6 Best Boxing, MMA, and BJJ Gym Bags

If you participate in any sports and go to a gym you will need a quality gym bag to put your sports gear in. It is not just convenient and can house all the gears in one place but also the best MMA gym bags are easy to carry and have special compartments to separate dirty gears from clean equipment.

I have trained a couple of martial arts and I know firsthand that practicing a martial art like jiu-jitsu or boxing requires many gears that you need to bring to a gym so you can actually train and don’t have to use community equipment which can be far from ideal for achieving training goals and safety. So, having a gym bag is simply a must.

Best Boxing, MMA, and BJJ Gym Bags

1. Everlast Contender Sport Backpack


Exclusive Features

  • Made of canvas
  • Very sturdy
  • Large capacity
  • Special compartments for boxing shoes, gloves
  • Easy to clean
  • The best boxing gym bag!

Everlast Contender is made of quality materials and canvas is durable and dense enough to withstand stress for years.

There is a separate compartment for bottles and there are other special compartments so you can separate your boxing gears, all your digital items from a water bottle to protect them. It also has a mesh pocket to store dirty gears to reduce the smell. This can be especially useful if you carry your protein shake, pre-workout in your gym bag. Because even if an accident happens, the inside of your bag will not get so messy.

It has small compartments to store your smaller gears, workout essentials. You can also put your phone, watch in these pockets so you can easily take them out if you need them.

You can adjust the straps to your liking and carry the bag with ease. There is a buckle to adjust so you can carry your stuff in external pockets safely. Also, tightening it can come in handy so the bag does not look bulky and covers less space. Mesh is reinforced and padded well to provide more comfort.

Considering this bag’s superior qualities, it is no surprise that it is one of the most popular gym bags in boxing gyms.

Check Out Everlast Contender

2. Elite Sports Gym Duffle Bag for MMA


Exclusive Features

  • Best duffle bag for MMA, BJJ
  • Made of heavy-duty Cordura
  • Large capacity for a duffle bag
  • Various compartments
  • Hybrid bag
  • Retractable Straps

Elite Sports is one of the leading martial arts gym bag companies out there and this duffle bag is one of the go-to gym bags for fighters with its large capacity to carry all MMA gears. The bag has one main compartment, several pockets at the sides and the breathable material allows air in these to reduce odorous air.

The straps can be retracted and Elite Sports Gym Duffle Bag can also be used as a backpack if you prefer. This hybrid bag has several compartments for various gears including shoes however it also has a waterproof pocket to carry a water bottle and prevent leakage so water will not spill on your leather gloves or laptop.

After a workout, you can put your sweaty rash guards, jiu-jitsu gi, towels in mesh panels to maximize air circulation and reduce the drying period significantly.

3. Elite Sports Gym Backpack


Exclusive Features

  • Very sturdy
  • MMA bag with shoe compartment
  • Expandable bag with a very large capacity
  • Mesh compartments

This gym backpack is made with sturdy materials and is coated with heavy-duty PVC to increase tensile strength so it can withstand wear and tear for a long time. Elite Sports Gym Backpack can go strong for years as long as you maintain it well and don’t forget your sweaty gears in the bag for extended periods of time.

It has a very large main compartment and it is enough to store every martial arts gear whether your sport is BJJ or MMA.

It has a very large capacity. So if you are coming to a gym from your office or need to work for your university exam after a gym session and don’t want to carry two different bags as I did for several years, you can consider this bag.

If you still need more space to put your everyday items this bag is ideal because it is expandable to increase storage and can be turned into a duffle bag as well. Thanks to these features, it is quite a versatile gym bag for boxing and MMA.

As you can see this bag also has large mesh compartments, allows decent air in constantly, and it is great for anyone who stays in the gym for a long time and wants to change sweaty gears between workouts.

Check out Elite Sports GYM Backpack

4. Gold BJJ Jiu Jitsu Duffle Bag


Exclusive Features

  • Big enough
  • Perfect for BJJ lovers
  • Large pocket for Gis
  • Easy-grip handles
  • One of the best jiu-jitsu gym bags!

This model is the bigger model of another gym bag of the company.

The entire bag is made of waterproof material, which is waterproof PVC, for enhancing durability and it doesn’t let moisture affect the durability badly. When the sweat doesn’t get in the fabric, there will be less odorous air and the duffle bag will be less likely to smell after a long time of usage.

After a tough workout on the mats, you can put your gi, rash guards in a waterproof pocket so you can separate sweaty gears from clean ones or digital accessories.

Also, this company is run by BJJ practitioners and you should note that every little detail of this bag is designed by people who actually roll on the mats. For example, there is a bigger gi compartment opening that keeps your gi wrinkle-free.

Lastly, if you don’t like Gold BJJ Duffle Bag, you can request a refund and return the product without any hustle. Don’t you just love the companies who stand behind their products?

