What is the best gym bag that fits in a locker?
Finding a gym back that will properly fit into a standard-sized gym locker can be a tricky task. Getting the size right is essential. Often, the most frustrating part of working out is just getting your bag into the locker correctly. If you don’t have the right size bag, you may be forced to carry your bag all over the gym, which is annoying at best. On the flip side, you don’t want a bag too small that it won’t fit your clothes. Here’s why this article will pinpoint the exact right size bag for you workout needs.
How can you find the best gym bag that fits inside a standard locker? The key is to identify the standard size of a gym locker and work off of those measurements. Locker sizes may vary among gyms, but most still go by established size standards.
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This article will fully detail the dimensions of the standard gym locker so that you can then pick a bag that will easily fit into it. Along with defining the standard size of a gym locker, you can also learn more about certain features to avoid. These are the features that can make placing a bag inside the locker more difficult than it needs to be. I’ll also give you some additional tips and tricks to finding the bag perfect for you!
The Size of a Standard Gym Locker
Generally speaking, the lockers you’ll find in gyms and health clubs come in the form of cabinets. Because they are locker cabinets, it is easier to predict how big they are.
According to Wikipedia, a standard locker cabinet has a width of 12 inches. It also likely features a depth of about 18 inches. Width and depth measurements are pretty standard across all gym lockers. They don’t change much because the style of the locker cabinet will not impact those measurements.
The height of a standard-sized locker is a different matter altogether. Lockers usually measure about 6 feet tall, but that doesn’t always mean that you will be able to fit bags of that size inside of them.
Remember that locker cabinets may feature tiered designs and that affects how much space they have to offer. Locker cabinets can have as many as 8 separate tiers and some may just be a single space. Dailot Furniture notes that two-tiered locker cabinets are more common inside gyms and fitness clubs.
What that means is that you will normally not have 6 feet of space to work with. Since the cabinet is divided into two tiers, you may end up having a locker that is 3 feet tall. Going by the
conventional means of writing out dimensions (height x width x depth), the standard measurements for the gym locker are 36 inches x 12 inches x 18 inches.
Gym bags do come in different shapes and sizes, but you should be able to find something that fits into those aforementioned locker dimensions rather easily. Athletic duffel bags are very similar to gym bags in terms of styling and form, and The Big Bag Shop points out that the average size for them is 22 inches x 10 inches x 12 inches – measurements that should comfortably fit inside the confines of a standard gym locker.
Why Would A Gym Bag Not Fit Inside a Locker?
Now that you know the bag dimensions to look for when you go shopping, that means you will have no trouble finding an item that will fit into your gym’s locker with no problem, right? Well, not exactly.
Gym bags have certain features that can end up making them bulkier than their listed dimensions. Even if the dimensions of the bag suggests that it should be able to rest easy inside your locker, the aforementioned features may prevent that from happening.
The first such feature is the shoulder strap. The shoulder strap is an important element of the gym bag. With a strong one attached to your bag, you should have no trouble carrying it around even if it’s loaded with your clothes and other gym equipment.
However, the shoulder strap can also be an obstacle if it’s too long. Parts of it may hang over the opening of the locker and get stuck once you close the door.
To get around that potential problem, the best thing you can do is to seek out a gym bag with an adjustable shoulder strap. An adjustable shoulder strap will make it easier to fit the bag to your height and also allow you to fit it better inside the locker.
You should also check out the exterior pockets installed on the gym bag before you decide to purchase one. There are two potential problems with the exterior pockets found on gym bags.
First off, some of the exterior pockets that manufacturers weave into the design of their gym bags can be oversized and jut out in different directions. The bigger exterior pockets may add to the overall width of the bag and take up space unnecessarily inside the locker, leading to a tougher fit.
Mesh exterior pockets are also problematic, but for a different reason. When you’re in a hurry and rushing to place your bag in the locker, a mesh pocket may get tangled up on the locker door. Force the bag inside the locker and you may cause the pocket to tear.
Once you’ve determined that the gym bag you’ve chosen will fit inside a standard-sized locker as per its dimensions, don’t forget to look at its shoulder strap and exterior pockets. They can also play a role in whether or not the bag will fit properly inside the locker.
Related Questions
How Can You Guarantee A Gym Bag Will Offer Enough Space?
If you’re someone who likes to bring plenty of equipment to the gym, then the dimensions recommended for your bag in this article may seem on the smaller side. More often than not though, it’s not really the size of the bag itself that’s the issue. You may not just be maximizing the amount of space that the bag already offers.
That’s why you should look for gym bags that come with dedicated compartments. The compartments present on the bag will enable you to optimize the space available. Dedicated compartments also prevent your clothes and shoes from getting messy together, which is something you’ll appreciate more once the time comes to do the laundry.
It’s also a good idea to look for gym bags that come with reinforced seams. Thanks to the reinforced seams, you should be able to fit more items into the gym bag without worrying that it will burst open.
You should also inspect the bag to see if it comes with interior padding. Interior padding can be a good feature because it provides added protection, but if you are more concerned about space, look for the bags that don’t have additional cushioning.
Are There Specific Gym Bags to Look for?
Aside from the dimensions of the bag, your preferences will also play a huge role in determining which item you should ultimately purchase. Still, it can be tough to find a specific bag if you’re starting your search from square one.
To get some idea on which gym bags are worth considering, feel free to check out the suggestions from the people who commented on this Reddit post. Several high quality gym bags are highlighted in that post and you would be best-served to see for yourself if they line up with your preferences.