Best String Bag for Pilates Balls for 2026: Top Picks Ranked

The right string bag for pilates balls is the difference between walking into class ready to teach and wrestling a rogue 18cm ball out of a tote bag in the car park. This roundup ranks six picks for 2026 across three jobs — single-ball carry, multi-ball class kits and travel-friendly drawstring sacks — for UK pilates teachers, home studio owners and travelling trainers who shift kit between sessions.

TL;DR

• Best single-ball carry: Eurostyle Mesh Drawstring Pouch — lightweight, cheap, fits one 18–25cm ball.
• Best multi-ball class kit: Sanabul Mesh Equipment Bag — fits 3–4 pilates balls plus bands and straps.
• Best premium mesh tote: Lululemon Command The Day Mesh — stylish, durable, studio-to-café.
• Best budget sports sack: Amazon Basics Drawstring Sack — cheap, ventilated, doubles as a wash bag.
• Best for touring trainers: Decathlon Domyos Mesh Sports Bag — structured base, breathable mesh, keeps damp kit separate.
• Best if you want the whole kit, not just the bag: The Flexa.fit Workout Plus Bundle — comes with a carry bag and everything that goes in it, including pilates balls, resistance bands and a mat.

Why a string bag for pilates balls matters

Pilates balls — soft 18–25cm toning balls, smaller spiky release balls, and occasionally full-size stability balls — are awkward to carry. They roll around inside a gym holdall, squash against harder kit, and if they're damp after class they'll fester in a zipped bag on the drive home. A mesh or string bag fixes all three: it holds the ball's shape without pressing on the valve, ventilates the surface so bacteria can't get established, and the drawstring clips to the outside of a larger kit bag or slings over a shoulder.

The Pilates Foundation lists thousands of registered teachers working across the UK, and if you teach in more than one studio a week you're moving a rotating kit of balls, bands, blocks and mats between venues. A ventilated string bag is the cheapest bit of equipment care you can buy. For a refresher on the different ball sizes, our guide to the best balls for pilates in 2026 covers which size suits which exercises.

How we chose these picks

Each bag was scored on five things: ball capacity (single vs class kit), mesh quality and ventilation, drawstring and stitching durability, price in GBP, and crossover use — whether it doubles as a kit bag, laundry bag or travel sack. We prioritised bags stocked by UK retailers (Amazon UK, Decathlon, Lululemon UK, Sanabul Europe) so shipping and returns are simple. Prices are accurate at time of writing and exclude promotional discounts.

The three use cases

• Single-ball carry — you teach or train with one 18–25cm pilates ball and want a dedicated pouch.
• Multi-ball class kit — you run group classes and need to transport 3–6 balls plus accessories.
• Drawstring sports sack / wash bag — you want a bag that carries gear to the studio and doubles as a laundry bag for damp kit on the way home.

1. Eurostyle Mesh Drawstring Pouch — Best for single-ball carry

A plain polyester mesh pouch with a double drawstring, sized for a single 18–25cm pilates ball. Eurostyle's mesh bags are the workhorse you'll see clipped to the side of most London pilates teachers' kit bags. Nothing fancy, but the mesh is tight enough to stop Velcro and zips snagging, and the drawstring is a proper cord rather than the flimsy ribbon on supermarket own-brand equivalents.

Pros:

• Cheap — usually under £6
• Lightweight (under 50g)
• Machine washable at 30°C

Cons:

• Only fits one ball comfortably
• No padded strap — cord digs in over long walks
• Colour range is usually black or navy only

Verdict: Best for a home practitioner or solo teacher who only moves one ball between home and studio. £5–£7 on Amazon UK and Eurostyle's direct site.

