When you go straight to the gym from work or school (or vice versa), you need a bag that can hold your gym essentials as well as your work or school items. Your bag should also have a laptop compartment to protect your laptop from damage.
So what is the best gym bag with a laptop compartment? The best gym bag with a laptop compartment is the King Kong PLUS26 Backpack. It’s made out of durable 1000D nylon and has space for anything you need to carry to the gym and work or school. It also has a flat back opening, which makes accessing your laptop and packing all of your gym essentials a breeze.
I’ve personally got my hands on the King Kong gym bags, along with several other gym bags that market a laptop compartment, and tested them thoroughly. In this article, I’ll share my findings with you!
Table of Contents
3 Factors to Consider When Buying a Gym Bag with a Laptop Compartment
1. Size of Your Laptop
The most important thing to consider when buying a gym bag with a laptop compartment is the size of your laptop. There’s no point in buying a bag that can only fit a 13” laptop if you have a 15” or 17” laptop.
2. How Much Other Gear You Take to the Gym
How much clothing and equipment you take to the gym in addition to your laptop will dictate the size of the bag you need.
When going straight from the gym to work or vice versa, you’ll need a change of clothes; gym gear such as chalk, headphones, wrist wraps or straps, a belt, and knee sleeves; and sometimes two pairs of shoes if you use lifters and regular training shoes in the same workout.
3. What Your Commute Looks Like
If you walk or bike to the office, you’ll want a waterproof bag that can protect your laptop and gym gear from rain or snow. You’ll also want a bag that’s light to start with, so it doesn’t get too heavy and uncomfortable once you fill it up.
If you take public transportation, you should also look for a bag that won’t get dirty when you put it on the floor of a train, subway, or bus.
Top 7 Gym Bags with Laptop Compartments
- King Kong PLUS26 Backpack – Best Overall
- King Kong CORE25 Backpack – Runner Up
- Targus Work & Play Fitness Backpack – Best for General Gym-Goers
- Vooray Alana Duffel – Best for Women
- High Sierra Swerve Laptop Backpack – Best for Students
- Live Well 360 Duffel Bag – Best for Gym-Goers Who Love to Stay Organized
- KingKong Heritage Leather Backpack – Best Premium Pick
1. King Kong PLUS26 Backpack – Best Overall
The King Kong PLUS26 Backpack is the best overall gym bag with a laptop compartment because it’s spacious, has a lot of pockets for organization, and the flatback zipper makes it easy to pack your belongings.
This bag has a laptop compartment that fits up to a 16” laptop. My laptop is 15”, and it fits with room to spare. The compartment is padded, so it will keep your laptop protected from everything else in your bag. There are also two interior mesh pockets that you can use for a laptop charger, headphones, or other small items.
The front of the bag has an exterior shoe compartment with zippered expanders to accommodate shoes of any size. I wear a women’s size 10 and had no problem fitting my Nike Metcon 6’s in the compartment. I also tested it with my husband’s size 13 sneakers, and they easily fit.
With my Nike Metcon 6’s in the shoe compartment, I was also able to fit a pair of flip-flops, so if you shower at the gym and like to wear flip-flops in the shower, you don’t have to store them inside the bag.
There’s room in this bag for pretty much anything you need for the gym. In the main compartment, I can fit a hoodie, a full-size towel, a pair of leggings, a tank top, a sports bra, socks, knee sleeves, a small toiletry bag, and a jump rope (an important item for CrossFitters). In the top exterior pocket, I can fit my phone, keys, headphone case, and tape.
There’s also a small zipper pocket on the inside of the bag. It’s not as roomy as the exterior pocket, but it still fits plenty of smaller items.
This bag doesn’t have a dedicated area to store your belt, but depending on the type of belt you use and how much other stuff you carry, you can fit a belt in the main compartment. My nylon 2pood belt fit easily with everything else I packed in it. But if you have a leather belt, it may not fit as well due to the stiffer material.
This backpack has two exterior water bottle holders. This is a nice feature if you like to carry plain water plus a protein shake or coffee thermos to the gym. You can also use one of the pockets for a pair of shower shoes (if you need more space in the shoe compartment) or other small items that don’t fit in the zippered pockets.
My favorite feature of this bag is the flatback opening. This allows you to pack the bag as if it were a duffel bag, so you can more easily configure all of your belongings to fit inside. It also makes it easier to get to your laptop.
