FringeSport was kind enough to offer their OneFitWonder Sandbag System for review. So we put it to the test and tried to break it!
We use sandbags every now and then during our WODs, but the limiting factor has been that a lot of sandbags (GORUCK, Rogue), while built like tanks, are just too expensive for the amount of use we’d get out of them. The GORUCK sandbags are definitely some of the better options on the market, but an 80# bag costs almost $140. The OneFitWonder bag costs half as much and we were able to fill it with 100# of sand.
Fringe sent out a “Heavy-duty Cordura construction” bag with a “military-grade YKK zipper”. I’d be interested to know the grade of the Cordura. The GORUCK bags are made of 1000D Cordura, and while the FringeSport is less, it has shown no signs of breaking down yet. They also included 3 filler bags (40#, 40#, & 20#), but at the time of writing this review I don’t see the filler bags for sale on their website anymore. Hopefully they’re just out of stock.
The OneFitWonder filler bags seem just as bomb-proof as the GORUCK filler bags and at a fraction of the cost. You can see in the picture above that it has two layers of velcro: the first layer seals the bag and a second layer of velcro folds over for a more leak-proof system.
100 pounds of sand, ready to test!
The first downside I found of the OneFitWonder sandbag system is that they only produce one size shell. It seems that the bag is best fitted with 2x 40# filler bags, but I was able to stuff in the 20# filler. It was a tight (and lopsided) fit! This was the only arrangement I was able to make work. Filling the shell with only one 40# might feel awkward when working out with it due to all the extra slack in the bag. But this could be remedied by using a mixture of rubber mulch, sand, and/or gravel to take up extra volume for the same weight.
Once I was able to zip up the bag, I discovered my favorite feature: velcro on the outside to protect the zipper (and hopefully keep in any loose sand). The GORUCK sandbag is sealed with only a zipper, but the GORUCK zipper is more heavy-duty than the OneFitWonder zipper. The Rogue Fitness sandbags that we have are sealed with a zipper and a few snap buttons. The filler bags in those have started to leak sand and the Rogue zipper does nothing to keep the sand in. I constantly get a face full of sand whenever I do sandbag cleans with it.
Now that it’s all put together, what can we do to test it? We did a fun little partner workout of sandbag burpees, sangbag runs, and hang cleans with the sandbag.
A sandbag burpee consisted of starting with the sandbag on the ground, lowering yourself onto the bag by doing a chest-to-bag push up. You then stand up, clean the bag to your shoulders, press it overhead, and repeat.
We encouraged our test athletes to be as rough as possible on it and made sure they slammed and threw the OneFitWonder bag as hard as they could. Is that as hard as you can slam it?! Try harder!
100 sandbag burpees later and it was time for a half mile run and 100 hang cleans. It didn’t leak any sand during the WOD. I am impressed!
Over a week later and another half a dozen uses and it’s still going strong. I peeked inside and there was barely any loose sand. I checked one of my GORUCK bags and it had more loose sand inside but also has yet to leak any out onto the floor or onto an athlete.
The FringeSport OneFitWonder is a no-brainer choice if you’re in the market for a cheap and sturdy sandbag. We’ll be replacing our old torn and leaky bags with these in the future. Yay! More sandbag workouts!!!
The bag is not without its faults. Besides the lack of shell sizes, the biggest complaint we got from our athletes were the exterior handles. They said that the handles are too long and too skinny. After repeated cleans and carries, the handles really start to dig into your hands. It’s not as painful when wearing gloves, but the long handles make it a little awkward to carry and a little difficult to clean the bag to your shoulders and go overhead.
On the left, the FringeSport OneFitWonder sandbag. On the right, the GORUCK sandbag. Notice how much wider the GORUCK handles are. The GORUCK handles are also shorter and more flush with the shell which makes for easier carrying.
On the left, the FringeSport OneFitWonder sandbag. On the right, the Rogue Fitness sandbag. The FringeSport handles are slightly bigger, but they both are painful after a lot of repeated hang cleans and farmer carries, especially at 100+ pounds.
The FringeSport OneFitWonder sandbag is the best bag for your buck, but just be aware that its low cost brings some limitations. Whether you want to make it weigh 30# or 100#, it only comes in one size. The cheaper price means that it’s made of cheaper materials. Whether that means it’ll break anytime sooner than a more expensive bag is still to be seen. Hopefully in a future version they’ll change the handles and offer different size shells, but even if they don’t, FringeSport has made a great sandbag for a low price.