Best Freestanding Punching Bag, Buyers Guide & Top 10

In an ideal world, everyone who loves combat sports would have their own home gym kitted out with the best of everything money could buy.  Sadly, real life isn’t like that.  If you’re renting, your landlord’s probably banned you from drilling holes in the walls.  Even if they haven’t, or you own your own home, these days any wall strong enough to take a decent bit of weight is probably needed for storage.

The good news is that modern free-standing punching bags are now almost as good as old-school heavy bags.  Invest in one of them and you’ll be good for anything from a quick cardio workout to some serious training.

You’ll need some decent gloves too, so check out our review here.

OH WAIT!! You'll need some gloves if you want to smash that bag all day long - Read our Ultimate guide to the best gloves RIGHT HERE

Quick Jump To The Top 10

The basics of free-standing punching bags

Even though we’ve yet to find a free-standing punching bag which is quite as good as a hanging punching bag, we’re happy to be able to tell you that they have improved a lot over the years.

In particular, the best freestanding punching bags are more stable and offer a greater range of movement than ever before.

We’d say they were definitely suitable for anyone up to intermediate level in combat sports and even more serious fighters will find them worth the space they need.

Best Freestanding Punching Bag – A Buyer’s Guide

Here’s what you need to think before you swap your hard-earned cash for a freestanding punching bag.

Be realistic about the weight you need

You may have heard the phrase “punching above your weight” used as a compliment, well, in real life, there’s nothing to be gained by punching a bag, which is too heavy for you, in fact you increase your risk of injury.

At the same time, you need to make sure your free standing punching bag is heavy enough to give you a good workout.

Resistance is definitely not futile

Resistance is a bit like balance, it’s hard to describe accurately but you soon work out whether or not it’s there.

Basically, resistance is a measure of how a bag reacts when you hit it, if you like it’s how hard it hits you back.

Some bags are quite dense (hydro bags in particular) while others have more bounce.

Which one is best for you depends on your taste and your training requirements.

Swing but don’t drift

Swing is the other part of what happens when you hit a punching bag.

Just like when you hit a real human, a good punching bag will “go with the blow” and react to the force of your body.

This trains you to anticipate how a real opponent will react.

Drift is a little different.

Drift is what happens when you hit a bag hard enough to make it move across the floor.

If you’re a heavy hitter, then a certain level of drift is almost inevitable, but if there’s too much drift then you either need more weight or a better bag.

You can judge a bag by its cover (up to a point)

These days vinyl is probably the most popular choice for punching bags and has a lot to be said for it.

It’s more affordable than leather (and vegetarian friendly), durable, flexible and hygienic (since it’s so easy to clean).

Vinyl can be tough on gloves and kick pads, but all in all, it’s still a great material.

Canvas is still a fairly popular choice for punching bags, but while it looks good and feels good, it’s nowhere near as robust or as easy to clean as vinyl.

Leather has more going for it than classic looks and “old-school” style.

It has the most realistic feel to it and is softer than vinyl, which means gloves and kick pads last longer.

It’s also fairly easy to clean and maintain.  The downside with leather is that it has a price premium over vinyl and it’s a matter of opinion and taste whether or not this is justified.

Check the filler

One of the big differences between free standing punching bags and hanging punching bags is that you need to think about the filling for both the bag and the base.  The former is what you hit, the latter is what keeps the bag in one place.

In terms of the bag, there are four main types of filling in common use today: hard fibre, soft fibre, foam and water.

As their names suggest hard and soft fibres give completely different feelings when you hit them.

Hard fibres are best for those with some experience and soft fibres for beginners.

How foam reacts depends on its quality but good foam will be both hard and springy.

Water is simply hard and many people consider it to be the most realistic representation of hitting a human.

For the base, you have water or sand.

Water has the advantage of being much easier to get in and out of a base, but if you buy a poor-quality bag (or fail to treat a good-quality bag with reasonable respect) you run the risk of it springing a leak.

Sand can be much more of a pain to get into a base, but it eliminates the concern over leakage.

best freestanding punching bag

A quick note on buying used punching bags

Buying a used punching bag can be a great way to score a bargain, but obviously you need to be a bit careful.

Ideally you should see the original proof of purchase and be able to inspect the item for completeness, repairs and damage before you hand over your money.

We’d be wary of buying free standing punching bags over the internet from private sellers (as opposed to reputable online vendors).

