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Best swim mesh bags – Our recommendations in 2026
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As swimmers, we need a good, solid and durable swim bag that has room for all our gear and belongings. And honestly, there just isn’t any bag better than a TYR bag.
But what is it exactly that makes a TYR bag so good? I’ve set out to answer that in this guide, where I’ll also cover the different models available. Plus, I’ll share my clear recommendations for the TYR swim bags we consider the best choices based on hands-on experience and insight.
Specifically, in this guide I’ll cover:
Best TYR bag for swimmers over 10 years old 
Best TYR bag for swimmers under 10 years 
So let’s kick off with the first point: why TYR swim bags are so good and popular. Because there are plenty of other swim bags out there (more on that later in the guide). Yet TYR swim bags remain the best and most popular.
TYR have simply managed to create a bag that is absolutely spot-on for a swimmer. Among other things, it’s super durable, has plenty of space across lots of different compartments, and is really comfortable to wear.
Those are just three of the features that make a TYR swim bag stand out from the competition. To give you the full picture, here is exactly what makes a TYR rucksack the best swim bag in the world.
It’s not uncommon for a TYR swim bag to last 3–4 years. Their stitching, zips and the fabric itself are simply in a league of their own.
Every TYR swim bag has one large top compartment. And all around it, there are lots of smaller pockets. That gives you plenty of storage options, making it much easier to keep all your gear organised.
With a TYR bag, you won’t run out of storage space. They feature more than 20 different compartments in varying sizes, making it easier to store all your gear.
No matter how much you pack into the bag, it’s comfortable to carry on your back. Even when it’s heavy. A TYR backpack is equipped with ventilation channels on the back panel. Plus, it also has sternum straps that let you carry the bag with your entire upper body instead of just your shoulders.
No matter how much gear you have, you won’t run out of space in a TYR bag. It’s just the right size to fit all your things without having to squeeze them in. And that’s whether it’s for swim meets or your daily training sessions.
Different swimmers have different needs. That’s why there are several different TYR bags available. Let’s take a closer look at them now, so you can get a better overview of your options.
A TYR Alliance Team 45L is the largest TYR bag you can get. It holds a full 45 litres, so you can really pack a lot in without cramming. It has a total of 16 different compartments and pockets, making it easier to organise your things.
Even small details like carabiner hooks are included — you get two of them.
As the bag is quite large, you might need extra support to carry it for longer periods. That’s why it’s also equipped with back support along with both a sternum strap and a waist belt. It’s TYR’s top model, and the quality and features definitely reflect that!
A TYR Alliance Team 30L is slightly smaller than the 45-litre version. But that doesn’t make this little brother a lesser choice. The quality is exactly the same — it just has a bit less storage space.
This bag is mainly aimed at kids or beginner swimmers who don’t need to carry loads of gear. Even so, it comes with a sternum strap to help distribute the weight across your upper body rather than just your shoulders.
There’s also a great selection of compartments, so you can easily organise your things and find what you need in no time.
With the Watery Swim Duffle, Watery has created a swim bag that looks more like a traditional sports bag. And the reason is simple: it’s aimed at school and college swimmers who need to carry both their swimwear and sports kit in the same bag.
There aren’t quite as many compartments in a Watery Swim Duffle. Instead, the main compartment is split into two sections: one for your swimwear and one for your sports gear. Between the two sections, there’s a waterproof divider so your wet swimwear won’t soak your dry clothes.
All in all, the Watery Swim Duffle gives you 55 litres of storage space.
A TYR Laptop bag isn’t actually a proper swim bag. Instead, it’s a laptop bag designed primarily for swim coaches. It has one large compartment to hold a laptop (up to 15”) and a smaller compartment for a tablet.
It also features a smaller compartment that’s perfect for keeping paperwork, timing equipment and more.
The TYR Laptop bag is also made from a water-resistant material, ensuring water won’t get through to your laptop.
A TYR Apex Triathlon bag looks quite similar to TYR’s regular swim bags, but it’s built very differently. Once you open up the main compartment, you’ll see just how much you can actually fit into the Apex Triathlon bag.
