Tennis is a fantastic sport but carrying tennis rackets can be a chore. After investing in the perfect tennis racket for your needs, you really don’t want them getting damaged when you throw them into the boot of your car! That’s why racket bags are so popular with professional and recreational tennis players alike.
In this article, we will take an in-depth look at all the various types of racket bags that are out there and help you to find the perfect fit for your needs.
What are the different types of racket bags?
There are actually quite a few variations of the standard racket bag. In this section, we will discuss each one in turn, looking at the advantages/disadvantages of each, and explaining who each bag is best suited for.
1-2 Racket Bags
This is the best-priced option and is perfect for beginners and recreational players who only own one or two rackets. If you only own one racket, then the 1-2 racket bag will be perfect. You can carry your other equipment separately if you need it.
Advantages:
- Lower price compared to larger bags
- Takes up less space when not in use
- Easier to carry
Disadvantages:
- Limits the number of rackets you can own
- Harder to store other items such as kit as it is smaller
Perfect for:
- Beginners
- Recreational Players
- Going on holiday/travelling
3 Racket Bags
A slightly larger bag than the 1-2 racket bags, the 3 racket bag is much more popular with amateur players. This is thanks to the extra space available. You may not be able to carry spare clothes or shoes in the bag, it’s too small for that, but extra tennis balls? Definitely. It also holds your rackets more securely, and yet a 3 racket bag is still fairly inexpensive. If you plan to play regularly, then a 3 racket bag is a better option than a 1-2 racket bag.
Advantages:
- Excellent price point
- Good carrying capacity for an hour’s tennis
- Still easy to carry and store
Disadvantages:
- Limits the number of rackets you can own
- Hard to store miscellaneous items due to small size
Perfect for:
- Beginners
- Recreational Players
- Club Players
- Going on holiday/travelling
6 Racket Bags
This is the standard sized bag for most tennis players and is perfect for tournaments. The price point rises slightly once you upgrade to 6 racket bags, but there are still inexpensive bags available.
6 racket bags will provide you the option of carrying multiple rackets to a match, or you can use some of the space to carry a spare pair of shoes, some kit, food, and drink, or whatever else you feel that you need for a match.
Advantages:
- Large range in prices to suit every budget
- Allows you to carry spare rackets for different opponents or conditions
- Increased space for miscellaneous items
Disadvantages:
- Harder to store due to size
- Bigger, heavier bag is harder to carry and transport to matches
Perfect for:
- Club players
- Professional players
9-15 Racket Bags
9 racket bags are perfect for tournament play, or for sharing with a doubles partner. The same goes for 12-15 racket bags. These bags are larger investments than the other bags, and tend to be slightly higher in quality as well as having more space for rackets, kit, and anything else you need to bring to a match.
Advantages:
- Allows you to pack a racket for every conceivable condition
- Lots of space for miscellaneous items
- Heavy duty and well-constructed
- Security for your rackets
Disadvantages:
- Takes up a lot of storage space
- Harder to transport
- Higher price compared to smaller racket bags
Perfect for:
- Club players
- Professional players
- Families who play together (doubles, mixed doubles)
- Holidays and travelling
Backpack
If you don’t play tennis very often, then a backpack or rucksack is another option. Typically, a backpack is only going to be able to carry one racket, and possibly some other items. But that may be all you need. What’s great about backpacks is that they can be used outside of tennis too, making them a great investment.
Advantages:
- Multiple uses
- Inexpensive
- Easy to transport
- Easy to store
Disadvantages:
- Not as secure for your racket
- Limited space for rackets
- Limited space for miscellaneous items
Perfect for:
- Beginners
- Recreational players
- Going on holiday/travelling
Duffel Bag
This is basically the same idea as a backpack or rucksack but is closer in size and shape to a traditional racket bag. The advantage of a duffel bag over a backpack is that you can easily fit the whole racket into a duffel bag, while backpacks require you to keep the handle out of the bag due to size limitations.
Advantages:
- Multiple uses
- Inexpensive
- Easy to store
Disadvantages:
- Not as secure for your racket as no dedicated space
- Not as easy to transport as a backpack
Perfect for:
- Beginners
- Recreational players
- Going on holiday or travelling
Things to consider
When searching for the ideal racket bag for your needs, there are several things to consider. Here is a quick list of them:
Shoe pocket
If you are planning on purchasing a larger racket bag, then you need to decide whether you are going to be carrying your shoes in it or not. If you are, then choosing a bag that has a dedicated shoe pocket could be a good idea. Though you can still place shoes in a bag without a shoe pocket.
Waterproof
If you play indoors exclusively, then a waterproof racket bag isn’t necessary. For everyone else? Absolutely. The last thing you want is a rain-sodden racket bag that is twice as heavy and filled with a mixture of rain water, soggy clothes, and soaking wet rackets.
Climate Control Technology
Extreme weather can actually damage your rackets, particularly extremely hot conditions. If you live in a very sunny country, or only play when the sun is shining, then finding a bag with climate control technology can be beneficial.
Material
How thick the materials used to make the racket bag are can be important if you plan on storing your rackets in the bag 24/7. Canvas can help to keep a racket bag waterproof, for example. If the materials can help create climate control, then that’s another benefit.
Padded
Is your racket bag padded? Having extra padding can help to protect your rackets from wear and tear as you drop your bag to the ground, accidentally bump it into things, or during a car journey where the bag can rock from side to side. If the bag isn’t padded you can make-do with spare clothing, but it’s not the same.
Number of compartments
As we’ve established, your racket bag is not just for carrying rackets. You need to carry tennis balls, spare clothing, drinks, snacks, shoes, and other items that you want near you while you play (wallet, keys etc). Having more compartments can help keep everything separate, which is very useful.
Your budget
There isn’t a huge difference in price between a backpack, duffel bag, or 1-3 racket bag. But the larger sized bags can be considerably more expensive. At which point, your personal budget comes into play. Remember though, getting a more expensive bag may work out cheaper in the long run if the bag is of good quality and lasts longer.
Racket bag maintenance
To ensure that your bag stays in good condition you should treat it well when not in use. Don’t overload the bag. The outside of the bag can be cleaned with a cloth and some washing detergent.
If you are going to clean the inside, then turn the bag inside out (if possible) and ensure that you air-dry it properly in a well ventilated room afterwards.
Keep the bag out of direct sunlight as much as possible, be careful about which surfaces you place it on, and avoid throwing it around.
