November 20, 2020
School, Outdoor & Tactical, Work, Fitness
Best Backpacks with Shoe Compartments – Top Work to Gym Bags
November 20, 2020
School, Outdoor & Tactical, Work, Fitness
Anyone tired of bulky gym duffle bags would fare well with a quality gym backpack with a shoe compartment. These backpacks allow you to take on your day in style with features such as laptop sleeves, generous main compartments and dedicated shoe storage. Keep reading below for an in-depth review of each backpack on the list.
King Kong EDGE35 Backpack
Versatile work, travel and gym backpack with shoe compartment
King Kong
Under Armour Hustle
Mid-size backpack with lots of storage and shoe pocket
Under Armour
Starter Sports Backpack
Affordable sports backpack with shoe compartment
Check on Amazon
A backpack with shoe storage makes transitioning from your work or school clothes to your gym gear easier than ever. Not only can these separate compartments be used to carry your shoes, but they can also double as pockets for dirty laundry, towels and other gym items you may want to keep separate. This versatility gives you the freedom of going to the gym at any time without having to lug around a separate gym bag.
Best Backpacks with Shoe Compartments
King Kong EDGE35 Backpack
King Kong
The King Kong EDGE35 is a sleek, durable and feature-packed gym backpack with shoe compartment that has quickly become one of our favorites. This is due to its roomy 35-liter main compartment that’s perfect for training gear like weight lifting belts, boxing gloves and other bulkier items. On light duty days the magnetic buckle side straps allow you to compress the backpack for a sleeker profile.
But the King Kong EDGE35 is more than just a gym bag! Features like a separate admin compartment, 17” laptop compartment and multiple organizer pockets also give it the ability to turn into a work or travel backpack when you need it. Whether you are packing for a workout day, weekend trip or a busy work week – the EDGE35 will have all of the room you need to conquer even the busiest of lifestyles!
Features at a glance:
-
Huge padded 17” laptop compartment
-
Large pack-flat clamshell main compartment with plenty of internal pockets
-
Versatile: gym, work, daily or travel bag
-
25 Year Warranty
-
Shoe compartment: Bottom access
Read more about the King Kong EDGE35
Why We Chose This Backpack
Large open-flat main compartment
Finding a backpack with a bottom compartment for shoe storage can be a challenge for those who carry bulkier items like boxing gloves and headgear without resorting to a gym duffel bag. Thankfully King Kong has designed the “Goldilocks” of gym backpacks that is just the right size for your workout gear without looking ridiculously large when worn.
This is thanks to its large 35-liter clamshell main compartment that allows you to lay the backpack flat for easy packing and unpacking. The main compartment is also lined with mesh pockets so you can organize clothing and smaller items while keeping the rest of the main compartment open for larger items.
On light carry days the side Fidlock magnetic straps can compress the backpack down for an even slimmer profile while still allowing you full access to the top, bottom, laptop and admin compartments for daily essentials.
The Shoe Compartment
The shoe pocket on the King Kong EDGE35 is a bottom access pocket which means that the pocket will cut into the main compartment’s capacity when used. This is the most common configuration you’ll find when looking for a backpack with shoe compartment. For a different front loading shoe pocket design we recommend the King Kong Plus26 backpack.
The EDGE35’s bottom shoe pocket is very roomy and can easily fit larger men’s sneakers/trainers. We successfully fit men’s size 12 running shoes into this pocket with room to spare.
There is also another similar yet smaller pocket on the top of the backpack that can be used for smaller shoes or bulkier items that you need quick access to.
Durability meets sleek design
King Kong has really succeeded in offering a backpack that feels as good as it looks. The bag itself is made out of a tough 1000D Nylon while the inside features a 210D Ripstop Nylon lining to prevent rips and tears.
The hardware is also high quality with each pocket using premium YKK zippers and the side compression straps featuring magnetic Fidlock quick release buckles. The bag just feels nice which goes a long way when using the backpack day in and day out.
Tech Carry
One of the features of the King Kong EDGE35 that we really like is the large laptop compartment that has its own separate zipper access. The padded laptop compartment located against the back panel can fit a whopping 17-inch laptop making the EDGE35 ideal for those looking for a quality gym laptop backpack with shoe compartment.
