Our Top 4 Recommendations
- Ringside 100-pound Muay Thai Punching Heavy Bag (best Value for Money)
- Fighting Sports Pro Thai Leather Heavy Bag V2.0 (best Premium Choice)
- Combat Sports 100-pound Muay Thai Punching Heavy Bag
- PROLAST Boxing Muay Thai Punching Kicking Heavy Bag
Muay Thai and kickboxing are tough combat sports. To train for Muay Thai or kickboxing, you need a good heavy bag. The best bags are 100lbs or more and are filled with dry material. Most are meant to be hung. Heavy bags are readily available, but they are not all equal in terms of quality.
Before you walk into that sporting goods store or visit a website like Amazon or eBay looking for a heavy bag, there are several questions that you need to ask yourself.
How Heavy a Bag Do You Want?
When you buy a heavy bag, you need to know the exact size that you want. Heavy bags come in all shapes and sizes.
Even heavy bags that are over 100lbs vary in shapes. And you can find heavy bags that weigh as heavy as 200lbs.
Most manufacturers have several sizes ranging from 100 and 200 lbs. For practicing low kicks you will want a long bag, sometimes referred to as a Banana bag because of its length.
The weight of the bag matters because it will determine the amount of resistance that you get when you hit the bag. The extra resistance is bound to give your punches and kicks more power.
If you purchase an unfilled bag you can gradually increase the weight as you use it. A good pre-filled bag will have a consistent packing throughout the bag. However, very few of them are designed for you to vary the weight. You can start with a lighter bag and then purchase a heavier bag when you are ready, but this is more costly. Alternatively you can start with a heavy bag if you are confident.
What Filler Material Do You Like?
Every heavy bag is filled with a specific type of material. With heavy bags, this can range widely.
There are some heavy bags that have tough material like sand while others have softer material such as rubber. The type of filler material will affect the resistance the bag offers regardless of weight.
To decide which filler material you want, you should consider three things:
- The bag’s stiffness
- How well it maintains its shape after repeated hits
- The bag’s effect on your body
The bags’ linings will also be of different material and size. A thin, hard lining on a bag is harder on joints and muscles than a thick, soft lining. However, if you want to toughen up your shins then a harder lining will help.
Water filled heavy bags deserve a special mention. They have a unique effect when hit and they are also easy on the body’s joints.
If going with material filler it is a matter of personal preference. While different materials do vary in how they feel it is not usually a significant factor.
What Material Do You Want Covering Your Bag?
The type of material that covers the bag is worth considering. If you are going to be using the bag a lot, it will determine the bag’s longevity.
You should look for a bag that does not tear or crack easily. You should be able to use for good, hard, sessions again and again. The bag should outlast your punches and kicks.
Leather is the predominant material used to cover 100lbs + heavy bags. With a high quality leather cover, a heavy bag can last for decades.
Synthetic leather is another material commonly used nowadays. It is a cheaper alternative but not as durable as real leather.
Canvas is a cheaper material you will still occasionally see covering heavy bags. It is durable and can be cleaned (if you wanted to) whenever necessary.
Vinyl heavy bags are sold cheaply these days. However, you should avoid them as they are not durable enough for frequent punishment.
Where Will You Hang It?
If you are buying a 100lbs+ heavy bag, then you obviously need a place to hang it. When buying a heavy bag, you need to decide whether you are getting a free hanging heavy bag or a heavy bag stand. With heavy bag stand you do not need to worry about ensuring adequate ceiling support.
Hanging a 100lbs + weight is not something easily done in most residence. If it is not secured to a solid structure then you risk property damage once you start using it. However, we have seen some examples of brackets being securely mounted in garages.
You also need space to move around whenever you are training on the heavy bag. The spot where you hang the heavy bag should allow for adequate movement.
Heavy bags typically come with chain and hooks to hang them. Some have canvas straps but not usually with prefilled heavy bags.
Do You Want a Stitched Heavy Bag or One with a Zipper?
The two common variations of heavy bags are stitching and zippers. Stitching is usually for bags that are already filled whereas zippers are for empty bags that you can fill with the filler material you desire.
The better the stitching, the more durable the heavy bag. Zippers are weaker than stitching but you can get inside them. If the heavy bag has a zipper check that it is heavy duty.
Our Top 4 Recommendations
All of our recommended bags are longer and narrower than a traditional heavy bag. Banana style bags allow you to practice your full range of kicks.
- Ringside 100-pound Muay Thai Punching Heavy Bag (best Value for Money)
- Fighting Sports Pro Thai Leather Heavy Bag V2.0 (best Premium Choice)
- Combat Sports 100-pound Muay Thai Punching Heavy Bag
- PROLAST Boxing Muay Thai Punching Kicking Heavy Bag
Product Reviews
Ringside 100-pound Muay Thai Punching Heavy Bag
The Ringside 100 lbs Muay Thai heavy bag is a high quality, budget friendly, heavy bag. This bag is highly rated by amateurs and professionals. With dimensions of 13″ x 72″ the bag is plenty tall enough to work on a full range of kicks without being excessively heavy.
