Best Welding Bag & Backpacks for 2023

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Welders need to carry a lot of welding gear for protection and tools.

Carrying your helmet, gloves, apron, sleeves and welding tools can become a task on its own.

What you need is a dedicated welding bag to transport all of this – but not just any bag will do!

You need a durable bag made to stand up to the tough environments you work in. Something dedicated for welding to fit everything into.

We’ve put together a shortlist of backpacks, duffle bags and welding helmet bags that will stand up to the job.


A Quick Comparison

Product
Image Product Details
Best overall for most people
Revco GB100 BSX
Revco GB100 BSX

Dedicated backpack for welders

Separate helmet bag

Super rugged

Alternative backpack
Lincoln Electric All-in-One
Lincoln Electric All-in-One

50+ pound capacity

Padded laptop storage

Military-grade nylon

Budget duffle
WORKPRO 18-inch Tool Bag
WORKPRO 18-inch Tool Bag

600 Denier nylon

13 pockets

Inexpensive option

Premium duffle bag
Lincoln Industrial Duffle
Lincoln Industrial Duffle

Lots of room

Helmet hanger

1680 Denier fabric

Favorite helmet bag
Tillman 520 Helmet Bag
Tillman 520 Helmet Bag

Holds any helmet

Inexpensive

Ruggedly made

Alternative helmet bag
Sparc Helmet Bag
Sparc Helmet Bag

650 Denier nylon

Very roomy

Inexpensive

Best Welding Backpack with Reviews

Here's a list of the best welding backpacks we found:

1. Revco Industries GB100 BSX Backpack

Revco Industries GB100 BSX Backpack
  • Reinforced side pockets
  • Padded back panel
  • Easy-release helmet bag
  • Integrated lunch box
  • Ergonomic straps

Pros

  • Rubber carrying grip
  • Rivet-reinforced top handle
  • Includes a lunch cooler
  • Zippered flap pocket
  • 9 interior pockets

Cons

  • Not very roomy
  • Top loading only

Overview

Dedicated for welders, the Revco Industries GB100 BSX is a backpack with a helmet bag that is detachable from the outside with quick-release hooks. This bag also has a zippered pouch in the top flap that’s useful for storing documents like time sheets, blueprints and settings tables.

The Revco Industries GB100 BSX Backpack is equipped with ergonomically shaped shoulder straps that curve inwards from the shoulders and back out at the waist. There’s a sternum strap that can be buckled at the inner reach of the curve. The back of the pack is cushioned and the sides are stiffened so the bag keeps its square shape when standing open.

The most common issues reported by owners of the Revco Industries GB100 BSX Backpack are with the amount of storage room and the fact that it has to be loaded and access ed strictly from the top, which can be inconvenient if you need something from the bottom of the full bag. Nine interior pockets, an accessory carabiner and an insulated lunch cooler pleased owners as much as its sturdy and durable construction of 650 Denier nylon.


2. Lincoln Electric All-in-One Welders Backpack

Lincoln Electric All-in-One Welders Backpack
  • 50+ pound capacity
  • Thickly padded shoulder straps
  • 1680 Denier nylon
  • Padded laptop pocket
  • Detachable external net pocket

Pros

  • 12 internal storage pockets
  • External D-rings for extra items
  • Cushioned interior
  • 3-piece back panel for breathing
  • Reinforced, polyester-lined interior

Cons

  • Mesh pockets can tear
  • Not waterproof

Overview

The Lincoln Electric Welders All-in-One Backpack is a high-quality pack, ruggedly made of military-grade nylon with a 1680 Denier thread count. It’s rated at more than 50 pounds carrying capacity and has lots of storage room. The interior has one large compartment and the bag has 12 pockets of varying sizes to accommodate tools, pens, equipment and personal items. There’s also a large, padded sleeve at the back of the main compartment that fits up to a 17-inch laptop computer.

While there are claims around the internet by various sellers that the Lincoln Electric Welders All-in-One Backpack is made of ballistic nylon, we’ve found nothing on the Lincoln website or elsewhere to substantiate that claim. 1680 Denier is a military grade of fabric, but that doesn’t make it bulletproof. It does mean that it will take a lot of abuse, resisting tears, cuts and punctures.

The Lincoln Electric Welders All-in-One Backpack sometimes has complaints for tearing on the net pockets, but it’s overwhelmingly praised by owners for its padded and lined interior and extremely strong, well padded shoulder straps.


3. WORKPRO 18" Welders Tool Bag

WORKPRO 18
  • 18 inches long, 10.5 deep
  • 7 outer pockets
  • 600 Denier nylon
  • Hardened floor
  • 6 inner pockets

Pros

  • Full length top zipper
  • Sturdy shoulder pad
  • Rubber padded bottom
  • Reconfigurable handle
  • Adjustable carrying strap

Cons

  • Inner pockets too close to top
  • Can’t fit a helmet inside

Overview

The WORKPRO 18-inch Close Top Tool Bag is a good inexpensive option for welding school students and anyone who’s needing to bootstrap at the beginning of a job. It can also work well for a shop bag or a home tool bag. Many owners report there’s not enough room for a helmet. However, this bag gets a lot of praise for its rugged construction of 600 Denier count nylon.

This bag has a full-length zipper that wraps partly down each end of the top opening. The WORKPRO 18-inch Close Top Tool Bag has 13 pockets, 6 inside and 7 outside. One disadvantage of the inner pockets is they are stitched all the way to the top of the bag, so if you have tools such as wrenches that protrude from the top, you can’t run the zipper shut.

The WORKPRO 18-inch Close Top Tool Bag comes with a durable, adjustable strap with a wide, comfortable shoulder pad. The top handle is in a pair with a wrap around fastener to create a single rugged grip for lifting the bag when it’s full.


4. Lincoln Electric Industrial Welding Bag

Lincoln Electric Industrial Welding Bag
  • 1680 Denier nylon
  • Big 12x12x24 inches
  • 3 big exterior pockets
  • Heavy duty padded carry strap
  • Split handle doubles up

Pros

  • 4-inch carabiner to hang helmet
  • Hardened bottom
  • Heavy duty zippers
  • Holds jacket, gloves and gear
  • Cut and puncture resistant

Cons

  • Strap can tear off
  • No internal pockets

Overview

The Lincoln Electric Industrial Duffle Bag is a big piece of storage to move your gear. This bag measures 12x12x24 inches, making enough internal room for your helmet, jacket, street clothes and gloves with ease. And you could also fit sleeves and an apron when you consider the two end pockets and the big side pocket. There’s a big 4-inch carabiner clip to put your helmet on and make even more room inside.

Although this bag is rated for 50 pounds and has a hardened bottom, it’s really not intended to move heavy tool loads. This bag is designed more for personal gear. It’s made of industrial grade 1680 Denier nylon for outstanding cut and puncture resistance. The Lincoln Electric Industrial Duffle Bag is praised by its owners for heavy duty hardware, but some report that the strap can tear off.

The Lincoln Electric Industrial Duffle Bag has no internal pockets, so it’s not meant for organizing a bunch of small tools and accessories. With a pocket on each end, the carabiner and a pocket on the side, there’s enough organizing ability for drinks, food, cell phone and such.


5. Tillman 520 Welders Helmet Bag

Tillman 520 Welders Helmet Bag
  • 600 Denier nylon
  • Two mesh outer pockets
  • 12x12x18 inches
  • Front pocket with velcro
  • Fits any welding helmet

Pros

  • Rugged shoulder strap
  • Inexpensive
  • Holds jacket, gloves and helmet
  • Durable construction
  • Thickly padded carry strap

Cons

  • Hard to carry with one shoulder
  • Not for carrying tools

Overview

This bag is made of 600 Denier nylon polyester, a strong, durable and cut-resistant material. The Tillman 520 Welders Helmet Bag is a generous 12 x 12 x 18 inches, plenty large enough to fit just about any helmet plus a jacket and gloves. There are two mesh pockets on the outside that can carry a pair of sleeves or drink bottles and the main compartment is closed with a stout drawstring.

The Tillman 520 Welders Helmet Bag is designed with a single, thickly padded shoulder strap. While owners universally feel the carry strap is well made, one common complaint was that the strap’s placement on the bag makes it difficult to carry with one shoulder. The front pocket with velcro closure is the right size for a cell phone, wallet or documents.

This bag has lots of room and Tillman enjoys a reputation for high quality equipment. However, it’s not made for carrying tools such as grinders, drills or heavy materials like welding rod or wire rolls. The Tillman 520 Welders Helmet Bag offers an inexpensive, high quality alternative for transporting your welding helmet and other protective gear.


