GORUCK Sandbag Kit (aka GORUCK Sandbag 2.0) – Our Review

There is kind of a cliche saying among sandbag training enthusiasts that gets a little bit old when you read it/hear it all the time:

“Sandbags just hit…different…”

To be fair, I’ve probably only read this…like…8 times in my life (and I’ve never actually heard it muttered out loud).

Also to be fair, the people saying it are pretty much completely right in their platitude.

I have a number of different sandbags ranging from a 40-pound GORUCK Simple Sandbag to a 150-pound Rogue Echo Sandbag. I can assure you that when I have 155-pound power cleans programmed in a CrossFit metcon, I don’t really bat an eye; when I have 150-pound sandbag cleans programmed, I crap myself.

…sandbags just hit different…

…and a sandbag that hits different than a lot of others is today’s topic of discussion…the GORUCK Sandbag Kit/ GORUCK Sandbag 2.0.

A lot of sandbags have a robust filler bag…a lot of sandbags have a couple of handles to grasp…a lot of handles are made of Cordura…

…but a filler bag that’s essentially a legit sandbag in itself?

…12 handles for all types of drip styles and widths?

…1000D Cordura and double-passed stitching (so my gym floor doesn’t turn into a sand trap!)

Yeah…these bags are a bit more sophisticated than what I’ve been used to. Now let me tell you all about ’em.

Functionality

The “Train with Sand” movement seems to have gained a lot of steam in the past couple of years and GORUCK is one of the main reasons why. I have to hand it to them that their marketing approach of “turn your ruck into a gym” while promoting that you can get a pretty comprehensive workout only working with sandbags has gotten people thinking…

…and for the most part, they’re right.

I like variety far too much to ever train only with sandbags or only with rucks, but I’m pretty confident that if I only had a few GORUCK Sandbag 2.0 bags of different weights, I could get a pretty comprehensive workout in.

Right off the bat, it’s important to note that the “cylinder” style format of the Sandbag Kit bags are very different than the more popular/”traditional”, circular “Strongman” sandbags. A clean with one of these styles is definitely not like the other.

However, so long as your programming doesn’t call for exact bags to be used for exact movements, I would argue that cylinder bags offer a bit more utility, mainly because their elongated shape already mimics a barbell’s length. When considering their numerous handles, creating a wide assortment of exercise optionality and variation, their functionality seems endless.

I could write out an extensive list of movements that can be performed with this bag, but it’s probably easier (well…maybe not) to watch this fifty-video playlist from GORUCK demonstrating the array of different sandbag movements and exercises:

Now, some of these are admittedly pretty goofy and some are a lot more practical/functional than others: you can get plenty fit only performing cleans, presses, squats, thrusters (combined press and squat, FWIW). However, overall “functionality” is the name of the game here so the more stuff you can do with your bags, the better.

If simply being able to execute these exercises was all you wanted to do, something like GORUCK’s Simple Sandbag might be the better option. However, those bags only have two, neutral grip handles; the Sandbag Kit bags have 12.

These handles allow for much greater exercise variation, opening up a number of grip styles (ex. pronated, supinated) and, in many cases, different grip widths. For many trainees, this doesn’t just make the bags more “functional”; it actually makes them accessible (the standard grips on other bags may be too narrow or too wide for them to use comfortably use).

With this many handles/grip options…well…the “bad” news is, you don’t have any excuses…

A couple of other cool functional advantages of sandbags that aren’t quite exclusive to the GORUCK Sandbag 2.0 are the unique workouts that can only be executed with these types of bags. We’ve mentioned the GORUCK Baseline Functional Fitness Test (aka, BFF); you ain’t doing this with a barbell so if you want to see where you stack up against the masses, grab a bag.

Another cool functional advantage is the ability to do “sand” versions of popular workouts, to include classic Hero WODs.

