Best Punching Bag for Muay Thai

OUR TOP PICK

This banana bag from Outslayer is the perfect example of a Muay Thai heavy bag.

Outslayer is an American company that has been manufacturing professional grade fighting equipment for many years.

They have built up a name and reputation in the boxing and MMA world so you can trust that name to deliver. This is just a few reasons why this bag is the best out there:

• 130lbs filled with 300lbs capacity.
• 6ft tall and 14-inch diameter.
• Ultra heavy duty vinyl bag cover.
• Can be purchased with a D-ring to attach the bag to the ground.

This heavy banana bag from Outslayer is perfect for any level of fighter as it comes prefilled with 130lbs of compact material but can be filled with sand or sawdust to increase the weight.

The weight capacity of this bag is 300lbs so as long as your ceiling structure can take the weight you can have a monster of a heavy bag that can take a beating.

The Muay Thai Heavy Bag stands 6ft tall. At this height the bag is perfect for all strikes, high kicks and low kicks, and most elbow work.

As the bag is larger in diameter than most Muay Thai bags (14 inches) it can be used for all different techniques including boxing and MMA.  

As the bag needs to be mounted you will need to have an adequate mounting system.

A standard 150lbs bracket can be used with the bag as it comes filled to 130lbs but if you’re hoping to increase the weight to anywhere near the capacity we would recommend a much heavier duty bracket system.

A D-ring can be added to the bottom of the bag on request and for an extra 20 bucks. The D-ring would stop the swaying of the bag after powerful strikes or a succession of smaller strikes.

The swaying can cause novice fighters to sprain their wrist as they aren’t able to judge the distance of the constantly moving bag. A D-ring and ground anchor are  a solid investment for any level of fighter.

If you choose not to purchase it with the optional D-ring you can always mount it so that the bottom of the bag grazes the floor.

This is a good option for the budget conscious but be aware that after some use the bag will start to wear on the bottom so A D-ring is always going to be the better option.

With the stock filling the bag is considered a soft fill and therefore would not be hard enough to cause significant damage to wrists or fists but precautions should be taken as to not injure yourself.

A pair of decent Muay Thai gloves and wrist wraps are always a good idea with bag work.

The outer bag/cover is made up of ultra heavy duty vinyl that has been synthetically smoothened while still still being tough enough to withstand 300 lbs of weight. 

Outslayer has so much confidence in their bags that they offer a 10 year warranty on any of their products including this heavy bag.

Pros:

• The 300lbs capacity makes this the perfect heavy bag for all skill levels.
• The 6ft height makes this perfect for full body strikes and kicks.
• Ultra heavy duty vinyl cover offers years of usage without wear and tear.
• The pre-filled 130lbs soft fill is perfect for most beginners to strike while still being substantial enough for the pros.
• Outslayer has excellent USA based customer service and can deal with any inquiries you may have.

Cons:

• Due to the length of the bag, it is not ideal for uppercuts.

EDITORS CHOICE

The Ringside Heavy Bag is a great universal punching bag. With its more compact 42-inch height this bag has been designed with the standard boxer in mind.

This bag does however excel in taking strikes. We’ve included this bag mostly for the beginners looking to get into home workouts in the form of Muay Thai and even some pros looking for a softer striking surface.

The heavy bag comes pre-filled with 100lbs soft filling and has an upper limit of 150lbs. The part of this bag that makes it perfect for beginners is the 2 inches of foam between the Powerhide and the filling.

This foam offers a much softer impact than the harder more professional level bags. This means that a beginner can strike this bag with little to no worry of injuring themselves and professionals can use a simple hand wrap to strike it instead of fully padded gloves.

The Powerhide manufactured by ringside is also promised to be smooth and add extra cushioning preventing injuries to your wrists, elbows and shoulders.

The Powerhide Punching Heavy Bag comes with a 4 D-ring and a swivel mounting system included so that all you need is a bracket and you can start hitting it.

The bag also comes with a D-ring on the bottom already installed so that you can anchor this bad boy to the ground immediately.

The shorter size of the bag also makes it perfect for upper torso kicks, strikes and also (depending on the mounting height) knees and uppercuts.

If this is mounted on a height adjustable stand the bag becomes much more versatile for full body strikes including low kicks. 

Pros:

• The Soft 2-inch foam lining offers a softer strike surface for beginners or pros wanting to home technique instead of power.
• The 100lbs soft fill means you won’t have to splurge any extra money on filling.
• The 42-inch height makes this bag useful for training uppercuts and Knee thrusts.
• The size also allows you to simulate clinched strikes and knees.

Cons:

• Not ideal for low kicks.

BEST VALUE

This banana style bag from Combat Sports is a great alternative to the Outslayer Muay Thai Heavy Bag.

Although not rated for as high a weight capacity or with anywhere near as long a warranty this bag is great for all levels of Muay Thai fighter for half the cost. 

