After extensive research, we reveal which free standing punching bags deliver the best quality, stability, and durability. Take a look at our top 5 freestanding bags that every martial artist has to try.
Our Top 5 Best Free Standing Punching Bags
The Original Wavemaster. Here’s more information on choosing the right free standing punching bag for you, along with a detailed review for each product we chose.
Weight
The bag itself is usually very light, and it’s the weight of the base that holds up against kicks and punches. The base is unfilled when shipped, and can be filled with either sand or water. The ideal weight of a free standing heavy bag is usually 1.5 times your own weight, so keep this in mind when filling the base. We recommend that you always use sand – the force shift of the water can make the whole bag less stable.
If you are a seasoned heavyweight, we strongly recommend that you consider using a regular heavy punching bag in combination with a punching bag stand – you might find almost all freestanding bags on the market too light for your taste.
Durability
In order for a free standing punching bag to last a long time, every single part needs to be sturdy and well-constructed. It’s not just the bag – the base needs to be tough to prevent the water or sand from leaking out, and the pedestal needs to be able to take a beating along with the bag. We evaluated the construction and quality of the base, cover materials, and the bag itself while rating our top 5 models.
Stability
A poorly designed stand will bounce and move around the room when hit; in extreme cases, it can even topple over from a strong punch. The bouncing is very noisy and damages your floor, and the movement of the bag ruins your workout by forcing you to move it back into place every few minutes. We put an emphasis on stability and security while rating our top 5 models.
Price
Most buyers get a free standing bag because they’re restricted on using a hanging one. The question is, how much are you willing to pay for what is essentially a replacement? After a certain point, it becomes cheaper to buy a punching bag in combination with a punching bag stand. Because of this, we focused on equipment that delivers the best quality but is still a viable, affordable alternative.
1. Century Wavemaster XXL
A very popular piece of boxing equipment for a reason. Thanks to it’s large striking surface and stable base, the Wavemaster XXL offers many benefits of a hanging heavy bag, while still having the utility of a freestanding one.
Even though it’s 69 inches tall, the Wavemaster XXL is very light when unfilled and can be moved and transported very easily. It’s long body allows you to practice kicks, punches, elbow strikes and knee strikes comfortably, while the short base makes the striking area even longer and allows better approach. MMA fighters or wrestlers can easily remove the bag from the base and use it for ground and pound techniques. Once the base is filled with water or sand, the total weight of this punching bag is around 270lbs.
As for durability, we found Wavemaster’s vinyl shell to be thick and resistant to tearing or scratching. The inside of the bag feels very soft and is easy on the knuckles. This is both good and bad – the Wavemaster XXL doesn’t offer the same amount of resistance as some competitors. Some fighters prefer a harder striking surface, and if you’re one of them, you might not enjoy this bag.
When it comes to stability, the Wavemaster XXL is above many competitors, but the base can still bounce around from powerful kicks or punches. This isn’t that big of a problem as knocking the Wavemaster over isn’t easy, and we found it doesn’t tend to move around the room like some free standing punching bags do. Placing a thick rubber pad under the base will take care the noise that the base makes as it bounces up and down, and protect your floor from any damage.
2. Ringside Elite Punching Bag
A very popular piece of boxing equipment for a reason. Thanks to it’s large striking surface and stable base, the Wavemaster XXL offers many benefits of a hanging heavy bag, while still having the utility of a freestanding one.
Even though it’s 69 inches tall, the Wavemaster XXL is very light when unfilled and can be moved and transported very easily. It’s long body allows you to practice kicks, punches, elbow strikes and knee strikes comfortably, while the short base makes the striking area even longer and allows better approach. MMA fighters or wrestlers can easily remove the bag from the base and use it for ground and pound techniques. Once the base is filled with water or sand, the total weight of this punching bag is around 270lbs.
As for durability, we found Wavemaster’s vinyl shell to be thick and resistant to tearing or scratching. The inside of the bag feels very soft and is easy on the knuckles. This is both good and bad – the Wavemaster XXL doesn’t offer the same amount of resistance as some competitors. Some fighters prefer a harder striking surface, and if you’re one of them, you might not enjoy this bag.