A few months back I was in Germany for the FIBO Fitness conference and spent some time with GORUCK Europe personnel. One man told me about how and some others would be performing the classic (and gruelling) “Manion” workout with sandbags instead of barbells. Definitely much easier to get a bunch of sandbags to the track than barbells, plates, and racks!

Ultimately, with the GORUCK Sandbag Kit, you miss out on a few sandbag movements that others offer, but they are well above average, allowing for a multitude of both “original” and “modified” workouts. The multitude of handles really sets them apart from most competitors and their general toughness, which we’re about to get to, provide an additional boost.

Functionality: 95

Durability

We’ll discuss some of this category’s specifics in a bit further detail in the “Materials & Construction” section, but, to be blunt, the GORUCK Sandbag Kit bags are incredibly durable.

Like, seriously…I don’t think I could bust mine even if I were actively trying to do so (unless I took, like, a knife to it or something).

You’ll probably get tired of hearing this by the end of this review, but much of this toughness comes down to two major “innovations”. One of these isn’t all that special in terms of concept, but its execution puts it above its competitors who often try (with mixed results) the same thing.

• Lots and lots of bartacks (these really reinforce the bags double-stitched exterior)
• The fully capable interior bag serving as a dedicated filler bag

To that latter point, I can’t emphasize enough how cool, albeit slightly strange it felt to finally get my hands on my Sandbag Kit only to find that the filler bag was almost the exact same bag as one of my GORUCK Simple Sandbags. If you’ve read our review of these, you know that these are plenty tough; having an even more durable bag on the outside of one of these…insane.

(This isn’t a term I throw out lightly, either…especially when the “penalty” for a non-durable/”bad” bag is 20-100 pounds worth of play sand scattered on your gym floor!)

Speaking of sand escaping (particularly in regard to how much we try to avoid it!), the filler bag’s triple-locking (it folds over, and then over again, before snapping the velcro shut) ensures that, unless you really overfilled your bag, the sand…well…I think “Bonesaw” McGraw (or Randy “Macho Man” Savage for the more discerning readers) said it best here:

We’re not going to discuss what happened to Mr. McGraw in that match…

Anyways, to sum things up, the Sandbag Kit’s durability is excellent. It’s not gonna break and sand ain’t gonna leak all over your floor.

What more can you ask for?

Durability: 90

Load Capacity

It recently came to my attention that the GORUCK Sandbag 2.0 used to have capacities up to 120 pounds.

That’s not super heavy by any means, but for cylinder sandbags, that are arguably more difficult to wrangle at heavier weights than similarly sized, circular “strongman” bags, 120 pounds is gonna be off limits for the majority of trainees.

That being said, this little explanation is slightly irrelevant as currently the heaviest option “only” goes up to 80 pounds. I can assure you that even this lighter bag ain’t easy to deal with.

As it is, if you want a Sandbag 2.0, you only have a few options (20, 40, 60, and 80 pounds). The good news is, these should more than account for the different strength and ability levels of just about anyone who is into cylinder sandbag training.

Surprisingly, it’s possible to get your hands on a 100-pound GORUCK Simple Sandbag, making this iteration the superior one of sheer size/load capacity is most important to you. As it is, the Sandbag Kit’s capacity is sufficient, but not really all that special.

Load Capacity: 85

Materials & Construction

To be honest, the GORUCK 2.0’s materials and construction/engineering isn’t really all that fancy and if you were looking for something more intricate or “sophisticated”, I’m about to let you down.

That being said, the bag’s strength is in its simplicity…a combination of 1000D Cordura, neoprene handles, YKK zippers (outer bag enclosure), and a bunch of reinforcing bartacks.

Also of note is that the filler bag/handle-less Simple Sandbag interior employs triple stitching which may not be immediately apparent to many people, but is very distinctive if you have used double-stitched (or worse) bags in the past.

These bags ain’t bustin’.

