Gym Bags for Runners | Best Gym Bags 2018 – Runner’s World
Gym Bags for Runners | Best Gym Bags 2018 Runner’s World
We tested 14 gym bags that runners can use to pack their gear when they’re on the go, off to a race or squeezing in an office run. Included are backpacks and …
As runners, we’re always on the go, whether it’s fitting in a run before work, going to an afternoon yoga session, or packing for a marathon weekend. This is where the essential gear to hold all other runner gear comes in: the gym bag.
Everything You Need to Carry
While the standard duffel is still a mainstay for packing workout gear, there are smart new designs with special pockets to store dirty clothes and stash sneakers in their own compartment. Bags with laptop pockets, yoga mat straps, and even heat-proof covers for hair straighteners are also available. U-shaped openings allow you to see most of the bag’s contents without spilling anything or rummaging through gear.
Some gym bags are even backpack-duffel hybrids, so you can more easily shoulder heavy loads. Chest buckles and ergonomic straps to stave off strain are small yet important features to consider when it comes to comfort.
Not Just for Running
Like Mary Poppins’ carpet bag, some sleek satchels have surprising girth and can carry a week’s worth of gear. Packable bags bring a new level of traveling ease, making it a cinch to stash an extra bag in a carryon or suitcase, or simply store an empty bag in a drawer by scrunching it down into a small zipper pocket.
We tested several gym bags, including drawstrings, duffels, totes and backpacks. Of all the bags we tested, these 14 were constantly loaded for races, cross-training, or those getaway trips that require running shoes.
Helly Hansen W HH Active Bag 2
Price: $60
The right bag for: Everyday use or an extra packable gym bag to throw in your luggage just-in-case
Trevor Raab
Our tester confessed she didn’t expect much when she first grabbed the W HH Active Bag 2. When the testing cycle was over, let’s just say there was some separation anxiety. The Active is lightweight and packable, which makes it an ideal extra bag to throw into your suitcase on a trip. But it’s so sleek and roomy that it’s also a great everyday bag to carry wherever you need on-the-go.
The bottom compartment zippers around almost the entire circumference of the bag, making it easy to brush out dirt after stowing away your sneakers. The Active is big enough inside to fit clothes and multiple cans of sparkling water—our tester fit four cans of La Croix.
Ultimate Direction North Roll
Price: $80
The right bag for: Having peace of mind—for you and your ultramarathon crew
Ultimate Direction partnered with ultrarunner Scott Jurek to create an unconventional-looking bag that makes gear easily accessible and portable for ultra runners and their crew members.
The North Roll has separate pockets for fuel, hydration, toiletries, first-aid and anything else you may need out on the trail. The bag also has stretch pockets big enough to hold clothing to change into mid-race. You can hang the bag on the back of a car seat or lay it flat on the ground and roll it up when you’re on the move.
State Franklin Packable Duffel
Price: $125
The right bag for: Packing as much as you can for a weekend race
With a subtle black shell and graphic print lining, the Franklin Duffel is a mixture of fully functional and urban cool. The sizable gym bag can carry a week’s worth of workout clothes, along with other gear and toiletries. Our tester who commutes in Brooklyn, appreciated the large capacity and sophisticated look.
The inside has mesh pockets for dirty clothes, and the outside zipper pocket is for scrunching the entire bag into itself, or stashing keys and cash when in use.
Rhone Daybreaker Duffle
Price: $148
The right bag for: Runners who need a hardy bag that can carry shoes, clothes, toiletries and more
You can cram everything inside the Daybreaker Duffle for an impromptu run at work, and have your bag sitting by your desk, looking stylish on the outside while shielding coworkers from your sweaty, stinky clothes and shoes after sneaking in a run. Let’s just hope there are office showers.
Rhone’s duffel has room for a change of clothes, a towel, and toiletries. A shoe compartment is big enough to fit a pair of men’s size 13 sneakers. The bag is also durable on the outside—our tester found no wear or tear on his travels.
Tracksmith Olmsted Pack
Price: $110
The right bag for: Someone who is always on the go and wants a bag small enough to run with
The Olmsted may be small in size, but it’s an ideal bag to strap onto your back when you have a few things to carry on a run, or when you need to check a pack at a race. It has a durable leather bottom, and fits close to your back. You can keep the pack secure on a run by snapping the chest buckle.
The pinstriped interior is just big enough to hold a change of clothes, with pockets to slip in deodorant, sunscreen, and a granola bar. There’s also an exterior side pocket just for your phone and a small zipper compartment for cards and keys.
Lululemon All Day Duffel
Price: $158
The right bag for: Going from office to track to yoga session and back
Courtesy of Lululemon
The Lululemon All Day Duffel has a designated compartment for everything you need before heading out the door. The interior pockets are labeled with a touch of sass. You can toss dirty clothes into the “sweaty unmentionables” mesh pocket and tuck in your still-hot hair straightener or curling iron into the removable “too hot to handle” heat-resistant flap.
The bag also has a laptop compartment and removable yoga mat strap. A “media pocket” on the exterior makes it easy to grab your smartphone instead of digging through clothes and whatever else you can fit inside. The water-repellent gym bag comes in five shades, including gravel, olive and chrome.
