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A gym backpack keeps sweaty shoes and towels away from the rest of your stuff. It should also feel easy to carry on the way to the gym and back. Look for a separate shoe compartment, a padded laptop sleeve and water-resistant fabric.
Our top pick is the Under Armour Hustle 6.0. It has water-resistant fabric, a shoe or laundry pocket and a laptop sleeve that fits up to 16 inches, which covers most commuter needs. Here is what's available right now, with four more picks for bigger capacity, carrying three ways, the lightest build and a compact size.
1 Under Armour Unisex Hustle 6.0 Backpack | 2 Kookoomia Gym Bag for Men Convertible Duffle and Backpack | 3 MIYCOO Gym Bag with Shoe Compartment, 3-Way Carry Travel Backpack | 4 VENATIN Gym Backpack, Lightweight with Shoe Compartment, Green | 5 GOGUS Hybrid Gym Backpack, 18L with Dual Bottle Pockets | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Best overall | Biggest capacity | Carry three ways | Lightest pick | Compact and recycled |
| Shoe storage | Secondary compartment doubles as a shoe or laundry pocket | Separate compartment that folds away with Velcro | Not listed | Separate shoe compartment | Not listed |
| Bottle storage | Side pocket fits a 32 oz bottle | Two elastic holders for 32 oz bottles and shakers | Side zip pockets hold one water bottle | Not listed | Dual water bottle pockets |
| Capacity | Not listed | 40 liters (19.7 x 11 x 9.8 in) | Not listed | 24.5 liters | 18 liters |
| Wet storage | Not listed | Internal waterproof wet and dry pouch | Waterproof PVC-lined wet compartment | Wet and dry pocket for towels and toiletries | Not listed |
| Check price at Amazon | Check price at Amazon | Check price at Amazon | Check price at Amazon | Check price at Amazon |
Under Armour Unisex Hustle 6.0 BackpackBest overallMost recommended by reviewers
Check price at Amazon
Kookoomia Gym Bag for Men Convertible Duffle and BackpackBiggest capacity
MIYCOO Gym Bag with Shoe Compartment, 3-Way Carry Travel BackpackCarry three ways
VENATIN Gym Backpack, Lightweight with Shoe Compartment, GreenLightest pick
GOGUS Hybrid Gym Backpack, 18L with Dual Bottle PocketsCompact and recycled
A water-resistant all-round gym bag with a shoe pocket and a laptop sleeve, for men who want one bag for the gym and the commute.
Most recommended by reviewers
Check price at AmazonPrices and availability on Amazon change often.
One catchCapacity is not given on the listing, so check that your kit fits before you buy.
The Hustle 6.0 covers the basics the guides keep returning to: a separate shoe or laundry pocket, a soft-lined laptop sleeve and a fabric that sheds water. The sleeve fits up to a 16-inch MacBook Pro, so the bag works for the commute as well as the gym.
The side pocket takes a 32 oz bottle, and the front zip pocket keeps small essentials close at hand. It's a solid default for someone who wants one bag and no fuss.
A 40-litre bag that switches between hand-carry and backpack, with a shoe compartment and two large bottle holders.
Prices and availability on Amazon change often.
If you carry more than a towel and a pair of shoes, the 40-litre capacity leaves room to spare. You can hand-carry it or wear it as a backpack, depending on whether you're walking, taking the bus or heading straight from work.
The internal wet and dry pouch keeps sweaty kit apart from the rest, and the shoe compartment folds away when you don't need it. It suits bigger loads better than a small daily bag.
A canvas bag that works as a backpack, crossbody or handbag, with a separate shoe compartment and a dry and wet split.
Prices and availability on Amazon change often.
Plenty of gym bags can't leave the gym for the city. This one can: the shoulder straps tuck away, and the removable crossbody strap turns it into a handbag or travel bag. A shoe compartment separate from the main pocket and a dry and wet split cover the usual gym concerns.
The canvas is listed as waterproof and wrinkle-resistant, and the main compartment has room for a laptop or iPad.
The lightest bag here at 1.25 lb, with a separate shoe compartment and a wet pocket in a compact 24.5-litre size.
Prices and availability on Amazon change often.
If you want the lightest bag that still has a shoe compartment and a wet pocket, this one stands out. At 1.25 lb it adds little to the load, and the 24.5-litre main space holds a full gym kit.
A compact 18-litre hybrid made from recycled nylon, with an insulated snack pocket and reflective trim for early or evening sessions.
Prices and availability on Amazon change often.
For a light gym routine, an 18-litre hybrid with a drawstring top is compact and easy to carry. It's made from recycled nylon and includes reflective accents, which the listing points to for early or evening workouts.
Expert buying advice puts a separate shoe compartment at the top of the list, because it keeps sweaty shoes away from clean clothes and electronics. Ventilated sections or a wet pocket do the same job for damp towels and gym clothes.
Watch the water claims. Water-resistant fabric, such as a DWR coating, sheds light rain but is not fully waterproof. A polyurethane coating is fully waterproof and is often used on the base of a bag, so the bottom can sit on a wet floor without soaking through.
Comfort matters on the way to the gym. Look for breathable padded back panels, adjustable shoulder straps and a sternum strap if you carry a heavy load.
Very small bags, around 7 litres, suit only a few items. If you commute and carry a laptop, a towel, shoes and a change of clothes, a 24-litre or larger bag is a better fit. A gym bag that looks too sporty for the office may also be a poor choice if you wear it daily to work.
The Under Armour Hustle 6.0 is our top pick for most men. It has water-resistant fabric, a shoe or laundry pocket, a side pocket for a 32 oz bottle and a soft-lined laptop sleeve for up to a 16-inch laptop. If you need more room, the 40-litre Kookoomia is the next step up.
The Under Armour Hustle 6.0 has a soft-lined sleeve for up to a 16-inch laptop, and the Ytonet lists a padded section for up to 15.6 inches. The MIYCOO has a computer pocket in its main compartment. Check your laptop size against the listing before you buy.
The VENATIN green is the lightest pick at 1.25 lb with 24.5 liters of space, and the GOGUS is the most compact at 18 liters. Both have a separate shoe compartment or a wet pocket. A very small bag of about 7 litres only suits a few items.
Why trust BullseyeBuy
Every bag here is a current Amazon listing that is in stock, compared on the features each listing states, from laptop sleeves and shoe pockets to capacity and carry styles. We also weighed what three editorial buyer's guides say matters most in a gym bag, such as a separate shoe compartment, a padded laptop sleeve and fabric that sheds water.
Our expert team tests products when it is needed and researches online and in interviews. Every guide is fact-checked and edited by a real person.
The BullseyeBuy editorial team · Updated Oct 17, 2026
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