Need help searching for the right bag

[Twitchy]

Hiya!

I have a bit of a dilemma folks. I am in search of a gym bag. The problem comes from the size and shape of the lockers. They just aren't designed for your average bag. I mostly end up squeezing my bag in on its side or standing on its end and totally squashed. The locker is approx. 10" in width and height is about 2 feet. Now, I have had a good search on the TB website and I really can't find anything that suits the bill. There are bags that will fit, but only if i stand them upright. This usually ends up with the bag toppling out when i open the door. Can anyone put me out of my misery and tell me that TB has a bag that fits the job?

And now for some bad news .... I've actually found a bag that is shaped specifically for sports lockers (14cm D and 14cm W) but its not by TB The construction will not be as good but it will be better than your average bag so all is not lost. What I do need though is some sort of inner bag for my wet gym glothes. Again, i've been through the TB website and have come up with either packing cubes or the Yarn Sacks. So I thought I'd ask what do other TB owners use for separating wets and dries?

So, just like it says above, what TB accessory/bag do you use to separate your wet/dry or clean/dirty clothes?

[MtnMan]

Maybe it would help if you posted a link to that other non-TB locker-friendly bag so folks had an idea what you were looking for. Maybe TB has something for you, but if it were me I would be checking out multiple made-in-USA gymbags from places like WaterField Designs (their Sling may not suit your needs, but it is interesting) or maybe Tough Traveler (there's a very diverse selection of designs there) or perhaps you could squeeze in Red Oxx's Extra Small Aviator (it does seem too large for the dimensions you specify). One bag that might fit for you (if I understand your specs correctly) may be the BAD Micro from Best American Duffel.

Again, I'm not knocking Tom Bihn bags, since I am an owner of one. But if it were me, I'd shop around and get an idea of everything in the high-quality USA-made bag market and then narrow down the candidates. You never know what you'll find!

[Twitchy]

Cripes, I didn't realise there were that many bags out there. And i thought I had a tough time choosing the Super Ego as my laptop bag. I was a bit hesitant over posting the link to another website (Didn't want to be rude to TB) but go to HERE to view the bag. Its the one in the top right corner (PanTac Go Bag Large). The bag is thin and narrow but tall so it fits perfectly in lockers. Its essentially a square duffel bag.

Wow, Tough Traveller has a lot of bags. Thanks MtnMan. You've got some good ideas there.

Cheers

[Darcy]

Tom is designing a gym bag, and has mentioned to me that it will be designed to fit inside of a locker. I'm not sure when it will be available for pre-order, but I have seen a prototype of it.

Linking to other bag sites here and there is OK. Excessive linking can cause us raise an eyebrow because we're always on the lookout for spammers in our midst: the garden variety kind posting links to "free iPhones" as well as more sophisticated people promoting specific companies/products. We strive to keep the forums a spam-free experience.

[MtnMan]

Hey Darcy,

It looks to me like Mr. Bihn will be getting in on a re-emerging market with his gym bag project. It will be exciting to see what he comes up with!

Looks like the whole concept of a "gym bag" has evolved incredibly since I graduated from high school. I can remember back when everyone had very simple canvas backpack-like gym bags. How the world has changed. The whole concept of a "gym bag" or backpack has evolved and splintered many times since then. It would've been a hoot to take a Tom Bihn bag and give it to a kid in junior or senior high back in the '70's or '80's. I bet everyone would've stood there and stared at it. "Whaaaat's thaaaaaat???"

[Twitchy]

Ah, I knew Tom wouldn't let us down. I'll def be keeping an eye out for it.

Gym bags, like the whole 'going to the gym' concept has changed over the years. For a good workout at the gym, I need my trainers (and any other specialist shoes depending on the sport activity you do), small gym towel, water bottle, shorts, shirt, socks, mp3 player, mp3 holster, ear phones, shower towel, shower gel, deodorant, hair gel (and other assorted toiletries) and padlock. You need to fit all that in a bag that'll fit in a 10"x13"x25" locker ( I just measured the ones at my gym) and has the ability to keep hold of your private property as well as separate your wets from your dries.

