This expert works out for a living — here are their 3 top picks for portable exercise equipment

Exercising on the go can be tricky. From luggage restrictions to poorly equipped hotel gyms, there are plenty of factors that can hinder your fitness routine. However, you do not have to abandon your workouts whenever you go on vacation or travel for work.

The market for portable workout equipment has skyrocketed since the pandemic, providing us with numerous opportunities to train outside of our home gyms and recreation centers. The question is, exactly which piece of equipment should land in your carry-on luggage this summer?

While yoga mats and adjustable dumbbells are excellent space-savvy options, their sheer size and weight make them impractical for traveling. Other pieces of equipment, such as ab rollers or skipping ropes, may be small enough to fit into your backpack, but can't be used for full-body workouts. Ideally, you want something that is both compact and multi-functional. The three types of workout kit outlined below tick both of these boxes.

You can trust us here. As avid travellers and fitness professionals, we have tried and tested plenty of portable exercise equipment over the years, and we know what works and what is not worth your time, money and the precious space in your carry-on. While we are fully aware that these picks may not be as good as your tried-and-tested rowing machine or favorite exercise bike, we hope they will help make your travels a bit more workout-friendly.

Best for light packers: Resistance bands

When you go on a hiking trip or a quick city break, the last thing you want to do is overpack your luggage. However, even the smallest of backpacks can still fit one or two of the best resistance bands. These pieces of rubber and latex can be indispensable for fitness-obsessed light packers — they are flexible, ultra-light and surprisingly effective at elevating your exercise performance.

Resistance bands may look and feel flimsy, but they can be just as useful for increasing muscle strength as other forms of resistance training (weightlifting, for example), according to a 2017 meta-analysis published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health. Moreover, even some of the most advanced exercisers can reap these benefits.

For example, studies have shown that athletes who train with resistance bands can significantly improve their explosive movements (exercises in which you apply the maximum amount of force as fast as possible, such as jumping and sprinting), upper-body strength and other vital performance parameters. This effect was observed regardless of their gender and competitive level, according to a 2025 systematic review published in the journal Sport Sciences for Health.

That said, resistance bands come in a mind-boggling range of shapes and sizes, and they can differ significantly in terms of resistance or the type of exercises they are designed for. Some resistance bands are used specifically for glute training, such as this universally praised set from Spawn Fitness. Others are suitable for full-body workouts — this excellent multi-functional workout set from Bob and Brad, for example (pictured below).

If you have never used this equipment before, start with loop bands. They are some of the smallest and easiest to use of all the resistance bands available on the market, and they often come with manuals showing how to perform various exercises. We would specifically recommend the Smarter Life set here — loop bands can sometimes leave your skin irritated and smelling of latex, but these are free of latex and other skin irritants. They are reasonably priced, too.

For the more advanced, we suggest pull-up bands. They are longer and stronger, making them suitable for a wider range of exercises. Plus, they can be easily tied around a tree or a pole, so you can use them almost anywhere. While it is hard to pick our favorite pull-up bands, we want to single out our tried-and-tested set from BC Strength. This heavy-duty workout kit feels almost indestructible and has an excellent grip without being too harsh on the skin.

Best for variety: All-in-one gym sets

Resistance bands are fabulous for exercising on the go, but they can be limited in what you can do with them. This is where all-in-one gyms come into play. These innovative pieces of equipment consist of a bar and a set of resistance bands that can be attached to it, with some sets also featuring handles, footstraps, waist belts and other accessories. This way, you can do deadlifts, glute thrusts and many other movements that you would typically do with free weights.

While there are several good all-in-one gyms out there, we are big fans of the two sets made by Gymproluxe: the basic Band & Bar and the more advanced All-in-One Portable Gym. This fitness equipment won us over with its exceptionally light, compact design and robust functionality. The whole set fits into a small carrying bag and weighs just 4.4 lbs (2kg), so it won't clutter your carry-on luggage. At the same time, it allows you to perform over 100 different exercises with resistance as high as 200 lbs (90 kg). You would be hard-pressed to achieve the same results with resistance bands alone.

The cherry on top? Gymproluxe offers plenty of useful fitness content, both on its website and on its dedicated Gymproluxe app, allowing you to easily access information on how to use the set and find inspiration for your future workouts. Moreover, it comes with a supportive community — and this is not something that all-in-one gyms tend to offer.

Best for bodyweight training: Suspension trainers

Our third piece of travel-friendly equipment is suspension trainers — adjustable straps that leverage the user's body weight and gravity to build strength, balance and core stability (the ability of the muscles in the torso to maintain good posture and balance during movement.) Some of the most widely used suspension trainer sets worldwide are the TRX Go, TRX PRO3 and TRX All-in-One System, but similar results can be achieved with lesser-known, more affordable brands such as Bodytorc and Lifeline Jungle.

Suspension trainers may look innocuous, but do not underestimate the power of these simple straps. They can take your bodyweight workouts to a whole new level of intensity and train muscles you didn't even know you had. This is not an empty phrase: Studies have shown that certain exercises done with a suspension trainer (such as push-ups and planks, for example) tend to produce more muscle engagement in the core and upper body than when they are performed using bodyweight alone, according to a 2020 systematic review published in the journal Sports Biomechanics.

Moreover, suspension training may be more effective at counteracting the effects of aging than bodyweight or resistance band training, according to a 2021 study published in the journal Nutrients. Scientists randomly allocated 36 older men into three groups — suspension training, weightlifting and non-exercise — and instructed the exercising participants to perform a 12-week training routine. After the study had concluded, the suspension training group showed better muscle retention and hand grip strength than the other groups.

Suspension trainers are not only effective at improving exercise performance, they are also lightweight and portable. For example, the TRX Go set weighs only 2 lbs (1 kg) and can fit into a fanny pack. Suspension trainers are also exceptionally durable. Often used by military personnel, they can withstand less-than-ideal weather and outdoor conditions, and they are relatively easy to clean, too. You can use them outdoors without worrying about wear-and-tear damage.

Unsure how to use suspension trainers? Do not worry. Most sets, and especially those made by TRX, come with dedicated apps, booklets and other resources to help you master this piece of equipment. Suspension trainers take a bit of getting used to, but once you harness their power, they can become an indispensable tool in your workout arsenal.