5. Venum Trainer Lite Sport Bag

overview of Venum Trainer Lite Sport Bag
Exclusive Features

  • Plenty  of room for all MMA gym essentials
  • Padded straps to carry the bag easily
  • Breathable materials
  • Compartments to store bigger gears
  • Multiple compartments

This gym bag is made of water-resistant polyester fabric like any other Venum Gym Bag. This fabric makes the bag really durable. Also, polyester is a lightweight material and compared to other bags with the same capacity it is lighter and easier to carry with the padded straps.

Also, the design and meshes are built to let more air in and circulate.

Even though Venum Trainer Lite Sports Bag is a duffle bag, it has enough compartments to organize all of your mixed martial arts gear. I go to the gyms with duffle bags and prefer when the inside of the bag looks more organized and you really don’t have this opportunity with many duffle style bags.

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6. Meister Breathable Chain Mesh Duffel


Exclusive Features

  • Clasic duffle bag design
  • Light and durable
  • Quality and cheap MMA, boxing gym bag!

The bag has a classic design, small pockets to store your valuable items. It has pores so air can directly penetrate and the bag will not smell horrible when you are removing your sweaty clothes at your home.

The stitched handles and the material allow you to carry heavier weights.

It does not have fancy features, or extra capacity like some of the other bags above, however, the material is durable enough and has a good design, straps which let you carry this bag without any serious defects for years. In addition to these, it has a cheap price tag. I know that you might own BJJ equipment which costs a small fortune however you can save at least some money with Meister Breathable Chain Mesh Duffel.

This bag has classic and extra-large size options to choose from.

Why Should You Buy MMA, Boxing, BJJ Gym Bag?

Obviously, any sport requires a few items and you need something to carry them. So if you don’t care about looking like a fool you can even use grocery bags. However, gym bags are just more convenient, keep the gears clean, organized.

However, why should you get a gym bag for specifically martial arts training?

These bags have extra protective compartments that are really useful for gloves, mouth guards as these can be harmed quite easily, and basically, these bags can protect your expensive MMA gears better.

Also, these bags tend to have good designs and compartments that increase air circulation so that the gears get rid of moisture which may shorten the durability period.

The Buyer’s Guide for Martial Arts Gym Bags

Durability

We carry a lot of hard objects, which can damage the construction, with boxing gym bags. So the bag should withstand an applied load and be abrasion-resistant.

High-grade nylon, polyester, and PVC are the most preferred materials for handling wear and tear. Choosing these materials over the low-quality ones is also good for the longevity of your Jiu-jitsu and boxing gears. Because quality materials don’t put extra strain on the gears but low-quality materials can force your MMA glove’s padding to soften and lose its function.best boxing mma gym bag reviews and ratings

Compartments, that are made specifically for gears tend to be made of mesh to provide the most air circulation.

As a side note, if you are someone who accidentally pours water on gym bags like I do waterproof materials do not only protect your luxurious items but also prevent water from contacting other parts of the bag.

Ventilation

Breathable materials can make a huge difference. These ventilate gym bags to get rid of sweat, moisture, smell…

It is also proven that bacteria can reproduce more in warm temperatures and it needs water as well. It sounds like a gym bag is a perfect environment for that! So breathable materials, a good design, which improves air circulation as much as possible, and small compartments can prevent them from reproducing or at least minimize it.

Capacity

The capacity should be big enough to store all of your equipment and MMA, boxing, BJJ gears require a lot of space. So you need to consider the size beforehand and make sure that the space is sufficient. You can generally see how much a bag can hold in liters in the product descriptions.

 Compartments and  Pockets

Some gym bags have them and some don’t. These are special pockets to separate the dirty, sweaty gear from the clean ones. Also, some boxing bags include compartments for your shoes, gloves, and BJJ gym bags include gi compartments to ventilate kimonos after a jiu-jitsu session.

The external pockets are easily accessible and save you time while you are looking for specific equipment.

These are built to improve the gym bag’s usability and make it more convenient to put equipment in them and remove them. Also, you don’t plan to place your sweaty towel and chicken breast sandwich in the same compartment, do you? So, these are a must for many people.

However, the materials should be durable and be able to stretch so that the pockets can withstand stress and don’t tear easily.

Duffel Bag or Backpack for Martial Arts?

Duffel bags look more stylish and many cool guys seem to carry their stuff with them. But is there any advantage of this bag over the classic backpack?

If you are the type of person who just wants to put everything in one place then duffel bags are for you. When you unzip it at the gym locker, you can easily take your gym gears out in a very short amount of time.

However, the weight distribution of duffel bags is not ideal at all. After all, some gears are heavier than the others and the duffel bag leans toward a heavier part. This can harm your back or joints. Also, one shoulder and arm work harder while carrying it and this can cause muscle imbalances.

This situation is actually worse if you practice martial arts. Because some gears are much heavier than others. For example, hand wraps, lightweight headgears, and 18 oz. sparring gloves weigh different than each other and carrying them in a duffle bag can cause the problem which I just mentioned.

On the other hand, backpacks distribute the weight more evenly as all the items are very close to each other. Also, you carry it with both of your shoulders. So gym backpacks for boxing don’t even swing, don’t force a particular group of muscles to work more and this does not cause muscle pain or problems due to extra tension. So, the backpack is just a better option healthwise for fighters.