Backing up for a moment, that neoprene handles are also an underrated touch and are much more comfortable to grasp/hold than they would be if the entire bag (including the handles) was Cordura.

I’m a big fan of most of what GORUCK puts out, but I have to say that I think these bags are near the top when it comes to the sheer quality of their construction.

Materials: 90

Price

The Sandbag Kit isn’t all that inexpensive and even within the GORUCK “family”, there are cheaper options. For example, the smallest GORUCK Simple Sandbags are roughly 3 times less expensive than the smallest Sandbag Kit bags are.

That’s significant

As the bags get bigger, the price differential isn’t quite as stark, but needless to say, these aren’t the most affordable bags.

Now, you can definitely do a bit worse on price when it comes to cylinder sandbags. Even some of the least expensive original Rogue Sandbags are as expensive (at best) or significantly more expensive than the Sandbag 2.0.

Keep in mind that with any GORUCK bag (or other gear, for that matter), you’re getting a sandbag with a lifetime warranty…an especially important consideration when discussing items that take beatings in the way that sandbags do. Obviously, this warranty is “priced in”.

We’re not talking “value” here and we only assess overall price. As such, the Sandbag Kit “suffers” a bit due to its higher price point, despite providing pretty good overall value (at least in our opinion…and the opinions of a few of friends you’re about to meet in the next section…).

Price: 75

Customer Reviews

Everyone likes to see highly rated gear. Everyone who knows a little bit about statistics likes to see highly rated gear that has been rated by a lot of people.

Man…the Sandbag Kit does not disappoint in either of these area (“Everyone” is ecstatic!)

As of the time of this writing, the Sandbag 2.0 boasts a 4.9 out of 5 collective rating. As impressive as this is, it is based on 1227 reviews…now that is a sample size!

Of these reviews, roughly 1200 of them are either 4 or 5-star reviews with only 27 being 1, 2, or 3-star reviews. Looking more closely at the lower reviews, most either lament that they didn’t receive their bag (logistical problem) or that their bag didn’t come weighted (reading problem).

Some people complained about filler bag protocol that seems to have been remedied sometime in the last ~5 years (these reviews were posted in the 2019-2020 period). My filler bag is completely different to what the reviewers mentioned so I can only imagine that the problems they describe have been addressed.

I’m not 100 percent sure about this so don’t shoot me if I’m wrong, but I think, outside of a few items with, like 2 reviews, the 4.9 score, combined with the large sample size, makes the Sandbag Kit GORUCK’s highest rated item…

…peer pressure, man…are you feeling it yet…?

Customer Reviews: 98

Customer Service

Of all of the training gear items GORUCK offers (to include training rucks) sandbags are the most likely to need some…extra attention from time to time. Don’t get me wrong; these bags are durable, but GORUCK’s Scars Lifetime Guarantee ensures that if they do bust, they’re getting fixed or replaced.

Of course, a lot of companies have these types of warranties (maybe not lifetime warranties, but pretty decent ones). However, getting into contact with them with even basic questions is oftentimes a nightmare.

Thankfully, GORUCK ain’t one of these companies. They’re quick to respond to inquiries and, as cliche as it sounds, oftentimes go above and beyond in remedying situtaions.

Granted, I haven’t had major issues with gear that required major fixes (ex. had a problem shipping an item back and needed a refund for an event I wouldn’t be able to go to), but in these cases, they actually went beyond their stated company protocol to help me out.

Despite not “employing” an army of chatbots in their CS department (or if they do, they’re good enough to fool me), some of my initial orders were addressed in a somewhat clunky, “robotic” manner, but from 2024 onwards…all good.

Customer Service: 95

Who are GORUCK Sandbag 2.0 bags really for?

I think it’s safe to assume that outside of some serious sandbag training enthusiasts, it can be a bit difficult for most people to narrow down the exact type of bag(s) they need. Let’s try to clarify things a bit and determine if this is the bag for you:

Those who need a more durable sandbag

The GORUCK Sandbag Kit’s filler bag is essentially the GORUCK Simple Sandbag without handles. Considering how durable those bags are, the even more durable outer layer that encloses this bag makes for an incredibly durable bag.

