If you already train with a sandbag, you know the superior benefits that these amazing training tools offer, developing stabilizer muscles and grip strength that you just don’t get with a traditional barbell or stable weightlifting equipment.
And if you’re looking for a strong sandbag to match your strength training, then consider the Rogue Fitness Sandbag. Based on its’s positive reviews and popularity, they’re known as some of the top workout sandbags on the market. So we got one!
Made in the USA, Rogue Sandbags are used in the Reebok CrossFit Games, so there’s already credibility and trust built into the brand.
We reviewed it and it impressed us…A LOT.
Workout sandbags get tossed around and thrown down on the ground, so they should be able to take a beating, so we’ll also look at how this training equipment is constructed and how it faired during one of our sandbag training sessions where we included multiple types of weight training and sandbag exercises.
The Manufacturer
Rogue is an American manufacturer of fitness equipment which started om 2007. The company are known to make high-quality equipment ranging from power racks and weightlifting gloves all the way to atlas stone molds.
If you’ve seen any fitness competitions on TV, you will likely have seen their equipment used.
Let’s take a look at the specifications:
Specifications
They come in an Army Green color which is pretty classic and non-gender specific (hey, that’s important for a lot of people). The Rogue logo is printed big and bold across it, so there’s no mistaking what brand of sandbag you’re using. Pretty clever marketing right there, as the sandbags double as mini moving billboards.
They come in four available sizes (the larger sizes are great for strength training with sandbags):
- Small (40lb)
- Medium (80lb)
- Large (160lb)
- XL (220lb)
These great because you can choose the size that meets your training requirements, your strength level, or what might fit in your home gym. And of course, that’s the cool thing about a sandbag, it’s for almost everyone – from strongman competitors to athletes to the regular Joe who just wants some exercise to get stronger and fitter (both physically and mentally).
Note that they also offer a range of strongman sandbags.
The diversity of sizes is also important because they’re all compatible with either the traditional filler bags or the new Rogue Funnel Filler Bag, which we’ll get to in a moment.
I should also mention here that the company has great customer service when we had to make a change to the shipping and they also give a 3-year warranty on this piece of equipment.
Construction
The Rogue Sandbag shell is made with Cordura material – on their website they get really specific “1000D MIL Spec Cordura material” – which we, after handling the bags, resorted to describing it simply as “super tough, heavy-duty and very durable”.
This 1000D Cordura fabric is the same that is used for military backpacks and in products that require the strongest fabrics.
But the manufacturer didn’t stop there, the bags have double-stitched seams and 7 handles that reinforce its sturdiness and make it easier to grip. With other training sandbags, we’ve experienced zippers getting stuck (especially if you’ve filled with sand) or worse a zipper breaking or splitting.
So it’s awesome to see the makers have chosen a heavy-duty zipper that looks like it could withstand a ton of ups and downs. There’s also a very practical and much-needed Velcro flap closure to prevent leakage of the contents.
Build Quality
Looking at the bag is one thing, but when you pick it up, open it, close it, handle it and throw it around, you can immediately tell it has great build quality. The double stitching is perfect, with no wonky lines, so we immediately knew that Rogue’s quality-assurance had scrutinized each and every product.
It was reassuring to know that our bag had been given individual attention, and was loved and cared for, and wasn’t just another one of a million on the factory line.
We already guessed by the Cordura material that the Rogue bag would be extremely durable, and our assumptions were confirmed – there were no signs of any tearing even after multiple heavy workouts of using it. And you don’t have to worry about the set of handles, because they’re made from the same sturdy material as the bag, and they’re in the ideal places to provide the best grip options.
Filling The Bag
There are two types of filler bags for the Rogue Sandbag: Traditional Bags (multiple of them) and the more affordable single Funnel Filler Bag. To see how many Traditional Bags or how many Funnel Bags go into each size variant of the Rogue Sandbag, check out the table on their website.