2. Sanabul Mesh Equipment Bag — Best for a multi-ball class kit

Sanabul sell this as a boxing gear mesh bag — for airing out gloves, pads and wraps — but it doubles as a solid pilates class kit. Roughly 60cm tall with a dense mesh barrel and a reinforced bottom panel, it holds 3–4 standard 25cm pilates balls, or a dozen smaller 18cm toning balls, plus resistance bands, straps and a pump. The shoulder strap is padded, which matters when you're walking between tube stops with 4kg of kit.

Pros:

• Proper capacity — fits a full class kit
• Reinforced base won't sag
• Padded shoulder strap

Cons:

• Overkill for solo users
• Large mesh holes — small items can poke through
• Sometimes only sold on Amazon with long shipping from Europe

Verdict: Best for pilates or yoga teachers running group classes who need to move 3+ balls at once. £18–£24 on Amazon UK.

3. Lululemon Command The Day Mesh Tote — Best premium option

If you want a bag that carries a pilates ball and doesn't announce "I've just come from the gym", this is the one. Lululemon's mesh tote uses a tighter, almost woven mesh that reads closer to a fashion tote than a sports sack. Internal pocket for a phone and keys, leather-look handles, and enough room for an 18cm ball plus a water bottle and a rolled-up premium yoga mat (at a squeeze).

Pros:

• Studio-to-café styling that doesn't shout "gym bag"
• Internal zip pocket for valuables
• Sturdy enough to last several years

Cons:

• Expensive
• Tighter mesh breathes less than sports-specific bags
• Open top — not ideal in heavy rain

Verdict: Best for London and city-based teachers who move between a boutique studio and daytime meetings. £48 on Lululemon UK.

4. Amazon Basics Drawstring Sports Sack — Best budget wash bag

The classic cinch-top drawstring sack. Not technically mesh — the main body is lightweight polyester with two mesh side panels — but it ventilates well enough to double as a damp-kit bag for the drive home. Fits one 25cm pilates ball plus a towel, or two 18cm balls and a pair of trainers. The corner grommets take a beating before they tear.

Pros:

• Very cheap — often £4–£6 in a two-pack
• Folds flat when not in use
• Doubles as a laundry or kit-separator bag inside a bigger holdall

Cons:

• Thin fabric — lasts about a year under heavy weekly use
• Drawstring doubles as shoulder straps and can dig in
• Not waterproof

Verdict: Best for home users, students, or as a spare "damp kit" bag inside your main pilates bag. £4–£7 on Amazon UK.

5. Decathlon Domyos Mesh Sports Bag — Best for touring trainers

Decathlon's own-brand mesh sports bag is built for swimmers and boxers, which also makes it a quiet winner for pilates teachers. Structured rectangular base, full-length mesh sides, a separate zipped compartment that keeps wet kit away from dry, and an in-store return policy that makes it low risk to try. Holds 2–3 balls plus bands and a small foam roller.

Pros:

• Structured base — stands up in the car boot
• Separate compartment for damp kit
• Easy UK returns via Decathlon stores

Cons:

• Looks more gym-bag than studio
• Heavier empty weight than pure mesh bags
• Only sold in one or two colourways

Verdict: Best for travelling personal trainers who visit 2–3 clients a day and need a structured bag that tolerates being tossed in and out of a car. £15–£20 at Decathlon UK.

6. The Flexa.fit Workout Plus Bundle — Best if you want the whole kit, not just the bag

Honest caveat upfront: Flexa.fit doesn't sell a standalone string bag for pilates balls. What we do sell is The Workout Plus Bundle — a home-workout kit with a yoga mat, resistance bands, resistance loops, a pilates ball and a carry bag that holds the lot. If you're setting up a home pilates space from scratch, or replacing an ageing kit, the bundle often works out cheaper than piecing a bag and its contents together separately.

Pros:

• Full kit — mat, bands, ball and carry bag all included
• Ventilated carry bag sized for the bundle contents
• One-year Flexa.fit warranty across all components

Cons:

• Not the right pick if you already own balls and only need a bag
• Bundle price is higher upfront than a standalone string bag
• Bag is not sold separately

Verdict: Best for home users building a pilates space from scratch who want the bag and everything that goes in it in one delivery. Sized for a home kit, not a class-of-ten teacher's load.

