Best Gym Backpack

1. Shoe Compartment

A shoe compartment is the most important feature of an effective gym backpack. This useful component stores bulky footwear and keeps clean gear separate from dirty gear.

When gym shoes are placed in a backpack’s main compartment, they take up too much space and therefore make it difficult for other things to fit in the bag. Shoe compartments free up space in the rest of the backpack while making it easy to transport the footwear you need for a great workout.

Shoe compartments are also critical to helping the wearer maintain good hygiene. Not only can these compartments be used for carrying gym shoes, but they can also be used for storing sweaty workout clothes. Because shoe compartments are typically located at the bottom of the best gym backpacks, they prevent unpleasant odors from leaking into the main compartment, where your clean clothes might be located.

A shoe compartment is a must-have gym backpack feature.

2. Water Bottle Pocket

It’s important to stay hydrated while you’re doing your thing at the gym. Whether you’re working up a sweat while doing cardio, building muscle by lifting weights on your own, or focusing on mindful breathing during a yoga session, you should always have a water bottle on hand.

Let’s face it: water bottles are bulky. They have an awkward shape, so putting them in the main compartment of your backpack makes it difficult to also fit other things in there. Water bottles have also been known to leak.

A side water bottle pocket solves both of these problems. First, this pocket is shaped perfectly to fit most water bottles, without adding bulk to the backpack. Second, water bottle pockets are external, so even if the bottle leaks, chances are that the water will stay away from the bag’s main compartment.

Water bottle pockets are also useful for holding other things like umbrellas.

3. Spacious Capacity

The best gym backpacks must be able to hold many things. Think about all of the gear that you need to bring to the gym with you: sneakers, workout clothes, a water bottle, your phone and earbuds if you want to listen to your own music, sports equipment, toiletries for the shower, and maybe even towels if your gym or fitness studio doesn’t provide them. And if you like to go to the gym before or after work, you may also need a backpack that can fit your laptop, work clothes, professional shoes, and a lunch or snacks.

Large capacity is a crucial feature of an ideal gym backpack. Our top-rated backpacks can fit more than 21 L of gear, and one of them can even hold 40 L worth of equipment! Additionally, all of these backpacks have strategically designed compartments that help keep your gear organized while maximizing volume.

Whether you workout at a gym, on a court, or at a studio, you need a gym backpack that can keep up with your active lifestyle and hold all of your gear. The Under Armour Team Hustle 3.0 Backpack tops our list for the best gym backpacks. Users praise its spacious shoe compartment, water-resistance, and ergonomic design for providing the performance they need.

While the Under Armour Team Hustle 3.0 Backpack is our number recommendation for best gym backpack based on consumer feedback, it’s in great company with the other picks on our list. All of these backpacks have the design components and capacity of a great gym bag. You really can’t go wrong with any of these options when selecting the best gym backpack for you.