Every once in a while I’ll see someone enter the pickleball courts carrying only a paddle in their hand. However, more often than not, players come to the courts carrying a pickleball bag.
Pickleball bags are great for keeping all of your necessities conveniently together in one place. Bags are designed to hold everything from your paddle and balls to your water bottle and cell phone.
It seems as if every pickleball manufacturer offers a pickleball bag. There are different types of pickleball bags for every player’s preference and budget. There are sling bags, duffle bags, backpacks, drawstring bags, and tote bags. So whether you prefer a certain brand or a certain style, there is sure to be a bag option for you!
We will categorize the different bags in the article below, but before we get too far, here’s our list of the best pickleball bags that we recommend:
- Fila Fully Loaded Pickleball Bag
- Franklin Sling Bag
- Live, Love, Pickleball Tote
- Onix Pickleball Pro Team Backpack
- Pickleball Bella Dink 2 Duffle
- Under Armour Drawstring Sackpack
- Vulcan Pickleball Sling Bag
- Vulcan VPRO Backpack
- Wilson Super Tour Paddlepak
If you want to know the pros and cons of each bag along with our top pick, please read on.
What Do You Carry in a Pickleball Bag?
Are you someone who travels light or are you someone whose whole life is in a bag? Everyone is different, but the things you might consider putting in a pickleball bag are items such as:
- Paddles
- Balls
- Grips
- Keys
- Wallet
- Phone
- Shoes
- Gloves
- Compression gear
- Hairbrush
- Cosmetics
- Extra clothes
- Towel
- Sunglasses
- Medication
- Snacks
- Sunscreen
- Water Bottle
- Pickleball Planner
I’m sure there are even more things you can find to put in a bag, but this list gives you a good start. As you consider what you want to include in your bag, it will make finding the perfect bag a little easier.
What to Look For in a Pickleball Bag?
Pickleball bags come in all different shapes, sizes, colors, and styles. We’ll dive into the different styles in more detail below, but other things that you want to consider are:
- Size – Do you want a bag that is spacious so it can hold many items, or do you want a bag that doesn’t take up a lot of room?
- Compartments with zippers – Are you someone who likes to keep things organized, or are you someone who just throws everything into a bag and is ok with searching through the bag to find your items?
- Pockets – Do you want easy-to-get-to pockets on the outside of your bag?
- Weight – Do you need a bag that is lightweight?
- Cost – Are you looking for a bag that’s affordable, or does the price not factor into your decision as long as you can find what you’re looking for?
- Hook – Do you want to hang your bag up on a fence at the courts so it’s off of the ground and easy to get to without constantly bending over?
- Anti-theft – Are you looking for a bag that has compartments that can be secured for your personal items?
- Material – Are you in need of a bag that can keep your wet clothes or wet towel separate from the other areas of the bag? Also, do you want a bag that is water-resistant in case it rains?
These are some of the things you should consider when shopping for a pickleball bag. Be sure to decide what’s important to you and what isn’t a must-have before you begin to shop.
Pickleball Bag Styles
Pickleball bags come in a variety of styles. Some bags are even a combination of a couple of different styles. Typically, bags are the following:
Pickleball Backpacks
Backpacks are large enough to carry your paddle, balls, clothes, and more. They have 2 straps so you can carry it over your shoulders. Backpacks typically have different compartments that can keep things organized.
Drawstring Bags
Drawstring bags are typically made of nylon or mesh and are lightweight. They are a simple bag without compartments. However, some drawstring bags might come with a mesh pocket for your pickleballs. These bags are large enough to carry your paddles, but not too much more. As their name suggests, they have 2 drawstrings that you pull to close the bag. You can carry a drawstring bag over both of your shoulders like you would a backpack. These bags are typically your least expensive option.
Duffle Bags
Duffle bags are similar to gym bags. They are large enough to carry your paddles, balls, shoes, extra clothes, and more. They come with different compartments so you can easily store everything. You can carry a duffle bag by hand, but they also come with a strap so you can carry the bag over your shoulder.
Pickleball Sling Bags
Sling bags do just as their name implies – sling over your shoulder. Unlike a backpack that has straps to use over both shoulders, a sling bag only has one strap and is carried over one shoulder. It is triangular shaped and the perfect size to fit a couple of paddles. You can fit a few extra things in a sling bag, but not a ton.
Pickleball Totebags
If you prefer to carry your bag instead of wearing it like a backpack, a tote might be what you’re looking for. Think of a tote as being like a large purse or a bag you would take to the beach. Totes can fit quite a bit in them. They can also be colorfully designed and have different patterns on them. If you’re looking for a stylish bag to carry all of your pickleball “stuff”, this could be your bag.
>>READ MORE: Pickleball Accessories Every Player Will Appreciate<<
Best Pickleball Bags
The following are pickleball bags that we recommend. We have divided the list into the different bag styles.
Pickleball Backpacks
We couldn’t narrow this category down to 1 bag. The following pickleball backpacks are great for any player.
