CrossFit Backpack: Which One to Choose and What to Put Inside?

If you have started or are about to start your classes, you may be wondering which CrossFit backpack you could take to the box to carry your equipment. In reality, you could take a shopping bag, a sleeping bag, a suitcase or a climbing backpack, but it is true that each sport has certain peculiarities and CrossFit has many, starting with the athletes' backpack.

A CrossFit backpack should be spacious. At first you won't carry much, but I assure you that over time the accessories will fill it up. I recommend that, in addition to being large, it should be robust and resistant, with good materials. The reason for this is that you will be using it a lot, as well as the zippers, since the higher the quality, the longer the durability.

For ease of use, it is recommended that it have different pockets or compartments. On the one hand, it will help you with organization and, on the other, you can separate wet and dry material, or even material that can stain, such as magnesium.

If possible, get one with some sort of external strap, this will help air out sweaty calluses or belts and prevent them from getting smelly. You can hang them with their own Velcro or with a small carabiner.

And finally, a CrossFit backpack should have an exterior space with Velcro so you can put patches from your box, your competitions or your favorite phrases.

If you stop and think about it a bit, the so-called tactical backpacks (which come from the military field) can be a very good purchase option.

What to carry in your CrossFit backpack

It will all depend on how long you have been training, as the longer you have been training, the more things you will pack, so I am going to list the most common ones in the order in which they will arrive in your backpack.

Water :

A shaker or water bottle is a must for your classes, it will provide you with hydration and a few precious extra seconds to rest during the wod!

Calluses :

They are undoubtedly the star item. Calluses on your hands will appear no matter what from hanging from the bar, the calluses will make that happen later which will lengthen your training and will also help to make it more difficult for them to break and cause injuries once they appear.

If you are a beginner, I recommend the ones with holes. Then, with time, you can move on to ones without holes.

Wristbands:

Like the grips, for those of us who come from other sports, our hands and joints are not very accustomed to the stress that they are subjected to in a CrossFit class. The grips will help you especially at the beginning when grabbing the bar in the front rack or overhead position as well as in gymnastics such as handstands or wall walks.

There are 2 basic formats, the elastic ones with Velcro that tend to be thicker and the fabric ones that are longer (similar to those used in boxing).

If you are in your first few months, I recommend that you choose elastic bands. Once your wrists get used to it, you can switch to fabric bands, which allow you to loosen them with a simple twist to, for example, change to other exercises.

Camber:

If you've been doing it for a while, get your own. A speed rope with a steel cable and metal handles with some kind of knurling will be ideal for practicing in and out of the box. Plus, you'll always have the right length for you and won't waste time looking for the right one in each class.

Knee pads:

Whether for weightlifting or strength sessions in which your legs are going to bear a lot of weight, or for light WODs but with many repetitions (such as one with many thrusters or wall balls). Knee pads will be a perfect complement so that your joints suffer as little as possible.

Weightlifting Belt:

Once you move on to heavier lifts, your lower back may suffer. Learn how to use and put it on correctly and you will be able to improve your technique and therefore your RM.

Magnesium:

If you have had a bad experience with magnesium in boxing (sometimes there are athletes who inadvertently put their hands full of blood in the common bowl) there are individual magnesiums in tablets, liquids, bars and sprays.

Patches:

This will grow in your backpack over time, your name, that of your box, that of a brand that you like, competitions, or boxes that you go to on vacation will give color to your backpack.

And as we said at the beginning, all of this will grow over time: weightlifting shoes, special ropes, straps, tape, sweat bands, elastic bands, pre-workout and post-workout, hats in winter, towels in summer... The possibilities are unlimited.

And you, what do you carry in your backpack?