Built for Athletes Large Backpack Review: 6 Months On
Built for Athletes Large Backpack Review: 6 Months On
The most versatile gym backpack out there, perfect for any activity, from lifting to hiking.
I believe that a good bag is man’s best friend, which is why I went and got the Built For Athletes Large Backpack, also going by the Hero 2.0.
I’ve been using it for about 6 months now, tried and tested in the gym, on a daily commute, and in the wilderness. Regardless as to whether you’re looking to buy this product specifically or just want to upgrade your backpack, I hope you’ll find this review useful in making your final decision.
Overview and Features
Starting from the outside, the bag rocks a total of five external compartments, not including the two water bottle holders which are big enough to hold a shaker. Which, as far as bags go, is a lot.
This includes (as I would term it, I am not a professional at reviewing bags!) two main compartments and two smaller ones at the front. The main one contains a laptop sleeve (up to 17” - it fits my 15” laptop in its case quite snugly mind you, so consider how thick your case is) and two mesh bits which I tend to use to hold dirty or wet stuff to separate it from the rest of my kit. It also has a clamshell opening to 180 degrees, which is great for packing it efficiently.
The others have some mesh to hold stationary, with the front two pockets sporting additional features which, whilst a bit gimmicky, are quite cool.
The front pocket has a laser-cut molle (also running down the sides of the bag) - which can be used to attach items with using karabiners and whatnot, but I have never found myself using them. I can imagine it being used more for those who hike and camp a lot, but not really for the gym bros looking to buy this, unless you plan on clipping your rucksack to a cable or something.
The upper pocket on the front sports velcro for ultimate customisation, should you choose to. I just kept the default patches on, but if you’re more interesting than me then go ahead and use some of your own or get some from the site - you can get letters to spell your name or do whatever with, flags and slogans that are very Goggins-esque, including “Embrace the suck” and “Won’t be outworked” to show to everyone who’s gonna carry the boats. My personal favourite is “All the gear, no idea”, because a bit of humour never hurt nobody.
The bag itself is 45 litre in capacity - which is a lot. You can get a smaller 25 litre version, but for an extra tenner, the 45 litre one is much more worth it, because it’s not always outrageously thick. Two sets of compression straps allow you to keep the bag as space-efficient as possible, even when carrying half a tonne of gear, so there’s really no reason to get the smaller version. Go big or go home.
The material is super high quality and pretty stress-resistant, claiming to be rip-proof on the website, which I can actually vouch for. It also features YKK zippers, which are super high quality.
You can easily fit in shoes, meal prep, work stuff, and everything else you could possibly need. Heck, the back part of the backpack opens up to another pocket which you could stuff another pair of shoes in. Heck, you can even take it in cabin luggage for a flight (but double check with your airline anyway). For something advertised primarily as a gym bag, it’s certainly more versatile than that.
My Testing
I’ve had the bag since late August and have used it as my go-to for everything - I’ll take all my work with me, including heavy folders, stationary and occasionally a laptop, plus food, gym clothes and shoes, and it all fits in great. It can get a bit big even with the compression straps, but it’s comparatively much more compressed than if I were using multiple bags because my main one wasn’t big enough.
I took it out on a hike with some friends in Dovedale, UK, and we certainly put it through a test of endurance, albeit unintentionally. The bag stayed firm and supportive when scrabbling up steep inclines using the chest and waist straps, as well as parkouring over fences and having to army crawl across a field. I feel like I could’ve taken it running, rock climbing, cycling. You name it and it could probably do it.
My only critique from the experience would be that whilst the material is advertised as water-resistant, it still absorbs it a fair bit. I got the waterproof backpack cover from the site, as I also had the displeasure of dealing with the British weather, and it did a solid job of keeping everything dry after the bag itself started getting soaked.
On a daily basis, it’s been great. I’ve taken it on my commute just fine, although I walk to get around. If you’ve got quite a lot in there, I can’t imagine it’s particularly fun for the people around you if you’re in a train or other mode of public transport, so just remember spatial awareness.
In terms of wear and tear, I’ve only had a few problems. The additional set of straps at the bottom of the bag have got caught on a couple of thorns every now and then, which have made for some comical moments when I realise I’ve spun a thread about ten metres long, before realising I now have to slice off the frayed end. It’s been mildly frustrating but I’ve just tucked them into the straps (which I should’ve done in the first place), so learn from my mistake and just tuck them in.
Also, the clip on the hip strap broke, and the strap itself occasionally comes out of the plastic length adjuster, which has been a bit of a pain. Again, this is probably my fault - I’ve carried some heavy stuff in this bag, in thick clothes too, which probably strained the clip too hard. I’m sure I can probably replace it or fix it, but the chest one works just fine and to be honest, even broken, the hip strap still provides support. The site says it’s been tested with weights up to 15kg and it could totally manage that, having used it for weighted push-ups. It also says it can be used for rucking, and so I wouldn’t worry about breaking the bag from weight - it can take a lot.
Oh, and one of the plastic zip tags broke off because I pulled it too hard - luckily, the bag comes with a couple spare, and it took only a couple of minutes to fit a new one.
Conclusion - To Buy, or Not to Buy?
I would wholeheartedly recommend you buy this bag. Yes, it’s pretty pricey at £89.99 here in the UK, but the ROI has been totally worth it. I use it for literally everything and I love it. It’s super supportive with good cushioning and ventilation and has more storage than any bag I’ve ever used before without being unbearably bulky, letting you separate the wet and dirty from the dry and clean. The company even plants a tree for every bag you buy, which is nice. Kudos to them for sustainability.
Also, yes, it has lots of different colours. At the time of writing, the military green I’ve got is out of stock, but there’s a range of other colours and lots of brand partnerships like this one with Spartan, that I think I’d get regardless of the fact that I don’t know the brand. Also, my one came with a USA patch, as well as the brand’s patch, whereas the newer ones only come with the latter.
I could be here forever talking about how good this bag is, but I’ll leave it here for today.
Let me know if you decide to get this one and if the review helped on my Instagram or in the comments below! For returning readers, how did you find this format?
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Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you soon!
- Tom
DISCLAIMER
The content provided in these posts are designed to be educational and informative. I am not a medical doctor, psychologist, therapist, nutritionist, or registered dietitian. The contents of these emails should not be seen as medical, psychological, dietary, nutritional, or healthcare advice of any kind. Always consult a qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health.