Canvas Punching Bags: How Do They Compare to Leather Punching Bags? – Top 3 Canvas Punching Bags

A punching bag is an essential piece of equipment for anyone who’s into boxing. However, they’re also great for everybody else, regardless of what sport they focus on.

There are numerous materials that punching bags can be made out of. In this article, I chose to focus on canvas bags since this was the kind of punching bag that caught my attention most when shopping for one.

Why, you might ask?

The reason is simple: canvas bags are cheaper than their leather counterparts, making them super appealing for those just starting out.

Based on both my research and my personal experience with these bags, I am going to go through what I think are the three best canvas punching bags first.

This one right here is the best one, and is the one I bought. It’s cheap, heavy enough for hard striking, and it lasts.

You can check it out on amazon by clicking here.

For those of you who are burning to check out a leather punching bag, have a look at this Wavemaster XXL. It’s the other punching bag I own, and one of my workout equipment that I love to pieces.

We will dig into details about it later on, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

But before then, you can click here to see its price, the full list of features, and read customer reviews on amazon.

Then I’ll explain the difference between canvas bags and leather ones.

Additionally, you’ll find a buying guide of sorts where I’ll elaborate on a few properties that you’ll need to keep an eye out for when looking for the right punching bag for you.

Last but not least, there is a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section about everything punching bags.

So, without further ado, here are the best canvas punching bags you can find today!

Which Canvas Bag Did I End Up Buying for Myself?

I personally ended up buying the 2^nd choice: the Everlast 100 lb Polyester Canvas Heavy Bag for several reasons.

For one, it’s 100 lb, which is perfect for me. It’s also made from quality canvas and can handle outdoor use, amongst other great properties.

And most importantly, it’s pretty cheap for what you’ll end up getting. I’ve been using it for a couple of years now, and it’s holding up very well. The other reason for thinking this is a great buy is that the cheap price makes this Everlast a great pick for beginners who are just in this to test out a punching bag workout

That’s right, a punching bag workout can be just as effective as any other exercise as far as helping increase metabolism, burn calories, and lose weight in the long run. However, if you’re looking to build muscle, then I’d advice going for other workouts that help you target different muscle groups.

Some workouts like sumo deadlifts will help work your legs and build bigger quads, while others like dumbbell-only workouts are great for training biceps and triceps, all of which you’ll need for that edge when stepping up to the boxing sphere.

With that out of the way, let’s get back to canvas punching bags, shall we?

What Is Good About Canvas Bags and What Is Bad?

Just like any other workout gear, canvas punching bags too have their benefits as well as downsides. Here we list the benefits, and downsides of having a canvas punching bag.

What I Like about Canvas Bags

Canvas punching bags have several cool perks that might as well offset some of the downsides they might have; of course, that depends on your preferences.

Here are some of the ones that caught my eye;

They’re Affordable

Compared to their leather (both genuine and synthetic) counterparts, canvas bags are cheap. The reason behind that is simple: canvas is a cheap material.

Like I mentioned before, the low price of canvas bags is probably what makes them popular among beginner boxers and MMA fighters. After all, if you’re just starting out in one of these sports, you might find it hard to chill wads of cash on a punching bag before knowing whether you’ll continue or not.

They’re (Almost) as Good as Any Other Type

Canvas bags are, well, punching bags. In other words, they can do pretty much what any other punching bag can do. They might not last as long or feel the same, but then again, that isn’t really a problem when you’re just starting out, is it?

No matter whether you’re a boxer or an MMA fighter, or just want an apartment punching bag for your apartment, a canvas punching bag will definitely do you good.

It’s Great for Outdoor Use

Even though it’s expensive, leather doesn’t really play well with rain and snow, which means that it’s not suitable for outdoor use.

Canvas, on the other hand, is a material that can stand the test of time when used outside (within reason and with good maintenance, of course).

So, if you’re someone who likes training outside, a canvas punching bag might be your better option! But for a punching bag that can take on just about anything the outdoors might throw at it, then you might want to set aside a weekend of DIY and build yourself a tire punching bag instead.