Backpacks also have a lot of different compartments including bags with shoe compartments, boxing glove pockets, etc. These provide more air circulation so these gears dry faster and it improves the longevity of your martial arts equipment.

Shortly, people, who like to organize stuff, just love backpacks. These different compartments can help you keep your laptop away from water bottles and clean shower towels from MMA shin guards with bloodstains.

Lastly, the main compartment of duffle bags tends to have more storage space than the backpacks. Obviously, this depends on the brand and model.

What is the ideal size for MMA gym Bag?

60 liters. It is sufficient to carry MMA gloves, shin guards, headgear, and basic gym items like towels, deodorant, etc. Jiu-jitsu and boxing equipment cover less space so it is also more than enough for you to carry them and has enough room for good air circulation.

However, if you carry more stuff like extra pair of sparring gloves, more space is needed. I like to bring many gears even if I don’t need them for a particular boxing session. Because after a session I tend to do a tailored boxing workout suited to my goals so I tend to use gym bags which are generally on the bigger side.

Cleaning your Boxing, MMA Gym Bag

Cleaning and maintenance are important factors to use your martial arts gym bag longer and get the most out of your bag. If you do it right you can extend its durability of it, mesh compartments will rip apart later than usual, and last but not least people will not be bothered with odors.

So here are simple ways to clean your MMA gym bag.

Method 1

  • Check out the product description and see whether the bag is machine washable or not.
  • If it is not, skip method 1 and start reading method 2
  • If it is, control your washing machine’s capacity to see whether it can indeed hold it or not.
  • After controlling these, read the care label to know about washing instructions. Most of the popular MMA gym bags include it.
  • Set the right temperature to kill the bacteria and get rid of odorous air.
  • If a care label includes a washing cycle, do it as it says. If it does not include one and your gym bag is not really solid, set it to a delicate cycle so you can be on the safe side.
  • Let your gym bag air dry. The duration depends on the materials, pockets, and design.

Method 2

  • Firstly, remove all the gears and debris which can create odors and can be a friendly environment for bacteria.
  • Get disinfectant wipes, however, make sure that it is suitable for the material of your MMA bag. For instance, some wipes can ruin leather bags but these might be perfect for synthetic ones.
  • Or dip a piece of fabric in soapy water and use it instead of wipes.
  • Gently wipe compartments, mesh, inside of the interior and the exterior of the bag.
  • Let it air dry.

These methods were about cleaning your gym bag. However, there are simple ways to improve longevity and prevent the bag from being extra messy. For instance, you can put your used training gear in waterproof bags. In this way, it doesn’t let your martial arts gear, which may be sweaty or even bloody, contact the fabric of the MMA gym bag.

Some boxing gym bags have special compartments for various items including gloves, shoes. These ventilate more and if these are big enough you can put glove deodorizers in boxing gloves and place them in pockets. In this way, these do not only dry faster and get disinfected but also don’t contact other equipment.

Conclusive Thoughts

Having the best MMA, boxing, and BJJ gym bag is important for everyone who practices martial arts as you can carry all of your items in one bag. The bags let them get air, look stylish… The bags have these qualities and more so I am sure that you can find a gym bag above for every need.

However, if you are not sure about a particular model and have any further questions, just leave a comment below!

If you are looking to learn more about various combat sports and read other equipment reviews, check out the home page.

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8 thoughts on “6 Best Boxing, MMA, and BJJ Gym Bags”

  1. Great stuff. I once boxed when i was around 11 years old for a few years and was a great way to stay in shape. I agree a boxing gym bag is needed because of how much stuff you take.
    Great read!

  2. Great reviews man, I never have done boxing before but always wanted to. My dad brought me a punching bag when I was a kid but I never used it before so I guess I will go grab it from the basement and try to move some muscles. I am planning to join a boxing gym soon so I will definitely use your boxing bags reviews to choose me a bag.

    1. Well you will at least start and that is something 😉 All of these have enough capacity and these will do the job just fine. With that, some of these have really amazing qualities

  3. Excellent reviews! I love the venum challenger bag, had my eye on it for some time. Thanks for the write up! This will affect my purchasing decision making in the future 🙂

  4. Great comparisons. I agree a good gym bag is definitely a necessity. You don’t realize how important a good one is until you’ve actually had a good one! Thanks for the info!
    Regards,
    Michelle

    1. A couple of years ago I was going to a gym with a pretty basic boxing gym bag. But once the water was poured on it accidentally, I realized that I need to change it as my phone got wet and did not turn on. So I purchased one with waterproof compartments after this incident.

  5. Although I am not a boxer, I must say, this absolutely came in handy.
    I love backpacks with enough compartment for my laptop, books, and another nice compartment for my drinks. But, finding the right one with all of the properties I have listed has always been a hassle.
    Now, thanks to your gym bags article, I have found what I’ve been looking for. Will be checking out ‘Venum “Challenger Xtreme” Backpack’.

    1. Well, it is nice to have a quality one with various qualities.
      You really need a waterproof bag, which has an extra compartment for bottles, as you carry a laptop constantly.

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