While having a dedicated gym bag may not seem like a big deal, it’s actually very surprising how much easier they can make your life.
Knowing this, a large number of fightwear brands have created and released a number of different bags designed specifically for martial artists and combat sport athletes.
- Best For MMA: Venum Trainer Lite Sports Bag
- Best For BJJ: Gold BJJ Jiu Jitsu Backpack
- Best For Muay Thai: Fairtex Gym Bag
- Elite Sports Ventilated Training Bag
- Gold BJJ Duffle Bag
Today, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the best gym bags for MMA, BJJ & Muay Thai and will aim to cover a good range of prices.
This way, no matter your budget, you should be able to find a bag suitable to yours needs.
Benefits of Having a Dedicated Bag for Martial Arts
Before we crack on with this list though, I quickly want to touch upon the benefits of having a bag specifically for hauling your gear to and from the gym.
Ventilated
First of all, martial arts bags tend to be very ventilated, often using mesh material in their design. This both helps to keep the bag from building up any unwanted smells, as well as to stop your clothes from smelling damp.
If you use a regular old backpack, you’ll notice your gi/ clothes will still be very wet and smelly when you get home.
Compartments Designed Specifically for Gear
Some brands on our list have created their bags specifically to be able to carry different parts of your gear. This could be your gi, gloves or even shin guards. I find this much easier than having to cram all my stuff into one generic backpack.
Stops Your Other Bags from Smelling
Lastly, having a bag dedicated to your martial arts gear stops all your other bags from smelling. If you have only have one bag that you use for everything, it’s going to get a bit annoying when whatever you put in there comes out smelling like a session on the mat.
List of the Best Gym Bags for MMA, BJJ & Muay Thai
Ok, let's take a look at our top 10 options.
| Image | Product | |
|---|---|---|
 | Best For MMA Venum Trainer Lite Sports Bag
| VIEW ON AMAZON →SEE CUSTOMER REVIEWS → |
 | Best For BJJ Gold BJJ Jiu Jitsu Backpack
| VIEW ON AMAZON →SEE CUSTOMER REVIEWS → |
 | Best For Muay Thai Fairtex Gym Bag
| VIEW ON AMAZON →SEE CUSTOMER REVIEWS → |
 | Elite Sports Ventilated Training Bag
| VIEW ON AMAZON →SEE CUSTOMER REVIEWS → |
 | Gold BJJ Duffle Bag
| VIEW ON AMAZON →SEE CUSTOMER REVIEWS → |
 | Hayabusa Ryoko Mesh Duffle Bag
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 | Venum Challenger Backpack
| VIEW ON AMAZON →SEE CUSTOMER REVIEWS → |
 | Meister Breathable Duffle Bag
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 | Under Armour Duffle Bag
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Venum Trainer Lite Sports Bag – Best MMA Gym Bag
Noteworthy Features:
Venum, a brand name synonymous with martial arts gear, also have number of different bags designed for MMA and BJJ. Their Trainer Lite bag for example is a shoulder bag with a ton of room and compartments suitable for storing an array of different gear.
Available in 5 different colors, the bag features one main centre pocket, and 4 side pockets, all of which are constructed using mesh material. As I’ve mentioned before, this material allows the bag to keep ventilated, helping to reduce any build up of smell on your gear.
I personally really like how they’ve got so many compartments. This allows you to easily separate your clean clothes from your dirty ones, whilst still having plenty of space for your gear, whether that be a gi, gloves, shin guards or wraps.
The only downside to this bag in particular is the price. It’s definitely on the higher end of things, especially compared to some of the other options on our list. That said, this is one of the big gym bags we’re discussing, so it’s understandable that it’s going to cost more.
Gold BJJ Jiu Jitsu Backpack – Best BJJ Gym Bag
Noteworthy Features:
This is undoubtedly one of, if not the best gym bag for BJJ. The reason being, Gold BJJ have created this backpack specifically for BJJ practitioners.
The backpack itself features a pouch located at the top, designed to house your belt. This is paired with a compartment sized perfectly for storing your gi. As such, you can comfortably fit everything you’d need to take to the gym easily within the backpack.