The Heavy Bag has a maximum weight rating of 100lbs and comes pre-filled to this weight.

If you’re looking to reduce the surface compression as you’d find on a heavier bag you can always place an inner core of material or packed plastic wrap and use sand or sawdust around the outside. 

This is made much easier with the easy access zipper across the top of the bag. With it coming pre-filled however if you’re ideal weight is 100lbs then this is the perfect heavy bag for you.

The 100lbs weight also makes this bag way easier to move around than the heavier bags, so if one day you choose to do your routines outside and have a hanging bag stand then that could be just what you need.

The filling comes very evenly distributed and sits between a soft filling and firm filling so is perfect for an all round training bag.

The responsiveness of the filling is also worth noting as this bag does not deform, you can sink heavy kicks into it all day and would barely notice a difference.

The bag comes with a 4 D-ring with a chain mounting system included. You can unhook these chains to change them out to a more desirable height, say for example if you’re looking to mount this on a lower ceiling.

However the included swivel is not adjustable in height and the bag, therefore, requires a minimum of 7 ½ feet of clearance.

The Synthetic leather with a blackened finish adds to the professional look of the bag and offers an extra layer of protection against wear and tear.

Pros:

• This bag comes pre-filled to 100lbs which is its weight limit and you can just keep it at that weight.
• The semi-firm, responsive filling makes this perfect for longer training sessions.
• The included chains and swivel are durable enough for years of use.
• Synthetic leather with the finish is smooth enough to hit with light gloves without getting sore.

Cons:

• The bag’s weight is adjustable upwards so you can decrease the weight but not increase it.

RUNNER UP

The next bag on our list is the first free standing entrant. The offer from Everlast is a great punching bag for punching and kicking without needing to mount it.

At full capacity, the base weighs 370lbs (when filled with sand) so the common issue of being able to know free standing bags down is immediately dealt with and shouldn't be a worry for even the most powerful kickers. 

The Powercore striking surface requires no filling or prep as soon as you have filled the base this punching bag is ready to be used. This is because of Everlast’s proprietary Powercore foam that they use in the upper of this punching bag.

With a semi hard feel and high responsiveness, you’ll be able to dish out heavy beatings to this bag without much of a worry.

The Powercore power transfer ring at the base of the upper is designed to absorb heavy strikes with a shock absorbing system. This reduces the chances of your punching bag sliding around whilst you attack it. 

The Punching Bag is height adjustable between 54 inches and 65 inches so you can train high and mid kicks and strikes with no issues. The major drawback of this style of punching bag is that your options to train low kicks are extremely limited.

This isn’t a well known trick but because you can fill the base with sand it can take a large amount of force, you could also strap some striking pads to the sides of the base and use them to train your low kicks. 

A part of Muay Thai training is learning to follow up strikes with an action, whether that be another strike, a grapple or a defensive maneuver.

A common problem with heavy bag training is the lack of movement, this does allow you to train form and proper technique but it can be disorienting to go from bag training to sparring.

This issue is somewhat dealt with, with this punching bag, due to its light upper weight and its energy return system you’ll be adjusting your stance and strike distance making you accustomed to random movement a bit more.

Pros:

• There’s no need to mount this bag as it’s freestanding.
• The 370lbs base ensures there won’t be any slippage or knocking over as you use it.
• Everlast’s Powercore foam absorbs powerful strikes without deforming and returns some of the energy to give each strike a slightly varied but substantial impact.
• The adjustable height stand allows users of most heights to benefit from the Powercore foam.

Cons:

• As it’s a freestanding bag there is no built in option for training low kicks.

RUNNER UP

This Kit allows you to start training immediately as this bag is mounted. The MaxxMMA Heavy Bag measures 5 ft and is ideal for Muay Thai training.

You get a pair of striking gloves, a jump rope and 180ft wrist wraps included with this bag making it perfect as a first time home training package. 

The USP of this bag is its SOFTSTRIKE Tech that encases a core of air in up to 140lbs of water. This supposedly simulates punching a person as opposed to a dense sandbag.

This Tech also reduces the likelihood of sustaining injuries during practice. MaxxMMA claims that this patented tech reduces bag sway without sacrificing responsiveness, the air and water system allows the water to move around and causes the user to adapt their strikes. 

This bag also comes with an included, removable cushion wrap that can be placed around any part of the bag to reduce the effects of the moving water and achieve a more traditional striking surface if that’s what you want. 

They also offer a free replacement air bladder within the first 2 years of usage if anything were to happen to it.

The bag also comes with the water and air pump included to make it even more accessible.

Pros:

• An adjustable 70-140lbs weight makes this perfect for all fighters.
• The air and water SOFTSTRIKE Tech built into this bag simulates real strikes better than traditional bags.
• The 5ft height and Cushion wrap make this versatile for all strikes including low kicks and strikes.
• The full kit that comes included with the bag means that all you need is water to start training.