The best tennis bag for men and women that we found was the adidas Team Issue Duffel Bag.
Tennis players need a ton of equipment. The rackets, the balls, shower accessories and sometimes, if you have somewhere to be afterward, a whole other outfit. To haul all that, you want a tennis bag to suit your needs properly.
We scoured the internet and read the reviews to come up with our list. We’ve concluded that the best tennis bags for men and women are:
- Adidas Team Issue Duffel Bag
- Athletico 6 Racquet Tennis Bag
- Athletico 3 Racquet Tennis Bag
- Athletico Premier Tennis Backpack
Best Tennis Bags
The adidas team issue duffel bag has plenty of space for rackets, balls and extras you’re bringing to the court. With an array of 22 optional colors, there’s one to suit everyone, So, we’re not differentiating here, with the option of carrying it via the super-soft handles or the 28-inch drop shoulder strap, we think, to get your kit from A to B, it’s the best tennis bag for men and the best tennis bag for women! Construction of the bag, including the lining, is polyester, making it waterproof to keep all your gear dry if it rains mid-match. This also helps with sloppy spills and protects it from damp post-shower towels. To keep your water separate from your gear, you can put it in one of the bag’s three zipped pockets. One of them is for shoes, one is for accessories, and the third pocket is for the main bulk of your equipment. A large, meshed pocket on the end of the bag lets you vent your used clothes and socks. That’ll keep the inside smelling fresh. Shoes can smell extra bad, so the vented pocket’s polyester lining extends into the main bag to fit them in. The bag has ample room for everything you could need. It’s 11 inches high and 20 inches wide. It’s the ideal companion for travel to a weekend tournament — there’s room to fit your gear and personal items into the one bag.
PROS
- Great for travel.
- Large and roomy.
- Ventilated shoe compartment.
- Breathable mesh area.
- Waterproof.
CONS
- Areas around zippers may fray.
Here’s a bag for the player who’s always prepared. We’ve space for lots of rackets, allowing you plenty of back-up gear. A lightweight construction and a choice of three colours, black, pink or red, makes it suitable for all-comers. It can hold six rackets and extras for the court. Alternatively, you could use it for one or two rackets and fill the rest with luggage. Take it on a tennis weekend getaway! The front accessory pocket is perfect for all those clothes and towels, or whatever else you want to store. It’s a large pocket, so you can easily fit a few cans of tennis balls or sunglasses for tennis. Although, we’d recommend removing the balls from the cans to transport them. You can get more in that way. Included is a felt-lined accessory pocket to keep all your personal items, such as Electronics, wallet and keys, safe. Carry this bag the way you find most comfortable. There are double handles to tote it or two detachable padded straps to wear it as a backpack. You can also attach a single padded strap and wear it across your body. When you’re out on the court, there’s a fence hook to hang the bag up. This keeps it from accidentally getting kicked on the ground.
PROS
- Padded double-racket compartments.
- Tech pouch.
- Large accessory pouch.
- Multiple carry options.
- Padded straps.
CONS
- Base is not padded.
Athletico’s racket bag is a more traditional type of tennis luggage. It’s tennis-racket shaped to let others know your sport. The bag will best suit beginners or intermediate players who may only have one or two rackets. They’ll slot neatly into this, with room for a third. Alternatively, you could use the extra space for shoes and clothes. Athletico made the bag of polyester, so your gear is safe from rain and spills. On the front of the bag, you’ll find an accessory pocket. Here’s where you can safely store your phone and keys, or perhaps your tennis balls. It’s easily accessible for those essential personal items you might need in a hurry. Once you’re packed, you can carry the bag like a tote bag, or over your shoulder, horizontally or vertically. There’s a padded shoulder strap, so when the bag is full, you shouldn’t feel the strap pulling down and cutting into you.
PROS
- Waterproof.
- Accessory pouch.
- Padded shoulder strap.
- Two carry options.
CONS
- Not padded.
- May not fit as many rackets as advertised.
If your preference is for something small and easy to carry, here’s a backpack for your consideration. It’s polyester and waterproof, with compartments for all your tennis and personal accessories. The backpack features a padded compartment that fits two rackets of any size, even supersized. The heads are nicely protected inside the bag while the handles stick out the top. This lets everyone know you’re a tennis player and proud of it. Transport your bag on your back using the padded straps. There’s air mesh padding on the back to prevent you overheating when it’s on, and a sternum strap for a more secure fit. You can use the additional drawstring mesh bag for balls or dirty socks. Loose balls in a backpack can be a nuisance to find, but used socks might be even worse. You could also use it for grip tape or a small towel, even some quick snacks. The front of a bag has a ventilated shoe compartment. You can keep the sweaty shoes away from your other gear after a high-energy match. The ventilation feature ensures the smell doesn’t permeate the bag. The main section is large enough to hold clothes, lunch, even a book for downtime between matches. The compartment is XL — so you can fill it up with everything you need and more. While playing, you can hang it up safely with the provided “hide-away” fence hook. Last, there’s a personal pocket for wallet, keys, phone and anything else you want to keep away from the rest of your gear. The good luck charm you’ve had since you started playing as a kid, perhaps? Although it’s only 14 by 10 by 20 inches, this bag has a compartment for everything — letting you stay organized during your games.
