One of the nice things about pickleball is that it does not require a large amount of equipment to play. With just a racket, ball, and a net you can have a game.
But beyond the required items there are a number of other things you will likely pack with you to the court – game shoes, a towel, a water bottle, a hat or visor – just to name a few.
As the list of gear you haul gets longer, it will quickly become evident that you need some kind of bag to carry it all.
That is where a great pickleball bag comes into play. Sure, a generic duffel bag or backpack will do the trick. But a bag that is specifically designed for pickleball players has a number of advantages.
Keep reading to see which ones are the best pickleball bags that we reviewed!
Related Reading: Best Pickleball Shirts
Best Buy Overall
Franklin Sports Pickleball Bag
If you want to make sure that you’re getting your money’s worth when buying a pickleball bag, our best buy overall is Franklin Sports Pickleball Bag; their bag has it all.
This pickleball sling bag is the official bag used at the Open Pickleball Championships. It’s the bag that all the pros are using. It has space for 6 paddles, 40 balls, and related accessories. Honestly, every bag could do the job, but why settle for a regular backpack when you can have a pickleball gear bag designed for the sport?
If you’re worried about enough storage space for your phone, keys, water bottle, and other items you would need on the court, this pickleball sling bag has extra large storage to hold it all. On the side of the bag, you have a water bottle holder, and my favorite part of the bag is the built-in fence hook that is located inside the largest pocket. This way, your bag stays clean, off the ground, and in sight at all times!
Since this pickleball bag is considered the best of the best, it’s a bit pricey than the rest. If you’ve got that extra few dollars to spend, this is definitely the place to spend them.
Best Value Pickleball Bag
ZOEA Pickleball Bag
The best value pickleball bag has got to be the ZOEA pickleball bag.
The bag comes with so many cool features, and with the price they offer, how can you not purchase their pickleball bag? With three spacious compartments, one being a hidden, anti-theft pocket, you will for sure have space for everything you could possibly need.
Another plus this bag has is the reversible padded shoulder straps. You can easily change the strap from left to right to offer a better, more comfortable fit.
The only downside to this bag for me is the space for the water bottle. When you’re out on the court all day, you need to make sure to drink lots of fluids. The space they’ve provided for your water is not enough. I usually just throw my big water bottle into the shoe compartment and use the space they offer for the water for my keys or headphones. The water bottle holder comes with a cord lock, so your items will always be secured inside.
Types Of Pickleball Bags
When you start your search for the top pickleball bag to buy you will find four categories to choose from: the small “sling bag“, a larger “backpack“, the standard sports “duffel bag” style, and pickleball styled “tote bag“.
Each style of bag comes with its own strengths, so depending on what gear you carry and how you prefer to carry it there is a good chance you can find one that works for you at a decent price.
We’ll review the top pickleball bags for sale in each style further on, but for those of you in a hurry here is a quick comparison chart of our top choices:
Comparison Chart
Franklin Sports Pickleball Bag – Men’s and Women’s Pickleball Backpack – Adjustable Sling Bag – Official Bag of U.S Open Pickleball Championships – Black/Optic, Black/Green
Franklin Sports Pickleball Bag – Men’s and Women’s Pickleball Backpack – Adjustable Sling Bag – Official Bag of U.S Open Pickleball Championships – Gray/Pink
Pickleball Sling Bags
The sling bag is currently the most popular style of bag among pickleball players.
The main reason why is they tend to offer an outstanding combination of functionality in a form that is both portable and comfortable.
The pickleball sling bag is designed to follow the tear-drop shape of a pickleball paddle. This allows them to comfortably carry several paddles in a small amount of space.
One potential downside to sling bags is that they usually do not have separate compartments to store different items. But if you are fine with most of your gear bunking together it won’t be a problem.
But smaller and more fragile items like your cell phone to get their own pocket to protect them from damage.
Most slings are great for transporting lesser amounts of pickleball gear, and they typically are easy on your shoulders. The better pickleball sling bags come with either one large padded strap that fits across your chest or a double cinch strap that fits nicely over your shoulders.
Given their simplicity, smaller size, and lightweight design, these bags are perfect if you’re looking for a way to carry basic pickleball gear like paddles, a water bottle, pickleball, and other small personal items.
They are great if you want a simple way to sling your gear over your shoulder and head to the court without toting a huge pack of equipment.
Pickleball Backpack Bags
Pickleball backpacks are great for players looking for a combination of organization and storage capacity.
These bags are designed to offer more of a systematic approach to holding your pickleball equipment than you would with a standard backpack.
Pickleball backpacks are much larger than a simple sling bag, and are built to be better organized than a duffel bag. They are not as large as a duffel, and therefore won’t carry the same volume of gear.
But the typical backpack comes with two primary compartments to separate your larger pieces, and a generous assortment of side pockets with zippers and flaps. This allows you to segregate and hold your various pickleball accouterments.
Beyond storage capacity, a backpack is the reining champ at ease of carry and back friendliness. A collection of pickleball gear that would be uncomfortable to carry in a bag at your side will seem light once it is securely on your back.
The volume of pickleball paddles, shoes, clothing, and other items that will fit into a backpack is surprising. Thanks to all the separated compartments along the sides of the main zippered chamber you will think you have the pickleball equivalent of Hermoine’s handbag.
