Best swimming bags to buy in 2025

Regular swimmers will be aware of the amount of kit you end up carrying around. For starters you have your swimsuit or jammers, swimming cap and googles. But that’s not all…

Typically, you’ll also have a towel, your dry/work clothes to put on afterwards, nutrition and any swim tools you’re using in that session, such as your pull buoy, swim fins and kickboard. So how do you lug it around hassle-free?

That’s when swimming bags come in. A good one should be spacious enough to carry all your kit, as well as comfortable enough to carry on your back if you’re commuting.

Although a triathlon transition bag can work well for this (if you have one) you may find many of them a little large for swimming – not only are they massive to carry about, but they may not fit in the pool lockers.

So a good option is to look for a specific swim bag, which will likely be less expensive and more practical for day-to-day use.

Below are our pick of the bags we have either used ourselves and rate highly, or which have received good reviews online.

Best swimming bags to buy now

Yeti Crossroads 35L

• £240 / $250

The second bag from outdoor pioneers Yeti, this backpack has a huge 35-litre capacity which is the largest of three size choices (22L, 27L or 35L), plus there’s a waterproof option – the 28L Panga – at £300.

With those price tags they aren’t cheap, but the Crossroad does feel very good quality and the finish is superb.

Other colours are available too, which I’d recommend if you’re out in mud a lot like me!

The outer is made from tough nylon designed not to incur damage though, which proved true in testing.

The clamshell opening reveals a large compartment separated from a laptop sleeve which opens up to make finding everything easy.

There are side access zips too, in case you need to easily stuff something in.

Yeti sells this as a ‘carry-on suitcase disguised as a backpack’ which felt accurate.

D-Robe The Roll-Top Large

• £69 / $89

With a 35-litre capacity, this roll-top bag is fully waterproof with taped seams and coming from a changing robe brand, is again designed to house a robe plus other kit which made it ideal for outdoor swimming.

I managed to stuff all my kit inside and there’s the roll top as well as a valve to compress it all down to make it less bulky to carry, as well as a top zip so you can use the maximum capacity without rolling if you want to.

The padded straps were comfortable and there’s a separate back zip laptop compartment, which was welcome for days I needed to work as well as train!

The front zipped pocket was a good size for phone and keys.

It comes in green, black or navy and two sizes – all at that same competitive price point, which is surprising given the quality feel and features. Nice that it’s not black, too!

Orca Openwater Backpack

• £99 / $129

Designed for folk who swim and also have a need for a work bag, the Orca very quickly became the bag I used almost daily on this test.

Given I’m a sports journalist, I usually have sports kit with me as well as a laptop and other essentials and this bag just nailed it. The large rear compartment is waterproof and roll-top so perfect for wet or dry kit.

Plus, it could easily handle a wetsuit, towel and swim accessories. I did add an extra plastic bag when putting very muddy kit inside.

The front section has a padded laptop sleeve then those two front compartments. One is fleece-lined for glasses/sunnies and the larger one great for wallet and keys etc.

The front elastics house a bike helmet and there’s a high vis cover included. Plus, this bag looks smart, so is a good shout if you head to an office or need to look (a bit) professional!

Dryrobe ECO Compression Backpack

• £95 / $110

Dryrobe’s new Compression Backpack has a huge 33-litre capacity but weighs 1.1kg, coming in lighter than others we’ve tested.

Designed to squish a changing robe inside, it’s a great companion for outdoor swimming in the winter or pool swim sessions when I have loads of kit with me.

The bag is waterproof but not submersible, while the side straps make it easy to ‘compress’ and make bulky loads smaller.

The front metal clips and straps do a similar job, but I did find those a bit fiddly when the bag wasn’t full.

There’s a laptop compartment inside but it isn’t completely separate, so I didn’t use it when there was wet kit inside the bag. The straps and padded back were comfy.

This bag did have a strong chemical smell inside which wasn’t pleasant, though it is made from 100% recycled polyester.

Tyr Alliance 45 litre backpack

• £57.74 / $85

Go to any pool early in the morning and you’ll see all the swim squads training – and most of them will have a classic TYR swim bag with them. For good reason too, these bags are superbly thought-out for swimmers.

Water resistant and with a huge 45-litre capacity, there are separate areas for wet and dry kit (the waterproof pocket is at the bottom, accessed via a zippy pocket on the front).

There’s also extra pockets for small items and/or nutrition, shower products and a water bottle on the side and two carabiner clips for attaching things to on the front. The straps are padded and comfortable, with two cross straps to help balance the load.

The Alliance also comes in a range of colours, if matching your swim club colours (or spotting it quickly in a big pile of bags!) is important to you.

TYR Unisex’s Big Mesh Mummy Backpack Bag

• £25 / $30

Also from TYR, a slightly different option is the ‘Mummy’ bag. This one is designed more for your swim kit and not your clothes etc for afterwards, but if you’re the kind of swimmer who needs every kind of pool tool for their session, then you will find it perfect for your uses!

The bag has a huge capacity for all your swim tools, including kick board and fins at the back, then a zippy pocket at the front for your swim kit and a special water bottle pocket. Handy for making sure you haven’t forgotten anything, too.

Being mesh, it’s lightweight and this also help keep the costs of this bargain bag down. Various colours are available.

Speedo Teamster 35-litre Backpack

• £48 / $85

The Teamster from swim brand Speedo is another solidly-designed swimming backpack. Here you get a generous 35-litre capacity, including large zipped pockets on the top and sides, plus a pocket to slip a water bottle into.

Wet kit slots into the front and there is a sleeve pocket for your laptop. Again, a range of colourways are available!

Arena Swim Backpack

• £53.99

Shown here in understated ‘team black’, the Arena Swim Backpack is a similar size to the TYR with a huge 45-litre capacity, so there’s plenty of space for all your essentials.

Inside, there’s a dual pocket to separate clean and dirty kit, as well as a front-accessed zipped pocket for wet gear. You also get a multitude of other zippy pockets and a mesh side pocket to house a drinks bottle.

What to look for in the best swimming bags

When choosing a swimming bag, you should look for practical storage that makes things easy to find, but which also helps you to house things separately.

We’d look for different compartments for wet and dry kit, a waterproof compartment (so things don’t drip everywhere) and some different pockets to make your kit easy to find.

It’s always good to have a dedicated water bottle pocket and a zipped pocket for valuables.

Other things that make a difference are padded straps for comfort (especially if your bag will be on the heavy side), a bright colour so it’s easy to find poolside amongst other people’s bags and a bright (not black) lining, so if you do need to rummage around for something you can easily see inside.

How big does a swimming bag need to be

Your swimming bag should be big enough to stash all your kit, but not so big that it’s a pain to carry around – especially if you need to transport it any distance (for example commuting after swimming, or if you’re buying it for a child). Around 40-45 litres in volume is about normal.

Think about what you typically use when training in the pool. You’ll need to fit in your towel, swimsuit, hat and goggles, plus flip-flops for poolside and anything you need for showering afterwards.

The type of training you do will make a difference, too. Do you use pool tools such as fins, hand paddles, a kickboard and a pull buoy?

These are all bulky, so you may want to fit them into your swimming bag for ease, or you may want to carry them in a separate mesh bag.

What is the best material for swimming bags?

Most swimming mags will be made from lightweight, breathable and/or waterproof materials, so typically will be made from polyester with elements of mesh in the construction.

If you’re concerned about the environmental impact, look for a bag made from recycled materials.

Top image credit: Getty Images