Triathletes have a bit more gear than swimmers, so the bag needs to hold a wetsuit, running shoes, cycling shoes, a bike helmet and all the other bulky gear a triathlete takes along to races and training.
That’s why triathletes get much more out of a TYR Apex Triathlon bag compared to a traditional TYR swim bag.
When it comes to choosing a size, many people wonder when the large one is right and when the small one is the best fit. I was no exception, as I’ve also had doubts about picking the right size in the past.
Over time, I’ve learned a lot, so I no longer have any doubts. That’s why I now recommend the following sizes for these needs:
Very young swimmers don’t need the same amount of gear as older swimmers. Therefore, the space requirements aren’t the same either.
For kids aged 10–12, the large bag can feel a bit bulky to carry around. But given how the large bag is designed, it usually isn’t an issue.
At the end of the day, it’s all about what you’ll use the TYR bag for. It’s not uncommon for 20-year-old swimmers to bring the small bag to training because it’s easier to cycle with. And then when they head off to galas, they use the large 45-litre TYR bag.
I hope you now have a good overview of your options with a TYR swim bag – and perhaps already know which size is right for you. Let’s move on to the next point, which covers which TYR bags we recommend as the best choices based on experience and hands-on use.
All TYR bags are fantastic. To help pinpoint which TYR bags suit different needs best, we’ve selected a top recommendation in each of the following categories:
If you’re 10 or older, you’ll most likely need to carry quite a bit of kit around with you. You’ll therefore need plenty of room in your TYR bag. And you get just that with a TYR Alliance Team 45L holding a full 45 litres.
In itself, 45 litres gives you heaps of space. But those 45 litres are divided into one large compartment and 15 smaller pockets that make it easy to organise all your belongings. There’s even room for a laptop in a water-resistant compartment, making the bag ideal for swimmers in school and secondary school.
The main compartment has plenty of room for things like fins, hand paddles, pullbuoys, and towels. Meanwhile, the smaller pockets are perfect for earplugs, your mobile phone, swim caps, and more.
It also comes with two carabiner clips, which you can use to hang your goggle case.
Comfort-wise, the TYR Alliance Team 45L is also top-class. The back is reinforced to give you great support, and it features both a chest and waist strap, allowing you to carry the weight across your entire upper body rather than just on your shoulders.
In short, the TYR Alliance Team 45L is the best TYR swim bag for swimmers over 10 years old. At the same time, I also think it’s by far the best swim bag overall
If you or your child is under 10 years old, the TYR Alliance Team 30L is the best choice. Overall, it offers the exact same features as the model above. It just has a bit less storage capacity.
The smaller size isn’t necessarily a drawback, though. If you don’t have that much gear to carry around, having less space is actually an advantage. The bag takes up less room, and a bag that isn’t just half empty sits much better on your back.
Just like the larger model, the TYR Alliance Team 30L features one large compartment and plenty of smaller pockets. The main compartment is ideal for basic swimming gear, swimwear, and towels. And the smaller pockets are great for keeping your smaller essentials organised.
Generally speaking, the TYR Alliance Team 30L is ideal for swimmers under 10 who don’t need to carry massive amounts of kit. It’s also spot on for older swimmers who leave their gear at the pool and cycle to and from training.
The attached chest strap also provides really good support whether you’re walking or cycling. The reinforced back panel does the same. Comfort is top-notch, even though the bag is quite a bit smaller than its big brother
If you’re a triathlete, you need almost endless space in your swim bag. And that’s exactly what you get with a TYR Apex Tri Bag. Design-wise, it looks a lot like the standard TYR swim bags. But on the inside, it’s built completely differently.
When you open the main compartment, you open up almost the entire bag. Inside, there’s plenty of room for running shoes, cycling shoes, a bike helmet and whatever else you need as a triathlete for training and races. You can also choose to just open the bottom compartment, which is specifically designed for storing your wetsuit.
That dedicated wetsuit compartment is a great feature when you want to protect your suit. And since wetsuits can be quite an investment, I’m sure you’ll want to take good care of it.
