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Sandbags are used by powerlifters, military professionals, strongmen, Crossfitters, and many other athletes across a variety of sport disciplines.
There are many sandbags on the market, but today, I’ll be giving you my honest review of the Rogue Sandbag.
My quick thoughts are: The Rogue Sandbag is by far the sturdiest bag I’ve ever tried, courtesy of its Cordura construction (detailed later). Even though it’s slightly more expensive than other models, like the Yes4All Sandbags, you can pick and choose from various sizes and you won’t be let down by its unrivaled versatility, durability, and state-of-the-art filler bags.
If you don’t have time to read the full review, here’s a summary of the pros and cons:
Pros
- Equipped with seven handles
- Robust Cordura build
- The zipper is covered with a velcro flap
- Comes in four sizes
- Reinforced with double stitching
Cons
- The most expensive sandbag on the market
- The handles aren’t padded
- The largest size might feel too long
Things to Consider Before Getting a Sandbag
Before jumping into the details of Rogue sandbag, I wanted to quickly analyze the big picture. Is sandbag training something you’d want to try? Let’s see.
Benefits of Training With a Sandbag
Here are some of the notable benefits of sandbag training:
Unparalleled Versatility
If you get a sandbag with multiple handles stitched at different orientations, you’ll be able to perform dozens of exercises. And I’m not referring to presses, curls, rows, and so forth — you can do those with dumbbells and barbells.
Sandbags are unique for other exercises, such as bearhug walks, squat thrust, shoulder throws, and the list goes on. Better yet, you don’t have to search for tutorials; just pick up the sandbag and start throwing it around!
They’re Unpredictable
Dumbbells and barbells are great at isolating specific muscle groups to really push them beyond limits. But what if you want to train your body as a whole unit? That’s where sandbags come in handy.
While training, sand will keep shifting inside the bag, especially if it’s not full to the brim. This will force your forgotten core muscles into action, improving your balance and stabilization.
What Might Be Bad About Sandbags
Nothing is perfect, right? Here’s when sandbags won’t be the ideal choice.
Flimsy Bags Will Leave a Mess
If you opt for a no-name brand, you’ll spill loads of sand everywhere. While performing overhead throws, sand might find its way into your eyes, detracting from the versatility value.
There Is A Learning Curve
Although sandbag training looks pretty simple, it’s anything but! You must learn proper form in order to keep injuries at bay. Here are some quick tips:
- Do a full warm-up routine, just as if you were lifting with barbells
- Don't lose integrity through your spine as you move with the sandbag
- Practice bracing your core properly to ensure proper stability
- Keep your knees aligned over your toes and avoid them caving inward
Rogue Sandbag: Detailed Review
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s dissect the Rogue Sandbag.
Basic Construction: Robust, But Slightly Uncomfortable
To ensure unrivaled durability, Rogue builds this sandbag from 1000D Cordura — a nylon-based fabric that was originally designed for the US soldiers during WWII to benefit from its superior abrasion resistance and waterproofness.
Each bag comes with seven handles to allow for various workouts. I absolutely love that each handle features two layers of thick webbing. However, I wish Rogue had padded some of these handles with foam to facilitate working out with maximum weights. It’s not a deal breaker, just a nice-to-have.
After filing the bag with the required sand, you can be 100% sure that no sand will leak. This is possible through two features. First, the heavy-duty zipper, which can withstand endless opening and closing without getting stuck. Second, the velcro flap closure, which seals over the zipper to protect it from forceful hits.
To top it all off, each bag is supported with double and cross stitches. I haven’t stumbled upon anyone, including my own usage, who has reported premature rips or tears in any part of this sandbag.
Available Sizes and Maximum Weights
To cater to lifters with various strength levels, Rogue produces this sandbag in four sizes.
Here’s a brief summary of their dimensions and maximum weight capacities:
| Size | Length | Width | Maximum Weight |
| Small | 20” | 7” | 40 lbs of sand, or 16 lbs of Rogue’s crumb rubber |
| Medium | 24” | 9” | 80 lbs of sand, or 32 lbs of Rogue’s crumb rubber |
| Large | 35” | 11” | 160 lbs of sand, or 64 lbs of Rogue’s crumb rubber |
| X Large | 42” | 14” | 220 lbs of sand, or 88 lbs of Rogue’s crumb rubber |
I didn’t face any notable problems with any of these sizes. But I wish the X Large model was a bit shorter. At 3.5 feet, it can feel somewhat annoying to short lifters. If you don’t think you can put up with this design, you may want to opt for the Strongman sandbag (also made by Rogue), which I’ll review later in this article.
Available Filling Methods
Just like any sandbag, you can head off to the nearest Home Depot center to fill this bag with all-purpose sand. Alternatively, you can order Rogue’s special crumb rubber, which ships in 55lb bags.
Based on my experience, I didn’t notice a major performance gap between sand and rubber. Because the latter is made from recycled tires, some lifters like to use it to help the environment.
But as you probably noticed in the previous table, crumb rubber is way lighter than sand. You’ll lose about 60% of the bag’s maximum weight capacity if you opt for this filler.
Traditional vs. Funnel Filler Bags
Whichever filler you pick, you can’t just shove it right into the bag. You have to use dedicated filler bags in order to prevent any potential leaks. And of course, these bags are sold separately.
You have two designs to choose from: traditional and funnel bags.
Check out my article where I discuss 10 sandbag filler ideas.
Traditional Bags: The Modular, Stackable Option
The traditional bags have a cushion-like build that seals with velcro at one of the ends. As the name implies, you can find these filler bags in almost all commercial sandbags.
What I like about Rogue is that they design these bags in four lengths to match the bag sizes. Ideally, each sandbag can hold up to four filler bags of the corresponding size. You might have to settle for three bags if you fill them to the brim.
If you like to constantly adjust the weight while working out, these filler bags should be perfect. All you have to do is open the sandbag’s zipper, add or remove a filler bag, and close the zipper again.
On the downside, these bags will keep moving back and forth as you move the sandbag around. Although this will challenge your muscles more, it might feel too hard for beginners.
Funnel Bags: A Single Stable Alternative
The funnel filler bags are also produced in four sizes, but they match both the length and width of each corresponding sandbag size.
What I absolutely love about these bags is that they have Velcro straps stitched to the sides. After hooking those straps to the inner Velcro found in each sandbag, you’ll enjoy training with incredibly minimal sand movement, making for a much safer experience.
And in case you’re wondering about the name, they were named so in reference to their built-in funnels, which you can use to swiftly add or remove the filler without leaving a mess.
Related Article: Rep Fitness Sandbag Review: 12+ Months of Testing (Honest Thoughts)
Are There Any Alternatives?
Yes. Rogue employs the same high-quality build in the following designs:
Rogue Feed Stack
This bag was primarily designed for the Sprint Carry event in the 2014 CrossFit games — that’s why it’s designed with two large handles that can be wrapped around the neck or head. Unless you practice that particular workout, these bags won’t be ideal because they aren’t that versatile.
How it differs from the original sandbag:
- It comes in only two sizes (50 and 100 lbs)
- Has only two handles
- A bit more affordable
- Less versatile
Check out today’s price at Rogue’s official website.
Rogue Strongman Sandbag
This bag has a solid cylindrical build that looks somewhat similar to punching bags. Because it has no handles, you can only carry it by wrapping your arms around the sides. This supposedly makes your workouts more challenging, but also less versatile.
How it differs from the original sandbag:
- Comes in six sizes (100, 150, 200, 250, 300, and 400 lbs)
- Considerably cheaper
- The sizes share the same width
- It has no handles
- Less versatile
Check out today’s price at Rogue’s official website.
Rogue Strongman Throw Bag
Designed with a kettlebell shape, this bag will be perfect if you like practicing throws and overhead presses. Unfortunately, it comes in one size only, which limits its potential to a great extent.
How it differs from the original sandbag:
- Comes in only one size (75 lbs)
- A bit more affordable
- Has only one padded handle
Check out today’s price at Rogue’s official website.
If you want to explore more alternatives, head off to my list of the 7 best workout sandbags in 2020.
The Final Word
Even though the Rogue Sandbag lies on the expensive side of the market, I think it’s a worthy investment. I like that you can fill it with a filler bag featuring a funnel, which also holds the sand in place for safer workouts. And let’s not forget that it comes in four sizes, satisfying many lifters with different experience levels.
