Century leads the pack with its wide range of freestanding punching bags in its “Wavemaster” collection.
I’m sure you’re scratching your head about which is the better option between the Wavemaster XXL and the Wavemaster 2XL Pro.
They’re almost identical but with a few key differences.
I’ve researched both options extensively, and I’ll put this debate to bed for you easily:
Key takeaways
👉 Century’s Wavemaster XXL and the 2XL Pro are very similar.
👉 The 2XL has additional padding and a slightly larger striking area on the punching bag.
👉 The 2XL also has an improved locking nut to prevent it from accidentally unscrewing.
👉 The 2XL also has an angled base that makes it harder to knock over but easier to move.
👉 It’s likely worth paying the extra fifty bucks for the 2XL Pro for the extra features if you’ll train on it regularly with some force.
Take a look at both freestanding bags side-by-side:
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Better Choice
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Cheaper
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Primary Rating:
4.7
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Primary Rating:
4.6
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Pros:
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Pros:
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Cons:
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Cons:
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- 67" total height
- 52" bag height
- Base fillable with sand or water
- More padding than the XXL
- Tapered base to prevent tipping over
- Locking nut securing the bag to base for less accidental unscrewing from hits
- Higher price for a few extra features
- 69" total height
- 52" bag height
- Base fillable with sand or water
- Slightly cheaper than the 2XL Pro
- Base is more difficult to move around
- Locking nut sometimes unscrews from regular use
If you want to learn more about the details of these differences, keep reading so you can get the complete picture and decide which to choose!
Table of Contents
Wavemaster XXL vs. 2XL Pro features comparison
The key thing you need to know is that the XXL and the 2XL Pro are extremely similar models.
Century has made some minor improvements to the 2XL Pro above the XXL, which may sway it for some people.
That being said, the XXL still leads the way in popularity over its predecessor, the Wavemaster Original.
The Wavemaster XXL has a total height of 69 inches, which is an extra two inches above the 2XL Pro (at 67 inches).
The enlarged version from the original (non-XXL) Wavemaster offers a larger striking area.
- 69" total height
- 52" bag height
- Base fillable with sand or water
- Slightly cheaper than the 2XL Pro
- Base is more difficult to move around
- Locking nut sometimes unscrews from regular use
The Wavemaster XXL bag’s extra height comes from its base, though.
So you’re not necessarily getting any extra bag material because the punching bag on both XXL and 2XL Pro are exactly 18 inches in diameter and 52 inches tall.
The Wavemaster XXL's slightly bigger brother with enhanced safety features.
- 67" total height
- 52" bag height
- Base fillable with sand or water
- More padding than the XXL
- Tapered base to prevent tipping over
- Locking nut securing the bag to base for less accidental unscrewing from hits
- Higher price for a few extra features
But maybe you’re a super tall person, and an extra two inches of overall height is enough for you to go with the XXL because you need as much height as you can get.
At the end of the day, the height difference and its impact is marginal.
But let’s get a tad more into the gritty details between the two so you can make the right choice.
Freestanding base
The first key difference and improvement on the 2XL Pro is that it has a tapered base.
This means its base is slightly larger at the bottom, where it meets the floor, and tapers slightly inward to become less wide at the top of the base.
The tapered base helps focus the center of gravity of the entire freestanding bag.
It gives that extra 10% of resistance against being tipped over from your flying spinning roundhouse kicks.
If you’re also someone with heavy hands and pack a punch, then it could get very irritating for you to have to keep picking up the punching bag to keep training.
If you can hit like Captain America, then you should probably just get a heavy bag.
Filling the Wavemaster with sand
To fill up a Wavemaster XXL with sand, you’ll need four sandbags of 60 lb in weight, for a total of 240 lbs of sand.
The Wavemaster XXL and 2XL Pro both weigh a total of 270 lbs when filled with sand and help stop it from falling over.
Emptying sand out of the Wavemaster
You can empty sand out of a Wavemaster by unscrewing the bag and tipping the base onto its side to let the sand flow out.
But you likely need to get physical and roll it around and shake it to get the leftovers out once the sand stop flowing easily.
Sand is usually the best weighting for the base, but it’s more difficult to empty and messy.
Filling the Wavemaster with water
The Wavemaster XXL can be filled with between 28-29 gallons of water until full.
The total weight of the Wavemaster, once full will reach 270 lbs (or approximately 32 gallons).
Emptying water out from the Wavemaster
You can empty the water out of a Wavemaster by unscrewing the bag and tipping the base onto its side to let the water flow out.
Locking nut
The second key difference (which helps some more with big hitters) is that the 2XL Pro has a locking nut that keeps the bag fixed to the base.
The Wavemaster Original and XXL suffered from a mild problem whereby the bag can unscrew from its base after repetitive hitting, particularly if you hit it in one direction.
For some people, the bag can fall off the base entirely. But if you’re aware of it, you might know better than to hit it in just one direction.