What I Don’t Like about Canvas Bags

Albeit having these cool advantages, these bags still have some downsides as well. Here are some of the ones I didn’t like.

The Punching Feels… Different

It’s a known fact that punching a canvas bag doesn’t feel as good as punching a bag made of another material, such as leather – try punching both types of punching bags without gloves and you’ll get what I mean. If you have ever used a leather floor punching bag, for instance, then you’ll notice just how different it is from this kind of bags right from the first punch.

Personally, I don’t consider that a problem as I like delivering blows regardless of the target, but it might prove to be an inconvenience for some fighters.

Not as Durable as Other Materials

Expensive canvas bags might last for a while before giving up on you, but cheaper ones won’t. In other words, you might find yourself buying a new punching bag every once in a while if you’re a frequent user.

So, if you don’t want to change your punching bag very often, consider going with another material, such as leather. A case in point, leather bags have proven themselves by the sheer amount of fill they can accommodate and still suck up the punches like a champ; it’ll be unimaginable how heavy some of these bags can get until you come face to face with a 300-lb punching bag, need I say some even weigh in at a whopping 500 lbs?

Best Canvas Heavy Bags

These are the best heavy punching bags that are made of  canvas that you can find on the market

Everlast 70-Pound MMA Poly Canvas Heavy Bag

Best for Lightweight Fighters

Everlast 70-Pound MMA Poly Canvas Heavy Bag Review

In case the name hasn’t given it away already, the Everlast Poly Canvas Heavy Bag is a tad bit lighter than your regular punching bag. It comes pre-filled with a mixture of synthetic and natural fibers, which deliver excellent shock absorbency.

Coupled with the high quality, durable synthetic poly canvas, this shock absorbency means that you’re getting a bag with great longevity.

Great for MMA and Muay Thai

You’ll notice a bit of a give when hitting this bag, which is an excellent thing to have since it can minimize the chances of getting injured accidentally. This makes it a great choice for MMA or Muay Thai fighters who are working on kicking techniques since it tends to be much more forgiving than a regular heavy bag.

Furthermore, this canvas bag comes with an adjustable chain as well as high-quality nylon straps for hanging.

Why would you need that, you ask?

Well, the main advantage of having a hanging bag is the fact that it can act as a moving target, allowing you to work on your footwork and range, as well as timing and accuracy.

Excellent Choice for Children and Lightweight Fighters

The bag’s size makes it an excellent choice for training children and lightweight fighters alike. This is further helped by the bag’s little to no resistance. It can also satisfy the needs of someone who needs a bag for recreational purposes only, to get the most out of their workout.

However, this adherence to an audience of casual users comes at the cost of not meeting the needs of professional, well-trained fighters, or heavyweight ones, for that matter.

This is due to the fact that this bag is obviously rather light, which leads to it to swing around a lot when hit by someone with above-average power, resulting in a not so great training experience.

Last but not least, it is important to always have gloves when punching this heavy bag, which you can get from Everlast themselves since they produce some of the best.

Additionally, if you’re someone who’s trying to build up their power in the long run, then this bag is most likely too light for that, so I recommend that you look for other options.

Everlast 100 lb Polyester Canvas Heavy Bag

Best for Heavy Fighters

Everlast 100 lb Polyester Canvas Heavy Bag Review

The heavier sibling of the previous bag, the Everlast 100 lb Polyester Canvas Heavy Bag, comes with numerous great features for a somewhat low price, hence why I personally own one.

C3 Technology

For starters, the bag features the Contoured Closed Cell Foam, or C3, technology. This proprietary technology provides increased cushioning and great hitting force dispersion, maintaining the integrity and durability of the bag in the process.

Additionally, this bag comes filled with a mixture of natural fiber, synthetic fiber, and sifted sand. Such a blend makes it highly resilient to shock absorption.