Keep in mind when filling the filler bags, that they need a little load space left over inside to allow the sand to move around, otherwise they will be rock hard. Also, a tip we discovered – don’t fill the bag to its maximum weight, because it can be quite difficult to close it up after.
And when the bag is at full weight capacity, the mass doesn’t shift around as much, kind of defeating one of the main purposes of a sandbag.
This might be something to consider if you need a type of mass that is similar to dumbbells or barbells.
Traditional Bags
The traditional modular bags are common across most commercial sandbags. These are available in 4 different sizes to match the size of the outer bag. You can fit 4 filler bags inside an outer bag of the corresponding size.
It can be a tight fit though if you fill all 4 to their maximum capacity. These can get pricey though and 4 XL filler bags cost more than the actual outer bag.
These are a good choice if:
- You like to add and remove weight quickly for different exercises.
- You have other sandbags that you like to use.
- You like sand shifting around more in the bag.
Funnel Bags
We found that the Funnel option works pretty well, and had a minimal amount of sand spills on the garage gym floor. However, if you choose the Funnel Fillers, you don’t have the option of being able to add and remove smaller bags that are required for different exercises.
The Funner Filler bags are designed to fit inside the outer bag and line up with the velcro inside. So you have to purchase the right size.
These are the right choice if:
- You use the same weight across your entire routine.
- You don’t have any other workout sandbags.
- You want a bag with less sand movement inside.
- You want the cheaper option.
Do Rogue Sandbags Come With Sand? What Should I Use?
No, sand is not included. You can use play sand which can be purchased cheaply at most DIY stores or free sand from a beach.
Looking for what else to fill it with?
If you’d prefer an alternative sandbag filler, then try pea gravel which has a similar density. You can also try rubber mulch which is easier to deal with when full, but equates to only 40% of the weight of sand.
So you have to weigh up the pros and cons, and again see what suits your training needs.
Performance
Whether we did sandbag squats, clean and carry, sprints or a simple over-the-shoulder step-up-and-down, we found the Rogue Sandbag easy to grapple and we could pull and tug on the handles without worrying about them ripping. The handles are also well placed to cover all types of movements and are padded to minimize pain in the hands.
We’re not always the biggest fans of sand as a filler, but with the Rogue Fitness Sandbag’s there was very little sand leakage during a heavy session.
Two potential cons with the Rogue: the XL bag is 3.5 feet long so it might not be ideal for shorter users. And as mentioned above, when filling the bag – we struggled to close it when we filled it to the max with sand, but that’s easily resolvable by just filling it less. Duh.
Alternatives
There are a few alternatives out there to this particular bag:
Brute Force Sandbags
The Brute Force sandbags are a solid competitor to the Rogue bags. It’s really a hard decision to choose either. These are available in 3 sizes of mini, athlete, or strongman.
I love the Brute Force bags because of the build quality and range of colors they are available in!
Weight for weight, they are similarly priced and the filler bags are included. But their Strongman version does not have the same maximum capacity as the Rogue bag.
- Great color options
- Similar pricing
- Filler bags are included
- No funnel fillers
Rogue Strongman Throw Bag
These have a kettlebell style of design. They are good for overhead presses and heavy throws. These aren’t as versatile as the Rogue bag and are available only in one size but they are more affordable.
- Only one handle is padded
- Cheaper than the standard bag
- One available in 75 lbs
Rogue Feed Sack
The feed sacks were designed to be used during the Spring Carry Event of the CrossFit games. This is why it has a handle in each corner of the bag so it can be carried over the shoulders or the head. Again, these bags might not be ideal as they are not as versatile but are generally cheaper.
- More affordable
- Only 2 handles
- Only available in 2 sizes of 50 lbs and 100 lbs
Final Thoughts
After a review of the Rogue Sandbag and putting it through its paces, we give it a high score! It’s probably the best quality workout sandbag around. Even with the toughest training, it should easily last many years of heavy sandbag training. Other alternatives to look out for include the Brute Force, Titan Fitness and Rep Fitness sandbags.
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