This Is the Gym Bag You've Been Seeing All Over — It's Definitely Worth the Hype

My workout essentials include a quality pair of sneakers that I can do everything in, quality workout gear (trust me, it's worth the investment), a good playlist, and a great bag to store all of my gear. The Nike Pegasus is my favorite training shoe (it's technically a running shoe but you can do so much in it), I have at least 20 playlists on Spotify, and I'm obsessed with Nike leggings. When it comes to gym bags, I still haven't found the one. I've received and purchased a handful of bags over the years, and I always find flaws with them. Too big, too small, no place for dirty clothes, not enough pockets; the list goes on.

As a part-time gym bag critic, I accepted the fact that I wouldn't find a bag that was up to my standards. One day, I was catching up with a friend when she whipped out her new gym bag raving about all the features — it was compact but could hold her clothes, shoes, laptop, a water bottle, and more. Shortly after she introduced me the Dagne Dover line, specifically the gym bag, I began seeing it everywhere.

I saw it so much, I asked a stranger at the gym her thoughts on the bag — she loved it. Plus, after hearing my coworkers talk about how much they loved their bags, I knew I had to try it for myself. I swapped out the backpack I've been using for a year with the Dagne Dover Landon Carryall (the brand sent me the bag to try out) and gave it a test drive. It's been a month since I got the bag, and let me tell you, I love it.

I have the bag in dune (it's a blush color), which is more exciting than black, and in my fitness-slash-fashion critic opinion, it's a great color for all seasons. It's expandable, which is what I need on most days, especially when I have my lunch with me and workout equipment. The neoprene fabric is smooth and easy to clean; I know this to be true because I spilled something on it after the first day of using it. It also has a shoe duster, a protective water bottle pocket, and lots of pockets for organization.

I never knew I could become obsessed with a gym bag, but here I am. If you're in the market for a bag that's functional and cute, check out the Dagne Dover collection ahead.