Pros
- Flatback opening provides easier access to your laptop
- Plenty of storage for gym clothes and gear
- Can be used as a carry-on bag
Cons
- Expensive (but well worth the price in my opinion)
- No exterior belt storage (may not be a problem unless you’re a competitive powerlifter)
2. King Kong CORE25 Backpack – Runner Up
The King Kong CORE25 Backpack is a close second to the PLUS26 backpack. It doesn’t have a flatback opening, so accessing your laptop is more difficult, but that’s the only reason why I didn’t rank this bag as number one.
This bag fits a 15” laptop, and there’s an adjustable strap on the laptop sleeve that you can tighten for a snug fit.
The bag has a zippered shoe compartment on the bottom that keeps your shoes from dirtying everything else in the bag. However, this compartment makes the bag slightly less functional for two reasons:
1. Since the compartment extends up into the main compartment of the bag, you have to sacrifice some interior storage space. Don’t get me wrong, it still holds a lot. I was able to fit leggings, a sports bra, tank top, socks, a hoodie, my knee sleeves, jump rope, and a small toiletry bag, but everything is a bit cramped when I have shoes in the shoe compartment.
2. The compartment doesn’t work well with large-sized shoes. I was just barely able to zipper it with my husband’s size 13 sneakers, even when I packed them in different ways. I’d be concerned that the zipper would break over time after repeatedly trying to force a large pair of shoes in the compartment.
One of the main differences between this bag and the PLUS26 backpack is the exterior belt storage. However, getting a nylon belt into the storage straps is tricky since the velcro on the belt can stick to the velcro straps on the bag.
Still, this is a nice feature to have because it saves interior space, which is nice since your shoes will take up a lot of room if you use the bottom shoe compartment. I didn’t personally test it with a leather belt, but I think it would be easier to loop a leather belt through the straps.
The front exterior pocket has a couple of credit card slots, but you can also use the pocket for straps, wrist wraps, tape, or a headphone case. A zippered pocket at the top of the bag provides easy access to your cell phone.
Like the PLUS26 backpack, the CORE25 backpack has two water bottle holders. You can carry two different drinks with you, or you can use one pocket for a water bottle and the other for knee sleeves, shower shoes, or other small items that don’t fit in the front pocket.
Pros
- Exterior belt storage
- Can be used as a carry-on bag
- Two exterior water bottle holders
Cons
- Difficult to get your laptop out of the bag when it’s filled
- Not as much interior space when you use the bottom shoe compartment
- Large-sized shoes don’t fit comfortably in the shoe compartment
3. Targus Work & Play Fitness Backpack – Best for General Gym-Goers
Targus is known for making heavy-duty travel gear and business bags. The Targus Work & Play Fitness Backpack is the first bag they’ve released that’s designed for both a professional and active lifestyle.
Unlike a lot of other gym bags, this bag’s laptop compartment is in a separate zippered area from the main compartment. This ensures that your laptop stays completely protected from your sweaty gym clothes or other gym gear that you don’t want to come in contact with your laptop.
The laptop compartment fits devices with screens up to 15.6”. You could also fit a couple of folders and one or two notebooks in this compartment.
This bag has a ventilated shoe compartment so your shoes can air out after your workout. Depending on the size of your shoes, you could even fit a pair of knee sleeves in this compartment as well so they can breathe even while they’re stored away.
The Targus Work & Play Backpack comes with a separate washbag where you can pack shampoo, soap, or anything you need to shower at the gym. The bag also opens flat so you can hang it up in a gym locker to easily access everything you need.
Pros
- Two water bottle pockets
- Comes with a detachable laundry bag for storing sweaty gym clothes
- Can be unzippered and hung in a locker
- Ventilated shoe compartment
Cons
- Some customers have said the bag is not very durable
4. Vooray Alana Duffel – Best for Women
The Vooray Alana Duffel has a clean, simple design that can easily transition from the gym to the office.
The padded laptop sleeve can fit a 15” laptop. There are also several interior pockets that you can use for a charger, a battery pack, or a small headphone case.
This bag comes with a separate shoe bag and a wet bag. These are great bonus items because they help keep your dirty shoes and sweaty clothes from soiling everything else in the bag.
The interior of the bag isn’t as spacious as larger duffel bags, especially once you pack your shoes. But if you don’t need to carry a lot of extra gym equipment with you, you can still fit a change of clothes and anything you may need to shower at the gym.
The Alana duffel has an exterior luggage sleeve that can slip over the handle of your rolling luggage when you fly. If you’re not flying, you can keep the bottom of the luggage sleeve zippered and use it as an extra pocket for books or a tablet.
