Was looking for a new gym bag for a while. I always do backpacks these days as they are the right size for my use, but everything else out there has to many straps and stuff hanging all over them. And the side pockets - if they have them - usually don't hold my water bottles that I always have with me. The bigger kicker on this bag was the outside shoe pocket area.
Spring and fall or if going to the gym from work, there are times I need to put more stuff in my bag and that can be tough to do with a pair of shoes in there, too. Now I have room to move them to the outside if I want. That being said, this bag is a little bigger than your average backpack out there, so you have more internal space anyway. I have started keeping a pair of slides in the outside shoe pocket for use going to the sauna, etc at the gym where you don't want to walk barefoot.
Would highly recommend. Some 10-15 years ago I got a KNKG bag that was great and I still have. Couple little stitching issues on it, but otherwise it has held up. So went with them again for this bag.