Health and Fitness

Contrary to what most people believe, shopping for a gym bag is not as easy as it sounds; there are many factors to consider. All gym bags take multiple beatings throughout the day with repeated use and are prone to wearing down. You need to make sure they’re made of durable material to prevent this from occurring. Further, if you have a chest-cum-locker at your gym, you need your gym bag to fit into that compartment. These are just two factors that are common to most people, but there are many more that are more subjective. 

A Woman’s Gym Bag with A Shoe Compartment

Some may say this is an unnecessary spend but consider this: you are going to meet a friend after your workout for a quick cup of coffee. You throw in all your workout equipment in your bag and don’t want to put your smelly, sweaty workout shoes along with them, but have no choice. Why? Because you don’t have a dedicated shoe compartment! You risk your clothes (and whatever essentials you carry along with you) reeking of sweat.

How Do You Know What to Buy?

There is a myriad of womens gym bags with shoe compartment options available online and at sports stores. But how do you go about finding one for yourself? What are the factors that need to be considered while making this decision?

Must Consider Durability

A high-quality gym bag with a dedicated shoe compartment is the way to go: this ticks off the durability factor which is often the first on your checklist of must-have qualities in a gym bag. The materials used dictates the bag’s overall construction and structural approach. There is no one material that is specifically known as the “most durable” for gym bags with shoe compartments; this is a subjective matter. All you need to do is consider the volume of loads you’ll be carrying on a daily basis: whether you use it just for the gym, or carry your laptop in it, or use it for other outdoor activities, or even traveling, a long-lasting gym bag (with a useful shoe compartment) will always come in handy and can be considered an investment if spent wisely.

Ergonomic Construction

 Now that your women’s gym bag with a shoe compartment is made of the finest class of nylon, quality zippers, and long-lasting anti-corrode hardware, make sure that it is ergonomically engineered; ensure that it is a comfortable fit for you: try it on to see that it supports your body and promotes physical ease while carrying it. Note that women’s gym bags are known to be heavier than men’s gym bags; add to that a dedicated shoe compartment, and you’re adding a lot more weight than you’d expected; so watch out! 

Ease of Carrying: Backpacks Over Duffels

A gym bag becomes your best friend when you take fitness seriously, so buy a gym bag that feels comfortable around you. Now, even though a duffel bag can be much more spacious than a backpack, the truth is that a backpack is more lightweight (or at least feels that way) because the weight is evenly distributed on your shoulders). 

The More Space, The Better

Even though your women’s gym bag has a shoe compartment, always best to have multiple, spacious compartments to carry a lot of stuff; the typical list of “essentials” to carry along to the gym for women is endless (and this is not a bad thing; we like being prepared). You don’t want to get a smaller gym bag and end up carrying additional bags, just to hold the rest of your belongings. You might want to consider investing in a CrossFit backpack, which is currently the “buzz” of the workout industry. Space matters, after all, and the more, the merrier! Plentiful, spacious compartments never leave you unprepared for a situation. 

A Smart Return of Investment of Sorts

The ideal woman’s gym bag with a shoe compartment is out there for you: do not invest in a low-quality, substandard gym bag, because you’ll regret it. Instead, look for one that speaks of your personality and boosts your taste and status. A gym bag of good quality justifies your ROI and is an asset to your wardrobe: wear it with pride and give your gym essentials the treatment they deserve!

Mastering the art of packing your gym bag is a daunting task and takes a lot of practice (even the pros tend to mess up, so don’t worry). Even after you become a true pro at gym bag-packing, you find yourself in a pickle when you forget your shower shoes at home. Fret not, we’ve all been there. The good news is that this article talks about the gym bag essentials for women, and it comes straight from the horses’ mouth- that’s right, we interviewed a bunch of female fitness pros and found out some of the items they cannot bear to part with at the gym- something you might relate to!

Whether it’s your favorite pair of socks, a snack bar to keep you from turning into the Incredible Hulk after a workout, or dry shampoo for your hair, they talk about it all, and then some. If you’ve just joined the gym and are wondering the night before what you need to pack, you’ve come to the right place, my friend.

Gym Bag Essentials for Women

Workout Clothes

I know you think this is quite obvious, but the truth is that most women forget a single pair of clothing, which can turn a productive workout session into one with chafing and blistering. The fitness pros specified that the must-have workout clothes for all women include:

• Workout top: preferably cotton, so it’s light and breathable

• Workout bottoms: shorts, leggings, or sweatpants; whatever tickles your fancy

• A fresh pair of socks (and not a used pair, even if it doesn’t smell)

• Clean pair of underwear and your sports bra

• Headband, if you use it to keep your bangs out of your face

• Headgear like a shower cap if you’re bathing afterward

• Swim cap, eye goggles, and a swimsuit if you’re taking a swim later

These are the gym bag essentials for all women in the clothing department (we think we’ve covered them all). On to the next essential item.

Workout Towel & Hand Sanitizer

This is not for the shower afterward, but to be used during the workout. In fact, many gyms require you to bring a towel to the gym floor. Even if you are not a sweater, you must use the workout towel for any moisture left behind on the equipment used by you. While good manners can go a long way, this is also a hygienic routine! Pro tip: carry a gym towel made of cotton; these are absorbent in nature and can dry very easily. If you are a germaphobe and worry about the sweat left behind by others, carry a hand sanitizer with you to clean equipment before using them.

Water Bottle

Water fountains might be available, but you don’t want to keep interrupting your workout sessions to make quick trips back and forth. A reusable water bottle helps you stay hydrated throughout your workout session, while ensuring you’re not causing harm to the environment. If you’re using a plastic bottle, ensure it is made of BPA plastic.

Music Equipment & Good Tunes

Who doesn’t like to plug out the rest of the world and “get in the zone” with some pumped up music to begin your workout? Bring along your cell phone, iPod, or MP3 music player with earphones to boost your workout. Make sure your earphones are sweat-proof and wireless.

An Energy Bar

Always keep an energy bar on you: this is a tip I got from all the fitness pros at the gym. Whether a pre or post-workout snack, an energy bar can work miracles when you least expect them to. A high-carb bar is best for pre-workout snacks and will fuel you up beforehand. Post-workout energy bars should ideally be high in protein.

Personal Care Items

This is the most important section of this article: personal care items are particularly important for women: even if your gym is nice and spiffy, you need to have the following in your gym bag at all times (because you never know when you’ll need them).

• Shower sandals: Do NOT enter the showers without them (avoid athlete’s foot)

• Bath towel: bring your own even if your gym provides them

• Body wash, shampoo, conditioner: if you have to go somewhere after

• Dry shampoo if you don’t have time for a shower

• Deodorant, also if you don’t have time for a quick shower

• Hairbrush, moisturizer, makeup

• Antifungal spray and pain ointments

• Tampons

• Extra underwear

• Spare contact lenses and solution