Alongside this, you’ve also got space for a water bottle on either side, as well as a number of other compartments located around the bag for storing other items such as your phone or wallet.
In terms of quality, the back features reinforced seems as well as a waterproof exterior. This keeps your belongings dry if you’re ever unfortunately caught out in the rain on your water to the gym.
The gi compartment itself is also sweat proof, so the any sweat doesn’t seep into the other compartments, keeping everything else smell free.
What I love about Gold BJJ as a company is how they’re willing to put their money where their mouth is. All of their gear, including their gym bags come with a satisfaction guarantee. If for whatever reason you’re unhappy with their gear, you’ll get a replacement free of charge.
Considering it’s nearly impossible to find a bag created solely for BJJ, you really can’t go wrong with thee Gold BJJ backpack.
Fairtex Gym Bag – Best Gym Bag For Muay Thai
Noteworthy Features:
If you’ve ever been down to a Muay Thai class, then I’m sure you’ll know who Fairtex are. If you haven’t, well they’re one of the biggest brands in Muay Thai, hand making the vast majority of their gear in Thailand. As such, they’ve garnered a reputation for delivering top class gear to fighters all over the world.
Their gym bag is definitely a reflection of this reputation, as it’s by far one of the most popular choices on our list. Unfortunately though, you are paying for the name a bit with this one, as it is pretty pricey. That said, it’s built to an exceptional standard, so it’s definitely going to see you through a good few years before it needs replacing.
As you can see from the image, Fairtex have created their bag based on a duffle/ shoulder bag design, using heavy duty nylon for the handles alongside a detachable shoulder strap.
There one main compartment that you can use to store the bulk of your gear. For me, the best aspect is the end compartment that’s designed specifically to house Muay Thai Gloves. This allows you to separate them from the rest of your belonging whilst you’re on the move, which is awesome as we all know how much gloves can smell, especially after a few hours in the gym.
With regards to design, you’ll be able to pick this bag up in one of four colors; black, grey, purple camo and red camo.
This is undoubtedly one of, if not the best gym bag for Muay Thai you can currently pick up, despite it’s somewhat high price tag.
CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE: Hypnotik are currently changing ownership and have temporarily disabled their website. Once back up, I'll update the article.
Hypnotik Jiu Jitsu Sports Bag
Noteworthy Features:
First up we’ve got the Jiu Jitsu sports bag from Hypnotik. If you don’t know who Hypnotik are, they started out as an online retailer of different martial arts gear.
Having recently brought out their own line of fight wear and gear, they’ve quickly made a name for themselves, and it’s easy to see why.
Their Jiu Jitsu bag is constructed using incredibly strong nylon material and features a number of vented mesh outer compartments. This mesh material allows your air to reach your gi whilst it’s packed away.
It also helps to allow some of the smell to leave the bag, preventing your gi from building up in smell, which I’m sure no one down your gym would appreciate.
There’s also a number of different handles, so you can carry it like a traditional duffle bag, or put it over your shoulder using the padded shoulder straps. Considering the incredibly reasonable price tag of the bag, this is easily one of the best bags for BJJ going.
Elite Sports Ventilated Training Bag
Noteworthy Features:
Up next we’ve got an incredibly reasonably priced martial arts bag from Elite Sports. Whether you’re into BJJ, MMA or Muay Thai, this bags got plenty of space for your equipment.
This is largely thanks to the fact that Elite Sports offer this bag in 2 different sizes, which allows you to pick one based upon the amount of gear you’ll need to carry. What’s more, the bag is available in black, grey and pink, so you’ll also be able to find a style that matches your preference.
In terms of construction, either end of the bag features ventilation mesh, with the bag itself being made out of lightweight, water resistant nylon material.
The bag also offers plenty of storage space, with a main compartment suitable for storing your larger items such as gloves or you gi. There’s also a number of compartments dotted around that you can store your smaller items such as a phone or belt.
All in all, a great bag with plenty of storage space for a very reasonable price.