Ringside must be doing something right with this bag because it is a regular of training centers everywhere. The bag has a good feel to it when striking it, which is what we like. It offers just the right amount of resistance without being too punishing on hands, feet and shins. The stitching is good.
This bag is made from durable Powerhide which is a material that is known for being able to withstand continuous punching and kicking. It will not last as long as leather, but it does not cost as much either. At 100lbs it is a good weight to offer a good workout and skill development. The slenderness of it encourages accurate striking.
It will take a number of sessions before the weight distribution settles. The padding seems to stay more evenly distributed if the bag is regularly kit from all angles.
It would be better if it had an anchor point. This would give the option to reduce the bag swing. Although with 100lbs of weight it isn’t going to swing a great deal.
With the Ringside 1100 pound Muay Thai punching bag in your garage’s tiny space, you can build muscle and tone muscle while increasing your strength. Your fighting skills will also be improved.
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Fighting Sports Pro Thai Leather Heavy Bag V2.0
This bag comes in 100lbs and 150lbs. Both measure 14″ x 72″ making them plenty tall enough to work on a full range of kicks.
You can hang the Fighting Sports Pro Thai leather heavy bag as soon as it arrives. It has a very consistent hitting surface that is appealing. The surface of the bag remains uniform even after repeated punishment which is great news if you plan on having the bag for a long time.
This bag is used by amateur and professional trainers. The 100lbs bag felt a bit light for a 100lbs+ heavy bag but this is down to the really good weight distribution.
What is first noticeable about this bag is the appealing color and pattern design. Red and black is always a good combination. Next is the quality construction. The stitching looks really solid and long lasting. The thick nylon straps are what you would expect for this bag and they are secured to the bag really well. They are less noisy and we think they are more secure. The attention to detail is obvious in the quality construction.
Because of the ‘triple-ply full grain’ leather this bag will last a long time and develop into a favorite bag to strike. Of course leather will cost more, but if you are willing to spend a little extra you will get your money’s worth.
We really like 2′ foam rubber interior liner that provides a consistent striking surface from any angle. After hitting the heavy bag for weeks, the quality construction becomes more obvious.
There is the option of securing the bag from the bottom D-ring. You may have to fork over some cash for this bag but it is well worth the price.
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Combat Sports 100-pound Muay Thai Punching Heavy Bag
The Combat Sports 100-pound heavy bag is made from synthetic leather which is very durable. The bag is tall and measures 12” by 72”..
Synthetic leather is very easy to clean which makes the bag easy to maintain. You will enjoy this feature especially if you don’t like cleaning a heavy bag after a grueling workout.
This bag does not have a foam liner inside to help maintain even weight distribution during repeated striking. Some breaking in is to be expected with this type of construction.
There is some indentation if regularly kicked or punched in the same place. However, regular striking at different points of the bag seems to resolve this.
The bag is very easy to set up as it has strong hanging chains. We like that it comes with a heavy duty swivel.
We would have preferred a D-ring at the bottom to have the option to secure it, but like other bags of this weight the swing is not excessive and usually preferred.
This synthetic leather is surprisingly durable, even if left outside to the elements. The price makes this good value for money which is why we are recommending it as one of our top four choices.
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PROLAST Boxing Muay Thai Punching Kicking Heavy Bag
At 130lbs this is the heaviest of our recommended heavy banana bags. It measures 12” x 72”, which makes it a standard height but narrower than most other similar bags. You can choose between red and black.
The exterior is made of good synthetic leather. The quality stitching really stands out and solid nylon straps to hang the bag is always our preference.
Of course it is a bonus that the Prolast Boxing & Muay Thai heavy bag is made in the United States. The bag is filled with 100% shredded cotton and covered with reinforced synthetic leather. The shredded cotton fabric interior does a good job of keeping the weight evenly distributed even after repeated striking.
The bag is a very sturdy and we like how it feels with heavy punches and kicks. Its sturdy construction allows for any type of striking. Feel free to use your elbows and knees as well.
We would have preferred a D-ring at the bottom to have the option to secure it, but like other bags of this weight the swing is not excessive and usually preferred.
This bag is a good compromise between price and quality. Hence the reason we have included it in our top four recommendations.
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Conclusion
All of our recommended heavy bags are 72″ tall banana bags intended for full range of kicks and punches of Muay Thai and Kickboxing training. These bags are good quality and value for money. They are up to the task for which they are designed. Of course some will last longer than others depending on the exterior material and how you use them.
Our favourite based on our own criteria is the Ringside 100-pound Muay Thai Punching Heavy Bag. The bag’s construction, stitching and liner make it an excellent bag. It is also very durable and takes a punishment without punishing your body. However, if you are prepared to spend a little extra then hands down we recommend Fighting Sports Pro Thai Leather Heavy Bag V2.0.