Top 10 Best Portable & Travel Gym Equipment (2023 Reviews)

There’s only so much you can do to stay fit with your own two hands. Do you ever find yourself craving a hard workout while sitting at your desk? I know I do. Luckily for us fitness addicts, there’s a lot of marvelous office workout equipment at our disposal. One of the top pieces of portable exercise equipment is a traveling gym. Are you ready for my complete guide to choosing the best portable gym?

In this guide, I share:

Best Portable Gym Reviews

Are you ready to get to work in your office or on the road? Whether you’re a business traveler or work an office job, there are options in my Top 10 to kick your fitness regimen into high gear. The most important step to choosing the best portable gym equipment is to identify your fitness goals.

Do you want a toned physique? Do you want to build lean muscle mass from the comfort of your office or home without spending big bucks on an expensive gym membership? Is your upper or lower body your main priority? Once you consider the answers to these questions, my portable gym reviews below instantly become a lot more helpful.

By the time you finish checking out the reviews, you’ll have a clear vision of your fitness journey and will have already chosen the best travel gym to match your lifestyle. Let’s start with the ultimate portable gym, the timeless Bullworker.

#1) Bullworker

There are two versions of the Bullworker: The Bullworker Bow Classic and the Bullworker Steel Bow. Both versions are excellent options for training in your office or while traveling. The main difference is the length of each bow. The Classic version is 36″ long, and the Steel Bow is 20″ long. Below is a list of key considerations to make before you choose between the two versions.

Bullworker Classic vs Steel Bow

Which model matches your fitness goals? That’s the question to ask yourself before you choose one. The amazing thing about the Bullworker is it’s been around for over 50 years, and it’ll be around for another 50 without blinking an eye. Why? Because the workout is hard, and it delivers awesome results.

The idea behind the Bullworker, Isometrics (*), has been proven effective for decades. The key is to use existing muscle strength against a superior level of resistance and hold it. Once you get accustomed to the workout and see how effective it is for working, toning, and sculpting your entire body, you won’t look back.

#2) Tension Toner

If the Bullworker was too hardcore for you, the Tension Toner might be more up your alley. The Tension Toner is super lightweight, compact, and TSA-friendly to stow in your carry-on bag. For this reason, I ranked it as the best travel gym currently on the market. What’s really cool is the inventor of the Tension Toner came up with the idea after reflecting on a conversation he had with his grandfather about pulling on a towel to build strength.

The unique workout of the Tension Toner targets major muscle groups and stabilizer muscles by forcing you to focus on stabilizing the bar during your workouts. The movements help to work out muscles most people don’t even think about it.

One drawback is the need to anchor the system to get the full range of 70 exercises. However, it’s possible to place the resistance bands below your feet instead of anchoring them. The Tension Toner package includes everything you need to get right to work including the bar, 2 latex-free resistance bands, a door anchor, cinch bang, instructions, and 2 training programs (10-minute & 30-minute).

Overall, the Tension Toner is an extremely versatile travel gym that’s better suited for beginners than the Bullworker.

#3) BodyBoss Home Gym 2.0

Okay, if the Tension Toner was also too hardcore for you, the BodyBoss kit is the best portable home gym for users of all skill levels. The clear drawback when compared to the first two options is the BodyBoss is not made for air travel, meaning it’s less portable. Although, the suitcase-style design is pretty awesome.

With the BodyBoss 2.0, you get a complete portable home gym package that’s built to mimic nearly every workout you’ll find in a real gym. Start breaking out squats with the resistance band, bar, and board in under a minute. Then quickly switch to working out any muscle group or single muscle you desire.

The kit includes the folding base, a comfort-grip bar, resistance bands up to 30 lbs, ankle straps, handles to simulate dumbbell workouts, and a door anchor. There are literally over 300 possible exercises to suit everyone’s workout routine.

#4) Gorilla Bow

The Gorilla Bow is another excellent piece of portable gym equipment that requires no anchoring. What I like the most about the Gorilla Bow is the resistance range of up to a whopping 330 lbs. Simply mix and match the included double-wall latex bands to dial in the exact resistance of your choosing. The wide range of bands included makes the Gorilla Bow perfect for everyone, from beginners to muscle heads.

There are a total of 8 resistance bands in the kit: 1 – 10lb, 1 – 20lb, 1 – 30lb, 3 – 50lb, and 2 – 60lb. The bow is made of aircraft-grade aluminum and will undoubtedly stand the test of time. The greatest drawback of the Gorilla Bow is the length of the bow at 58 inches. Unlike the Tension Toner and Bullworker, the Gorilla Bow is not made for air travel, and you’ll need enough clearance to use it in small spaces or to fit it in your car or office.