Gold BJJ Duffle Bag
Noteworthy Features:
We’ve got another bag from Gold BJJ, this time in the form of a duffle design. As with all of Gold BJJ’s gear, this bag is catered towards those of you are practice a martial art with a gi, whether that’s BJJ, Judo or traditional Jiu Jitsu.
In terms of space, this bag has a ton of room to pack your stuff, offering 44 litres of storage area. As such, there’s easily enough room for you to carry two gis, your rash guard, water, tape, spats, shorts, the lot.
The Gi compartment of the bag is waterproof, which helps to prevent water getting in and prevents your sweat from seeping into the bags other sections. The bag itself is constructed using extremely durable and lightweight two-tone polyester, so it’s no hassle what so ever to carry as it adds very little weight.
As I mentioned earlier with Gold BJJ, they offer all of their products with a “Gold Guarantee”. This means that if you’re unhappy for whatever reason with the BJJ gym bag, you’ll get another sent out free of charge.
Due to this being a fair bit larger than the Gold BJJ backpack we discussed earlier, it is slightly more expensive. With that in mind, this is only one of the best gym bags for BJJ if you’re planning on carrying a lot of stuff. If not, the cheaper backpack would probably be the better option.
Hayabusa Ryoko Mesh Duffle Bag
Noteworthy Features:
The Hayabusa Ryoko Duffle Bag is both the largest and most expensive bag to feature on our list. In typical Hayabusa fashion, they’ve taken their Ryko gym bag to the extreme, offering a ton of room and a ton of quality to match.
The bag itself is made from tear resistance mesh that keeps your gear inside dry and smell free. Alongside this, Hayabusa have used high grade metal zippers, creating a bag that’s designed to last in all aspects.
Inside the bag there’s a waterproof compartment that allows you to separate your dry and wet clothes. This way, you won’t contaminate your regular clothes with the smell from your work out.
At either end of the bag are pockets that can be used to store belongings such as water bottles, tape, belts and what ever else you bring down to the gym.
Unfortunately, the price of this bag does come with a hefty price tag, but that’s the name of the game when it comes to gear from Hayabusa.
The good flip side to this is that the bags built to an exceptional standard and will be with you for the foreseeable future, so there wont be a need to buy another any time soon.
Venum Challenger Backpack
Noteworthy Features:
Venum are up yet again with another one of the best MMA gym bags, this time in the form of a backpack. You can find the challenger backpack in 7 color variations; black, gold, grey, yellow and a few other color combinations.
The Challenger Backpack has a good amount of storage space to offer. It has two main compartments that can fit gear such as a gi or your gloves, as well as a laptop storage sleeve should you need to bring your work to the gym.
Either side of the bag features elasticated compartments for water, as well as a mesh pocket located at the front for your smaller belongings.
The back of the bag also features mesh padding for added comfort, which is a nice tough by Venum as it’s definitely one of the more comfortable bags on the list.
It’s actually fairly surprising how cheap this bag is, especially considering it’s made by Venum. It’s definitely not the biggest bag in the world, but if you’re looking for a good quality backpack to lug your gear to and from the gym, you can’t go wrong with the Challenger.
Meister Breathable Duffle Bag
Noteworthy Features:
In terms of design and material, this is definitely the most unique option on the list. The entirety of the bag is constructed using mesh material. This in turn allows for a ton of air to flow through the bag, keeping your gear smelling fresh, even after a hard session down the gym.
Another awesome benefit of this material is the weight. This bag literally weighs just over 1lb, which is just absurdly light.
There isn’t a ton of compartment on this bag, having just one main section and two smaller pocket on either side. Fortunately, you can pick up the bag in 2 different sizes, so if you have decent amount of gear, definitely go for the larger option.
Moving onto price, which is just as ridiculous as it’s weight. You can pick up the Meister MMA gym bag for an incredibly low price, making it a fantastic option for anyone shopping on a budget.
Under Armour Duffle Bag
Noteworthy Features:
Moving onto the last option on our list, this time buy Under Armour. While this isn’t made specifically for a martial artist, it has all the features you’d look for in a gym bag.
