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Bala Bangles review: the easy way to add resistance to your day

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Lucy Gornall

Published: 13:51, 23 Aug 2022
Updated: 16:29, 3 Dec 2024

Resistance-based exercise is famed for its many benefits: it helps to build and maintain muscle mass, protects bones, improves the health of our heart, and helps with posture, overall mood and weight loss.

But of course, not everyone has the time, money or inclination to go to a gym and lift weights, so I've done a Bala Bangles review to see if it's an easy way to add resistance into everyday life.

If you were to check out Bala, the American brand behind Bala Bangles, on Instagram, you’d find a sleek, gen-z-friendly brand.

However, behind the glossy and modern Instagram feed, Bala Bangles do seem like a convenient, practical tool that anybody can incorporate into everyday life.

As a personal trainer and health journalist, I rave endlessly about the importance of weights. So I was keen to give the Bala Bangles a go over several weeks, to see if they’re worth the £40 (or $55) price tag...

UK: Bala Bangles, 1 lb, £40 (saving £10) from House of Fraser -
US: Bala Bangles, 1 lb, $55 from Bala -

Rating: 4/5

Pros

Easy way to add resistance
Look great
Available in a range of colours
Fit on the wrists and ankles easily
Versatile — work for wrists and ankles

Cons

Can look bulky
Could lead to injury
Not practical if you wear a fitness tracker

Bala Bangles review: quick summary

For an easy, practical and fuss-free way to add resistance to workouts, the Bala Bangles offer a sleek solution.

What stands out is their versatility; they can be worn for workouts, or just during general day-to-day life. I found them to be comfortable; they’re easy to get on and the velcro fastening is strong and doesn’t come loose over time.

Although a little clunky, they aren’t screamingly obvious, and could potentially just look like large bangles (as the name suggests). On the ankles, they look less obvious, especially if you wear the black pair over a pair of dark leggings.

Wearing the Bala Bangles is noticeable at first; after all, you’re carrying an extra pound of weight (there's also a 2 lb version for people who want something more intense). Even picking up a coffee or lifting something out of the fridge feels more like a slog. But, over an hour or two, this became less obvious and I got quite comfortable wearing them.

Generally, these are a really practical addition to your day and are good for anyone wanting to subtly add a little bit of extra resistance.

They won’t replace a proper lifting session at the gym, but they certainly can help to make muscles work a little harder. Every little helps, as they say!

UK: Bala Bangles, 1 lb, £40 (saving £10) from House of Fraser -
US: Bala Bangles, 1 lb, $55 from Bala -

Bala Bangles review: full review

which included that "resistance exercise using either dumbbells or ankle-wrist weights produced significant improvements in certain components of body composition", there is also that says there’s a chance that wearing ankle weights can cause ankle joint pain, which in turn could lead to pain in the knees, hips and back.

So if you’re someone who does suffer from back or hip pain already, it might be worth checking with your GP before wearing these.

When I wore them, I didn’t notice any pain though so this could depend on the person so I can’t speak for everyone.

First impressions

Ankle and wrist weights have been around for several years; the concept of them is nothing new. However, attractive ankle and wrist weights are another kettle of fish. The Bala Bangles help to tick the ‘attractive’ box; they look really good.

They look sleek with no added frills, weighing 1lb each (just under half a kilo). They're made from recycled steel and smooth silicone and come in a neat mesh carry case.

It’s easy to ensure Bala Bangles fit in with your everyday style. The bangles are available in a range of colours from charcoal to baby pink, blue and white — there's even a

I tried the pink ones, which aren’t really my colour, but I can imagine the black pair would have fitted in seamlessly with my usual wardrobe choices.

The bangles fit well and are very easy to slide onto the wrists and ankles. Each bangle is elastic with an elasticated velcro fastening, ensuring the weight fits snugly, with no slippage. (On one particularly sweaty run, they did start to wriggle around on my wrists, but this wasn’t common.)

Wearing both of the bangles (this is the correct way to wear them so that the weight is balanced) means adding nearly 1kg to your usual weight. It might not seem much, but it does certainly add an extra level of intensity.

UK: Bala Bangles, 1 lb, £40 (saving £10) from House of Fraser -
US: Bala Bangles, 1 lb, $55 from Bala -

Bala Bangles worn as wrist weights

has also found that wearing ankle weights whilst on the treadmill could help improve cardiovascular fitness and boost weight loss.

As for keeping the Bala Bangles clean (after all, they do get covered in sweat and general dirt), they are easy to wipe clean with a damp cloth or wipe.

UK: Bala Bangles, 1 lb, £40 (saving £10) from House of Fraser -
US: Bala Bangles, 1 lb, $55 from Bala -

How much do Bala Bangles cost?

In the UK you can find Bala Bangles for around £40 a pair (although their RRP is £50), which I don’t think is too bad. In the US, they retail for around $55.

Admittedly, it isn’t cheap as a which come in at around £10/$12, but you can’t carry hand weights around all day. Instead, the Bala Bangles offer a simple way to add resistance without you even realising it.

It’s also worth noting that gym memberships, which often go unused, cost far more than £40. In fact, they often rack up more than that per month.

found that unused gym memberships are the most common unused outgoing for Brits.

Suddenly, £40 on a set of ankle/wrist weights doesn’t seem so bad, and they’re likely to rack up more use due to their practicality.

Where to buy Bala Bangles

, thanks to a 50% discount on Luisaviaroma.

You can also get them from:

If you're situated in the US, the best place to shop Bala Bangles is probably , where you can find the majority of colours and styles available. You can also find them at:

Bala bangles review: the verdict

Overall, I would recommend the Bala Bangles for people who simply want to add some basic resistance into their life, without having to go to the gym.

Of course, for muscle growth, you want to ideally be building up your weight over time, which isn’t possible with these wrist weights, but they can help to engage muscles, keep them active and also maintain muscle mass. In a world where many of us are inactive or are simply not using our muscles, these could offer a nice solution.

For seniors, I’d also say that these are a useful tool to incorporate resistance into everyday life; it is seniors who often suffer from a loss of muscle mass, as muscle mass deteriorates as we age, and the older population may be more likely to reduce their day to day movement.