Plenty of Accessories

It also comes with heavy-duty nylon straps, a durable webbing system, a poly canvas sleeve, and a Nevatear™shell, the combination of which provides incredible durability.

The bag’s C3 technology does not only provide support, cushioning, and force dispersion, but it also prevents moisture from getting into the foam padding. In other words, this bag is capable of handling intense workouts over a long period of time.

All in all, if you’re searching for a good 100-pound punching bag, then the Everlast Punching Bag C3 is the one to get. It’s very well-designed, made out of quality materials, and can withstand heavy use. In other words, it’s well worth every penny you’ll spend on it.

Life Gears Black Canvas Punching Bag with Chains

Cheapest Option

Life Gears Black Canvas Punching Bag with Chains Review

Okay, first, let’s get the elephant out of the room.

This bag is nowhere near as good as the two before it, and the sole reason why it has made it to my small list is that it’s quite possibly the best cheap punching bag out there.

Cheap Yet Reliable

However, don’t let this cheapness fool you into thinking that it won’t deliver, at least in the case of children or beginners, that is. It can only handle around 30 pounds of stuffing, which is on the lighter side of things.

Pro Tip: Duct tape every single seam in this bag. Doing this will instantly add an extra year to its life, if not more.

Why? You might wonder. Well, it’s obviously because this bag is not very well-made.

Last Punch Heavy Duty Punching Bag with Chains

Best for Beginners

Last Punch Heavy Duty Punching Bag with Chains Review

The Last Punch Heavy Duty Punching Bag is a great choice for someone who’s a beginner. The rather low price tag makes it an affordable yet sturdy pick. It’s made out of heavy-duty canvas and is capable of providing quality boxing practice and cardio.

It comes unfilled out of the box, so you can freely customize the kind of stuffing you want in there and how much it’ll weigh. You can use anything from sand to some of your old clothes. Keep in mind not to overstuff it as it can rip or tear.

Part of the reason why this bag is very budget-friendly is the fact that it doesn’t come with hanging hardware, so you’ll have to purchase it separately.

Additionally, the bag’s construction isn’t as high-quality as some of my other picks here, hence why you might notice some signs of wear and tear sooner than you might think.

Sogo Sport Filled Punch Bag

Best for Outdoor Use

Sogo Sport Filled Punch Bag Review

The SOGO Sport heavy bag is a well-designed punching bag made out of high quality, tear-resistant nylon with incredibly precise stitching. The nylon fabric allows for outdoor use, a feature that many people will appreciate.

Additionally, the bag comes in different sizes that you can choose from. The smaller sizes are great for anyone who’s looking to throw a lot of head-kicks and uppercuts at it, while the bigger ones are best for body hooks and leg kicks.

However, this bag can be flawed in the eyes of certain users, more specifically, heavy hitters. Anyone who fits into that category and has tried this bag will probably tell you that it’s too light for their needs.

But this can also be a plus for some people who are in need of something that can handle a lot of fast-paced movement without shaking around too much.

TKO 4-Piece All Purpose Heavy Bag Set for Children

Best Canvas Bag for Children

TKO 4-Piece All Purpose Heavy Bag Set for Children Review

The TKO 4-Piece All Purpose Heavy Bag Set for Children includes a heavy canvas bag, youth boxing gloves, an adjustable skip rope as well as a ceiling attachment with hardware.

This bag is perfect for kids who just got into boxing or physical exercises in general. It’s a complete package that I highly recommend for anyone who wants to get their children into boxing.

Best Canvas Wall Punching Bag

Now if you want to get a wall punching bag made of canvas, worry not, we got you covered. Here is the best canvas wall punching bag on the market.

Wing Chun Ultimate 3-Section Wall Bag (Canvas/Leather)

Wing Chun Ultimate 3-Section Wall Bag Review

The Ultimate Wall Bag line of bags is one of the best selling lines of wall bags in the world today, and that’s for a good reason.

For starters, this bag’s exterior is made from genuine leather, with the base material being the heavy-duty canvas. Having a striking surface made out of leather has numerous advantages over a canvas one. In other words, you’ll get the best of both worlds.

