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The best sandbags for workouts to build upper body strength

The best sandbags for workouts: get buff with a beach in a bag

Rogue Feed Sack.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

When the pandemic hit in 2020 and gyms everywhere closed, home workout solutions became an overnight necessity. This boom led to shortages in dumbbells, kettlebells, and other home gym equipment, and as a result, the price of workout iron skyrocketed. Accordingly, many fitness enthusiasts began looking for alternatives. For many, workout sandbags provided the solution.

Even before all of this, sandbags were growing in popularity among the fitness community thanks to their ability to deliver an extremely diverse, effective weight training session. By increasing or decreasing the amount of sand, you can enjoy widely varying loads, and the best workout sandbags come equipped with handles and other features in all the right places, lending themselves to a slew of different movements and lifts.

Speaking of the best workout sandbags, that’s what we’re here for right now—taking a look at fitness sandbags that stand out from the rest. Here are several sandbags that will support your home fitness routine.

Garage Fit Sandbags.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Garage Fit Sandbags

When it comes to delivering an all-around great workout sandbag, this one from Garage Fit hits on all the key points. It’s super durable, won’t spill the sand (which is essential unless you have a damn good vacuum cleaner), and it has gripping handles in a variety of positions which makes it easy to perform a wide range of movements. They’re also available in a range of colors, allowing you to choose your favorite.

Garage Fit Sandbags for Fitness
Garage Fit Sandbags
Meister Elite Portable Sand Kettlebell.
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Meister Elite Portable Sand Kettlebell

This is a great option not only if you’re working out on a budget, but if you’re looking for a softer -- and much more affordable -- alternative to a kettlebell. What’s more, its one-piece construction ensures that it’s durable and won’t leak sand. It's also a great option to have alongside the more typical sandbags, as between the two of them you'll be able to achieve a highly comprehensive workout.

Meister Elite Portable Sand Kettlebell
Meister Elite Portable Sand Kettlebell
Rogue Strongman Sandbags.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Rogue Strongman Sandbags

If you prefer super-heavy sandbags, these options from Rogue are as good as they get. The smallest option is 100 pounds, and they go all the way up to a hernia-busting 400 pounds. These are sandbags for true powerlifters. Let's put it this way--if you're able to heft a 400-pound bag of sand, you can lift just about anything.

Rogue Strongman Sandbags
Rogue Strongman Sandbags
Goruck Sandbags 1.0.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Goruck Sandbags 1.0

These are hyper-tough sandbags built specifically for extreme outdoor workouts. Made out of uber-durable 1000D Cordura and closed via the strongest zippers out there, they’re made to be tossed, lugged, and otherwise mistreated. If you do somehow manage to bust it, it comes backed by a lifetime guarantee.

Sandbags 1.0
Goruck Sandbags 1.0
Rogue Feed Sack.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Rogue Feed Sack

If you’re looking for the best sandbag to throw over your shoulders and go for a run, the Feed Sack from Rogue kills it. It’s heavy and durable, but most importantly it has handles strategically placed for shoulder carrying while on the run. They’re also available in two different sizes: 50lbs and 100lbs.

Rogue Feed Sack
Rogue Feed Sack
Bulgarian Bag Suples.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Bulgarian Bag Suples

Not only is this a really functional sandbag thanks to its well-placed handles, but it’s almost luxurious in its design quality thanks to its quality craftmanship featuring genuine leather. It’s also available in an extremely wide range of loads, from 6 pounds to 84 pounds. What's more, thanks to its classic leather aesthetic, it adds an attractive visual element to your home gym.

Bulgarian Bag Suples Original Model
Bulgarian Bag Suples
Nick Hilden

Nick Hilden is a lifestyle and culture writer whose work has appeared in the Washington Post, Esquire, Rolling Stone, Afar, the Daily Beast, Popular Science, Men's Health, Thrillist, Scientific American, Salon, Fodor's, Vice, Popular Mechanics, Runner's World, and more. He's usually on some random adventure in some random corner of the world.

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The 10 best places to buy a mattress in 2024
A Leesa mattress in a bedroom.

Looking to buy a new mattress? Selecting a new mattress is no small feat. Between the sheer amount of brands, materials, sizes and specs to choose from, it can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. That's why we are here to give you the inside scoop on where to buy your next mattress.
To help you choose the best place to buy a mattress in 2024, we rounded up ten of our favorite picks to help you get that full eight hours of sleep you've been dreaming of. These brands and retailers offer an array of different types of mattresses at various price points to help you make an educated purchase. Keep reading to learn more about our selections.

Casper
Casper is known for their mattresses in a box. Once you receive the mattress in the mail, all you have to do is pull it out of the box, remove the compressed air-sealed bag and roll it right onto your bed frame. The brand offers three mattress categories including value, performance and cooling with two different mattresses under each category to fit your preferences. The value category consists of the Original and the Casper mattress that offer signature sleep technology at a reasonable price. In the performance category, you can find the Original Hybrid and the Wave Hybrid that both give superior ergonomic support to give you a deeper sleep. Finally, the cooling category offers two mattresses that feature snow technology for up to 6 degrees cooler sleep. No matter what mattress you choose, Casper offers a 10-year limited mattress warranty and as well as a 100 night risk-free mattress trial. Here are seven signs you need to start mattress shopping.

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The 6 best Nike shoes for the gym in 2024
An athlete wearing the Nike Free Metcon 5.

Ready to hit the gym in a sweet pair of Nike shoes? We thought so! But there are so many Nike shoes out there, it is hard to pick which are the very best for the gym. If you just plan on hitting the treadmill, you'll probably do well with a pair of the best Nike shoes for running, for instance, but what for your weight lifting grind or climbing exercise? Will you find the stability you need there? Here, we take a hard look at
Nike's training shoe lineup
and find the best for whatever gym activity you're planning to conquer.
The best Nike shoes for the gym in 2024

Buy the
Nike Free Metcon 5
for the best overall workout shoes from Nike.
Buy the
Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2
for a lightweight shoe that's great for movement and cardio.
Buy the
Nike SuperRep Cycle 2
and their
accompanying cleat
for your indoor bicycle.
Buy the
Nike Tawa SE
if you want a great, stylish wrestling shoe.
Buy the
Nike Romaleos 4 SE
if you want a sturdy shoe to pump iron in.
Buy the
Nike Flex Control 4
for affordable, high-quality workout shoes.

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The best home saunas for ultimate relaxation
Sweat it out with these top traditional sauna options
Birch vihta hanging in a Finnish sauna.

In recent years, self-care has evolved into an art form, and that has never been more clear than with the at home sauna. Nordic people have used home saunas for centuries as sanctuaries from the stress of everyday life, and they have never been more accessible than they are today. With so many options on the table, individuals have the chance to embrace wellness in a way that reflects their unique spirit and style — without breaking the bank as much. 

2023 has brought us some stunning at-home sauna options, but if a Google search leaves you confused, take a deep breath. We’ve compiled a list of the most highly-rated home saunas of this year. Infrared saunas are a great option, but this list will focus on the best traditional steam sauna options on the market today.  

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