Did your bat collection got out of hand and you've got to many bats to carry at once? Or does your team need a new bat bag for games or training? Then it's good to know what to look for when you want to buy a new bat bag. Because no bag is just a bag. Keep on reading to find out more!
Think about this, you are going to practice with your gear already equipped on the bike. Your helmet already on your head. Two bats under your arm and a change of clothes folded in a small bag on the steer. But what if you had the perfect bag to put all your equipment in without scratching it.
Must haves
The first thing you’ll want to look for is a bag with a rubber-reinforced bottom and double-layered sides. This will keep your gear safe from damage and the bag will last longer. The outer layer will protect the bag from dragging and the weather conditions. The soft inner layer will protect your gear from the damage.
Another way to fight scratches and damage are pockets. This keeps every item separately packed in the bag.
One piece of equipment that definitely needs a separate pocket are your cleats. Because you wouldn’t like to get dirt inside your helmet and clothing. The more expensive bags even offer separate pockets for water bottles and sunglasses.
Different styles
There are 4 basic and common styles of baseball and softball bags on the market. Each of these have their own features.
The first one is the handheld bag. Based on the duffle bag, this bag has a short-length handle. It has a long and skinny shape and most commonly used for carrying a bunch of bats and balls. They have streamlined styles but not a lot of pockets. You can only carry these in one way, handheld.
The second one is the Shoulder Strap. These bags have a lot in common with the duffle bag, but theses shoulder strap bags also offer a longer handle to carry it in another way. This bag is suited for quick and comfortable travel to the field. You could consider wheels if you’ll have to make longer walks.
This carries us too the wheeled bags, so you don’t have to carry all the weight of the gear on your shoulders. The wheeled bag varies for every position of player. A catcher, coach or umpire would lean to the wheeled bag while an outfielder would go for a duffle bag. This is because they don’t need to carry as much weight as a catcher does. You can take a look on our website to our assortment of wheeled bags from different brands.
Each bag has different benefits but they come with an extra price tag. The top options in this style of bags have metal runners along the length of the bottom for added support. They could also have plastic wheel plates to defend against bag tears and enough pockets for all the umpire- or catchers equipment.
An other bag is the single bat bag. The name explains already what the bag is for. Carrying a single bat. This bag is perfect for all the real bat lovers who want to give their bat a special treatment or when you got a special bat that really can't be damaged.
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Last but not least we have the bat pack. This is a newer style in the family of bags and might suit a young player because it looks like a school backpack. This bag is also great for older players. This kind of bag distributes the weight more evenly in the bag than other models. The bat carrying capacity is less than a duffle bag but because the bats go on the side, it leaves the entire center compartment free for all other equipment. This bat is one of the most popular options nowadays because of the versatility and wide range of options for all kinds of players.
A reinforced bat sleeve and a sturdy bottom is the one to go for. This extends the life of a bat pack and protects against tears. Padding in the straps is also an option to go for, it gives that extra comfort on the shoulders while carrying the bag. And remember, as much pockets as possible. Bat pack often have pockets for sunglasses, wallets, cell phones and sometimes even laptops. They also got cleat pockets which are ventilated, to let that nasty smell out.
Read this Buying Guide and use it with its maximum potential to get the bag that meets all of your needs. You’ve got to make a lot of decisions when it comes to the right bag, but in the end it is all worth it.
