Bala Bangles have taken the health and fitness community by storm over the last few years.
Since launching in 2022, these sleek and stylish bangles can be found on the wrists of lots of fitness influencers on YouTube and Instagram.
Everyone seems to be going crazy for these wearable weights!
But are Bala Bangles worth the hype? More importantly, are they worth the hefty price tag?
In this guide I’ll provide an honest review of Bala Bangles so you can decide for yourself if they will become your next investment.
In this guide we’ll look at:
- What are Bala Bangles?
- Benefits of using Bala Bangles
- How to wear Bala Bangles
- Who should wear Bala Bangles?
- Pros and cons of using Bala Bangles
- Bala Bangles: Are they worth the hype?
- Where to buy Bala Bangles
- The best alternatives to Bala Bangles
Ready?
Let’s go!
What are Bala Bangles?
Bala Bangles are wearable weights for domestic use and workouts.
They come in a variety of colours and their sleek, modern shape has quickly made them the most in-demand fitness accessory.
The bangles can be worn on your wrists or ankles either at home or during a workout.
On their website, Bala claims their bangles add ‘a constant but comfortable resistance to your workout.’
Each bangle weighs 1 lb (0.45 kg) which is on the lighter side when it comes to wearable weights.
However, depending on how you use them, this may be plenty enough.
According to Bala, the bangles are made from high quality materials: ‘steel wrapped in baby soft silicone with athletic elastic and hook and loop fasteners to allow for a perfect fit every time’.
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Benefits of using Bala Bangles
#1 They add resistance to a workout
One of the main benefits of Bala Bangles is that they add resistance to your workout.
As with any pair of wearable weights, when you wear them during workout you are effectively adding extra resistance, and therefore you increase the intensity of your workout.
This is great if you are looking for a low impact way of making your workout that little bit harder.
That said, they are very light weights as far as added resistance goes.
If you’re looking for a more intense workout, then you may benefit from using free weights like dumbbells or kettlebells instead.
#2 They are great for beginners
As we explained above, Bala Bangles work by increasing the intensity of your workout through added resistance.
If you’re new to workouts with weights, Bala Bangles offer a beginner-friendly route into strength training using free weights.
Once you’ve mastered some basic movements with these bangles, then you will feel much more confident moving onto free weights like dumbbells and kettle bells.
#3 They look good
There’s no question – these bangles look great so if you’re after an Instagrammable aesthetic, Bala Bangles are for you.
Gone are the days of bulky, sand-filled wearable weights.
Bala Bangles (true to their name) are sleek and minimalistic. You feel like you’re wearing a trendy bracelet and not workout gear which is a huge plus!
They also come in a range of colours – from pastel hues to bright shades – so you’re bound to find a shade that suits your style.
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How to wear Bala Bangles
Bala Bangles are wearable weights for your wrists and ankles.
They have an elastic hook and loop fasteners so they are simple to slip on and fasten.
The silicon material also ensures they don’t slip off your wrists and ankles when you’re working out.
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Who should wear Bala Bangles?
According to Bala, their bangles can be worn during the following types of workout:
- Yoga
- Aerobics
- Boxing
- Pilates
- Walking
- Home workouts
- Core training
- Rehabilitation
Each bangle weighs 1 lb (0.45 kg) so they offer light resistance during any one of these workouts.
This begs the question: When should Bala Bangles not be worn?
Avoid wearing wearable weights like Bala Bangles during cardio exercise (e.g. brisk walking, running) and high impact workouts (e.g. high intensity interval training).
Research from Harvard Health tells us that wearing wearable weights during high impact workouts or cardio exercise can increase risk of injury as it causes muscle imbalances.
Their advice is to use wearable weights for targeted exercises – that is exercises that target specific groups of muscles.
Wearable ankle weights are helpful for exercises that target the leg and hip muscles.
Whereas wearable wrist weights are great for targeted exercise if you can’t grip a dumbbell (e.g. for standard arm exercises such as bicep curls, rows or shoulder exercises).
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Pros and cons of using Bala Bangles
Here are the pros and cons of using Bala Bangles.
Pro: They’re appealing to look at
As I’ve already discussed, Bala Bangles are a really appealing and cool looking piece of fitness equipment.
Aesthetically, they’re one of the best pairs of wearable weights on the market.
So if you’re looking for an Instagram-worthy piece of fitness equipment, these are for you!
Pro: They’re easy to wear
They fit snugly against your skin and they don’t chafe, rub or cause irritation.
They’re also easy to slip on and off – you don’t have to mess around with Velcro straps.
The elastic hook and loop fastening also means you don’t have to adjust the weights during a workout.
Con: They’re very lightweight
Depending on what you want to use them for, the fact that they’re lightweight may be a plus for you.
But if you’re looking for an intense workout, Bala Bangles won’t cut the mustard.
At 1 lb each, these bangles are never going to push you out of your comfort zone if you’re looking to build strength.
Sure you can use them during a home workout or during your next yoga flow, but they won’t make a huge difference.
If your main goal is to build strength, then you will be better off using dumbbells.
Con: They can get in the way of your workout
Compared with other wearable weights, Bala Bangles are very sleek.
However, this doesn’t mean they don’t get in the way of your workout.
During higher intensity movements like jump squats, they can slip around somewhat.
Also, the bangles wrap around the same part of your wrist as a fitness watch, so you often have to choose between the bangles or your fitness tracker.
Con: They’re very expensive
A pair of Bala Bangles will set you back $55 which is a huge sum for what effectively are a pair of silicone wearable weights.
The bangles regularly sell out on the Bala website so there is clearly a market for these bangles.
However, with a price point of over $50, the bangles will not be for everyone.
There are cheaper alternatives on the market which we summarise at the end of this guide.
Con: They’re not adjustable
A pair of Bala Bangles only come in one weight: 2 x 1 lb.
Unlike some other wearable weights on the market, you can’t adjust the weight of your bangle which is unfortunate given the price tag.
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Bala Bangles: Are they worth the hype?
It really depends on your fitness goals and personal preferences as to whether you invest in a pair of Bala Bangles.
If your budget isn’t a limiting factor for you and you’re looking for a pair of sleek, good-looking wearable weights to show off on your Insta profile, then Bala Bangles may be the best choice for you.
Are they worth the $50+ price tag?
The fact that they are not adjustable and don’t come in a range of weights are both pretty big limiting factors that may lead some people to opt for cheaper alternatives.
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Where to buy Bala Bangles
The best place to buy Bala Bangles is from the Bala website.
They stock a full range of the bangles, alongside complementary fitness equipment like
You can also buy the bangles from online stores like Amazon and John Lewis.
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The best alternatives to Bala Bangles
There are plenty of alternatives to Bala Bangles on the market if you have a limited budget or would prefer a different type of wearable weight.
Here are my top picks.
#1 Core Balance Ankle and Wrist Weights (£10.99)
Core Balance offer a range of high quality fitness equipment.
Their adjustable ankle and wrist weights are made from neoprene with Velcro straps and come in a range of intensity levels from 0.5kg to 2kg.
The Velcro straps are a bit fiddly to begin with but once you get the hang of them, these weights are a simple and cheap alternative to Bala Bangles.
#2 Cretee Adjustable Ankle and Wrist Weights (£16.28)
These ankle and wrist weights from Cretee are the best dupes for Bala Bangles.
They are made from silicon and cast iron and come in a range of colours and are fastened using a Velcro strap.
Like Bala Bangles, they have a sleek and minimalist design, but without the price tag!
#3 Sportneer Adjustable Weights Set (£17.99)
If you’re looking for a pair of wearable weights with a range of resistance levels, then these weights from Sportneer tick all the boxes.
Each ankle weight comes with five removable pockets which weigh between 0.5 lbs to 2 lbs.
The weights are made of a neoprene exterior, with reinforced stitching, a D-ring metal loop and anti-fray trim.
#4 Build and Fitness Adjustable Ankle and Wrist Weights (£23.99)
These sleek, fully adjustable wrist and ankle weights from Build & Fitness are perfect to add resistance to your run or workout.
They have a unique, triangular design and each weight is removable meaning you can really tailor the intensity of your workout.
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