The bag falling off the base, like it falling over entirely, are not much fun for having enjoyable training sessions.
But it’s only likely to affect a small number of people who either train hard or suffer from hitting the bag in only one direction.
So instead, mix it up and hit some combinations!
The traditional Wavemaster bags are designed to be easy to remove from the base, which therein lies the problem.
Extra padding
The third key difference is that the Wavemaster 2XL Pro is designed with extra padding above all the other kinds of Wavemaster bags.
This, again, could be better for heavy hitters or those that train with high intensity.
A common issue with a traditional heavy bag is they can really wear on your knuckles and wrists unless you are practicing perfect form with every hit.
The harder you can hit, the more potential there is for an injury.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s good conditioning to mix in some hard-hitting.
But if you just want to get in a great workout then the extra padding on the 2XL Pro could help you do that with a bit more safety for your hands.
Heavy bags change their consistency from repetitive hits. The filling gets moved around and needs refilling over time.
A Wavemaster freestanding bag is so durable that for most people, they stay the same, no matter where or how hard you hit them.
And it stays like that for a long time — they even have a 1-year warranty, which is pretty good for this kind of product.
The Wavemaster 2XL Pro goes one further with even more padding than any other model they make.
So you’ll know you’re getting the maximum cushioning for punches, kicks, knees, and elbows across the entire bag.
Tips for the Wavemasters
There are a few things you should know about the Wavemasters, whether XXL or 2XL Pro, that will help you know if either is right for you.
How to assemble the Wavemaster 2XL Pro
To assemble the Wavemaster 2XL Pro, first, screw the bag into the base with your hands.
The setup is pretty much complete from there, but it can get better by tightening it even more.
To get a tighter lock between the bag and the base, you’ll want to use the screwdriver method.
Lay it on its side and hold it in place (use your body weight) whilst placing a screwdriver into the hole in the center of the base.
While putting your weight on the base, turn the inner section counterclockwise using the screwdriver like a handle.
You should hear it click once or twice, which locks it in much better. You might get an extra click or two for an extremely secure lock.
Here’s a great tutorial showing you how to do it:
With those clicks, you’re tightening up your Wavemaster 2XL Pro as far as it can go for the best performance when hitting the hell out of it!
Working out at home with Wavemasters
A Wavemaster freestanding punching bag can offer a good workout for all kinds of fighters and martial arts.
The key to getting a good workout on a Wavemaster is having a structured program or guided combinations.
If you’re a beginner, they’re not likely to make you a pro with poor technique.
A Wavemaster is like any other bag. It depends on how you use it.
Many kinds of different martial artists have achieved great workouts from using a Wavemaster, including Boxing, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Taekwondo, and even Kenpo Karate.
Having a freestanding bag might not necessarily improve or change your workouts a great deal.
But the options it gives to have a freestanding bag anywhere you need it is hugely valuable for small areas.
Anywhere you’d usually struggle to hang a heavy bag, you can use a bag like a Wavemaster.
Apartments, garages, or even outside in the middle of the garden where a heavy bag can’t be set up, all become possible.
What others are saying about XXL or 2XL Pro
I’ve noticed that a lot of people are considering using the XXL with their Fightcamp memberships because it used to be used for the same program:
And some are even saying that the Wavemaster XXL is much better than the Fightcamp freestanding bag:
Despite there typically being a lot of love for a Bob XL online, to some people, the size and shape of a Wavemaster is better because there’s more kicking surface:
Final recommendation: XXL or 2XL Pro?
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Better Choice
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Cheaper
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Primary Rating:
4.7
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Primary Rating:
4.6
|
|
Pros:
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Pros:
|
|
Cons:
|
Cons:
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- 67" total height
- 52" bag height
- Base fillable with sand or water
- More padding than the XXL
- Tapered base to prevent tipping over
- Locking nut securing the bag to base for less accidental unscrewing from hits
- Higher price for a few extra features
- 69" total height
- 52" bag height
- Base fillable with sand or water
- Slightly cheaper than the 2XL Pro
- Base is more difficult to move around
- Locking nut sometimes unscrews from regular use
If you’ve had a Wavemaster of any kind before, then you likely already know if the bag tipping over or unscrewing accidentally is an issue in your training.
Almost every other model has the same setup of the base. So unscrewing is kind of a common problem.
If it is an issue, then you might want to consider the Wavemaster 2XL Pro.
It has a few extra improvements that may make the difference; the tapered base, the locking nut, and the extra padding all add up for an improved experience.
You just need to ask yourself: are those extra features worth the higher price?
But overall, both the Wavemaster XXL and the Wavemaster 2XL Pro are decent choices for a freestanding bag option.
Aside from those, you could consider a human-like freestanding bag by Century, the Bob XL.
What to read next
Now that you’re clued up on the feature differences between the Wavemaster XXL and 2XL Pro…
You might want to pair a new freestanding punching bag with new boxing gloves from my top recommendations: