Which of These Training Sandbags From Some of the Top Brands is Right for You?
If you’re in the market for a new training sandbag and you’re not sure which one would be best for your unique needs, goals, and budget, this review will help narrow down your options, and hopefully, help you choose just the right one.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from the last few years of reviewing the sandbags pictured above, it’s that you don’t necessarily get what you pay for. So, it pays to be informed.
In this sandbag review, you’ll learn:
- Which companies sell the highest quality sandbags
- Which companies sell the most budget-friendly sandbags
- Which companies sell the highest value sandbags (i.e. the best for the money)
Who am I and why am I doing this sandbags review?
Hi, I’m John Sifferman. While I am not a sandbag training guru and probably never will be, I’ve been a fitness professional for the last fourteen years and have been using sandbags for about that long.
I’m reviewing these sandbags because I know not all sandbags are created equal. And when I see what some of these companies are charging for what amounts to a bag full of sand, it makes me wonder if they’re really worth the cost. With so many new, innovative designs, I also wonder which features really matter the most over the long haul, and especially when you’re in the middle of workout, tired, sweaty, and trying to score some more reps.
I think it’s important to do a little product research before you make a decision on what to purchase, and I do this myself all the time. I get frustrated when I can’t find helpful information about the products I’m researching. So, that’s not going to be this review. Below, you’ll find my complete thoughts on six sandbags from some of the most well-known companies out there.
Note: I enjoy reviewing fitness products and have been doing this for over 10 years (see the Product Reviews archive). You can learn more about me, my work, and my professional credentials on the About page.
Sandbag Brands & Models That Were Tested For This Review
I’ve used many brand name, no name, and homemade sandbags over the years, but for this particular review, I evaluated the following training sandbags:
- DVRT Ultimate Sandbags (Strength Package)
- Onnit Sandbags (Standard Model)
- Rep Fitness Sandbags (V1 model in sizes Small & Large)
- GoRuck Sandbags (Standard Model)
- Slam-N-Sandbags (Standard Model)
Sandbag Testing & Evaluation Protocol
When evaluating these sandbags, I used a comprehensive point system to rate and rank the gear in each of the following categories:
- Quality (materials, construction, etc.)
- Durability
- Fit & Feel (very subjective!)
- Performance during basic exercises (e.g. clean, press, carries, etc.)
- Prices, Selection, and Package Discounts
- Warranty & Refund Policies
- Customer Service Experience
- Overall Value
For the actual testing, I simply included a lot of sandbag exercises in my training over the last few years. While I know there are hundreds of interesting and innovative exercises you can use these for, especially if you have a wide weight range, I stuck mostly with the basics – doing a lot of squats, deadlifts, lapping, shouldering, cleans, presses, push presses, jerks, snatches, and many carrying variations along with other conventional sandbag exercises. I used many different protocols, including straight sets, supersets, circuit sets, and timed sets, among others. Also, a lot of my training involved natural movements taught in the MovNat curriculum. So, these sandbags were thoroughly tested throughout a broad range of activities.
Having said that, my review process isn’t exactly scientific; it’s quite subjective. But hopefully, my observations will help you figure out which sandbags will be right for you.
Okay, here’s my in-depth sandbags review…
#1 Choice: Ultimate Sandbags by DVRT – The Best Fitness Training Sandbags That Money Can Buy
If you want the very best training sandbags available – by a long shot – go with the Ultimate Sandbags by DVRT. You won’t be disappointed.
I used one of Josh Henkin’s original Ultimate Sandbag designs way back in 2006. It was a quality product then, and this new design by his company is the highest quality sandbag I’ve ever used. The materials, construction, fit and feel, handles – everything is top-notch. While there are certain qualities that I like about the other sandbag designs, the last few years of training have confirmed my initial impressions that overall, the Ultimate Sandbag is far superior to all the others. It is expertly designed by people who clearly know what’s important in a training sandbag.
The best part? They are competitively priced. So, you get an outstanding product without breaking the bank.
I don’t abuse my training equipment, but I don’t baby it either. And yet, this sandbag still looks and performs as if it’s brand new nearly 3 years later. The only downside of this sandbag, IMO, is that the shell is a bit stiff when you first get it and can make certain exercises uncomfortable until it got broken in. Other than that, I really can’t think of anything else to criticize about it.
UltimateSandbagTraining.com carries an excellent selection of sandbags (sizes available between 5-200 pounds), including several packages to help you get started. My “Strength package” included a poster with exercises and a DVD with exercise demos. It also provides the option of filling with sand or even water for an extra stability challenge. No other company, that I know of, provides this water-based option; which speaks to the confidence they have their product, since water is quite a bit more volatile than sand.
Plus, they have some of the most customer-friendly policies in the industry (e.g. 30-day money back guarantee, 3-year warranty, etc.). Not to mention they provide a TON of free and premium resources to help you train properly (e.g. articles, videos, training courses, online coaching, etc.). As a business, they really go above and beyond in every way.
So, when I add up all the different ratings I assigned to the different categories in my point system for this review, I’m not surprised the Ultimate Sandbag is my top choice. And quite frankly, I knew it would be the winner as soon as I got it out of the box.
So, if you want the best training sandbags that money can buy from a company who stands behind their product and goes the extra mile to support their customers, you can’t go wrong with DVRT at UltimateSandbagTraining.com. They offer the best fitness training sandbags available – period.
Click Here to Shop Ultimate Sandbags on Amazon.com
#2 Choice: Rep Fitness Sandbags – The Most Budget-Friendly and Highest-Value Sandbags
If you want to save a little money or you just can’t justify the expense of the Ultimate Sandbags (it is just a sandbag, after all), and you’d rather not make your own, another excellent choice would be the Rep Fitness Sandbags, which I think are the most budget-friendly, and thus, highest value sandbags currently available. The quality is on par or better than the other more affordable options I reviewed, and the price is right! Not to mention Rep Fitness also went above and beyond in their customer service all throughout my experience with them. So, these are another solid choice.
If you want a great sandbag at a great price…
Click Here to Shop at RepFitness.com
Wrap-Up
When you’re in the middle of a workout, sweaty, tired, and trying to get some more reps in, you’ll be glad you invested in a quality fitness sandbag. The Ultimate Sandbag is the best I’ve ever used over the last 14 years, and I’m confident you’ll be glad you invested in one.
Before we wrap up, I want to offer a BIG THANKS to all of the companies who agreed to send me free product samples to make this review possible (see below for the complete list). I couldn’t have done it without you, and I hope you feel that this sandbags review does your products justice!
Finally, I want to thank YOU for reading this review all the way through! I hope it was helpful. And if so, please share it with your friends when you decide to get your very own sandbags.
Health-First Fitness Coach
***Important Note: Product research, testing, and evaluation for this review was conducted between October 2015 and April 2020.***
At my request, the following companies agreed to send me free product samples, for review purposes – with no guarantees or assurances other than that a fair review would be provided:
- UltimateSandbagTraining.com
- RepFitness.com (sent two models)
- Onnit.com
- GoRuck.com
Note: I also received a free product sample from Slam-N-Gear. Unfortunately, they are no longer in business, which is a shame because they made a quality product.
Affiliate Disclaimer: This product review contains affiliate links. See the Affiliate Earnings Disclaimer for more information.
