If you’re like me you probably have some type of running bag. Using it to carry your running gear to races, the gym, trail runs or wherever you are going to run. I for the longest time used an old Adidas duffel bag. It worked fine I suppose. My issues with it were that it wasn’t really large enough, no dedicated place for shoes and no organization. So my search for a new bag led me to purchasing the Ogio 8.0 Athletic Bag. Now this bag is actually intended for triathletes, which I am not. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a great bag for runners.
The Ogio 8.0 has a capacity of 3000 Cubic inches and dimension of 12 H x 26 W x 11.5 D. The first feature that attracted me to the bag is that it has adjustable backpack style shoulder straps that when held together make a nice carry handle. It works great wearing it as a backpack especially when you need to be carrying other items in your hands. Although on your back it definitely feels like a very large backpack. The next feature is the crush resistant lockable armored pocket that sits on one side of the bag. Ogio cites it as a great place for your sunglasses. For me it’s where my car keys, wallet, headphones and sunglasses go. No more digging around the bottom of a bag to find my keys. One end of the bag has a dedicated shoe compartment, it keeps your dirty shoes separate from everything else. The opposite end has a small storage section and an external retractable bungee cord section great for a bike helmet. For me it’s usually a sweatshirt that goes under the bungees. On one of the long sides of the bag there is the nutrition storage. It zippers open and flops down providing an organized area for me to keep my gels, bars, pretzels or whatever snacks I want with me. The opposite side has a pocket for a water bottle. This pocket admittedly is kind of awkward. Only works well if you are carrying the bag on your back. The bottom of the bag if you flip it around has a wet/dry storage compartment with ventilation. Intended for a wetsuit, works great for any smelly post run clothing. Then of course you still have the large main compartment where you will throw the bulk of your items such as clothing.
I have used the bag for relays like Ragnar and overnights to out of town races and it has worked out great. Anything beyond 1 or 2 nights and you’ll need a bigger bag though. I have thrown it in overhead compartments on a plane without issue. The bag is a bit large for that but since it’s a soft duffel you can easily shove it in there. It the size of this bag isn’t quite right but you like the features Ogio does make a larger 9.0 and a smaller 4.0 version.
Now the one and only downside to the bag is its price. It usually retails for about $100. Now you get what you pay for in that the bag materials and zippers are all top quality. For some that is going to be too high a price when you can buy a cheap duffel for around $20-35. For me it works in keeping my stuff organized in a bag that can take a beating. So if you can accept the price then I recommend it as a great bag.
Ogio 8.0 on Amazon
Ogio Website
