Beyond volume, these options are super durable, easy to carry with padded comfortable straps, and water-resistant to protect your goods from the elements. We rounded up our favorite sleek choices from Alo, Lululemon, and Mack Weldon, which work for everything from gym sessions to overnight trips and backcountry adventures. The best gym bags for men are built to organize your essentials, featuring odor-resistant properties for sweaty gym shorts and workout shirts as well as separate compartments to not cross contaminate. Let’s be honest, when you think about it, that’s just gnarly if everything is mixed together.
What to Consider
Shell Materials
Choose a durable, water-resistant material like nylon, neoprene, or canvas. Each of these will help protect your valuables from rainy days or accidental spills and ensures the bag lasts longer.
Size and Capacity
It depends on what you’ll bring to your daily session. Packing light with clothes to change into and out of along with some other accessories? Then 30 liters or below in capacity—mostly in the form of versatile backpacks—will do you just fine. If you’re packing heavy with shoes, water bottles, resistance bands as well as work stuff (i.e. using your gym bag as a work bag, too), then a roomy duffel is what the doctor ordered.
Compartments and Organization
Carryalls dedicated to workout activities often come with a separate shoe compartment, an insulated/waterproof pocket for sweaty stuff, protective sleeves for fitness gadgets, and, of course, pockets for protein shakers or water bottles. You want to keep your dirty clothes away from your clean duds at all times.
How We Selected
We picked the best gym bags for men by testing out 0ver 30 options that cover all the bases. Our fashion team, led by Ted Stafford, looked at things like size, durability, and how well they kept everything organized from dirty shoes to sweaty clothes. We also considered comfort—after all, no one wants to lug around a bag that’s uncomfortable to carry. We factored in things like water resistance, compartments for easy access, and whether they had extra features like odor control. Basically, we chose bags that combine style, function, and durability—ones that’ll hold up at the gym and beyond. Check out the best nine gym bags for men that’ll have you ready to take on 2025.
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Cons
- Pricey, but you get your money’s worth
Out of all the gym bags we’ve tested, Lululemon’s blew the competition out of the water. For starters, it can transition from a duffle bag to a backpack by simply clipping the hidden straps onto the base of the bag, which allows you to wear it on your shoulders. We also love that its vast amount of pockets offer enough space for a change of clothes, running shoes, jump ropes, water bottles, and more workout equipment. We’re not exaggerating—it’s that spacious in there.
Given its water-repellent fabric that dries in seconds, it’s a great bag to carry during rainy and snowy commutes. When this bag is not in use for the gym, it comes in handy for impromptu overnight stays and road trips—no need to dig out a full suitcase. And you can ensure that work gets done since there’s an padded sleeve for your laptop.
The price may be a little steep, but we guarantee you can fit your entire life in this thing and get your money’s worth. One more thing to know about this gym backpack is that its shoulder straps are very tough, and made with nylon and elastane, which will not tear or fray a bit.
Read More: The Best Gym Backpacks
| Shell Materials | 100% polyester |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 45L |
| Dimensions | 20.5″ x 12.6″ x 9.3″ |
For those looking to declutter and uncomplicate their life, KNKG has made something really special with the Conquer backpack. The organizing features of this bag are ingenious, giving you a pocket for every occasion, and I can effectively store anything from my laptop to my creatine for post-workout shakes. In order to accomplish this, KNKG has designed easy-to-navigate dividers that you can change to fit your needs when it comes to compartments. These are not flimsy, which is what I’ve come to expect after being burned by other brands. These are as solid as they get, and will keep your running shoes or supplements in place.
I’m also a big fan of the KNKG Core duffels, but being someone who likes to carry the load evenly on my shoulder, especially when I’m carrying a lot of gear, this purpose-built backpack is the right fit for me. You don’t have to be worried about taking this bag outdoors, constructed out of durable materials like 500D nylon with PVC backing. If you have any weights or plates kicking around, you could take this bag out for a ruck. Long story short, this is a gym bag you can trust to hold your most precious items, with organizational features that will save you precious time.
| Shell Materials | 500D nylon |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 18L (Small) or 38L (Large) |
| Dimensions | 17.7″ x 11.8″ x 5.5″ (18L) / 22.4″ x 12.9″ x 7.9″ (38L) |
This gym bag has pockets galore: A total of 10 compartments will make organizing your gym clothes, fitness gear, and personal gadgets a breeze. We love that its shoe pocket is very spacious and fits up to men’s size 14. In addition, it has its own wet pocket for storing wet towels, sweaty clothes, or swim trunks. There are two bottle holders as well, one for your pre-workout drink and another for your post-workout drink.
Based on our extensive testing, we found this bag is more than just reliable for the gym. Our gear editors have taken it for a spin during backcountry adventures and quick weekend excursions.
| Shell Materials | 100% polyester |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 35L |
| Dimensions | 20″ x 11″ x 10.5″ |
Your gym bag shouldn’t feel like a burden on your shoulder. That’s why we love Bellroy’s lightweight option, which has the volume for carrying around all of your daily needs deftly. Whether it’s gear like ropes and lifting belts, workout clothes, and fitness gadgets like a massage gun, the Lite duffel can handle them while letting you move free like a bird. And we love that it doesn’t look too gym-ish, so you can carry it to your office as well.
