How to Choose the Best Gym Backpack

A bright red gym bag with a towel on top and yoga map through its handle

How to Choose the Best Gym Backpack

Looking to get fit and feel better? Good for you! Investing in your health and wellness is one of the best things you can do for yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally.

As you start to build your exercise routine at the gym, you'll also want to think about the apparel and supplies you'll need. And at the top of that list is a great gym backpack.

But before you buy a gym backpack, check out this quick guide on how to find the right one.

What Are You Planning to Use it For?

If you need a bag for the gym and also a bag for weekend travel you have to consider both uses. You want something small enough to be convenient to carry daily to the gym but also large enough to fit your clothes and toiletries on a weekend vacation.

So as you look at different options think about what supplies need to fit inside. Is it big enough to fit a gym towel and sneakers? What about your hiking boots and sunscreen?

The most important consideration when buying a gym bag is the use case. So start there!

Material

The material of a backpack for the gym is important because it needs to be durable and resilient. Some backpacks will hold on to bad odours coming from your towel or gym clothes.

Look for a backpack that is waterproof. You can also look at the denier measurement which is indicated by the letter "d" on the product description. A higher value means that the bag is more durable. Look for something around 900D for a gym backpack.

As far as the material, look for cotton canvas or nylon for your gym backpack.

Organization

If you've ever tried to use a regular duffle bag as a gym bag you know that things get lost easily. Avoid the hassle of digging through your gym bag by buying a gym backpack with compartments.

Organization inside your backpack will keep things clean too by separating your dirty clothes from your clean clothes. You'll also want to look for small compartments where you can store hygiene products that you might need when you're finished with your workout.

Washing Your Gym Backpack

When picking a gym backpack, look for something that's easy to clean. After all, you're keeping your dirty clothes in there on a regular basis. Some backpacks can be washed by hand or even go through the washing machine and air-dried.

To extend the time between washes, you can also consider buying a deodorizing agent for your backpack or your gym shoes.