Finding the best jiu jitsu gear bag is really about more getting a place to throw your stuff; it's about surviving the commute house without your car smelling like a locker room. If you've been training intended for greater than a week, you've probably realized that will a standard school backpack or the flimsy gym bag just doesn't cut it. Between the particular heavy cotton gis, the sweat-soaked rash guards, and the specialized gear like mouthguards and finger video tape, BJJ athletes possess a very specific group of needs that will most bag manufacturers don't even think about.
Let's be honest, nothing is worse than completing a grueling 2 hour open mat program and realizing you have to stuff a placing wet, five-pound gi into a bag which has zero venting. It's gross, it's harmful to the fabric, and it's the recipe for the stinky situation. That's why we're going to dive straight into what actually the bag worth your money and how to spot the features that will make your daily life a whole lot easier.
Why You Can't Just Use Your own Old Gym Bag
I get it—you probably have an old duffel bag sitting at the back of your closet that you simply used for soccer or maybe the general gym. But Jiu Jitsu is really a different beast entirely. A standard gi is heavy and heavy. As soon as it's wet, it's even heavier. Most regular bags aren't built with the reinforced stitching or the heavy-duty zippers required to handle that kind of weight on a daily basis.
Beyond the fat, there's the "funk" factor. Most common gym bags are usually made of thin polyester that barriers moisture. If you leave your gear inside for actually an hour after course, you're basically developing a petri dish for bacteria. The particular best jiu jitsu gear bag options are often created with some amount of antimicrobial lining or even, at the really least, massive nylon uppers panels that permit the gear to breathe in while you're traveling home.
Backpack vs. Duffel: Which One Benefits?
This is the age-old discussion in the school locker room. Some people swear by the particular backpack style, while others won't leave home without their substantial duffel. It actually comes down to how a person travel to the gym and what else you're carrying.
The Case for the Backpack
When you commute by bike, take the particular subway, or have a bit associated with a walk through the parking lot, a backpack is almost always the better call. Good BJJ backpacks usually function "convertible" designs where they can expand whenever you need to suit two gis yet slim down when you're just carrying one.
The primary advantage here is ergonomics. Carrying 15 pounds associated with wet gear on one shoulder having a duffel strap is a good way to mess up your position before you actually step on the particular mats. A backpack distributes that weight across both shoulders. Look for types with padded shoulder straps and maybe actually a chest clip if you're carrying a lot of weight.
The particular Case for that Duffel
Duffels are usually the kings of accessibility. When you unzip a big duffel, you will see everything you have at once. You aren't searching through a serious dark hole to find your ring finger tape or that one clean set of socks at the particular bottom. For those who go straight from work to the gym, a duffel frequently allows you to keep your work clothes relatively un-wrinkled in the individual compartment. They also have a tendency to have the larger raw capacity, which is important if you're a heavy-weight competitor having size A4 or even A5 gis.
Features That In fact Matter
Whenever you're shopping about, it's easy to obtain distracted by awesome logos or "tactical" webbing, but there are a few functional features that genuinely separate the best jiu jitsu gear bag from the average ones.
Wet/Dry Compartments This is the ultimate goal. A person need a dedicated, waterproof area to put your sweat-drenched rash guard and gi so that they don't soak through the bag and ruin your own clean clothes or even your belt. A few bags even come with an independent "laundry bag" that clips inside, which usually is a huge bonus.
Ventilation and Nylon uppers If a bag is totally airtight, stay apart. You want to see mesh panels or grommeted surroundings holes. This doesn't mean you ought to leave your wet gi inside immediately (please don't do that), however it helps significantly with all the preliminary moisture management.
Specific Pockets for Small Things Think about your mouthguard. You don't want it rolling around at the end of the bag touching your dirty flip-flops. A devoted, easy-to-reach pocket intended for your mouthguard case, tape, and maybe some ibuprofen will be a lifesaver. I actually also personally enjoy a fleece-lined pocket for a telephone or sunglasses so they don't obtain scratched by your belt buckle or secrets.
Sturdiness and Material Jiu Jitsu gear is coarse. You want some thing made of high-denier nylon or even hemp. Hemp is definitely actually a well-known choice in the particular BJJ world because it's naturally anti-bacterial and incredibly tough. If the zippers look small plus flimsy, they may break—guaranteed. Look for large, YKK zippers that will can handle becoming pulled tight over a stuffed bag.
Sizing It Up: How large Do A person Really Need?
Size is exactly where most people make the mistake. They possibly buy a bag so big it's like carrying a suitcase, or these people buy something as well small and finish up having to bring their belt in their hand.
If you're a "one gi per session" type of person, a 40-50 liter bag is generally the sweet place. This gives you sufficient space for the gi, your no-gi gear, a towel, and a water bottle. If you're a "double session" maniac or a competitor who needs to pack two gis along with a warm-up suit, you'll probably want to glance at the 60+ liter variety. Just remember that will the bigger the bag, the more likely you are in order to fill it with junk you don't actually need.
Keeping Your Bag From Becoming the Biohazard
Actually the best jiu jitsu gear bag will ultimately start to smell if you don't look after it. One tip I've learned through the years is to use charcoal deodorizer bags. You can throw these in the pockets to soak up moisture and odors.
More importantly, make it a habit to clean your bag the 2nd you get home. It's tempting in order to just drop the bag from the doorway and handle it in the morning, but that's how the permanent "stink" sets in. Open all the zip fasteners, take out the wet gear, and if the bag by itself feels damp, clean it down along with a quick disinfectant spray. Most modern gear bags are surprisingly easy in order to clean, but they aren't magic—they nevertheless require a little assist a person.
The Cost Factor: Is It Worth the Splurge?
You can spend $30 on a bag, or a person can spend $200. Does it matter? To an degree, yes. When you pay a bit more intended for a dedicated BJJ bag, you're usually paying for the specialized materials and the thought put into the layout. A $30 bag will probably last you 6 months prior to the lining begins peeling or a strap snaps. The high-quality bag might serve you for five yrs or even more.
If you're teaching three or even more times per week, believe of the bag as an item of essential products, just like your own gi. It protects your investment inside your other gear plus makes the "chore" section of training (the packing and unpacking) a lot less of the headache.
Final Thoughts on Selecting Your Gear Carrier
At the end of the day, the best jiu jitsu gear bag intended for me might not be the best one to suit your needs. It really comes lower to your way of life. Perform you need some thing that looks expert enough to consider straight into an office? Search for a sleek, black convertible backpack. Do you just throw your stuff within a vehicle and drive 5 minutes to the particular gym? A basic, rugged duffel can do the trick.
Whatever you choose, make sure it's something you actually such as using. We invest enough time having difficulties on the exercise mats; we shouldn't possess to have trouble with our gear bags in the parking great deal. Find something that fits your style, keeps you itens arranged, and most significantly, keeps the funk at bay. Happy training, and I'll help you on the particular mats—hopefully with a bag that doesn't smell like a swamp.