Review on YogaAddict Supreme Mat Tote: Roomy Bag With Zipper, Pocket, And Block Compartment - Perfect For Yoga, Pilates, Or Gym by Dawson Schmidt

Why did I pick this bag out of all the other colorful and embellished options available? The answer is, precisely because it is not. I am not one for big labels or making flashy statements. I much prefer gear that is understated, designed to be rugged and useful. Small styling cues are fine, but large logos and statement prints are not at all my thing. I want a bag, one that can hold my gear and be portable with a minimum of fuss.I'm also relatively new at this game, so I am not supremely flexible, I need some help here and there. A couple of blocks, a strap, a mat, a couple of towels, a small blanket I can roll up, etc. are all part of what I often use, though sometimes I do yoga with nothing but a carpeted floor. I want a bag that will travel well, carry what I need, have room for a change of clothes, and not stick out like a sore thumb as a way of saying to the world "look at me, I do yoga, aren't I cool?!” Thankfully, the YogaAddict bag puts function over form, and the results are quite impressive. Rugged construction, not too heavy but not at all flimsy, looks and feels solid.My goal is for this to not just be a yoga mat bag, but my all around travel gym I can take with me anywhere. A tall order, but as it turns out, totally doable:workout clothes, towels, yoga block, 8 ft. strap, yoga mat (24" x 72”), Bullworker Steel Bow (because dumbbells are too heavy to pack) and a Bullworker Iso-Gym (because a bench and chinning bar are too big to pack). That's a lot to put into one bag. probably too much, you might say. In fact, there's room to spare, enough for a water bottle as well. One completely self contained and portable gym, ready to go. Fully equipped for yoga, strength training, stretching, bodyweight training, etc. Everything I need in one bag, easy to carry, easy to pack, and the confidence the bag will remain rock solid and durable.The bag itself again is semi-rigid, which makes for a nice durable feel as you walk with it. the load of everything I put in it felt balanced and natural, and the zippers function cleanly, no snags and no binding. The side piping and accents look nice, and add some good reinforcement to the bag, plus help with the overall sturdy feel. The loop handles at both ends are helpful loading onto and off of buses and trains. Fitting it into luggage bins was easy, and removal by the handles was also easy.Design recommendation. Since this would be an awesome travel bag for a take-along gym, I'd suggest using zipper handles with broader holes to more easily pass a small padlock through them for additional security, This would be a good addition to the outer zipper as well as the two pockets. Also, though it's an inner, hidden pocket, it would also be a good design idea to make the inner pocket a double close zipper, so that the same principle could be applied (may be overkill, but it would be a nice touch :) ).The capacity of the bag is wonderful. I was able to put everything I needed for my morning workout, including my suspension straps (which anchor to a door frame) and my steel bow (which is an isometric spring compression device) and could do a full body vigorous workout with everything easily at hand, easily removable, and easily repack-able. The bag can carry a lot but doesn't at all feel like an oversized duffle. It is, however, completely lined and, therefore, completely closed. With packing of gym clothes that could get nice and sweaty, as well as towels, etc. (think Bikram practitioners ;) ), I could see this bag developing a bit too much personality is a fairly short time. Spraying with Febreze would of course help, but perhaps just as helpful would be a "breathing panel", perhaps along the back side. Think a material that is semi-mesh, but durable enough to handle the scuffs and scrapes of loading and unloading. The air can pass through, aid drying, and prevent odor buildup, yet still keep the overall integrity of the bag intact.My suggestions are meant to be exactly that, suggestions for possible improvements, but overall, this bag is aces in the areas that matter the most for me, which is capacity, convenience, durability, portability, and yes, understated elegance. Black and Gray certainly won't appeal to everyone, but it appeals to me. On the whole, an excellent product.