The most prominent difference is the fact that leather is way easier to clean than canvas. I don’t know about you, but I, and a lot of people out there, prefer to train on a clean piece of equipment instead of one that’s full of sweat and blood.

Impressive Features

Here are some other points that make this bag a great piece of equipment:

• The striking surface, base material, D-rings, and zipper are all made of high-quality materials.
• The striking surface, in addition to being easily cleanable, almost doubles the bag’s lifetime.
• If you look inside the bag, you’ll find a steel rod that helps with weight distribution. As a result, the bag will stay flat and even at all times.
• You get 2 D-Rings at the bottom of the bag that allows you to implement unique mounting situations.

So, if you’re someone who has advanced trained sessions or you’re simply interested in quality, then the Wing Chun Ultimate is the right wall bag for you.

Best Dummy Canvas Punching Bag

If you are looking for a dummy punching bag made of canvas, here are the best one on the market.

Celebrita MMA Grappling Dummy

Celebrita MMA Grappling Dummy Review

The Celebrita MMA Grappling Dummy Punching Bag comes unfilled and can support up to 100 pounds of filling. The manufacturers’ recommendations for a filling include recyclable texting cuttings, raw cotton, or shredding.

Adjustable Height

Additionally, you can posture this bag on its elbows or knees, enabling you to easily practice quarter/turtle or sprawl positions. The outer surface of this dummy bag depends on what you personally choose, leather or canvas.

Another thing that you would notice when using this dummy bag is how it always stays curved at 90 degrees, similar to an actual human adversary. This allows you to try out more realistic grappling moves.

All in all, the Celebrita MMA Grappling Dummy offers you a pretty wide range of possibilities when it comes to practicing catches and positions.

Last but not least, the bag is available for both youth and adult trainees, it comes in 4 different sizes: 40” (55 pounds) or 47” (77 pounds) for youth and 59” (100 pounds) or 70” (120 pounds) for adults.

How Important is the Fill Material?

The fill material can determine a variety of things such as weight, comfort, firmness, etc.

Most bags come pre-filled, which is nice and all. However, some great bags don’t, which means you’re going to have to fill them by yourself.

Below is a list of the most popular fill materials out there and the properties of each:

Sand

Sand is the go-to option if you want maximum weight. It’s super easy to fill and won’t cause a mess if it leaks, unlike water, for example.

However, sand tends to rapidly change in hardness if it’s exposed to moisture, which might prove problematic.

Water

Filling your heavy bag with water is very convenient since it’s arguably the most accessible fill material out of the bunch.

Lucky for you, most aqua bags nowadays come with a “bladder,” which not only allows for an easy filling but it also prevents breakage and leakage. You’ll also find yourself veering more towards this kind of bags if you travel often and want a portable bag that you can fill up, work out, empty, and hit the road again, which is one of the edges that make the aqua bag beat the heavy bag as far as portability.

Air

You mostly find air in speed and double end bags. It’s a convenient and cheap option, especially in the case of lightweight bags.

The main inconvenience of air-filled punching bags is their tendency to deflate after constant use slightly. You’ll find yourself refilling them every couple of days.

Textile

Textile-filled bags are perfect if you want to reduce muscle strain on your wrists, elbows, and shoulders. This is due to the material’s relatively soft and comfortable nature.

Most pre-filled Muay Thai and standard garage punching bag use a combination of sand and textile, which provides just the right impact feel and weight.

Canvas Punching Bags Vs. Leather Punching Bags

How do canvas punching bags fare against leather punching bags?

Leather

Leather has been the go-to-material for punching bags for a long time now. Leather bags offer a great feeling when punched or kicked and come with top-notch durability and comfort. However, this greatness comes with a hefty pricetag when compared to Canvas bags.

Canvas

The first difference between canvas bags and leather ones is obviously the price. Canvas punching bags tend to be way more affordable than leather ones. However, they aren’t as resistant as leather ones.