What’s awesome about this bag in particular is the range of sizes, going from small to extra-large. This way, you can find a bag that’s perfect for your amount of equipment, without having to squeeze anything in, or having a ton of space left over.
Under Armour have made use of 100% polyester to construct the bag, making it extremely lightweight, but able to withstand a good beating.
You do pay a bit more for a big brand like Under Armour, but all in all it’s definitely not a bad price. Of course, the overall price will depend on what size you go for, however they’re extremely reasonable and won’t set you back a good amount of cash.
What to Look for in a Gym Bag?
When shopping around for one of the best gym bags for BJJ or MMA, there’s a few different areas that should be paid attention, which I’ll discuss below.
Material
First off is the material. Due the fact that a lot of the things you’ll be putting in the bag will be wet and sweaty, ventilation is incredibly important. As such, some of the best martial arts gym bags will use mesh in their designs.
This allows air to flow in and out of the bag, preventing any build up of moisture and damp smells.
Also, the material used to construct the bag itself will often have a direct effect on it’s durability. Keep and eye out for fabrics such as nylon and polyester, which are both durable and lightweight.
Similarly, a lot of the better brands use some form or water resistant material in their designs. This both prevents your gear from getting wet if you’re caught in the rain, and helps to prevent sweat running from one compartment to another.
Design
You’ll probably have noticed from our list that these bags tend to come in 2 different designs – backpacks and duffel bags.
Backpacks tend to be easier to carry, however a lot of the time have less room. I also find that due to the way you carry a backpack, a lot of your gi sinks down to the bottom and crumples up, which is especially annoying if you’ve got a gi packed.
As such, I tend to prefer duffel bag designs, as the gear inside stays in place a bit better. Duffel bags also tend to be a bit larger, so if you’ve got a lot of gear, then they’re probably the better fit for you.
Space
As you can tell from our list, Muay Thai, MMA and BJJ gym bags tend to come in all different shapes and sizes. The amount of storage space a bag can hold is typically measured in litres, which to be honest, isn’t that helpful.
As such, pay attention to how many compartments the bag has, and if the brand discuss what sort of equipment the it can store. The good news is that martial arts equipment tends to be fairly small, so you shouldn’t really run into any problems in the space department.
Price
While a gym bag won’t set you back a ton of cash, they can vary a good amount in price. The price typically reflects the size of the bag and the company that makes it.
Fortunately, we’ve covered a good range of prices on our list, from Elite Sports who offer theirs extremely cheap, to Hayabusa, who are the most expensive on the list.
Popular Brands
Gold BJJ
Gold BJJ are a relatively small business from the US, founded and run by a number of BJJ practitioners. Frustrated with the current state of the market, they decided to create their own brand, delivering only the highest quality gear and accessories made for BJJ practitioners, by BJJ practitioners. As such, Gold BJJ are behind some of the best gear and accessories on the market, with their two gym bags be created specifically for BJJ gear.
Hayabusa
Hayabusa are behind some of the best martial arts gear on the planet. Although their equipment and fightwear tends to be pretty expensive, they’re nearly always going to be the best money can buy. Covering a wide range of martial arts and combat sports, from BJJ to boxing, Hayabusa deliver nothing but the best.
Venum
Venum are very similar to Hayabusa in that their products are top notch, but often cost a decent chunk of change. That said, they aren’t quite as expensive as Hayabusa and as such, tend to be fairly popular amongst beginners looking to get a taste of top quality gear, without having to spend as much money.
Best BJJ, MMA and Muay Thai Gym Bag: The Verdict
So, having looked a 10 different options, which one's do we recommend the most?
- Best Gym Bag for MMA: Venom Trainer Lite
- Best Gym Bag For BJJ: Gold BJJ Backpack
- Best Gym Bag for Muay Thai: Fairtex Duffle Bag
Final Thoughts
Thanks for taking the time to read our list of the best gym bags for MMA, BJJ and Muay Thai.
If you’ve got a gym bag we haven’t mentioned our list, please drop a comment below and we’ll be sure to take it into consideration.
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