Daily read · Fitness shopping
Are lifting straps worth it? Our three gym bag picks under £10
Are lifting straps worth it? For heavy pulls where grip is your limit, a £6.50 pair is a cheap test. Plus a zip-pocket gym towel and a shaker mat.
Erin · Fitness Blogger
Personal questions should go to a pharmacist, GP or dietitian.
Lifting straps are a low-cost add-on for heavy pulling sessions, not an essential. Check the material, the wrist padding and your federation's rules if you compete, then compare prices online on PriceHaggle AI before asking your local gym shop to match or beat them.
Are lifting straps worth it? For many gym-goers, yes: a basic pair is one of the cheapest bits of kit in the gym and does one job, helping you keep hold of the bar during heavy pulls such as deadlifts and rows. They are a training tool rather than a must-have, so here is what to check before you buy, plus two small gym bag upgrades with a real point of difference.
Our picks: three gym bag upgrades
Blue Lifting Straps from Beyond Shakers are made from thick cotton webbing with a matte gel pattern along the length of the strap, designed to grip smooth Olympic barbells, and neoprene wrist pads. They suit lifters doing heavy deadlifts, rows or pull-ups who want a simple loop-style strap rather than a bulkier hook design.
The Blue Gym Towel stands out for one detail most gym towels skip: an integrated zipped pocket for your phone, keys or a snack. It is lightweight, quick-drying microfibre, so it suits anyone who trains with a small bag or none at all.
The Non-Slip Mat is a silicone base that sticks to the bottom of a Beyond Shaker with 3M adhesive, so the bottle is less likely to slide off a slippery bench and won't mark worktops. It suits anyone who already owns a Beyond Shaker bottle.
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Blue Lifting Straps · Beyond Shakers
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Blue Gym Towel · Beyond Shakers
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Non-Slip Mat · Beyond Shakers
The worked numbers
Today the Blue Lifting Straps cost £6.50 at Beyond Shakers. Used three times a week for a year, that is 156 sessions, or about 4p per session. The Blue Gym Towel at £10 works out at about 6p per session on the same basis, and the Non-Slip Mat at £3 is about 2p. These are simple cost-per-use sums from today's prices, not a durability promise.
Before you decide
If you plan to compete, check your federation's rulebook first. The International Powerlifting Federation's technical rules set out which supportive equipment is allowed, including wrist wraps of up to 1 m long and 8 cm wide, and straps that wrap around the bar are a training tool, not competition kit.
Prices change, so compare them online first, then ask local shops whether they can offer a better deal.
Quick questions
Are lifting straps worth it for beginners? They are cheap, but they are a grip aid, not a technique fix. If you are new, ask a qualified coach at your gym when straps make sense for you.
Can I use lifting straps in a powerlifting meet? Check your federation's current technical rules before the day; the IPF rulebook lists what equipment is permitted.
Where can I compare prices on gym accessories? Search PriceHaggle AI to compare current catalogue prices before you buy.
Save yourself a surprise
Your quick buying checklist
- Check the strap material and whether it has wrist padding.
- Check your federation's technical rules if you plan to compete.
- Check that accessories like a shaker base fit the bottle you already own.
- Compare prices online, then ask local shops for a better deal.
References & editorial notes
This content is based on the sources listed below.
AI-generated information drawn from public sources. Not to be treated as any form of advice, including medical advice. Check with a pharmacist or GP before taking supplements, and check details with the retailer before buying.