6. Sparc Welding Helmet Bag

Sparc Welding Helmet Bag
  • Polyester liner
  • 12x12x18 inches
  • 650 Denier nylon canvas
  • 2- Outer mesh pockets
  • Front pocket with velcro closure

Pros

  • Fits any welding helmet
  • Holds helmet, jacket, gloves
  • Inexpensive alternative
  • Drawstring opening
  • Shoulder strap

Cons

  • Quality issues with drawstring
  • Only has one carrying strap

Overview

The Sparc Welding Helmet Bag differs from the bags we’ve looked at so far because it’s designed mainly with your helmet in mind. This is a roomy bag, with room for any type of welding helmet. There’s room left over to fit welding gloves, a welding jacket or apron and sleeves. The outside has two mesh pockets. There’s a small pocket on the front with a velcro fastener that can hold a cell phone, wallet or keys.

This helmet bag has been designed with a single wide, rugged carrying strap that pulls mixed reviews from owners. While they agree that the Sparc Welding Helmet Bag is well made and durable, quite a few feel there should be two straps. This is really a personal preference. The drawstring closure for the main compartment has issues from a quality standpoint, with more than one owner reporting that the drawstring on their bag broke.

The Sparc Welding Helmet Bag is an inexpensive and roomy alternative to the more costly bags in this review, but it’s not designed to carry tools, welding rod or other heavy items.


Buyer’s Guide

When considering your choices for a carry bag to move your welding gear, you should take into account the following factors.

How Much Can You Spend?

This is going to be the primary factor that determines the overall quality of your carry bag. Like so much else in the craft trades and particularly in the welding industry, you require durable materials and heavy-duty construction. These requirements cost extra. Your helmet and other protective gear are expensive. It needs proper protection and security. A good bag saves you money in the long run.

How Much Weight Do You Carry?

If you only want to carry a helmet and some other gear such as a jacket or apron, gloves, sleeves, and such, you don’t need a bag with a lot of structure, hard surfaces, or padded panels. A simple, rugged, lightweight sack can take care of most of your needs.

However, if you intend to use the bag on the worksite to position a set of tools like wrenches, grinders, pliers, and drills or cans of welding rods or rolls of MIG or flux core wire, you’re going to need a hardened bag with a lot of structure. Look for hard bottoms, stiffened sides, heavy straps and hardware, and significant padding.

Related read: Best welding work boots

Organizing Your Stuff

If you have a lot of small items like scribes, measuring tools, drill bits, and the like, or you need to organize personal items like your phone, wallet, keys, drinks, or food, you’re going to want a lot of different sized pockets in your bag.

Moving The Bag

When you combine your needs above with the way you intend to get your stuff around, you’ll be able to decide on what style of bag you want.

  1. Backpacks come with shoulder straps, are highly organized, well-padded and often provide complete access to the entire main compartment at one time. Sometimes you can only get in through the top.
  2. Helmet Bags are designed to easily transport your helmet, and their design is focused primarily on that requirement. They’re generally not designed to carry a lot of weight, but most do offer room for other items like protective gear or personal items. Usually, they don’t have many pockets and resemble large sacks.
  3. Carry Bags usually have a horizontal shape like a toolbox and often provide a great deal of protection and weight carrying ability. Many provide a lot of pockets, but not all of them do. Sometimes they incorporate aspects of a helmet bag or features from backpacks into their designs.

Also read: Best Welder Gifts

We Recommend Your Welding Bag

Considering the requirements listed here, taking into account the style differences and useful features like organization, hardening, and accessibility, we recommend the following choices.

For the best welding bag overall, we suggest the Lincoln Electric Welders All-in-One Backpack because of its very durable military-grade construction, hardened panels including the padded three-piece back panel, shoulder straps, 50-pound weight rating and the laptop pouch designed into the bag. This bag can be laid completely open for complete access to everything at once.

For an appealing alternative, we like the Revco GB100 BSX for its detachable separate helmet bag, ergonomically designed shoulder straps, thoughtful organization, high quality and the included lunchbox.

For anyone who needs an inexpensive yet highly useful and high-quality alternative, we recommend the WORKPRO 18-inch Close Top Tool Bag for its numerous pockets, durable construction, dual carrying with either grip handle or shoulder strap, and its rubberized, padded and hardened bottom.

We do feel this bag should be looked at as a piece that will need replacement, and if this is the style you prefer, the Lincoln Electric Industrial Duffle is a good step up when that time comes, especially in combination with a good helmet bag.


About Jeff Grill

Jeff Grill hails from Long Island, a 118 mile stretch of land that starts just off the coast of Manhattan and stretches deep into the Atlantic ocean. He has always been interested in welding from an early age and has the cuts and bruises to prove it as he set out to work with a variety of metals.


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