5 Steps to a Better, Cleaner, Less Rank Gym Bag

Leave the gym looking better than you started

By The Editors
December 7, 2015 9:00 am

It’s like Yogi Berra said:

Ninety percent of looking good is half going to the gym.

But going to the gym stinks. Literally. Your bag: it smells funny. And yet you ferry it about your day with you, from the trunk of your car to the space beneath your desk to the foot of your bed.

Knowing this, you should take pride in that bag. What it looks like, the things you fill it with and how it smells.

Equip accordingly:

THE BAG
Chances are it’ll accompany you to the office, so you need something that looks good on the arm but works hard — like this special-edition from DSPTCH in gray twill. Under the hood, there’s a special ventilated compartment for your shoes (which require their own space), separate padded compartments for your electronics, a wet/dry pouch, and a secret section on the bottom for the things you don’t want commingling with your laundry.

THE GEAR
On top, we like Lululemon’s odor-defeating Silverescent tops, which will keep your earthy musk in check. For bottoms, it doesn’t need to get more complicated than these Rhone sweatpants, which manage to be comfortable without reading sloppy, and equip a special pocket for your phone.

SOCKS
They get their own category because they’re so important. Don’t be cheap. We like UA’s HeatGear No-Show, with reinforced toes, odor protection and a low profile.

THE MUSIC
You already have a phone. Get the music to your ears more efficiently with a pair of Bluetooth earbuds — we like these from JayBird.

GROOMING
A moderately scented shower gel resolves any question about schlepping cologne to the gym. Molton Brown’s Eucalyptus is clean and sharp. If you prefer a bar, go with Kiehl’s bar soap, with oat bran for exfoliation. And don’t skip the shampoo. We like Phyto’s Phytocyane for fine hair, Aesop’s Equalising for oily coifs and Bumble & bumble’s Curl Conscious for wavy types.

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