Sports bags: duffel bags, wheeled bags and drawstring bags

A sports bag is chosen based on three key points: capacity in litres, a ventilated compartment for shoes, and the carrying method. Expect around 30 litres for a gym session, 40 litres for a weekend, and 50 litres or more for a tournament. Beyond that, wheels help avoid carrying the weight.

Choosing a sports bag: litres, duffel bag and shoe compartment

The labels show litres, almost never what they can carry. Here’s the reference we apply to each sports bag in our selection.

• 25 to 30 litres: one outfit, one pair of shoes, a water bottle. Tuesday evening training or gym session.
• 35 to 45 litres: two outfits, protection gear, toiletries bag. Competition weekend or training camp.
• 50 litres and more: goalkeeper gear, skiing equipment, tournament week.

The second key point is the shoe compartment, ventilated and separate from clean clothes. When it’s missing, a shoe bag works just as well and fits into the larger volume.

Sports bag with wheels, duffel or backpack

The sports bag is primarily about carrying. The duffel bag can be carried by hand or over the shoulder, accommodating awkward shapes, a pair of cleats, and a helmet. The backpack frees up your hands for cycling or the underground. The wheeled model becomes essential once the load exceeds what you're willing to carry to the changing room, such as hockey or ski gear. At Nike, adidas, Under Armour, and Hummel, all three carrying styles coexist.

Sports bag with drawstrings for club and school

A sports bag that goes to school in the morning and to the club in the evening must fit into a locker, stay lightweight when empty, and withstand being thrown on the floor. Compact formats and the drawstring bag cover swimming, dance, and judo. In high school, the volume increases, and the bag is also carried in the city, which brings colour and material into the decision.

Cheap sports bag: brands from our selection

The price is important. The club sports bag starts with equipment suppliers like Jako, Uhlsport, Givova, and Erima, goes through Craft and Hummel, and then moves up to the more prominent brands like Nike, adidas, and Under Armour. A good deal isn’t always the cheapest; it’s the sports bag that lasts through three seasons without a stitch coming loose, so check the handles, the bottom, and the zip slider before looking at the price displayed.

Sports bag or travel bag, where's the line?

Half of the catalogues place the travel bag under the sports label, which doesn’t help anyone choose. The difference comes down to three details: a sports bag has a ventilated pocket for damp shoes, a base that can handle the floor of a changing room, and a capacity tailored to a session rather than a trip. A small sports bag fits in a locker; a duffel bag for a week falls into our luggage category.

Sports bag for tennis, football, skiing or cabin luggage

A club bag doesn’t look like a gym bag. In football, handball, and basketball, the volume comes first, with compartments for studs and the ball, from Jako, Uhlsport, Givova, and Hummel. In tennis and padel, it’s the thermal cover that matters, from Head and Wilson, and our racket bags are dedicated to them. For flying, check the accepted dimensions with your airline before buying: they aren’t the same everywhere, and our pages on cabin luggage detail this airline by airline.

Our sports bags by type and by brand

• Types
• Top Brands