If you choose to buy a new bag, we’d strongly recommend you keep your purchase details (digital form is fine) and all the packaging etc. so that you get the best possible price for it if you decide to sell it on to someone else.

A review of the best freestanding punching bag

We’ve covered everything from entry level/fitness punching bags to pro-level bags so if you’re in the market for a free standing punching bags, we think we’ll have a good option for you here.

Boxing-Mad Free Standing Punch Bag

Boxing-Mad Free Standing Punch Bag

This is a solid option for beginners and people in the early-intermediate stages of combat sports.  The vinyl outer hints at its entry-level target user group, but the foam filling has excellent rebound and the base holds 100Kg of water or sand, which offers plenty of stability.  At 1.7M in height it’s plenty big enough for people of average height and it’s robust enough to being pounded time and time again.

  • Product
  • Features
  • Photos

Boxing-Mad Free Standing Punch Bag - Black

Last update was on: March 27, 2024 10:12 am

Century BOB Freestanding Punch Bags

Century BOB XL with Base Unit

We have to be honest and admit we still find the look of Bob rather funny, but this is still one serious piece of kit and even though it’s priced accordingly, we think it’s worth it.

Basically Bob, (who looks nothing like a punching bag) is intended for accurate combat training.  Regular Bob is just a head and torso, but we recommend Bob XL as it has the upper legs as well and therefore offers more training options.

Bob can weigh up to 270 pounds and can hold his punches like a champ.  When you knock him to an angle, he’ll bounce back every time.

If you hit him hard enough, he will move across the room, but then so will a real opponent and you’ll have to move with them.

Bob has a really tough (plastisol) body, so good gloves are a must when training with him.

In short, if you’re training seriously (or you’re simply big and heavy), then Bob could be your ideal training partner.

  • Product
  • Features
  • Photos

Century BOB Freestanding Punch Bag

Last update was on: March 27, 2024 10:12 am

Century Original Wavemaster

Century Original Wavemaster

The Century Original Wavemaster is often thought of as the perfect training bag for children due to the fact that it is height adjustable, going from 47" to 68" in 3" Increments.

You can also adjust the weight, increasing it up to 250 pounds as your child grows both vertically and in strength.

Having said that, it would be a mistake to think of the Century Original Wavemaster as “just” a child’s bag.

It’s more than up to use by adults too, which makes it a great choice in homes where it’s going to be shared, particularly since it’s easy to fill and, if necessary unfill.

As its name suggests, this punching bag can be filled with water and that’s certainly what Century is known for, but this punching bag can also be filled with sand and some people prefer the different feel this gives.

Overall, the Century Original Wavemaster is a good “workhorse” bag, which offers compelling value for money.

  • Product
  • Features
  • Photos

Century Original Wavemaster Freestanding Punch Bag

Last update was on: March 27, 2024 10:12 am

Gallant 5.5ft Free Standing Boxing Punch Bag Stand

Gallant 5.5ft Free Standing Boxing Punch Bag Stand

Gallant make some of the best-value, free-standing punch bags around and the 5.5ft free-standing punching bag is probably their most popular option.  The bag itself, to be honest, is nothing hugely special.  That’s not a criticism, it has a robust PU “leather” covering, which is double-sticked, is filled with high-quality foam and sat on top of a rubber connector stand.  The stand-out feature, however, is the base.

The main reason why these free-standing punching bags are so popular is that Gallant are experts at designing bases which are narrow but stable.  This creates more floor space for you to practice your footwork.

  • Product
  • Features
  • Photos

Gallant 5.5ft Free Standing Boxing Punch Bag Stand | Heavy Duty Punching,...

Last update was on: March 27, 2024 10:12 am

Gallant 6ft Free-Standing Boxing Punching Bag

Gallant 6ft Free-Standing Boxing Punching Bag

This bag is much the same as the smaller version above.  Apart from the size, the only real difference is the design of the base, although this follows the same principle of being narrow but very stable.  Basically, we’d say both freestanding punching bags were equally good, which one you choose will depend on how tall you are.

  • Product
  • Features
  • Photos

Gallant 6ft Free Standing Boxing Punching Bag - Heavy Duty Target Stand...