When it comes to stability, the Wavemaster XXL is above many competitors, but the base can still bounce around from powerful kicks or punches. This isn’t that big of a problem as knocking the Wavemaster over isn’t easy, and we found it doesn’t tend to move around the room like some free standing punching bags do. Placing a thick rubber pad under the base will take care the noise that the base makes as it bounces up and down, and protect your floor from any damage.
3. Century Body Opponent Bag XL
Designed to simulate an actual opponent, the BOB punching bag offers what no other heavy bag can – a realistic way to practice precision and vital area strikes you could never practice otherwise.
Possibly the only stand up punching bag that offers something completely unique, and isn’t just used as an alternative to a hanging bag. The BOB punching bag has a jaw, nose, and other distinct features allowing you to practice punches which you could never try on a sparring partner. The Body Opponent Bag comes in two sizes; the B.O.B. XL has an extended area under the belt which allows more utility and makes the dummy more comfortable for kicking. The regular model lacks this extension, but is the same in all other aspects.
Bob has two height adjustments between 5’6″ to 6′, allowing you to prepare for opponents of various sizes. The solid plastic base can be filled with water or sand, and the full weight of this punching dummy amounts to around 270lbs when filled.
The Body Opponent Bag seems to be fairly stable, and according to many buyers we surveyed, it can take strong punches and kicks without toppling over. In terms of durability, we found that this punching dummy can endure heavy use just as well as a quality vinyl bag. The torso area is fairly firm and provides a decent level of resistance, making the B.O.B. a good tool for power training as well. The only flaw we could find on this dummy is the funnel used to fill the base – it’s very small, and filling it with sand can take a long time.
4. The Original Wavemaster
A high-quality, cheaper alternative to the Wavemaster XXL. An excellent punching bag that doesn’t fall behind our top picks in terms of quality, but comes at a fraction of the cost.
Although the body of this bag is considerably smaller than the XXL model, the Original Wavemaster has seven height adjustments between 47″ and 68″, making it almost equal in height. It’s tall enough to fit most fighters, and the large height range makes this a useful tool to practice both kicks and punches. However, the small surface of this free standing bag can cause some restrictions. If you want a full body workout, you might have to readjust the height between sets.
The pedestal is identical to the one of the Body Opponent Bag, and they can be used interchangeably. The whole bag weighs about 250lbs once the base is filled. Although this is a little less than the standard, we’re happy with this bag’s stability. When punched, the bag quickly bounces back into place and doesn’t tend to move around the room.
In terms of overall quality and durability, we found The Original Wavemaster to be on the same level as some of our top picks. The vinyl cover seems very resilient to damage, and the base appears very thick and sturdy. If you’re looking to buy an affordable, durable product, we highly recommend the Original Wavemaster.
5. Versys Fight Simulator
Century’s interesting take on a standard piece of boxing gear, the Versys Fight simulator is fun hybrid between a grappling dummy and a standard boxing bag.
The main purpose of the Versys Fight Simulator is to provide a fluid striking workout and allow the user to practice takedowns and ground and pound techniques. It’s designed to bounce and topple over from powerful strikes, and is one of the few free standing heavy bags where this is a feature rather than a result of faulty design.
The whole bag is around 60 inches tall. The base and the bag are separate, but easy to assemble. The base is pre-filled, and the whole bag weighs around 110lbs. The Versys offers a more dynamic workout than standard punching bags; the bag bounces back into position very quickly without being noisy, as the base is much softer than the standard plastic. Pushing the bag will knock it down, allowing you can switch to ground & pound practice. Additionally, the top and bottom handles allow you to drag the bag, practice knee strikes, resistance band workouts, sit ups, etc. Keep in mind that the Versus Fight Simulator requires a lot of space. Even though it’s slimmer and shorter than most freestanding bags, you need to take it’s length into account if you want to practice takedowns.
Overall, we consider the Versus Fight simulator to be a fun and versatile tool; however, if you want the experience of a classic punching bag, there are much better options that cost about the same.
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