

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When looking to invest in a new gym bag, think about why you’ll need it.

Asking yourself questions like the following can help you decide what you need:

• What type of fitness do you enjoy most often?
• Will you need gear aside from your gym clothes such as boxing gloves, a racquet, balls, a yoga mat and yoga pants, or cycling shoes?
• Will you go to the gym before work and need to pack your work clothes (as well as all of your toiletries) in the bag? Or will you go straight from the office and don’t mind cramming all of your gym clothes into one compartment?

Gym bags come in many different types. You may find it helpful to know these types before you begin shopping:

• Backpack: Backpacks are perfect for people on the go. They’re easy to carry, can hold a laptop as well as your exercise equipment, have multiple compartments, and typically even have a special pocket for your water bottle, so you won’t have to worry about it spilling inside your bag.
• Duffel: Duffel bags are perfect for the gym. They’re easy to carry, have thick straps that fit comfortably over your shoulders, and (sometimes) have mesh air vents so your sweaty clothes won’t get moldy or too stinky. These are popular dance bags.
• Holdall: Another name for this type is the weekender bag. Holdalls are typically the more stylish gym bags and are akin to a more upscale duffel bag.
• Rucksack: If you mostly enjoy outdoor fitness, a rucksack may be a great gym bag for you. These typically have durable, waterproof materials and are made to last. If holdalls are the most stylish gym bag, these are usually the least attractive.
• Sackpack: Think of the bag you sometimes receive from the Apple store. A sackpack is a lightweight drawstring bag that can hold a small number of items in one large compartment.
• Tote: Tote bags are shoulder bags. They can be almost any type of material you can imagine, and they have two straps that you over your shoulder. Sometimes they have multiple compartments, and sometimes they have only one.

No one type is better than the other, but some are better for carrying different kinds of fitness equipment. Choose your bag based on your gym preferences.

Gym Bag Buyer’s Guide

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Now that you know the different types of gym bags, take a look at the qualities of a good gum bag.

The perfect gym bag for you may not be the perfect gym bag for everyone. Use this guide to help you find a good option.

Compartments

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The number of compartments you need depends on what sports activities you do.

Examples include:

• Are you a trail runner? If so, you’ll likely want a gym bag with a few different compartments so that your dirty running shoes don’t stain the rest of your running clothes.
• Are you a swimmer? You’ll likely want a goggle compartment so they don’t get scratched and another wet pocket for your swimming suit so it doesn’t get your other items damp.

Most people like to have a few pockets in their gym bags so they can separate their sweaty and dirty gym clothes. Some people insist on having separate shoe compartments to keep their shoes away from everything else.

You may also want to look for zippered compartments to put valuables in, such as your wallet and keys. Some even have a media pocket or a zippered pocket for your phone and wireless headphones.

If you have things that will need more air, look for mesh pockets.

Durability

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While you may like the idea of purchasing a new gym bag every year (who doesn’t love a new bag?), you shouldn’t have to.

A gym bag should be durable. The straps should be able to handle whatever weight you add to your bag, and the material of the bag should hold up as well.

Functionality

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If you’re a woman, you likely have more than one purse: an everyday purse (which may vary by season), a fancy-night-out bag, and a cute little clutch you may wear for your girls’ night out. Each option has different functionality, and you select your purse based on what you need it to do. A gym bag follows the same principle.

Our favorite gym bags are ones that cater to your needs.

They vary based on what activities you enjoy. While a duffel bag or a tote bag may work for yoga, it’s not going to be the ideal gym bag if you’re going on a hike (we recommend a backpack or a sackpack for that).

Consider what function you need your gym bag to serve before you purchase it.

After you know what kind of activities you need and how it will affect the bag you choose, look for features like adjustable shoulder straps if you carry it long-distances or breathability if you’re worried about smells.

Materials

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We told you that durability is an essential factor in gym bags, and one of the critical factors to longevity is material.

While you may like the look of a leather gym bag, that’s not going to hold up if your favorite fitness activity is hiking, especially if there’s the chance of hiking in inclement weather.

Likewise, a canvas gym bag probably isn’t a great gym bag for swimmers and those around water because the water can stain the canvas.

Therefore, when looking at gym bags, find a fabric that complements your workout. The most common types of material for gym bags include polyester, nylon, leather, canvas, and vinyl. These materials come in lots of style and color options.

Canvas

Canvas bags are excellent.

They’re lightweight, durable, and affordable, and you can even throw most in the washing machine.

We love canvas gym bags, but remember that they can stain easily. Even water can make a permanent mark on your bag. Therefore, if you live in a rainy place, enjoy swimming, or sweat a lot, you may want a different material.

Leather

We love a good leather bag: they’re sleek, they’re stylish, and they’re durable. Unfortunately, they’re also expensive, stain easily, and can hold odor.

If you don’t sweat much and won’t be putting your gym bag down near water (or other people’s sweat drippings), you could invest in a full leather gym bag. However, for most people, they’re not the most practical.

If you love the look of leather, consider looking at gym bags with leather finishings.

Nylon

Nylon is lightweight, making it perfect for commuters and others that need to carry their gym bags long distances.

Nylon is also a cheap fabric, so nylon bags are typically the most affordable gym bag fabric. Unfortunately, it stains easily and is not as durable as other material, so if you’re looking for a gym bag that will last a few years, we recommend staying away from nylon.

Polyester

Polyester is water-resistant, easy to clean, and durable – three reasons that make it one of the most common gym bag materials.

It’s great for outdoor activities and watersports. Keep in mind that polyester isn’t as breathable as other fabrics, making it more prone to mold and bacteria.

Vinyl

Does vinyl remind you of old fashioned diner seats? Us too.

It’s not what most people think of when they think of gym bags, but vinyl is an excellent material because it looks like leather but is more affordable and more stain resistant.

It does scratch easily though, so if you do decide to invest in a vinyl gym bag, take care of it.

Size

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No matter what type of bag you’re looking for – an everyday purse, a reusable grocery tote, or a gym bag – size matters.

Find a bag that can fit your fitness necessities: your attire (including shoes), your toiletries (if necessary), and any fitness gear. These things should fit comfortably without you needing to cram them in.

You also want to make you don’t get a bag that is too big; you want your items to fit comfortably, but a gym bag isn’t like a carry-on travel bag where you want to leave extra space so you can take souvenirs home with you.

A gym bag will need to fit inside your gym locker, so if you don’t need a huge bag, don’t get one.

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A good gym bag is an essential part of your fitness routine. It not only carries your gear, but it can make you feel stylish as well if you find cute gym bags.

When looking for a gym bag, remember to focus on why you need it, and what activities you’ll be doing with it. Next time you need a new one, use this guide to help you make the best choice.