Last update was on: March 27, 2024 10:12 am
£134.99 £139.99

Lions Free-Standing Punch Bag

Lions Free-Standing Punch Bag

This punching bag is 5.5ft with a PU leather cover and a foam filling.  The base can be filled with water or sand.  Water is usually the easier option as the filler holes are quite small.  They are, however, large enough to create a leak if you hit the bag towards the horizontal so the solution is to cover the holes in some way.  If you use sand, you will need at least 25Kg.

  • Product
  • Features
  • Photos

Lions Free Standing 5.5ft Punch Bag Boxing Stand Martial Arts Fitness Kick...

Last update was on: March 27, 2024 10:12 am

Lonsdale Omniflex

Lonsdale Unisex's

Lonsdale have spent years designing products which will take sportspeople from beginner to intermediate at a decent cost and with a touch of style.  They’ve built their brand on it and the Londsdale Omniflex is a fine example of what they can do.  In addition to being a little taller than average (5’7”), it is height-adjustable and has a specially-designed “omniflex” neck which does exactly what the name suggests and makes you work harder than you might expect.

This punching bag is a great option for anyone up to intermediate level and is particularly good for households where people of mixed heights, abilities and interests want (or need) to share a punching bag.  The PU leather cover is robust (and easy to clean) and the foam filling has impressive rebound.  The base holds up to 100Kg of water or sand and does a very good job of keeping the punching bag where it is supposed to be.

  • Product
  • Features

Lonsdale Unisex's Omniflex Free Standing Punch Bag-Black, One Size

Last update was on: March 27, 2024 10:12 am

Mirafit Punch Bag & Base

Mirafit Punch Bag & Base

If we’re honest, the design of this punching bag always makes us think of an AA battery, but if you can look past that, this is a very solid bag.  It’s 1.56M in height (on the stand), has a PU leather cover and is filled with foam.  The base is anti-slip and we like the sealing caps on the filling holes.  We think they really will do a good job of preventing leaks regardless of whether you’re using water or sand.  The base can take up to 60Kg of filling, which should be enough to keep it in place at least the vast majority of the time.

One tip, we’ve heard of some of these punching bags being delivered without the tools to assemble it.  We don’t know if this is an issue with third-party sellers or just a mistake.  If you’re an avid DIYer then you may be fine with this.  If you’re not, we suggest you check the box when it arrives, even if you don’t have time to assemble it.  Then if the tools are missing, you can let the seller know immediately.

  • Product
  • Features
  • Photos

Mirafit Punch Bag & Base

Last update was on: March 27, 2024 10:12 am

Ringside Fitness Reflex Bag

Ringside Fitness Reflex Bag

The Ringside Fitness Reflex Bag appeals to us because it looks just like the punching bags we had when we were children.

Looks, however, can be deceiving, even though it’s in nothing like the same league as the likes of the Century BOB Freestanding Punch Bags, the Ringside Fitness Reflex Bag is still a very decent little punching bag for beginners or those who just want a good cardio workout for an affordable price.

In terms of performance, what we really like about this punching bag is that it’s so easy to adjust the height from 49″ to 69″.

The base tank will hold up to 125 pounds of water or 240 pounds of sand, either way, it’s enough to keep it in place for light sparring and fitness work.

Those starting out in combat sports may be pleasantly surprised by how freely the bag moves and how well it mimics a real opponent.

The covering is described as “synthetic leather”, which we assume means vinyl, in any case it’s robust and easy to clean.

Obviously, any punching bag this compact is going to have a small striking surface and this is clearly a punching bag rather than an all-around combat bag, but essentially the Ringside Fitness Reflex Bag aims at a very specific target market and hits the spot nicely.

  • Product
  • Features
  • Photos

Ringside Fitness Reflex Bag

& Free shipping
Last update was on: March 27, 2024 10:12 am

TurnerMAX Free Standing Punch Bag

TurnerMAX

If you just look at the technical specs, the TurnerMax free-standing punch bag offers solid performance and great value.  The 1.75M height will please taller people and the overall quality of the bag and base will please everyone.  So, there are plenty of “sensible” reasons for choosing this punching bag.  There’s also the fact that it has the most eyecatching design of any of the punching bags on our list (in a good way).

  • Product
  • Features
  • Photos

TurnerMAX Free Standing Punch bag boxing Heavy Best Value Training Martial Arts...

Last update was on: March 27, 2024 10:12 am

The end

That’s our choice of the bags, if you need a decent pair of gloves to go along with your new punching bag, check out our review here.

We will be happy to hear your thoughts

      Leave a reply

      Logo