EXPERT-TESTED PRODUCTS
If you need a big bag to stand up to any adventure, writes Laurence McJannet, the Pro Series won’t let you down
Building on the success of the Gym Hero 2.0, Built for Athletes has taken everything that was good about the Hero and improved it.
This piece of kit is going to last years of day-to-day use and abuse. It takes the solidity of the Hero 2.0 and raises it to a whole new level. Made from military grade, quad-stitched, rip-proof 1000D Cordura fabric, it feels indestructible. There’s a real heft to it, too, even when empty.
Endless capacity
The exterior pockets expand significantly once stuffed full, and if packed to the rafters (I never managed to fill it, no matter how hard I tried) you’ll end up with a bag around 40cm deep.
After a month of use I’d encountered the side zipped laptop compartment close to your back, the zipped shoe compartment underneath, three external zipped pockets and one large, zipped compartment (with a main drop-in pocket and two small mesh pockets), as well as the main compartment (which also features a zippered pocket and two drop-in compartments).
I appreciated the ventilated space for shoe storage, too. There’s loads of volume in here, and you also have room in the main compartment for another pair of gym shoes.
Fine details
Aside from the wealth of storage options, there are plenty of smaller details that come into their own the more you use the Pro Series. The 270-degree opening on the main compartment makes packing simple and access instantaneous. All zips are reinforced, and during two months of solid use showed no sign of becoming dislodged. There are spare zip tabs in the bag, too.
The water bottle holders on either side are adjustable and big enough
