Pvolve review: Is this workout bundle the answer to maintaining a fitness routine while travelling?

When I first started travelling, I didn’t do much to maintain a sense of routine. Healthy habits were left on the tarmac in London, and my gym kit was folded at home, patiently waiting for my return, when I’d throw it on immediately to try and get back into the swing of fitness post-trip. Now, though, as my movements both across the country and abroad have increased, I feel the need to maintain a level of consistency in the way that I live day to day. Fitness is a non-negotiable when I travel, be it through pre-programmed workouts, scheduled in-person classes, or simply getting my steps in by exploring the local area. It helps me stay focused both mentally and physically, and the sense of familiarity makes me feel at home in new places.

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Now more than ever, it feels as though wellness and travel can coexist. People like me are actively seeking it, and hotels are responding. Innovative, medical-grade treatments (I had an IV drip designed to beat jet lag when I arrived at my most recent destination), resident personal trainers, full-body fitness analysis, reformer pilates studios and state-of-the-art gym facilities are par for the course at some of the best hotels in the world. I’ve even heard of hotels with Olympic-sized swimming pools. All incredible accolades, and ones I’d endeavour to try whenever possible, but there are times – when itineraries are jam-packed or jet-lag makes turning up to that sunrise yoga class feel a step too far – that simplicity is paramount, and ‘something’ is better than nothing.

When I first came across Pvolve and its Sculpt Anywhere Travel Bundle, I thought I’d struck gold and hit purchase without thinking twice. This felt like the companion I needed, and one month into my three-month trial, I’m still feeling pretty smug about my discovery. First and foremost, it genuinely has been designed to travel, and it hasn’t ever felt as though it’s added unnecessary weight to my carry-on.

Inside, the equipment is versatile and effective. Bands in varying lengths and with different accessories attached (fingerless gloves on one, ankle straps on another) are weightless… until you’re on set three of a particularly challenging move that makes your muscles ache in ways dumbbells never could. There’s also a set of sliders and my favourite contraption – a weighted ball that attaches to the longest of bands and can be used for tricep extensions, side plank variations and all manner of weird and wonderful moves I’d never tried before.

You have to pay for a membership (about £25 pm), and it entitles you to a library of pre-recorded classes that target specific body parts and last for varying lengths of time. Whether or not this extra investment is worthwhile, I’m yet to decipher, but it is helpful to have something to follow, at least when starting out.

So far, I’ve added workouts into my schedule when they wouldn’t otherwise feature. In Ibiza, I rolled out my mat on the terrace of my room for a 30-minute pre-dinner ‘Lower Body Sculpt’. In Suffolk, I used it in the kitchen of our self-catering cottage, and when we head to Bodrum next week, I’ll be aiming to complete in-room workouts instead of getting to the gym so I can use the time while my babies nap in the day (don’t quote me on that – the balcony sun loungers might feel significantly more appealing).

As with all wellness pursuits, commitment will be key to feeling the potential benefits of my new bag of tricks, but so far I’ve enjoyed the on-demand classes and am keen to try as many as I can before deciding whether to commit to the long-term monthly investment. Perhaps I can just use what I’ve learned to design my own mini home/on location workouts? Either way, I love working with new accessories and have promised myself to make packing my Pvolve Sculpt Anywhere Travel Bundle a habit.

One note? The travel bundle only ships via the US site, although it will ship to the UK. But Healf stocks a range of Pvolve products just as travel-friendly with shorter lead times.