If you think you’ll beat your bag to hell or want a bag that is absolutely going to last, the Sandbag 2.0 easily ticks both boxes.

Those who will use all of the handles

I check out the GORUCK Tribe workouts pretty often and am generally pretty impressed at the sheer variety of sandbag (and ruck) movements they come up with. Many of these aren’t actually all that novel, but certain handle placements may be preferable for certain people or for certain movements (ex. a preference for a “standard” pronated grip clean).

For those who are interested in this style of training with a wide variety of movements and movement variations, having a bag with so many handles is essentially a necessity.

Not for “basic” sandbag users

I don’t personally use my sandbags for a wide range of exercises/movements. I mainly stick to more “basic” cleans, presses, thrusters, front squats, back squats and back rack carries. When I perform the former 4 movements with cylinder bags, I exclusively use my bags’ neutral grips to grasp and to ultimately perform each movement.

While it’s nice to have alternative options for these movements with the GORUCK Sandbag Kit, as well as a host of other movement options and/or handles to make certain exercises (ex. farmer’s carries) easier to facilitate, if you don’t actually do these movements, this extra material is kinda lost on you.

If you think that one day you’ll do these exercises/use these handles, by all means get these bags as they’re really good for different movements and different grips. However, if you stick to the basics, you probably don’t need to pay that premium; the Simple Sandbag is likely the wiser option.

How we reviewed the GORUCK Sandbag 2.0

Having “only” the 80-pound Sandbag Kit has somewhat limited me in terms of the types of workouts that I can/will do with my bag. However, as fate would have it, it has come in handy with a few more niche workouts I’ve had programmed in the last few months.

Besides putting it through the rigors of “basic” activities (the aforementioned cleans, presses, squats, and thrusters), I’ve had a few different back rack carry WODs to knock out. One was a more “simple” 80-pound carry for one mile.

Another was the really big one…Event 2 of the Ruck Race League aka “Atlas”

My Sandbag 2.0 was a good choice for my back rack weight and even though I have a 100-pound Rogue Feedsack, I found the multiple handle options were better over the course of the event (I changed my grip a number of times, throughout).

GORUCK Sandbag Kit Alternatives

We’ve actually been pretty impressed with a lot of the sandbag options out there today and you can definitely find some good alternatives to the Sandbag 2.0. Here are some of our picks for best alternatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Let’s address a few of the more common questions we get about the Sandbag Kit/Sandbag 2.0…

GORUCK Sandbag Kit / GORUCK Sandbag 2.0…

A lot of times, I get to the end of one of these articles and say something like “it’s good for some people, but it’s not really something I’m interested in” before signing off. For most of these types of items…if I’m really being honest…not really that interested in.

Don’t get me wrong, if I say that, I genuinely think certain trainees will get a kick out of it (I wouldn’t say it/write it otherwise), but I’m not exactly losing sleep.

The GORUCK Sandbag Kit aka Sandbag 2.0 is like this…but different.

My CrossFit programming doesn’t have much (or really any) cylinder sandbag work in it. As such, I have to go out of my way to use my bags.

The Sandbag 2.0 makes me wish that it did.

I can’t say that I would immediately get to using all of the different handles and would all of a sudden be doing sandbag get-ups with mine every day, but I’m more inclined to do so than I ever would have been without it. For someone who is serious about “training with sand” or is part of the GORUCK Tribe (where these movements are programmed a lot), it’s a no-brainer.

It’s unlikely that I’ll alter my training to incorporate these movements and, by extension, this bag into more sessions, but if I did, my first order of business would be ordering 40 and 60-pound iterations to supplement my big ‘ole 80-pounder.

A legit sandbag deserves some company!