Keep Your Tools Secure and Organized With These Indispensable Tool Bags

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If you frequently transport tools to and from work spaces—even if it’s from your garage to the edge of your property— a tool box may not be the most practical option available to you. Instead, try a tool bag. With soft-sided construction, these indispensable bags fit bulky items plus they have padded carrying handles and shoulder straps for maximum comfort.

Tool bags also offer many more organizational options than hard-sided boxes, and their exterior pockets keep your most frequently used tools accessible at all times. Even if you have a dedicated tool box setup already, consider using a tool bag to simplify jobs outside the house. Ahead, this guide covers the best tool bags we recommend, along with essentials to consider before you buy.

Best Tool Bags

• Best Overall: DeWALT DG5543 Tool Bag

• Best Water-Resistant: Carhartt Legacy Tool Bag

• Best Roll-Up Option: Bucket Boss Tool Roll

• Best Backpack: Dewalt DGL523 57-Pocket LED Lighted Tool Backpack

• Best Bucket Organizer: Bucket Boss Bucketeer Bucket Tool Organizer

What to Consider

Capacity

Choose a tool bag that’s large enough to hold everything you need. To do this, consider the dimensions of any large items you expect to regularly transport in your tool bag, like power tools, extra-long screwdrivers, or pry-bars, and cross-reference them with the overall dimensions of the tool bag.

It’s worth remembering that most tool bags work just fine when unzipped, which gives you extra space for longer items to peek out. But if you know roughly how much space you need, you’ll avoid spending extra money on a bag that’s too large and takes up unnecessary storage space.

Organization

Total number and type of pouches, pockets, and sleeves vary greatly from one bag to another, and more isn’t always better. If you carry a lot of small hand tools, bags with lots of individual sleeves keep your tools easily accessible. Bags with larger pockets, meanwhile, maximize your carrying space for things like fastener boxes and tape measures.

Bags with velcro pockets prevent scuffs or other damage to more valuable tools like multimeters and laser levels. And if you just have a few larger tools that need to be stored, explore options with one larger main compartment and less segmented organization.

Bag Weight

If you plan to carry heavy loads or use your tool bag in rough environments, the strength and quality of the bag’s material makes up for the couple extra pounds you’ll shoulder throughout the day. However, if it’s a small set of tools you expect to transport, those few additional pounds (not to mention the extra cost associated with premium materials) might be worth forgoing.

Carrying Options

Tool bags get heavy, so it's important to choose one that’s comfortable to carry.

• Backpack: Backpack-style bags maximize comfort by spreading the weight of the bag and its contents evenly across your shoulders. Its top handle gives you a way to quickly move it around or toss it aside if necessary.

• Duffel: Duffel bags vary in size and are built with padded shoulder straps and carrying handles. Although a little less comfortable than a backpack, their wide openings add convenience when it comes to loading it up and finding what you need.

• Roll-Up: This series of pouches or sleeves—rolled up for storage and spread out flat when open—carry fewer tools than backpacks or duffel bags, but they keep small tools and sets well-organized and compact.

• Bucket Organizer: Although technically not a “bag”, a bucket organizer (a pocketed sleeve that fits over an existing 5-gallon bucket) serves the same purpose, and I’ve found their open design especially convenient for loading and accessing my gear quickly.

Max Weight

Tool bags are designed to carry more weight than a typical tote bag or backpack, but they’re not indestructible. If you haul a lot of weight and want to increase your bag’s overall longevity, choose one with the highest maximum weight allowance. And don’t just guess your tool weight. Use a scale at home to get an accurate number if you’re not sure.

Material

Considering the heavy weight, rough environments, and naturally sharp and abrasive tools it’s exposed to, a tool bag must be made of high-quality material.

Polyester and Nylon

These synthetic fabrics are known for their durability and light weight, but when comparing tool bag options, the weight of the fabric—known as “denier”—is a better comparison tool. Denier (D) is a unit of measurement that represents the weight of a single strand of material, with a higher denier indicating a heavier, thicker fabric. For example, a tool bag made of 1200D polyester is more durable and heavy-duty than a bag made from 600D polyester.

Canvas

Canvas is more absorbent than polyester and nylon, which makes it ideal for storing oily tools, but it’s heavier than the aforementioned synthetics. Its weight is measured in ounces per square yard of material, with a higher weight naturally translating to a thicker, sturdier material. A decent tool bag is made of heavyweight canvas that’s about 16 to 18 ounces per square yard.

How We Selected

As a former residential and commercial carpenter in New York City, I used tool bags to transport my gear to and from my woodshop, across town on public transportation, and up residential walk-ups. This experience taught me the importance of durability, organization, and comfort in a tool bag, and I kept these factors in mind when assembling this list.