The bag in the link is actually a replica of a bag designed for military forces. The idea is that they can stow their kit easily whilst on a transport plane or other such vehicle. The usual duffle bag or kit bag are just a bit too bulky. And yes, its the one featured in the Transformers movie. All a bit overkill for just the gym, but like all things Tom Bihn ... ain't no such thing.

For the moment I'll prob just use the packing cubes as a method for organising the kit inside the bag

Dangit .. a TB Gym Bag ... ooh excited!!!!!

[Abita]

I've had the same issues as Twitchy finding a bag that will fit into lockers. The nylon bag I bought just a few months ago to bridge the gap between my return to the gym and a Tom Bihn gym bag is already wearing out from being awkwardly crushed, and one of the mesh pockets has ripped. Every day I lament the lack of quality (or perhaps I should say, it makes me appreciate TB that much more.)

My only concern is, well...we know what a perfectionist Tom is, so if the gym bag is in prototype now, how many cheap gym bags will I tear up before it is finally for sale?

[Twitchy]

Ah Abita, I feel your pain.

I was gonna mention that the mesh Tom uses in his bags is serious stuff. I have a snake charmer which holds my laptop cables as well as USB accessories and it gets pulled out of the super ego everyday. But there's isn't a single snag or tear. Its truly amazing.

I'd loved to see just what Tom has cooking for us. An unseen prototype ... this is worse than waiting for a TB order to arrive at your door step!

[Abita]

Now that I've got Tom Bihn and gym bag on my mind again, I am wondering in the Brain Bag might work. It has the two compartments that can separate dirty from clean clothes, and pockets on the outside for a water bottle, keys, lock, etc. Would it be big enough for all that and shoes?

[gmanedit]

Abita: "Would it [the Brain Bag] be big enough for all that and shoes?"

Ha ha ha.

Seriously. You have no idea how much it can hold.

Certainly, more than I want to carry. As an experiment, I took it shopping: a 17-pound bag of cat litter in one compartment and cans of cat food plus 5 pounds of fruit in the other. Too much!

[aiethabell]

As an experiment, I took it shopping: a 17-pound bag of cat litter in one compartment and cans of cat food plus 5 pounds of fruit in the other. Too much!

Oh, my back HURTS just reading that..... ow!

Hopefully the little furry housebeast appreciated your pain and suffering... oh, wait, we're talking a cat here... no such luck.

The things we do for Their Furry Majesties!

[pretzelb]

I also think the Brain Bag should be big enough.

The problem I always have is changing to a different gym. You just never know what size or shape the locker is going to be.

[maverick]

a different sort of gym bag

on the rare occasion that i can make it to the gym (i need to make an effort to go every day, but that's another matter), the co-pilot has actually become my gym bag of choice.

my trips to the gym are first thing in the morning, and i come back home and shower.

the co-pilot is a great companion whether i'm going to the gym on my bike or in my car. it holds my ipad (i use an elliptical machine, and i much prefer to watch something on netflix than whatever might be playing on the televisions at the gym), earphones, iphone, wallet, water bottle, and keys.

i keep the co-pilot with me while i'm at the gym. it's next to the machine while i'm working out, and in a cubby hole while i'm stretching afterwards. there are full length and half length lockers in the locker room, and both are the same depth and width - just the height varies. my guess is that they are probably 10" wide and 12" deep, but i can check the next time i'm there.

i have a gym at work, and if get around to developing a workout routine there, i would love to have a well thought out tom bihn gym bag! i guess that's a redundant statement - saying well thought out and tom bihn. but that's alright - redundancy can help to emphasize important points.

[graycyn]

I am new here, and don't even *have* a Tom Bihn bag yet, but UPS has received the billing info, so soon!

But if there will be a gym bag, I know I'd be interested. And don't forget swimmers! A large mesh pocket on the outside of the bag somewhere is great for damp swimsuits! I also like having a shoe compartment that breathes, either for gym shoes or my water shoes. Pockets for water bottle, keys, lock, mp3 player n' headphones all good! And I really like having a shoulder strap in addition to handles.