Additionally, canvas bags tend to be harder to clean than their leather counterparts, which might not seem like that big of a problem at first but can be a serious source of annoyance for you, the user. After all, whether it’s a freestanding or a hanging heavy bag, your punching bag is sure to gather dust when you’re not using it, and when you rain down blows on it, your sweat, and all that dirt and grime can make it look like one big mess at the center of your basement or backyard gym.

Today, many bags are switching from traditional materials, such as leather and canvas, to vinyl, which is the case for the Wavemaster XXL, my all-time favorite punching bag.

My Favorite Punching Bag – The Wavemaster XXL

When it comes to free-standing bags, nothing beats the Wavemaster XXL, in my opinion. I even recently put the Wavemaster XXL against the 2XL pro, its supposed newer version, and it held up pretty well.

You can check out the Wavemaster XXL on Amazon by clicking here or see the price and customer reviews of the newer version 2XL pro punching bag.

First off, you can fill its base with up to 270 pounds of sand or water. In other words, the stability offered by this punching bag is unmatchable.

Furthermore, the bag is made of vinyl and filled with high-quality foam, so it’s also super durable.

It also comes with a shock collar that sits between the base and core of the bag, which helps create a stationary boxing experience.

There are some people online who claim that this bag has an unrepairable flaw, which is the issue of the base sliding off.

Well, I’m here to tell you that this can easily be fixed in two steps.

1. First, fully fill the bag’s base with sand, don’t use any water.
2. Second, use rubber matting under it instead of a regular carpet or straight up cement.

I’ve been using this bag for years now, and nothing has come even close to the performance it offers. If you want to hone your skills and take them to the next level, I wholeheartedly recommend the Wavemaster XXL.

What Else to Consider When Looking for a Punching Bag – Buying Guide

If you are looking to buy a punching bag, here are a few things to consider.

Type of the Bag

There are a few types of punching bags, we list them below.

Heavy

Heavy-duty, or as some people call them, “Jumbo bags,” are for intense, heavy training. They are obviously heavyweight and are great for anyone who is looking to improve their overall strength and muscle tone.

Best for: Improving overall strength, including muscle strength.

Uppercut

Uppercut bags tend to be on the smaller side of things and are mainly designed to be used in pieces of training that involve combination punches.

In case you’re wondering, combination punches are key to winning matches, hence why they should play an important role in your training.

Best for: Combination punches (such as hooks combined with uppercuts)

Speed Ball

The main use of a speedball punching bag is to improve hand-eye coordination. Most speedball bags come attached to wallboard, although there are some that come free standing. However, these free-standing speedball bags are usually marketed towards young trainees.

Additionally, these bags quickly swivel and bounce back, which pushes you to work more on your footwork and reaction time.

Best for: Improving hand-eye coordination, especially for beginners.

Maize Ball and Bags

Maize balls are small-sized hanging punching bags used for training your head movements. A maize bag, however, is a tad bit bigger alternative that is mainly used for uppercut punches and hooks.

Best for: Improving head movement, endurance, and working on your uppercuts.

Free Standing

Standing punching bags are rather simple, they come with a base that you can fill with either sand or water. Their form factor allows you to easily move them around the gym or the house and store them.

These bags are primarily designed for punching and kicking workouts and are capable of providing a seamless, wiggle-free experience.

Besides punching and kicking, these bags can be used for different kinds of exercises by both novices and professionals alike.

Best for: Punching and kicking exercises as well as all-round training.

Size

The two things that should be put into consideration when choosing the size of the punching back are the trainee’s age and size. Similar to a real fight, a trainee should be matched with a bag that fits their weight and height.

Punching bags sizes range from 2.5 ft to 6 ft, and their weights range from anywhere under 60 pounds up to more than 150 pounds. Some bags even come equipped with mechanisms that allow you to simultaneously adjust the weight.

The general rule of thumb when it comes to determining the size of your heavy bag is to have it be approximately half your weight. In other words, if you’re 140 pounds, for example, you should get a 70-pound punching bag.