On one side, there’s space for water bottles. The bag is also fitted with several smaller pockets, so you can easily organise your smaller essentials.
As the bag is quite large, good support is naturally essential. It delivers just that with its reinforced back panel as well as chest and hip belts, making it significantly more comfortable to carry.
All in all, you get a triathlon bag with the usual high TYR quality.
Without reading your mind, I think we can quickly agree on one thing: a TYR backpack is a relatively expensive investment. That’s why it’s great that there are sensible, more affordable alternatives out there. And the best alternative swim bag is the Watery swim bag – Viper Elite 45L.
As the name suggests, it gives you 45 litres of storage space, which is 3 litres more than the large TYR bag. It also features plenty of compartments, making it much easier to keep all your gear organised.
The bag’s main compartment has plenty of room for your swimwear and towels. A slightly smaller compartment, located right in front of the main one, offers great space for your personal belongings. On the side of the bag, you’ll find a mesh pocket designed to hold items like your water bottle.
Even though the Watery swim bag – Viper Elite 45L is significantly cheaper than a TYR swim bag, you really get great value for money—especially when it comes to quality. This makes it easily the best affordable alternative to a TYR bag!
As promised earlier in the guide, I’ll touch upon other swim bags on the market. And now’s the time. Because even though TYR makes top-tier swim bags, the other major brands aren’t far behind.
Speedo is one of the most iconic brands in swimming. So if they didn’t have a swimming bag, it would almost be a bit strange. And actually, a Speedo swimming bag is a really solid bag.
They’re all wonderfully spacious and offer great storage options, both inside and out. Price-wise, they’re in the same range as TYR, though they lag slightly behind when it comes to functionality.
A Speedo swimming bag does what it needs to do. And you can’t really ask for more than that.
Another iconic brand in swimming, Arena, also has a range of different swimming bags on the market. Unfortunately for most swimmers, an Arena swimming bag is known to offer somewhat less storage space than its competitors from TYR and Speedo.
The quality of an Arena swimming bag is certainly top-notch. And there’s still a sensible number of pockets, so you can easily organise your gear. It’s just the overall storage capacity that isn’t among the largest.
However, if you don’t need to carry all your gear, towels, and swimwear for two training sessions in one go, an Arena swimming bag is definitely worth considering. But again, price-wise, they sit in the same range as TYR. So the question is where you feel you get the best value for money.
A Watery swimming bag is a fantastic and budget-friendly alternative to bags from established brands like TYR, Speedo, and Arena. And even though the price is considerably lower, the quality is definitely there.
Behind the Watery swimming bag is our own team – as part of the Danish swimming company Watery. It’s a business owned and run by a former elite swimmer, who has undoubtedly made some key decisions to ensure the swimming bag lives up to everything swimmers need.
A Watery swimming bag offers plenty of storage space. It’s solidly built, and it features a front mesh pocket designed for storing indoor trainers. That’s a handy detail none of the other swimming bags in our range have.
The price of a Watery swimming bag is significantly lower than bags from the big brands. And since the quality doesn’t fall short either, it makes for a great alternative – especially for swimmers looking for high functionality at a great price.
Let me say right away: all the swim bags I’ve mentioned in this guide are really good. But there are still some major and quite significant differences between a TYR swim bag and the others.
Below, I’ve listed the biggest differences between a TYR bag and other bags. Some of the features I mention may also be found on one or more of the other brands. But as a rule of thumb, the features below are a staple on all TYR bags.
The most important features of a TYR backpack that make it unique:
TYR is a premium brand, so there are very few places where you can buy a TYR bag. They’re often only available from specialist swim retailers – and here, Watery is naturally among the leaders in Ireland.
That’s exactly why we recommend buying your new TYR swim bag from us. With top ratings on Trustpilot, fast delivery, competitive prices and extensive swimming expertise, Watery is the obvious place to shop for swim gear.
That’s why our clear recommendation is to choose Watery – both for your next TYR swim bag and all your other swim gear.