Pros
- Interior water bottle holder
- Comes with two separate bags for shoes and wet clothes
- Back exterior pocket doubles as a luggage sleeve when traveling
Cons
- May not have enough space for competitive powerlifters or other gym-goers who carry a lot of equipment with them
5. High Sierra Swerve Laptop Backpack – Best for Students
The High Sierra Swerve Laptop Backpack is the best gym bag for students because it has enough space to fit a laptop, a change of clothes, and textbooks.
Even though it’s not marketed as a gym bag, this backpack has plenty of space to hold a change of clothes, snacks, and things like wrist wraps, straps, and headphones.
The bag is water-resistant, so if you’re walking around campus in the rain, all of your belongings will stay dry.
The only downside to this bag is that since it’s not a true gym bag, there’s no separate shoe compartment. You may want to use a plastic bag or even an old pillowcase to keep your shoes from getting everything else in the bag dirty.
Pros
- Available in a lot of colors and prints
- Two external water bottle holders
- Durable
- Affordable
Cons
- No separate shoe compartment
6. Live Well 360 Duffel Bag – Best for Gym-Goers Who Love to Stay Organized
With 13 different compartments, the Live Well 360 Duffel Bag is an excellent choice for anyone who loves organization.
The front of the bag has a large interior zippered pocket with three smaller pockets that you can use for your cell phone, wallet, headphones, or a protein bar.
The main compartment is big enough to store a week’s worth of clothes, so you can easily store all of your powerlifting or gym gear as well. There’s a large interior zipper pocket that you can use for toiletries, shower shoes, or anything else you want easy access to. The bag also has a small fleece-lined zipper pocket which is great for storing jewelry.
The side of the bag has a separate compartment that fits a pair of shoes as well as a wet towel or sweaty gym clothes. You can also use this compartment to store your chalk so it doesn’t get everything in the main compartment dusty.
There are two straps on the outside of the bag that are designed to hold a yoga mat, but you can use them for a foam roller or remove them if you don’t need them.
Pros
- Lots of pockets for organization
- Can also be used as a weekender or travel bag
- Removable yoga mat straps can also hold a foam roller
- Exterior water bottle holder
- TSA compliant
Cons
- A bit pricey
7. KingKong Heritage Leather Backpack – Best Premium Pick
The KingKong Heritage Leather Backpack is the best for quality. It’s manufactured using full-grain American leather that improves over time in appearance and strength.
This bag is available in three colors – tan, cognac, and black. In total, there are four external pockets and one internal pocket.
The KingKong Heritage Leather Backpack has two front pockets that are large enough to fit your water bottles or sneakers comfortably. If you’d rather store your sneakers out of view, there’s plenty of room inside the main pocket of the backpack, where you’ll also be able to store your gym towel, lifting straps, headphones, and spare clothes.
There is also a compartment that is large enough for a 16” laptop. This compartment has extra padding to support your equipment. You’ll find a zip pocket at the front of the backpack for extra-safe storage of your belongings.
Pros
- Made out of high-quality leather
- Lots of storage room for all of your gym clothes and equipment
- Available in three colors
Cons
- Expensive
- The bag weighs 2.7 kg (5.9 lbs) itself, so it could be heavy to carry around when full
What to Look For in a Gym Bag with a Laptop Compartment
Aside from stating the obvious fact that a bag with a laptop compartment should, in fact, come with a laptop compartment, there are some other features you should look for.
1. Organization
When you’re carrying gym gear plus items for work or school, keeping everything organized is essential. Bags with pockets for items such as books, smaller electronics, your wallet and keys, and small gym items will make your life a lot easier as you go from the gym to the office.
2. Space
If you’re traveling to the office or school straight from the gym, your gym bag should be big enough for all of your gym gear plus an extra change of clothes and toiletry items if you shower at the gym.
3. Durability
A bag that you use for both the gym and work or school will take a beating, especially if you walk, bike, or take public transportation. Whichever bag you purchase should be made out of durable material that can withstand the elements and won’t rip or tear after heavy usage.
Related Article: 7 Best Gym Bag Odor Eliminator
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a gym bag with a laptop compartment, you can’t go wrong with the King Kong PLUS26 Backpack. It has plenty of storage for a change of clothes, shoes, and other gym essentials.
Not sure which bag is right for you? Check out the article Best Powerlifting Gym Bag for more recommendations, or our other reviews:
About The Author
Amanda is a writer and editor in the fitness and nutrition industries. Growing up in a family that loved sports, she learned the importance of staying active from a young age. She started CrossFit in 2015, which led to her interest in powerlifting and weightlifting. She's passionate about helping women overcome their fear of lifting weights and teaching them how to fuel their bodies properly. When she's not training in her garage gym or working, you can find her drinking coffee, walking her dog, or indulging in one too many pieces of chocolate.
