What is the Best Tennis Bag for Me?
The best tennis bag for you isn’t the one the makes you look the best, but the one that handles your needs the best. How many rackets will you carry? Will you need to carry other gear such as tennis balls, grips, dampeners, and water? How about grommets, string, sunscreen, athletic tape, first aid kit, phone charger, change of clothes, a towel, personal hygiene product (like deodorant), shoes, shoe laces, a hat, headband, or wristbands?
Certainly most of us will get by just fine with the basic pieces of equipment every player needs, each one needs to be considered. Having anything beyond a racket eliminates the need for only a racket cover or only a case big enough for just the racket and nothing else.
Consider the cases with enough room to carry balls, grips, dampeners, and water as well as 2 rackets.
Should I have a Bag to Carry a Backup Tennis Racket?
The need for a backup racket is in case your strings break. Strings cannot be repaired immediately. An experienced racket stringer will take a good 30 minutes to string a racket. Some can be done quicker, and some may take longer, depending on factors such as sting choices, tools available, specific customer requests, and availability, but the expectation is if you break a string then you will not get that restrung for at least a day or 2, so have a backup handy. Ideally this racket is the same as or similar to your preferred racket, so playability is similar.
Should I Carry Tennis Balls to My Match?
The standard for a match is 3 tennis balls should be enough to get through a best of 3 set match before losing too much consistency. Etiquette is as follows for who should purchase the balls: Alternate between players if you consistently play each other; if you are the guest, you buy the balls. Choose the balls best suited for your playing conditions and court surface.
Why Do I Need a Tennis Grip In My Bag?
Your tennis grip will likely wear out on you over time, causing you to need to replace it certainly long before you replace your racket and even likely before you replace your strings. A tennis grip will provide the comfort and control you need when playing tennis. Having a replacement overgrip in your bag can save you when the one you have begins to fray and tear. When it can no longer repel or absorb your sweat (grips can do either depending on your preference), it is time to replace your tennis grip. When it slips and slides around your original grip, it is time to replace it.
There are many types of tennis grips out there, and finding the right one for you is important. Choose wisely and make sure you have room in your bag. A small compartment should do for this small item.
Do I Really Need This Racket Dampener?
To our own detriment, probably. The vibrations of the tennis racket are actually wonderful and powerful, and provide us with a wealth of information about our own tennis shot that we cannot process otherwise. We are unable to see ourselves actually hitting the ball, so our internal information is limited to feel and sound. The sound of the hit and the ensuing vibrations can tell us if we hit the balls in the sweet spot, somewhere close, just outside, our WAY OFF.
The problem with the vibrations are that too many of them can also cause stress on your body. The vibrations can eventually lead to chronic problems such as tennis elbow. A dampener can help lesson the vibrations before they reach your hand, limiting both the negative impact of wear and tear, and of course the positive impact of information your senses gather for you. It is probably worth it, and your body will thank you long term if you use one of these items. As it is only a few inches at most, the amount of room you need is fairly negligible.
There’s Always Room For Hydration
Make sure you bring water with you for every tennis match, practice, or hit around. Hydration is key and the bag will need room for your water.
Durability
As with any purchase, consider durability. A tennis bag is a bigger purchase and the long term use of it should be considered. Having a durable bag that will withstand the test of time will allow you to worry about your game, not the gear falling out of your bag.
Cost of a Tennis Bag
The spectrum of the tennis bag price is as high or higher than tennis rackets themselves. You can buy a very serviceable tennis bag for under $30 but can spend well into the hundreds pretty quickly depending on the styles and features you desire.
Styles of Tennis Bags
The tennis bag can be found in multiple styles: the backpack, the duffle bag, the wheelie bag, a shoulder tote, or just a simple racket cover. The most common is the duffle bag style. It can be shaped just like a rectangle duffle bag or like a tennis racket. The wheelie bag can be beneficial for traveling. A shoulder tote is a bit more compact. A backpack can be the most user friendly, freeing up your arms and hands.
When making your ultimate choice of a tennis bag, the most important factor is considering what bag helps you the most. Which one takes the most off of your plate. It may not be the biggest or most expensive, as these each come with their own set of problems, but likely won’t be the simple racket cover unless you are playing no more than once every other year.
Make the wise choice and when the next chance to get out safely and play some tennis comes, take advantage of it!