After finalizing the categories I felt were most useful to the average DIY-er, I chose products based on my own personal experience with specific models, as well as brands I’ve come to know and trust over the years—like DeWalt, Carhartt, and Klein Tools. I also took budget into account and did my best to include a range of prices to choose from.

DG5543 Tool Bag

This DeWalt model has been my primary tool bag for years, and I’m still impressed with how well it’s held up. This duffel-style bag packs a lot into its wide variety of storage pockets.

My personal favorite is the square-shaped velcro pocket on the exterior of the bag that’s perfectly sized to hold a tape measure. Its main compartment is spacious, and I also appreciate the yellow bottom of the interior, which helps me spot dropped screws or other small fasteners.

It’s an incredibly durable bag, made of heavy-duty fabric that’s thick enough to withstand both the abuse of a job site and the jostling of sharp and pointy tools you store inside. Its rubber feet keep it upright and also prevent the bottom from coming in contact with liquid spills. If you’re looking for a slightly bigger bag, DeWalt has a similar one that’s 16 inches long.

Legacy Tool Bag

Carhartt makes high-quality, durable products, and this tool bag is no different. Triple needle stitching, YKK zippers, and metal clips help this model stand up to typical wear and tear, and its water repellent fabric gives your tools extra protection against splashes or spills in your workspace.

Unlike flimsier models that can collapse or fold over, this bag has an integrated metal frame, keeping it upright and sturdy while you dig through it for that one tough-to-locate bit. Reach your most frequently used tools quickly when you place them in one of the bag’s 17 exterior pockets, and carry bulkier items around with ease in one of its large sleeves.

Tool Roll

Keep small tools and tool sets protected and organized with the Bucket Boss tool roll. Made of heavy-duty canvas that weighs 18 ounces per square yard, this roll is durable enough to withstand drops and abrasions, and two quick-release buckles secure it from unraveling and scattering tools everywhere.

Unlike synthetic materials, the canvas construction also absorbs any excess oil left on your tools. This is especially convenient for those who prefer to keep a coating of oil on their hand tools to prevent rust.

This roll includes 11 pockets on each side, 17 loops in the center, and 3 velcro pockets on the end for smaller items—more than enough for many mobile DIYers.

DGL523 57-Pocket LED Lighted Tool Backpack

I used this backpack for over two years as a carpenter in New York City and confidently vouch for its winning combination of durability and comfort—not to mention its convenient layout. Its 57 pockets provide a ton of storage options.

A roomy main compartment safely stores power drills and other bulky items. The main zipper extends all the way down to the base of the bag, opening it like a clam shell for complete access. Thick padding on the shoulder straps and back pad add comfort, but two heavy-duty carrying handles give you an alternate carrying option if your back and shoulders need a rest.

I initially saw the built-in LED light as little more than a gimmick, but not long after I started using this bag, it came in handy much more than I expected. With the push of a button it illuminates the interior of your bag to help you find lost items. It also flips outward to cast additional light on a dark workspace.

Bucketeer Bucket Tool Organizer

Although not technically a tool bag, this bucket organizer serves a similar purpose. Essentially a sleeve that fits over a separate 3- or 5-gallon bucket (not included), this carryall provides a ton of storage options while still taking advantage of the rigid shape and strength of a plastic bucket. And if you are using larger, heavier tools that don’t fit into the organizer’s 30 pockets, simply toss them into the wide, open top, and retrieve them when you’re ready to work again.

Although the 600D polyester is relatively less durable than other polyester tool bags, it’s not much of an issue because the bucket itself supports most of the weight.

Wide Mouth Storage Bag

Measuring just 12 inches long and featuring 7 external pockets, this compact option delivers a useful combination of portability and functionality. Its two duffel-style carrying handles and its padded shoulder strap ensure convenient and comfortable transport, and an abrasion-resistant bottom helps the bag maintain its shape while you root through it.

This bag isn’t spacious enough to contain an advanced DIYers entire tool collection, but it’s a great option for apartment dwellers low on space, or as a supplemental bag to keep in your RV, boat, or cabin. If you need something with a bit more room, this bag also comes in 14- and 16-inch models.

55419SP-14 Tool Bag with Shoulder Strap

Carry this bag with its wide compartments on your person while you work. It’s that lightweight and compact. Of course, that also means it’s not large enough to hold a full tool collection, but with 14 pockets and an open top, it still has enough room for a variety of hand tools.

The heavy-duty carrying handle and padded shoulder strap add comfort and are strong enough to easily support up to 11 pounds of weight. The molded, flat bottom prevents the bag from tipping over when set on the ground and protects the interior from nearly an inch of standing water. I’m also a big fan of the orange interior color, increasing visibility when searching inside.

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