PROS
- Ample compartments.
- Ventilated shoe area.
- Waterproof.
- Side pocket for drink bottles.
- Drawstring bag included.
CONS
- Zippers may slip open around the racket-handles.
How to Choose a Tennis Bag
In most cases, if a bag transports what you need, it works. With tennis, it’s trickier than that. Different players have different needs and preferences, so examine the features before you pick. There’s an ideal bag for everyone.
A water-repellent pocket or bag is a neat feature in any racket bag. It’s essential to keep your rackets, and your clothes dry. If your grip is moist, the racket could fly out of your hand mid-game.
Racket Bags
You normally use a racket bag for rackets only, but you can often squeeze a few balls or some tennis shoes in if you want to. They may occasionally come with accessory compartments for you to use.
It’s not as simple as that, though. Racket tennis bags also come in an array of sizes.
Three Rackets
If you’re a beginner or occasional player, you might not have that many rackets; your main racket, and one for emergencies or doubles. A three-racket bag such as the Athletico 3 Racquet Tennis Bag would suit you well in this scenario.
The room for the third racket you probably don’t own is plenty of space to pack your other things in. Clothes, towels, balls, snacks. Anything you might take to the gym or the neighborhood tennis court.
Six Rackets
If you’re more advanced, you might want to keep your backup rackets nearby. Maybe you have different rackets for different opponents, days or play styles. The extra racket space will suit you well — Athletico 6 Racquet Tennis Bag to the rescue.
If you’ve only three or four rackets, the rest of the space is yours to use as you wish. Maybe you could put multiple types of tennis shoes in there, or a lunchbox with your after-game snacks.
Eight+ Rackets
Here’s where we go from advanced to pro. If you play in tournaments, you’ll want to take your choice of rackets — possibly a few changes of clothing too, as you repeatedly sweat through the ones you’re wearing.
Tour or “elite” tennis bags can hold as many as 12 rackets but rarely have room for much else. Alternatively, you could use a duffel bag for this amount. A large one should have all the space you need.
Backpacks
The Athletico Premier Tennis Backpack is a prime example of a tennis backpack. That backpack fits two rackets, but others may fit more.
A backpack may be an excellent choice if you’re doing a gym day that transcends tennis. You can have space for your rackets, and also space for an outfit change, a towel and some shoes.
Varying backpacks will have different compartments for you to make use of. Some have space for water bottles on the outside. Some have a pouch for your wallet, keys and phone.
In a backpack, everything has its own neat and sized section. In a racket bag, most things will be in a racket pouch and possibly also an additional accessory one.
Backpacks are also a great option for portability. Most tennis bags don’t let you carry them on your back, although the Athletico 6 Racquet Tennis Bag does.
Be careful not to overload your backpack. You may strain yourself before you hit the court, especially if you carry the load regularly.
Duffel Bags
Duffel tennis bags are versatile — you often see people taking to the gym, camping, or on a road trip. They’re usually roomy and lightweight.
A duffel bag — size-dependent —will take a few rackets, and all your other tennis accessories. They’re also roomy enough to make genius use of the extra space.
So long as you pack efficiently, you could have multitudes in a duffel bag. Spread your towels out and coat the inside. This works as padding if the duffel doesn’t have it. Your shoes can line the bottom. Roll a layer of clothes on top and separate the rackets from your shoes. Stack the rackets, two, three, four or more.
The bigger the bag and the smarter you pack, the more you fit in.
Duffel Bag vs. Other Bags
Racket bags are strictly racket-shaped with a pocket or two for accessories but not much room for anything else. Six-racket plus bags can carry more accessories if you transport fewer rackets.
Tennis backpacks have a compartment made just for rackets, where the handles peek out the top. A backpack’s other several designated pockets are usually a lot smaller.
If you like your rackets safely covered, and space for storage, a duffel bag may be a better alternative than a backpack or a racket bag.
With a duffel bag, anything goes! You could, for example, double it up as both a weekend (or longer) bag and a tennis bag if you’re attending an out-of-town tournament.
Pack your tennis things on the bottom, put your other items on top. When it’s game time, leave them in the car or hotel and head off to the court.
Conclusion
Looking at all the benefits of a duffel bag, it’s no surprise the best tennis bag for men and women is the adidas Team Issue Duffel Bag.
You have room for your rackets and space for everything else. It’s large enough to take out of town and if it’s a quick game in the park, you don’t have to fill it up.
The polyester lining is water-resistant and there’s ventilated space for used gear. You can keep everything dry and the bag smelling fresh. On top of all that, it’s not only for tennis! You can use it for other sports and non-sports needs if you want to.
If you’d prefer to go with something more tennis-specific, you can’t beat the Athletico Premier Athletico 6 Racquet Tennis Bag. A ton of room for rackets and extras, several carry options, and a space just for electronics!