For tech accessories like cables and chargers the front admin compartment gives you plenty of pockets to organize smaller items with ease.
about the Live Well 360 Backpack
Why We Chose This Backpack
A gym backpack for those who love organization
The numerous pockets and compartments make the Live Well 360 backpack the most feature packed gym backpack with shoe compartment on our list. Our favorite features are the easy-access front pockets that allow for safe storage of keys, phones and other valuables.
Inside the main compartment is where you’ll find a padded laptop sleeve to keep your expensive tech safe while the side stash pockets are large enough for workout shaker bottles.
The pockets on the Live Well 360 backpack feel intuitive – so you can spend more time hitting fitness goals and less time rummaging through your bag at the gym.
Doubles as a travel bag
The Live Well 360 backpack is impressively versatile thanks to it’s numerous organizers and generous main compartment. Their clamshell backpack design allows it to double as a sweet travel bag for overnight stays. Front pockets also allow you to easily store and carry travel toiletries while the shoe compartment gives you that extra room to keep dirty laundry or shoes separate from clean items.
Types of Shoe Compartment Backpacks
There are three common types of backpacks with shoe compartments and each one is a little different. Below is a helpful explanation of each type so you know the difference when shopping for a new backpack.
Front Access
Front access backpacks have a front loading shoe pocket that is separate from the main compartment. The main compartment and shoe compartment is usually divided by polyester or nylon material. Some backpacks do a good job at separating the two compartments but others may take up space in the main compartment if the shoe pocket is filled. A good example of a front access shoe compartment backpack would be the Under Armour Undeniable.
Many people prefer shoe compartments with front access because they can retrieve their shoes without having to completely pick up the bag or lay it flat. Another pro of having front access is that the bottom stays flat when set down on the ground. Bottom compartments can make the bag bottom uneven when filled with shoes.
Bottom Compartment
Bottom Compartment backpacks place a compartment on the bottom of the bag that is completely separate from the main compartment. Unlike backpacks with bottom access or front access shoe compartments, a backpack with a bottom compartment does not dig into the main compartment as its being filled because it has it’s own reserved space.
The best examples of backpacks with bottom compartments are the Amber & Ash Everyday backpack and the Nike Sport III Golf backpack.
One thing to note with bottom compartment backpacks is that their main compartments may be smaller due to the addition of the bottom compartment.
Bottom Access
Bottom access shoe compartment backpacks usually have a zipper entry at the very bottom of the backpack that opens up to a shoe compartment. The difference between a bottom compartment backpack and bottom access shoe compartment backpack is that the bottom access bag share the storage space with the main compartment.
Like front access shoe compartment backpacks. the shoe compartment and main compartment is divided by polyester or nylon material. A good example of a bottom access backpack is the Public Rec Pro Pack Plus.
Criteria Used for Evaluation
With hundreds of bags to choose from we could only research so many backpacks with shoe compartments. Instead of going through each and every one we decided to set a standard in which each backpack must have before we further reviewed it.
We decided on a 5 point system to determine the quality of each backpack we researched and reviewed:
-
Dedicated shoe compartment
-
Storage for tech
-
Style and Design
-
User Reviews
-
Availability
Read More
Dedicated shoe compartment
The first and most obvious criteria for consideration was that each backpack had to have a dedicated shoe compartment. Our list was not just of the best work to gym backpack but the best work to gym backpack with a shoe compartment!
Storage for Tech
Every backpack must have dedicated storage for tech. This means laptop sleeves and compartments are a must. Bonus points were given to backpacks with extra pockets for tablets, chargers and cables. In today’s world, most people lug around some sort of tech to their jobs. The perfect work to gym backpack has room for your work gear as well as your workout gear.
Style and Design
When it comes to backpacks, no one wants to own an ugly back. We took style into consideration when making our list and excluded any bags that were poorly designed or just not fashionable. Build quality is just as important as style. Backpacks with well constructed shoe pockets, high grade materials and built-in comfort features were put into a higher priority for consideration.
User Reviews
We considered thousands of online user reviews and excluded any bags with too low ratings. Only backpacks with high user reviews were considered for review.
Availability
We only included bags that are widely available in stores and online. This makes it easier for you to shop for a bag you like without having to worry about low stock or shipping restrictions. Instead we made sure the bags on our list are readily available online and can easily be shipped within the US.
