what makes an awesome gym or exercise bag
Historically, gym bags have been horrible, generic and saggy excuses for carry-but there's been a shift in the past few years. Gym rats and fitness fanatics have been asking for more, and brands have delivered with some exciting offerings. But before we dive deeper, let's talk context: what makes an awesome gym or exercise bag?
Here are a few useful considerations to think about.
Suitable Organization
The amount of organization you need will depend on what you use the bag for. But essentially you want your gear to be tidy and accessible-after all, sorting through a jumbled mess wastes time you could be spending on your workout. Look for organization that separates your dirty/wet clothes from your clean/dry clothes. If you already have a bag you enjoy but it doesn't offer this feature, you could use the likes of packing cubes or breathable stuff sacks to organize your gear.
Good Access
A good gym bag should allow you to easily pack your gear and access it quickly when you need it. Consider features such as wide openings and quick-access pockets to get to your gear quickly.
Carry Comfort
Your body is already getting a workout from your exercise-don't put it under further strain by hauling around an uncomfortable bag. Features such as ventilated back panels in packs, padded shoulder straps and grab handles, and options to alternate carry modes to suit longer and shorter distances can help reduce carry strain and keep you comfortable on the move.
Appropriate Aesthetics
When it comes to gym bag aesthetics, there's two considerations you want to keep in mind. Personal tastes and where you're going to be carrying the bag. First off, it should suit your personal style and preferences. After all, you're not going to be inclined to carry something around if you don't like how it looks. Secondly, is the bag strictly going between home and the gym, or are you going to be taking it into a work environment? If you're taking it to the office to squeeze in a lunch break workout, go with a bag that looks suitably smart for your work environment.
Useful Features
What features are you looking for in a gym bag? Maybe you want a ventilated shoe compartment. Do you need to carry bulky items like a mat or basketball? Do you want a laptop compartment in addition to storage for gym gear? How about easily accessible water bottle pockets? Think about what features will help satisfy your carry and gym needs.
Versatility
You've probably heard of one-bag travel. There's no reason you can't apply that philosophy to your gym carry. A bag that serves as both a work and gym bag means greater carry freedom. And if you don't need it for work, you could consider a bag that doubles as a gym and travel bag instead. Getting more out of your carry is awesome.
