The 10 Best Hockey Bags
Updated by · How we research
Upright towers, carry duffels, wheeled bags, goalie bags and backpacks compared for ice hockey kits. The Grit HTFX Tower leads for keeping gear dry and sorted. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Hockey smell is bacteria, and it grows fastest in damp pads zipped inside a closed bag, so vents and the habit of emptying the bag after every skate count for more than any odor lining. This list covers ice hockey bags for everyone from learn-to-skate kids to adult league regulars and goalies, plus a few plain options for lighter loads.
Editor's Notes
October 27, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
The Grit HTFX Tower moves to the top. It's the old-list bag that both big hockey retailers' guides still recommend for wheeled gear, and its stand-up design does the most to dry pads between skates. The Athletico XXL stays as the budget pick.
Five old picks had dropped out of stores: the Grit PX4 Pro, CCM Pro Goalie and Easton Synergy have vanished, and the CCM 350 Deluxe Player and Grit Airbox show as unavailable. In their place come Bauer's carry, wheel and goalie bags, a junior Grit tower, two backpacks, a small Warrior bag and a plain duffel for light use.
No one runs lab tests on hockey bags, so we leaned on makers' feature lists and size charts, bag guides from Hockey Monkey and IW Hockey, a Minnesota Hockey piece on beating gear smell, and a recall search that turned up no bag recalls.
July 09, 2021:
Sadly, our former #1 pick from Pacific Rink is extremely hard to find, so we can no longer recommend it. But never fear, we've found a couple great models to replace our top selections. The best on the market is the Grit PX4 Pro because it's built to last for years, and durability is the biggest concern aside from size. If you want something bigger than the PX4 Pro, the Athletico XXL is about as big as they get. Most of our other selections are unaltered. We still really like the Grit Airbox due to its impressive airflow, but you'll want to be a little careful with it as it's not quite as durable as its more expensive relative.
March 09, 2020:
A good hockey bag requires a certain set of features that set it apart from a simple duffel. Those include durable, lightweight materials and an organizational system that can make sense of skates, shin guards, hockey pants, a cup, elbow pads, a chest protector, gloves, a helmet, and a variety of accessories. That's a lot of stuff to simply pile into a single compartment and haul away. Trust me, my first hockey bag was my dad's old vertical military duffel from his time in Vietnam. This is why we sent off the AmazonBasics Duffel and the Gothamite ICE USA, as neither were truly designed with hockey players in mind.
Ventilation is also one of the most important things to look for, which is what's so exciting about the Grit PX4 Pro Series, which applies mesh paneling on four of its sides to really let your gear breathe. Of course, if your stuff already stinks, and you keep it anywhere within striking distance of anyone else's nose (an attached garage, your car trunk, etc.), that mesh is also going to let all those smells out more readily, so be careful how you apply it.
Special Honors
CCM Hockey Bags CCM's 550 Player carry bag and 580 Elite wheeled bag head the bag guides at IW Hockey and Hockey Monkey. We couldn't confirm a current, fairly priced listing for either, so they aren't ranked here, but CCM's own site shows its full range of carry, wheeled and backpack bags with sizes. ccmhockey.com
Carry, Wheels Or A Tower
A carry bag is the classic hockey duffel: one big compartment with a wide zip opening and a shoulder strap.
A carry bag is the classic hockey duffel: one big compartment with a wide zip opening and a shoulder strap. It's the lightest and cheapest way to move a kit. Hockey Monkey's bag guide calls carry bags the most durable and straightforward choice, and says wheeled bags suit players who park far from the rink and young players who can't yet lug a full kit.
Wheels bring a reinforced base, a pull handle and extra weight. Grit's HTFX tower weighs about 6.5 pounds before any gear goes in. Wheels help on long, flat walks, but on stairs, gravel or snow you end up carrying that weight.
Towers stand upright on a folding frame and open from the front, so pads sit on a shelf instead of in a pile. That's the best setup for drying and the worst for a small trunk. Backpacks only work for lighter loads: a learn-to-skate kid, a rec player's skates and helmet, or a junior with a wheeled pack.
Size By The Gear, Not The Birthday
Hockey bags come in rough size bands. IW Hockey's sizing guide puts youth bags at 24 to 28 inches long, junior and intermediate bags at 30 to 33 inches, senior bags at 33 inches and up, and goalie bags at 40 inches and up. Bauer's 2024 bags follow the same pattern: 25 inches for youth, 32 for junior and 35 for senior.
Choose by what goes in, not by age. A tall 11-year-old in intermediate pads may need a senior bag, and a small adult can live with a junior one. Bigger isn't always better either: Hockey Monkey notes that youth players need less space and that a big bag can leave a small kit sliding around. If your player is growing fast, buy for next season's pads. Goalies need the long bags, and a wheeled goalie bag is worth it for most of them.
Keeping The Smell Down
Hockey smell is bacteria growing in sweat-soaked pads, and a closed bag is the perfect place for it. In a Minnesota Hockey article, Minnesota Wild equipment manager Matt Benz says to take the gear out of the bag after every use. Hang it up, open the skates, pull the insoles and point a fan at it. The same article says pads don't belong in a dryer.
Vents help on the drive home but don't replace unpacking. Mesh panels, grommets and a separate wet pocket let steam out, and a tower left open in the garage does the most. Washing helps too: Happy Hooligans, a hockey parent's blog, machine-washes everything except helmets and skates in warm water, dries only the small soft items on low and air-dries the rest. Wipe out the bag itself and leave it open now and then, because it soaks up the smell as well.
How we researched this
We screened 22 hockey bags, including the seven on the old list, compared current listings and makers' feature lists and size charts for 19 of them, read the bag guides from Hockey Monkey and IW Hockey, and checked every brand for recalls with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Gear-care advice comes from Minnesota Hockey and a hockey parent's washing guide.
Frequently asked questions
Should I get a wheeled hockey bag or a carry bag?
Get wheels if the walk from the car is long and flat, or if a young player can't carry a full kit yet. Get a carry bag if you park close, use stairs a lot or deal with snow, since it's lighter and simpler.
What size hockey bag does a 10-year-old need?
Size by the gear rather than the age. Most players around that age fit a junior bag of about 30 to 33 inches. A small youth kit fits a 24- to 28-inch bag, and a big kid in intermediate pads may need a senior size.
How big is a goalie bag?
Goalie bags usually run 40 inches long or more to fit leg pads. The Bauer Premium Wheel Goalie is about 42 inches long and rolls on three wheels.
What happened to the Grit AirBox?
The Grit AirBox carry bag showed as unavailable when we checked. Grit still sells its upright towers, including the Grit HTFX Tower and the Grit HYFX Junior Tower.
Do I need a special bag for field hockey?
No. Field hockey gear is lighter: a stick, shin guards, a mouthguard and cleats. A plain sports duffel or backpack works, and ice hockey bags are far bigger than you need. Keep the stick in a separate stick bag if it won't fit.