Fila Fully Loaded Pickleball Bag [Our Top Pick]
Overview: This backpack makes for a great pickleball bag. It is spacious and it comes with easy access pockets and compartments. It has comfortable padded, adjustable shoulder straps and comes with a loop strap so you can hook it to a fence
Size: L: 12″ x W: 10.5″ x H: 21″
Weight: This backpack weighs in at a little over 2 pounds
Space: This bag is spacious enough to fit paddles, shoes, clothes, accessories, and more
Extras: Thermal-resistant insulated pocket for water or a canned beverage. Shoe compartment. Air-mesh back panel for ventilation
Price: $$
Pros: This backpack is very spacious
Cons: Made with 21% PVC
Onix Pickleball Pro Team Backpack
Overview: This backpack is specially designed for pickleball. It is designed to sit upright. It is spacious and it comes with easy access pockets and compartments. It has comfortable adjustable shoulder straps
Size: L: 19″ x W: 14″ x H: 9″
Weight: This bag weighs in at around 2 pounds
Space: This bag is spacious enough to fit paddles, shoes, clothes, accessories, and more
Extras: Four zippered storage areas to keep your equipment secure during travel. Padded pockets for your paddles. Has a shoe/wet storage compartment
Price: $$$
Pros: This bag is very spacious with lots of pockets for storage. It also offers a paddle compartment, so you don’t need additional paddle covers
Cons: It doesn’t come with a hook to hang your bag on a fence
Vulcan VPRO Backpack
Overview: This backpack is specially designed for pickleball. It is designed to sit upright. It is spacious and comes with easy access pockets and compartments. It has a lined accessory pocket for sunglass, one with a mesh organizer for keys, and one insulated pocket for snacks, as well as a dedicated, padded paddle compartment and a vented shoe pocket. Made with durable ripstop nylon.
Size: L: 10″ x W: 14″ x H: 19″
Weight: This bag weighs in at 2.6 pounds
Space: This bag is spacious enough to fit paddles, shoes, clothes, accessories, and more
Extras: Padded compartment for 2 paddles. Vented pocket for shoes. Insulated pocket
Price: $$$$
Pros: This bag is spacious. It is water-resistant and made with heavy-duty ripstop fabric
Cons: It is priced higher than other backpacks
Wilson Super Tour Paddlepak
Overview: This bag is designed specifically for pickleball players. It is equipped with two primary compartments: a large compartment that contains a removable divider for organization of gear, and a smaller compartment that holds up to three paddles.
Size: L: 20″ x D: 13″ x H: 12″
Space: This bag is spacious enough to fit 3 paddles, shoes, clothes, accessories, and more
Extras: Includes Thermoguard lining for added protection from extreme heat, a hidden plastic fence hook to hang the bag, two exterior fleece-lined accessory pockets for valuables, and a vented zippered shoe pocket.
Price: $$$
Pros: This bag includes a fence hook, vented shoe pocket, and Thermoguard for protecting your paddles from heat
Cons: This backpack costs a little more than the other bags that we recommend
Drawstring Bag
Under Armour Drawstring Sackpack
Overview: This drawstring bag has 2 front pockets with a zipper closure. It has an easily adjustable single cording with a UA sternum clip
Size: L: 2″ x H: 15″ x W: 19″
Weight: This bag is lightweight weighing in at 8 ounces
Space: This drawstring bag seems to provide more space than typical drawstrings
Extras: Water-resistant (but not waterproof). 2 zippered front pockets for extra storage
Price: $
Pros: This bag is spacious for a drawstring. The cording is more comfortable than typical drawstrings
Cons: It doesn’t have an inner pocket. This drawstring bag can cost more than other drawstrings, but it also comes with more zippered compartments
Pickleball Duffle Bag
Pickleball Bella Dink 2 Duffle
Overview: This duffle bag is a great size for pickleball. Designed with pickleball in mind, it can carry many paddles. It has internal pockets with an external paddle holder and a mesh water bottle holder along with ventilation holes. It has adjustable straps that can be easily fastened together and hung from a fence hook.
Size: L: 16.5″ x H: 11″ x W: 6.5″
Space: This tote bag is not overly big and bulky but large enough to fit up multiple paddles in the designated paddle holder, and more inside the bag along with balls, shoes, and accessories
Extras: External water bottle holder, external lined paddle case (so your paddles don’t get damaged), cell phone pocket
Price: $$$
Pros: This stylish bag is a perfect size for paddles and a few extra accessories. It’s nice to have an external paddle holder
Cons: Has a black interior so it may be difficult to find things
Pickleball Sling Bags
Franklin Sling Bag
Overview: This sling bag is the official pickleball bag of the U. S. Open. It has large pockets and an adjustable shoulder strap
Size: L: 13″ x W: 8″ x H: 18.5″
Weight: This bag is lightweight weighing in at 15.2 ounces
Space: This sling bag can hold up to 6 paddles, pickleballs, and related accessories
Extras: It includes a felt-lined soft cell phone pocket, plus a built-in fence hook. It has a water bottle holder on the outside of the bag
Price: $
Pros: This sling bag is a nice size for paddles. It isn’t bulky, but it’s roomy enough to fit additional accessories in it
Cons: This sling bag doesn’t have a padded area for paddles
Vulcan Pickleball Sling Bag
Overview: This sling bag has a padded strap with an internal pouch and mesh pocket and zipped outer pockets. It comes with a loop strap so you can hook it to a fence
Size: L: 12″ x W: 6″ x H: 20″
Weight: This bag is lightweight weighing in at 1 pound
Space: This sling bag can hold one paddle in an inside pocket along with additional accessories
Extras:
Price: $$
Pros: Made with water-resistant heavy-duty nylon
Cons: It can only hold 1 paddle in the paddle pocket
Pickleball Totebag
Live, Love, Pickleball Tote
Overview: This tote bag is a great size for pickleball. It has a large main section with small self-fabric pockets. Left side exterior pocket. Web handles.
Size: H: 12″ x W: 12″ x 6/5″ D
Space: This tote bag is not overly big and bulky but large enough to fit your paddle inside the bag along with balls and accessories
Extras: External pocket
Price: $
Pros: A less expensive bag
Cons: Doesn’t have a padded pocket for your paddle, or separate compartments to keep things organized
When choosing a pickleball bag, it all comes down to preference and style. You can’t go wrong with any of the bags recommended above.
See you on the courts sporting your bag!
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