Most seasoned practitioners will tell you that the key to success and continuous improvement in your Jiu Jitsu skill is to be consistent in your training. Being consistent is easier said than done. One way to help you be consistent is to identify and remove or lessen any barriers to training Jiu Jitsu. Having your Jiu Jitsu equipment ready and easy to find and transport is a barrier that can help you stay on the consistent training path. A high-quality gym bag that fits all your day-to-day Jiu Jitsu training gear makes being ready for training easy and is another enjoyable aspect of Jiu Jitsu when it comes to training gear.
My current gym bag is an REI Co-op Big Haul 40 Recycled Duffel Bag. I’ve had this bag for about 3 years, and it has been nearly perfect for my day-to-day training needs. In this article I will give my review of the duffel bag and how I use it. Read on to learn more about the REI Co-op Big Haul 40 Recycled Duffel Bag including size, comfort, carry options, material, and durability.
The REI Co-Op Big Haul 40 Recycled Duffel Bag Overview
The REI Big Haul 40 is a duffel-style bag that is high quality, rugged, and focuses on sustainability. The Big Haul series comes in multiple sizes and the Big Haul 40 is meant for gym gear or shorter hiking or camping trips with a gear capacity of 40 liters. The Big Haul 40 is made of recycled ripstop nylon top and recycled ballistic nylon bottom.
The bag also has lash points to allow the attachment of other gear to the outside of the duffel bag. The bag dimensions are 21.3 x 13.4 x 10.2 inches and are meant to meet most airline carry-on size limits. The bag is available in 4 different colors Black, Mountain Moss, Stone Blue, and Twilight Purple. At the time of this article, the bag retails for around $100.
Carrying the REI Big Haul 40 For Jiu Jitsu
The REI Big Haul 40 shines when it comes to carrying options. The bag has heavy nylon fixed straps on both sides and ends of the bag making a quick grab easy regardless of how the bag is sitting. The bag also has two main carry options removable duffel handles and stowable backpack straps.
For my everyday training, I use the removable duffel handles.The handles attach via a hard plastic anchor secured via nylon loops on the bag. The handles connect via a Velcro strap. Carrying is easy via handles. For longer carry like at tournaments, I will usually switch to the backpack-style straps that are stowed on the top lid of the bag. The straps come out of their stow position and connect to the bag just like the duffel handles. The straps are comfortable and make longer carrying easy. I’ve used the straps on travel trips and hiking with no complaints.
Jiu Jitsu Size Capability REI Big Haul 40
The Big Haul 40 is considered a smaller bag and I find it perfect for Jiu Jitsu training sessions. It fits everything I need and is small enough to make carrying and stowing at the gym easy. Here is everything that I easily fit in my training bag:
- GI and Belt
- No Gi kit
- Change of clothes for after training
- Slippers
- Small Towel
- Mouth guard
- Deodorant
- Lint roller
- Gatorade Zero
- 40 oz water bottle
- Protein bar
- Medical Tape
- Bandages
- Contacts
- Keys, wallet, and cell phone
Using the REI Big Haul 40 for Jiu Jitsu
The Big Haul 40 comes with a large main compartment, two zippered mesh pockets on the bottom of the lid, and a small zippered pocket on the outside of the bag. I use the pocket on the outside to hold my protein bar, cell phone, keys, and wallet. In the smaller of the zippered pocket hold my mouthguard and deodorant. The larger inside pocket gets the lint roller, bandages, contacts, and medical tape. Everything else goes in the main compartment. The bag is easy to work with making it easy to pack and then find what I need when I need it during and after training.
One of the nicest features of the big haul 40 is the rigidness of the bag. When you open the bag even when empty the bag for the most part maintains its shape and doesn’t fold into itself like other bags I’ve had. This again helps with packing and getting the things you need when you need them.
Material and Durability of the REI Big Haul 40 For Jiu Jitsu
The material is perfect for Jui Jitsu and durability. The bottom and ends of the bag are made of rugged nylon material that should last a lifetime of carrying weight and being rubbed on the floor and other surfaces. The top and side material is also rugged and is a nylon that is moisture resistant. Overall the bag is very moisture resistant making it easy to clean and helpful for not getting gross from your sweaty Jiu Jitsu gear. After training, I will usually put my soaked clothes on the top of the bag and close the carry handles for transport. The only wear I’ve found so far is some piling around the handles where the Velcro has pulled on the material making look a little fuzzy, though it doesn’t impact the use and is not seen when the handles are closed.
Areas of improvement for the REI Big Haul 40 for Jiu Jitsu
- Overall, I really enjoy using the bag and it has been well-used and still looks new for the last three years. There are a few minor items to mention to further optimize the bag.
- The straps are stowed in the top of the bag’s cover, and they are not removable. The straps make the bag a little bulkier and I rarely use the straps so it would be nice if they were removable.
- The bag only has three additional pockets. I would like a couple more pockets somewhere on the bag to allow further organization of items.
- If you do stand up and need to bring kickboxing gear and everything else, it will be tight, and you may need to look at a larger bag.
- The material on the sides and top of the bag is nice looking and does a good job of keeping moisture out, I do fear that the material could be pierced easily with a sharp object. It hasn’t happened to me yet, but I feel it could be an issue if something sharp gets dropped on the bag or if something sharp or pointy is in the bag and gets compressed.
Conclusion
The REI Big Haul 40 has been perfect for my regular training sessions and expect to use it for many more years on my Eternal Jiu Jitsu Journey. Finding the right bag for you will help make your Jiu Jitsu training more consistent.
If you need help choosing the right bag for you, please see my full article on picking the right Jiu Jitsu gym bag for you.