Remember how excited you were to get your first locker in middle school? Your locker was your home, your haven—it had everything you needed. You might not feel quite the same way about a gym locker, but its purpose is no less important.

If you just joined a gym or need to build up your supplies, you’re probably thinking about the important things to keep in your locker.  Every athlete has unique needs, but in our eyes, there are some gym locker room essentials that apply to everyone. If you need guidance on what to keep in your gym locker to ensure your workout is seamless from start to finish, we’ve got your back.

Gym Locker Room Essentials: The Complete List

Looking and smelling good aren’t the only priorities if you’re looking to have the best-stocked locker at your gym. We’ve listed some essential items below that can make the difference between a productive workout and a dud.

1. Gym Bag
2. Body Wash: OffCourt Deep-Cleansing Body Wash
3. Deodorant: OffCourt Performance Body Spray
4. Moisturizer: OffCourt Lightweight Facial Hydrator
5. Breathable Clothing
6. Gym Shoes
7. Water Bottle
8. Gym Towel
9. Gym Snack
10. First Aid & Personal Care Essentials

Locker Room Essentials Every Athlete Needs

1. A Gym Bag

Above all else, you’ll need some kind of gym bag or tote to hold all your locker room essentials. We recommend choosing an option with plenty of pockets and storage space to keep things tidy. You may also want to pick up a smaller bag to store your hygiene products in safely.

OffCourt makes it simple to stash your gym bag with all the locker room essentials you need. Our Gym Bag Kit is the perfect addition for any athlete or person who regularly hits the gym. It features our Lightweight Facial Hydrator, Performance Body Spray, and Deep Cleansing Body Wash in travel-friendly sizes. The best part, though, is its handy-dandy zip-pouch, which makes it quick and easy to grab what you need to freshen up.

2. Body Wash: OffCourt Deep-Cleansing Body Wash

A quality body wash is a must if you plan to shower after a workout (and you should). OffCourt’s Deep-Cleansing Body Wash’s pleasant odor is just one reason you need this item in your gym locker. Unlike many hard-working body washes, ours cleanses while leaving your body’s natural oils behind, keeping your skin’s microbiome intact. The body wash also exfoliates your skin through non-particulate substances, which will leave your skin soft and highly moisturized.

Deep Cleansing Body Wash - Fig Leaves + White Musk

SHOP NOW $ 16

3. Deodorant: OffCourt Performance Body Spray

Every athlete understands the importance of a great deodorant. It’s worth it to smell good before, during, and after any workout. OffCourt’s Performance Body Spray is here to help make it happen. 

Our body spray is a combination deodorant-body spray that first provides a lasting layer of pleasant smells over your skin. The spray’s prebiotics help foster the growth of good bacteria and reduce bad bacteria—the type that causes body odor when mixed with sweat. It comes in three fragrance profiles that last longer than most other body sprays.

Performance Body Spray - Fresh Citron + Driftwood

SHOP NOW $ 14

4. Moisturizer: OffCourt Lightweight Facial Hydrator

Your skin is especially delicate after being exposed to sweat and warm water. After a workout is the perfect time to lather on a quality moisturizer, but feeling weighed down by thick, greasy formulas is never fun. OffCourt’s Lightweight Facial Hydrator works differently; your skin quickly absorbs the lotion, so hydration occurs at the source. The hydrator contains creatine, prebiotics and vitamin C to boost your health.

Light-Weight Facial Hydrator

SHOP NOW $ 14

5. Breathable Clothing

Assuming your gym has a no-shirt-no-shoes-no-service policy, you’ll be wearing your workout gear as you walk in the door. There’s no harm in having backup clothes, though. And what kind of clothes should you have?

Moisture-wicking shirts are in high demand for athletes and people who work out. These garments gather sweat from the wearer and push it to the outside layer, where it can evaporate. Not all the sweat evaporates from these shirts, though, which can create a stinky situation later on when you stash it in your gym bag.

Shirts made from breathable fabrics like cotton can help your body sweat like normal while giving you a full range of motion in the gym. Cotton shirts also dry fairly quickly. 

6. Gym Shoes

Plenty of people have special workout shoes, while others simply wear sneakers everywhere. Regardless of where you land, consider picking up some shoes primarily made of mesh fabric or otherwise breathable material. Those are less likely to make a big stink in your gym bag or locker.

7. Water Bottle

Nothing is more important for an athlete’s body than hydration. A plain water bottle works just fine, but you might consider getting one that keeps water cold, holds a large amount of liquid, and has plenty of room for all the neat stickers.

8. Gym Towel(s)

A clean towel is arguably one of the most important things to keep in your gym locker. Wiping down your sweat after using gym equipment is courteous, and wiping things down before you use them can prevent the spread of bacteria and infectious diseases. Use a different towel to dry off if you plan on taking a shower at your gym.

9. Gym Snack(s)

Dietary needs and restrictions are as numerous as stars in the sky, so we won’t pose as your nutritionist or dietitian. However, we recommend the following snacks to keep in your locker for the pre-workout energy boost, if nothing else:

• Granola bars with plenty of protein
• An apple or orange
• Protein bars or shakes
• Nuts, dried fruits, trail mix, etc.

If you have enough time before your workout, you might benefit from eating a bigger meal, like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, omelet, or oatmeal. The same carbohydrate-rich foods can be just as beneficial after a workout.

10. First Aid & Personal Care Necessities

Your gym might have a first aid kit, but remember the old adage: it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Your locker probably isn’t big enough for every first aid bell and whistle, but the following items might prove useful: 

• Latex gloves
• Adhesive bandages
• Pain relievers
• Cotton rounds
• Tampons, menstrual pads, and baby wipes
• Heated pads for muscle aches
• Hand sanitizer

A medical bracelet is important if you have a health condition that may incapacitate you while exerting yourself. Be sure it contains your name, medical information, emergency contact, doctor’s contact information, and instructions for medicine application. 

Final Thoughts

Does all this sound like a lot of stuff to keep in your locker? If so, we understand. You may not need a stash of snacks for your locker or alternate pairs of shoes. You may also be limited by your locker’s available space. Over time, you’ll discover what needs to be in your locker every time and what you can go without. 

We might be biased, but the team here at OffCourt believes that our products, which are designed to work with your sweat, can take your workout game to the next level. Your skin is the largest organ in the body, and we believe yours needs to be treated right. Shop our full collection of products to discover even more options that will take your workout to new heights.

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