We also appreciate that the bag is pretty indestructible. During our testing, we found the nylon fabric was resistant to dirt, stains, and daily wear and tear. For good measure, the water-resistant zippers kept our belongings dry upon abrupt showers during our commute home. In terms of transportability, the bag can be folded or rolled and packed for easy storage. That’s right—the flexible design makes it simple to pack down when you’re not using it.
| Shell Materials | 80% recycled nylon, 5% recycled polyester, 5% polyester, 5% other materials, 5% nylon |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 30L |
| Dimensions | 16.5″ × 19.6″ × 8.6″ |
Cons
- Can’t pack too much when wearing as a crossbody (heavy)
Beyond what meets the eye, Dagne Dover’s carryall bag is designed to hold a great deal, last for a long time, and double as a stylish carry-on. Crafted from premium neoprene, it boasts a high-tech fabric that’s super smooth and water-resistant to keep your gear dry on rainy days. Inside the main compartment, you’ll find significant room for your typical gear as well as a shoe bag and dust bag to help prevent dirt or moisture from transferring to your clean duds. Plus, this section contains a dual water bottle slip pocket, so you’ll never be short on H2O at the gym or on a hike.
We’ve owned this bag for a few years and the fabric’s tough structure has withstood the wear and tear better than the more expensive options out there. Perhaps, it gets a scuff or a stain, you can pop it into the washer for easy cleaning. There’s an adjustable shoulder strap to wear as a crossbody if you want to be hands-free. Not to mention, it’s a sleek design that we don’t mind showing off as we board flights, too.
| Shell Materials | Interior: 100% REPREVE recycled poly, Exterior: premium neoprene |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 29L |
| Dimensions | 16.5” L x 9” W x 11” H |
Pros
- Side compartment stores shoes separately
- Coated bottom protects from bumps, scrapes and spills
- Budget-friendly (under $50)
Cons
- Not super water-resistant compared to others
For a budget-friendly option, Nike didn’t cut corners on structure—it keeps you organized and protected with sensible features. Speaking of which, the bottom of the bag is coated with a durable material that helps shield your belongings from bumps, scrapes, and spills, which is a huge plus when you’re tossing it around or setting it down on the men’s locker room floor. For convenience, the outer pockets provide easy access to your essentials that you want keep within reach (like your phone, keys, or protein bar). Most bags on this list are one solid color, but in true Swoosh fashion, the brand gives you multiple colorways to choose from.
| Shell Materials | 100% polyester |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 60L |
| Dimensions | 25″L x 12″W x 12″H |
Pros
- Smart organization with shoes compartment
- Lightweight and not heavy even when fully packed
- Great for office-to-gym goers
Cons
- Only one color available
On the smaller side with just an 18-liter capacity, Troubadour’s gym bag is for people who just need to pack clothes, towels, snacks, grooming products like deodorants, and shoes. We love that even at its small size, it still has a separate shoe compartment made with waterproof, breathable, and antimicrobial lining to keep the rest of the stuff in the bag fresh. Our tester also found that it could easily fit into a locker even when full, and is also super easy and lightweight to carry anytime (especially with the non-slip shoulder strap that really gives our hands a break).
In addition, we love that the shell of this duffel is waterproof, and despite its mini size, it still has many compartments like mesh pockets and a bottle holder to let us access our gear easily.
| Shell Materials | 100% polyester |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 18L |
| Dimensions | 18″ x 11″ x 7.5″ |
Pros
- Produced with luxe neoprene
- Big compartments and functional pockets
- Water-repellent fabric
Cons
- Pricier, but much wider for longer travel
Alo Yoga’s gym duffel bag is large and in charge. Made from neoprene, this streetwear-inspired option feels great and comes with a water-repellent finish. It’s wider than most bags that we’ve tested, making it ideal for regular gym sessions. Or, if you could use a quick three-day jaunt, it’s sizable for such—no need to pull out a huge luggage set. Inside, you’ve got two mesh pockets, one zipper pocket inside, and one big zipper pocket outside for shoes, towels, or clothes.
We found it’s a hot-ticket item for fitness enthusiasts and frequent travelers alike. Yes, the price is higher than others on the list, but you get higher quality and materials. Our testers simply love that the opening is so big, so you can just stash and go.
| Shell Materials | 100% neoprene |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 40L |
| Dimensions | 22″ x 10.25″ x 13″ |
Ted Stafford is the Fashion Director of Men’s Health. He oversees all style and fashion content for the brand, and also styles their fashion stories. His active lifestyle informs his passion for translating great designs into real-life style, a favorite part of his job. Prior to joining Men’s Health, he worked at GQ magazine and Calvin Klein
Charles Thorp is the Fitness and Commerce Editor at Men’s Health, where he shares the best product recommendations in gym equipment, recovery tools, supplements, and more. Following an early life in athletics, Charles became a NASM-certified trainer and began writing programs alongside the most respected coaches in the world.
Since entering the world of fitness content, Charles has had the opportunity to learn from and train alongside high performance individuals from the NFL, UFC, NBA, Formula 1, CrossFit, US Olympics, and Navy SEALs. When he’s not writing about training programs or gear, he can be seen at the gym or in the wild, putting them to the test.
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