If your goal is maximum storage space without a duffel bag’s bulk, we suggest you check out this bag.
Pickleball Duffel Bags
When your pickleball game requires more equipment than just the basics, the solution for more space is likely one of the larger pickleball duffel bags.
Like the old-school duffel bag you lugged to gym class or practice after school, this bag comes with an expansive primary compartment that can hold enough gear for both a game and a shower after, and maybe your partner’s equipment too.
Most pickleball duffel bags are designed to hold as many as four to six paddles, water bottles, towels, court shoes, water bottles, snacks, a change of clothes, and maybe more.
And as if that wasn’t enough, many of the higher quality pickleball duffel bags available offer a bevy of exterior pockets to keep your cell phone, sunglasses, and keys close at hand.
To put it simply, you cannot beat the sheer volume and functionality of a good pickleball duffel bag. If your playing schedule requires extended says at the gym, club, or rec center, you can’t go wrong with a duffel bag.
Pickleball Tote Bags
Tote bags are relatively new entries in the pickleball equipment market, so there aren’t a lot of different models to choose from. But because they offer an attractive alternative to sling bags they are growing in popularity.
Pickleball tote bags fall somewhere in between the size of a sling bag and a duffel bag. They offer a little more space and easier accessibility than you get with a sling bag, but without the bulk that comes with a large duffel bag.
That makes it a nice compromise between the two styles.
The tote bags on the market are mostly targeted towards female players, marrying a practical pickleball bag with feminine styles and colors.
But there are several available in colors and styling that would work equally well for women or men.
On the inside of a quality pickleball tote bag, you’ll find copious amounts of space in the primary main compartment, along with a number of simpler zippered pockets on the sides to securely stow smaller personal items. Better tote bags can easily carry three to four paddles, and still have enough room left over to carry smaller pieces of pickleball gear.
Carrying options vary from one bag to another, so it is important to compare features when looking for one. For example, some tote bags only offer long handles, while other models may come with both shorter handles as well as a shoulder carrying strap. Keep that in mind if you think a tote might be the right solution for your pickleball bag needs.
The Importance of a Good Pickleball Bag
Your pickleball bag is more than just a neat accessory that you’ll use to carry around your pickleball equipment between your games. It’s a valuable asset that you’ll use to house your pickleball paddles, as well as other items like shoes, water bottles, pba01-20nt pickleball, and more.
Some of the best bags out there come with adjustable shoulder straps or added comfort, helping you prevent fatigue and strain when you’re moving your equipment around. Having an adjustable strap also means you’ll be able to alter the height of your bag to better suit your needs.
Having a good pickleball duffle will also allow you to carry around your other important equipment like your pickleball shoes, extra pickleball balls, and other pickleball accessories like paddles. They are an essential part of any player’s arsenal and provide valuable carrying space.
If you can opt for a bag that comes with an external water bottle holder. A mesh water bottle holder generally works the best, as they keep your water secure while also making them as easy to access as possible. Having a dedicated space in your bag for your used shirts and shoes can also help, as it will prevent the rest of your bag from being contaminated with odor.
While there’s not that much equipment that is necessary to play pickleball, having a good range of storage options in your bag can be a huge boon. It helps to get a bag that has extra space for things like additional paddles and balls.
Here’s our guide to buying a good, quality pickleball bag:
Pickleball Bag Buying Guide
To sum things up for you, you’re going to want a bag big enough to hold all of your belongings while you’re out playing pickleball. You need a bag with more than one compartment because you definitely need a separate one for your shoes. You want a bag that will be comfortable on your shoulders and one that won’t tear and look worn down so quickly. Also, you want a pickleball bag that doesn’t weigh very much. You don’t want to carry so much weight on your shoulders before playing on the court.
Size and Compartments
When picking out a pickleball bag, you need to remember that besides your normal gear (racket, balls, outdoor shoes), you need space for your phone, your car keys, wallet, a face towel, and perhaps even a change of clothes. That’s why, when choosing the right bag for you, don’t forget to go for one that’s big enough to hold all your needs and has enough compartments to keep your gear organized.
Weight
Any bag that needs to hold gear and be carried on your shoulders should be as light as a feather.
Franklin Sports pickleball bag only weighs 15.2 ounces compared to other pickleball bags that can weigh up to 1.5 pounds. It’s really important to look at these small details when purchasing a bag; you don’t want to have sore shoulders from carrying so much weight on them.
Durability
When purchasing any product, you always want to make sure it’s not poorly made, and the materials are durable.
You can play pickleball during the hottest summer days or on a rainy day during winter. That’s why it’s important you make sure the fabric of your pickleball bag can stand the heat, is waterproof, and the most important thing is that the zipper is substantial.
Price
It’s only natural to want to spend as little as possible when investing in something. When you buy a pickleball bag, remember that spending a few extra dollars will almost always guarantee you end up with a proper bag that won’t tear and look worn down after a short amount of time.
You can find a pickleball sling bag with one compartment for around twenty dollars. Still, if you add just another 10 bucks, you can get a more fitting bag that has two or even three compartments and will hold all your pickleball gear plus your personal belongings with ease.
Hopefully, our best pickleball bag review was able to help you choose the best one for you.