Having said that, if you have enough room, the Gorilla Bow just might be the best portable gym on the market with its massive resistance range and a full collection of exercises to get a total-body workout virtually anywhere.

#5) TRX GO

Of all the TRX portable gym packages, the TRX GO is the best-priced and most highly recommended. If you plan to use the TRX GO inside your office, keep in mind that it does require anchoring. The good news is the kit comes with everything you need to anchor the system anywhere, including in your office. What I like the most about the TRX GO is how light and portable it is.

You’ll have no problem traveling with the TRX GO anywhere, including air travel, as it’s quite easy to squeeze into any carry-on bag without adding much weight (under 1 lb) or taking up valuable room. We all know that airlines find ways to nickel-and-dime us more each year when it comes to luggage fees.

The TRX GO does not require resistance bands to get a hard full-body workout. Instead, it relies on your own body weight and gravity to push you to your limits. Lastly, the single-anchor design makes it easy to set up in less than 60 seconds wherever you choose to work out.

#6) Gofit ProGym Extreme Workout Kit

The GoFit ProGym Extreme kit is the best cheap portable gym in my Top 10 that costs significantly less, yet still delivers a complete total-body workout. Like the TRX GO kit, the GoFit ProGym is extremely lightweight and portable. Unlike the TRX GO, the ProGym offers resistance and does not rely on your body weight or gravity to target your muscle groups.

For the price, it’s hard to beat the ProGym Extreme. The kit includes 4 resistance bands (20, 30, 40, and 50 lbs), 2 comfort-grip attachable handles, sturdy nylon door anchors, 2 reinforced padded ankle straps, a carrying bag, and even a workout guide. The resistance bands are clearly marked on the straps to make it easy to reach for your desired weight. All in all, the ProGym Extreme is a basic yet efficient portable gym that’ll get the job done for most people.

#7) BandBoard

The BandBoard is a unique portable gym that combines resistance bands with a footboard to create a highly functional and versatile piece of exercise equipment. The quick-release ball & hook system allows the user to switch between different levels of resistance with a single band. If you don’t like the idea of carrying around multiple resistance bands due to tangling and the extra time it takes to keep them organized, the BandBoard system could be the answer you’re looking for.

The drawback is the max resistance is not high enough for everyone, especially people who have used or are using a Bullworker or Gorilla Bow. The BandBoard kit comes with everything you need to start using it right out of the box and requires no anchoring – another advantage of owning it. Finally, the included exercise chart has more than enough ideas to engage all of your major muscle groups.

#8) Gymwell Portable Resistance Workout Set

The final piece of resistance equipment in my Top 10 is the Gymwell portable gym. The feature I like most about this kit is the collapsible workout bar, which makes this kit travel-ready, including for air travel. The concept is similar to the BodyBoss Home Gym, except the Gymwell does not include a board. Instead, the kit includes ankle straps to anchor the bands to your feet and ankles. There are also door and anchor straps to anchor the system anywhere you choose.

Another feature that’s worth pointing out is the range of resistance this kit offers. Users can employ anywhere from 30 – 120 lbs of resistance, making this a great kit for all skill levels. In total, the kit comes with 3 pairs of resistance bands of varying lengths and tensions.

#9) Power Press Push Up Board

If you love doing push-ups but experience wrist or joint pain while doing them, the Power Press Push Up Board could be your solution. Personally, I love all the different positions offered by this board and the color-coding system that shows which muscles each position targets. This board isn’t limited to upper-body workouts either. The board gives you options to blast your core and get your lower body involved as well.

Need some extra motivation? The included 10-week challenge with a workout calendar motivates even the most sluggish individuals. The 3-phase program includes cardio, plyometric, and core exercises. Plus, it takes just 30 minutes per day.

Bottom Line

Who needs a gym membership with all of these amazing portable gyms available? The best part is you can use travel gyms everywhere. Hotel room fitness and office fitness has never looked so appealing before. Be sure to follow the steps below to choose the best portable gym equipment:

1. Identify your fitness goals and the muscle groups you want to target. For example, do you want to build muscle? Do you want to get toned?
2. Once you identify your goals, be sure to check the max resistance offered by the portable gym. Is it enough for you to reach your goals or will you be disappointed by it? It’s also important to be sure it’s not too much. For example, Bullworker is too hardcore for some people.
3. Check to make sure you can do your favorite workouts with the kit. What use is a travel gym kit if you can’t do your favorite workouts?
4. Lastly, check the price and warranty to be sure the kit is within your budget. Also, does the company stand behind the quality of its products with a warranty?

I already did most of the hard work for you by finding the 10 best portable gyms on the market, now it’s up to you to choose your Excalibur.

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