Before participating in any contact sport, you should have the proper equipment and apparel to protect you from injuries. You can find gear for almost every martial art at AWMA and you will need a bag to carry all of your martial arts equipment from home to the gym and to competitions. Choosing the right bag size depends on the number and size of the items that you need to carry with you. ProForce® gear bags come in different sizes and colors. Before purchasing a gear bag, consider the following factors.
The Design of a Gear Bag
AWMA offers three major types of bags: duffel bags, backpacks, and hybrid bags. While duffel bags are spacious and can hold more items, backpacks are easy to carry on foot. Training duffle bags have separate compartment areas to hold your main gear like shin pads, boxing gloves, and headgear. Although backpacks have more compartments than the duffel bags in order to maximize the limited space, it can be more difficult to access the gear at the bottom of a backpack. To overcome this, we designed a hybrid bag, which is a backpack with an easy way to access your gear by placing the bag flat on the ground and unzipping it from the top. Hybrid bags serve as large backpacks, but you can unzip them at the bottom to enlarge the extra compartment and add more length to make it a duffel bag in terms of size.
Ventilation
Gym bags can develop bad odors if you store recently-used equipment in them, especially if you live in an area affected by humidity. To deal with this issue, ProForce® Gear Bags have built-in mesh linings that allow for good circulation of air in the bag when it is closed. Additionally, bags that have good ventilation are less prone to damage from mold and other humidity-related problems. It is advisable to always remove your equipment from the bag to release any trapped odors. Some of the bags are made of odor-resistant material. If humidity is one of your major concerns, consider purchasing a mesh bag.
To address existing odor concerns or prevent odors, you may also purchase our ProForce® Glove Guards “GG” Deodorizers, which can be used for your gear bags.
Durability
Martial arts gear bags can wear down if you don't take good care of them. Cheaper bags can't handle heavy sporting gear well and can rip if you put too much weight in them. The durability of your gear bag depends on the materials used to make it. It is always prudent to inquire about the thread count of the material. Gear bags that have denser thread count are more likely to have a longer life. You should also pay close attention to the stitching, as heavier stitching makes for more durable bags. Investing in a durable bag made with quality materials now will save you money over time, as the bag will serve you well for a number of years and prevent you from having to replace your bag on a frequent basis.
Affordability
The other factor to consider when buying a gear bag is the cost. A bag that retails at a higher price typically has more features. You may decide to go for a cheaper option like a duffel bag that doesn't have compartments, which means you may feel less organized. It is also advisable to compare the different ProForce® Gear bags, including ProForce® Power Duffle, ProForce® Deluxe Locker Gear Bag, and ProForce® Transformer (Backpack) to see which suits you best.
Before buying any bag, assess your needs. You need to pay the most attention to the bag's durability, aeration, and compartments that make it easy for you to access your stored items. The bag should also be big enough to hold all of your equipment, but small enough to allow for easy transport depending on how far you anticipate having to travel. Once you have taken all of these factors into account, head over to AWMA.com to order a gear bag that meets all of your needs.