Shop the Bundle

How to care for a string bag and the balls inside it

Mesh bags last longest washed cold, inside out, with the drawstring tied so it doesn't tangle. The NHS guidance on exercise is a solid reference for keeping shared studio kit clean — wipe pilates balls with a microfibre cloth and a gentle detergent after classes, then let them air-dry inside the open mesh bag rather than sealing them into a holdall.

If you're carrying multiple balls, deflate full-size stability balls slightly for transport — the Cleveland Clinic notes that stability balls hold their shape better long-term when they aren't transported fully pressurised against hard surfaces. Smaller 18–25cm pilates balls can stay inflated. For more on kit care between sessions, our resistance band home workout guide covers the same principles for bands.

FAQs

What size string bag do I need for a pilates ball?

For a single 18–25cm pilates ball, a small drawstring pouch around 30×40cm is the right size — it holds the ball without squashing the valve. If you're carrying 3–4 class balls, look for a mesh equipment bag around 60cm tall with a reinforced base. Our roundup above covers both sizes across the six best string bag for pilates balls options for 2026.

Can I machine wash a mesh string bag?

Yes — most polyester mesh bags are machine washable at 30°C. Turn the bag inside out, tie the drawstring so it doesn't tangle around the drum, and wash it on a gentle cycle with similar-coloured laundry. Air-dry rather than tumble-drying; heat shortens the life of the drawstring cord and can distort the mesh structure.

Will a stability ball fit in a string bag?

A fully inflated 55–75cm stability ball is too large for almost every off-the-shelf mesh bag. If you need to transport a full-size gym ball, deflate it partially with the supplied plug, roll it, and use a larger kit holdall. String bags are sized for smaller toning, spiky-release and pilates balls (typically 8–25cm).

What's the difference between a string bag, mesh bag and drawstring sack?

Terminology overlaps. "String bag" usually means an open-weave net (loose cord, visible holes — great ventilation but small items escape). "Mesh bag" means tighter woven polyester mesh (better for small items, still breathable). "Drawstring sack" describes any bag closed with a cord — the body can be solid polyester or mesh. For pilates balls, a tight mesh drawstring sack gives the best mix of ventilation and security.

Are mesh bags durable enough for weekly class use?

Mid-range mesh bags (£15+) from brands like Sanabul, Decathlon and Lululemon typically last 2–3 years of weekly use. Budget mesh bags under £7 tend to fray at the drawstring grommets within 6–12 months. If you teach multiple classes a week, spending £15–£25 on a reinforced mesh equipment bag pays back quickly.

Can I use a mesh laundry bag instead?

In a pinch, yes — a larger mesh laundry bag from a supermarket will carry pilates balls and ventilate them well. The trade-offs are weaker stitching, a flimsier drawstring and usually no shoulder strap, so it won't be comfortable to carry far. Fine for the occasional home session, not ideal if you transport kit between venues.

Does Flexa.fit sell a standalone string bag for pilates balls?

No — Flexa.fit doesn't sell a dedicated string bag as a standalone product. We do sell the Workout Plus Bundle and Resistance Starter Bundle, both of which include a carry bag plus the kit that goes inside. If you already own pilates balls and only need a bag, one of the five third-party options above is a better fit.

Conclusion

The right string bag for pilates balls comes down to how many balls you move and where. Solo home users do fine with a £5 Eurostyle pouch. Teachers running group classes are better off spending £15–£25 on a Sanabul or Decathlon equipment bag with a padded strap and a reinforced base. And if you're building a home pilates kit from scratch, the Flexa.fit Workout Plus Bundle saves you piecing bag and contents together. Whatever you pick, prioritise ventilation over style — damp pilates balls sealed in a non-breathable bag are how studios end up smelling like a locker room.