As for height, anything between 4 and 5 feet is perfect for an adult fighter. As long as the bag has enough steadiness and resistance to it, you should be good.

Filled or Unfilled

You can get a bag that comes pre-filled, which is great because you can start throwing punches and kicks right away. Unfilled bags, on the other hand, offer you the ability to fill them with any material you want.

Also, you have to keep in mind that pre-filled bags obviously weigh a lot, which can drastically affect shipping prices. It can go as far as doubling the original price. So, if you think that this might be a problem, I recommend that you simply go with an unfilled option instead.

Available Space

The bag you’d get should have a good amount of space around it, enough for it to swing back and forth without an issue.

An ideal amount of space varies on a multitude of different things, such as the length of the bag’s chain, how high your ceiling is, and of course, the space available. The aspect of space is quite essential, as you might already have other space-consuming workout equipment like an incline  treadmill, foldable exercise bike, a stationary bike or an elliptical, or some type of a squat rack that might limit your heavy bag’s swing.

Portability

Is it a portable punching bag, how portable? Can you easily empty the base fill? These are the questions that you should be asking when looking for the right bag.

Top Punching Bags Brands

Here are the top brands that make punching bags.

Everlast

Founded in the Bronx 110 years ago, Everlast is one of the best brands out there.

They’ve been making some of the best boxing and MMA equipment since 1917, whether that was boxing /MMA gloves, boxing shoes(high top boxing shoes, low top boxing shoes), punching bags, more.

They won the MMA Award for Best Technical Equipment Brand 5 times. Their punching bags are obviously no different.

Century

Century has one of the best market research teams out there. They know the needs of most of their customers.

They’ve been making high-quality boxing and MMA equipment for over 40 years, among those being some of the best heavy bags out there.

Their most popular punching bag is the BOB Mannequin, a must-have for anyone who’s into MMA training.

RDX

Founded in Manchester, the UK, in 1999, RDX dominates most of the European market nowadays, with a stronghold internationally as well. They make some of the best heavy bags out there.

Ringside

Ringside has been making a variety of high-quality boxing and MMA equipment for over three decades. Their top seller bag is the Powerhide heavy bag, but their true best products are some of their boxing gloves, and yes, they make some great ones, even their amateur gloves are top notch.

They also make great punching bags stands that are made from great material to withstand the weights and also different weather conditions if you want to use them as an outdoor heavy bag stand.

FAQ

Now we answer frequently asked questions about canvas punching bags.

Should I Use Gloves When Using Canvas Punching Bags?

Gloves and wraps are a must-have when practicing with a punching bag, regardless of what material the bag’s exterior is made of.

Never, and I mean,never, try going at a bag with your bare hands as this can cause you a lot of problems.

Can I Hand a Punching Bag Outside?

Obviously, you can. However, this means that the bag is subjected to all kinds of different weather.

For example, if you live somewhere where the climate is humid most of the day, the bag will probably end up getting wet.

If you really insist on using the bag outside, then I recommend that you cover it with something when you’re not punching it.

How Do I Determine the Bag Size?

If you’re still trying to figure out what weight size is the one for you – there is this general rule of thumb that the big should be somewhere around half your body weight.

In general, a hanging bag should be at least 80 pounds to provide a good training experience for most adults.

Here are some common bag sizes and their respective demographics:

• 40 pounds: young boxers, especially beginners.
• 70 pounds: teenagers and beginners
• 100 pounds: average weight lifters
• 200 pounds: experienced heavyweight boxers

Free-Standing Vs. Hanging, Which One to Get?

In this case, there really isn’t a right choice or a wrong one. It’s completely dependent on the parameters of your exercise.

If what you’re looking for is a bag that’s easy to set up and easy to storage, then the free standing bag is the kind you should go with.

However, if space isn’t an issue for you, then I personally recommend that you get a heavy hanging bag instead. It has the advantage of durability as well as providing you with more opportunities in your exercise.

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