Aer Duffel Pack 2
Price: $185
The right bag for: Organized runners who like everything put in its place
Courtesy of Aer
This hybrid backpack has a compartment for everything. You can stow away your laptop in a thin zippered pocket, which is separated from the main compartment that opens up like a clam shell. Mesh pockets in the interior can hold chargers or an overnight toothbrush, while a side pocket on the outside of the backpack is big enough for a water bottle. A deep, zippered cavity at the bottom of the bag swallows dirty running shoes.
You can wear the duffel as a backpack or carry the pack using the side handle. The duffel is on the larger side, so smaller runners may feel like a turtle—as our petite tester did—when wearing it.
Patagonia Arbor Duffel Bag 30L
Price: $79
The right bag for: A large duffel to haul whatever you need for a weekend
Courtesy of Patagonia
Patagonia’s Arbor Duffel 30L (also available in 60L) is your classic duffel to stow away clothes so you can hit the gym or pack up gear for a weekend adventure.
Water-resistant, the duffel will protect your belongings from getting saturated in light rain or snow. Our tester loved the main compartment’s U-zip opening: “I could easily see all of my stuff without having to pull everything out.” A padded shoulder strap eases the pressure of carrying the duffel when full.
Mountain Khakis Utility Bag
Price: $125
The right bag for: Runners who can’t be bothered with pockets and compartments
Courtesy of Mountain Khakis
The satchel-like Mountain Khakis Utility Bag is the carryall for runners who prefer a gym bag without multiple pockets and hidden compartments. We like the hardy build: the waxed canvas body is water-resistant and trimmed with leather. Our tester appreciated that there were no “extraneous pockets.” For the runner who hates packing and sorting items, this bag is great for tossing everything in just before running out the door.
A zippered top prevents your gear from spilling and two external pockets are big enough to slip in energy bars. Each bag has a unique recycled climbing rope grab handle.
Solepack The GRF
Price: $30
The right bag for: A grab-and-go sack for packing light
Courtesy of Solepack
Founder Mike Sala came up with Solepack out of necessity. A runner himself, he sought out a backpack with separate compartments to carry his clothes and running shoes. Eventually, Sala launched Solepack: attachable single-shoe compartments to carry your shoes without sullying the rest of your gear. The Omega backpack is your best bet to pack for a trip or destination race, but our tester favored the GRF for its simplicity and practicality.
The GRF is an upgrade on the classic drawstring bag, with built-in mesh compartments on the sides to store each shoe. You can stow clothes in the interior and stash money, your phone, and ID in a zipper pouch so it won’t get lost in the main compartment.
Eagle Creek Cargo Hauler Duffel
Price: $89
The right bag for: Runners who don’t travel light, and can’t choose between backpack or duffel
Courtesy of Eagle Creek
The Eagle Creek Cargo Hauler Duffel can carry up to 45 liters, but weighs less than two pounds. It’s a backpack-duffel hybrid, thanks to multiple handles and removable backpack straps that satisfy whatever method of carriage you prefer. The bag has a water-repellent coating and a foam-padded bottom, making it an ideal duffel for any kind of trip that requires a resilient bag that can handle whatever elements thrown its way.
The Cargo Hauler has a large U-shaped opening to access the main compartment, and pockets with lockable zippers and storm flaps to keep items—such as electronics—secure and dry. Once emptied, the bag can be compressed into its nifty front zippered pocket.
Under Armour UA Undeniable 3.0 Small Duffle
Price: $40
The right bag for: A non-bulky duffel to carry anywhere
Courtesy of Under Armour
Maybe Under Armour bequeathed this small duffel with the title “Undeniable” because it’s without a doubt the kind of duffel you lug everywhere you go.
The bag is deceptively small, but the interior has sufficient space for whatever you need to pack for a run, including shoes, clothes and even a small foam roller. “It does a great job keeping in the stench of sweaty running clothes,” said our tester. “And it’s not too bulky so you can carry it anywhere conveniently.” The bag comes in nine colors, including pink, red and navy.
Adidas Yola Backpack
Price: $23
The right bag for: Packing your running clothes and running off to yoga
Courtesy of Adidas
The Adidas Yola Backpack is for runners who are also devoted yogis. The Yola has a zippered mesh compartment for postrun dirty clothes and a small pocket in the front for toiletries, such as deodorant, body spray, or sunscreen. There’s room to spare in the main compartment for a laptop, and dual pockets on the outside can fit water bottles, so you can stay hydrated pre- and post-workout. Padded adjustable shoulder straps and attachments on the bottom to slide a yoga mat boost versatility.
The North Face Flyweight Rolltop Backpack
Price: $49
The right bag for: A packable backpack to throw inside your suitcase
Courtesy of North Face
This packable carrier is lightweight and distributes your load evenly on your shoulders when full. The roll-top closes with a buckle, while a zippered pouch can hold a phone, wallet, keys and headphones. Our tester liked how the packable backpack functions as a just-in-case sack when thrown into a tote bag, and appreciated the extra strap length, which is great for tall users.