Buying guide for Best baseball bags
As with many sports, baseball is a game that kids and adults can play recreationally with only a few pieces of gear, such as a glove, ball, and bat. However, as players become more serious about the game, they add more and more equipment to their arsenal. Carrying all that equipment in a way that keeps it protected and together is important, and that’s where a baseball bag comes in.
A baseball equipment bag is the best way to protect your baseball gear and enhance its lifespan. It’s also a way to make sure someone else on the team doesn’t accidentally walk off with some of your gear.
Baseball equipment bags can be pricey, but one can pay for itself in very little time by reducing the chances of losing or damaging your gear, necessitating the purchase of replacements. In our buying guide, we’ve collected the information you need to know to find the best baseball bag for your needs. We’ve also included a few of our favorites.
Key considerations
When comparing baseball bags, the primary feature to consider is the style. There are a few different designs — backpack, duffel, and wheeled — each of which has a different size and purpose.
Backpack
A backpack-style baseball bag is about the same size as a large backpack you might carry for school, with thick shoulder straps for comfort even when it’s heavy. Baseball backpacks have side pockets or loops to secure one or two bats vertically in the bag. These bags aren’t as large as some other styles of baseball equipment bags.
Duffel
Some duffel baseball bags are long and thin to fit one or two bats inside, resembling golf club bags in size and shape. These long baseball bags are quite roomy and can be heavy when they’re full of gear. Duffel baseball bags usually give players the ability to carry the bag by a hand strap or a long shoulder strap.
You can also find shorter duffel bags that resemble a bag you might carry to the gym. These shorter bags won’t hold bats, but they work well for your glove, helmet, and shoes.
Wheeled
Wheeled baseball bags are very popular with serious players who carry a lot of gear. They have a size and shape that’s similar to a long duffel bag, but they’re easier to carry because they have wheels, similar to those on a wheeled duffel bag or suitcase. Some of these baseball bags have a boxy shape and large capacity. Others look a bit more like a backpack-style bag with a long outer pocket designed to hold multiple bats. Catchers often use a wheeled style bag because they have to carry quite a bit more gear than other players.
Did You Know?
Many teams require that players have a baseball bag with a clip or hook so it can be hung on a chain link fence rather than leaving it on the ground, in order to prevent tripping hazards.
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Features
Durability
Reinforced bottom: The bottom of the bag withstands the most wear and tear, particularly if the player drags the bag on the ground (and most players will drag it occasionally). A bottom panel that’s reinforced with rubber or plastic does a good job of protecting this area.
Materials: Thick fabric and reinforced stitching around the zippers help your bag last longer. Thin fabric, weak spots, and cheap zippers will almost certainly tear or give out when placed under stress.
Water resistance: Wet grass, spilled liquids, and rain can all cause problems for your baseball gear. Look for a bag that is made of waterproof or water-resistant materials.
Pockets: Bags can have multiple zippered pockets on the exterior and interior, simplifying the process of organizing your gear. Some exterior pockets may be made of a mesh fabric and are useful for allowing wet items to air-dry.
Color
Baseball equipment bags are available in nearly every color you can imagine, but black and navy blue are the most common.
Did You Know?
You can have your name or your team’s name embroidered on a panel near the handle of the bag.
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Accessories
Catcher’s gear set: Mizuno Youth Samurai Box Set
For anyone who plays catcher, protective gear is a must. You can count on the quality of this durable Mizuno youth set that also looks great.
Baseball cleats: New Balance Men’s 3000 V4 TPU Molded Baseball Shoe
These New Balance baseball shoes are so comfortable that you’ll feel like they were custom-made for your feet. Carry them in a mesh compartment on the exterior of the baseball bag to let them air-dry after each use.
Baseball bat: Marucci Cat7 BBCOR Baseball Bat
Baseball bats can be expensive, so carry yours inside your bag to protect it to and from the field. This Marucci bat has a large sweet spot and excellent balance to help the hitter have as much success as possible.
Baseball glove: Mizuno Youth Prospect Baseball Glove
Carrying your baseball glove inside the bag protects it from the elements. This Mizuno glove has a design that encourages young players to catch the ball in the pocket using the proper technique.
Baseball bag prices
Inexpensive: Backpack-style bags are the least expensive at about $15 to $40. These bags have two shoulder straps for carrying your gear on your back, as well as a handle on top to carry it by hand. You can find some smaller duffel-style bags in the $15 to $40 range, but these are not common because players prefer a backpack-style bag to a small duffel.
Mid-range: Large handheld duffel-style bags cost $35 to $60. Most of these bags have both a hand strap and a shoulder strap.
Expensive: Wheeled bags are the priciest, costing from $35 to $200. Some models have a retractable handle, similar to a rolling suitcase. These bags are also the largest.
Did You Know?
Bags with multiple pockets both inside and outside allow you to better organize your gear, rather than tossing everything into one main compartment.
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Tips
- Remove odors. With exposure to dirt and sweaty clothes, baseball bags can start to smell over time. Leave wet gear inside the bag long enough and it will stink! Let the bag air out well if you’ve carried anything wet in it. Consider adding a couple of dryer sheets to the bag to freshen the smell too.
- Close the zippers completely. Partially open zippers can catch on items, for example, in the trunk, and rip when you lift out the bag. Closing the zippers all the way can help prevent this.
- Don’t overfill the bag. The fastest way to ruin a bag prematurely is to put too much gear in it, causing the fabric to puncture or rip and the zipper stitching to blow out.
- Hang the bag whenever possible. If your bag has a hook, use it to hang the bag from the dugout fence during practices and games and hang it when storing it at home. By keeping the bag off the ground, you can reduce the chances of it getting stepped on and damaged while also protecting it from dirt and wet grass.
FAQ
Q. Shouldn’t I just pick the biggest baseball bag I can find?
A. Not necessarily, especially if you’re buying the bag for a child. Players tend to fill a bag with gear, even gear they may not actually need for practices or games, so a big bag can soon become heavy and unwieldy. The player needs to be able to carry the bag comfortably, so a medium or smaller bag might be the better choice.
Q. Can I use a baseball bag for softball?
A. Yes. The two games use similar kinds of gear, so baseball and softball storage bags have similar features and capacities, allowing them to be interchangeable.
Q. How long will a baseball bag last?
A. It depends on how often the player uses the bag and how the player treats the bag. Properly cared for, a bag can last up to four years even if used almost every day. A player who drags the bag on the ground, tries to overfill it, or doesn’t open and close the zippers carefully can tear the bag within a couple of months.
Q. Do I have to carry a baseball bag?
A. No. If you only have a glove and bat, you don’t need a bag. However, most advanced youth and adult players carry other gear too, such as cleats, helmet, cold weather gear, batting gloves, socks, a second bat, or a second glove. A bag makes it far easier to carry all of these items without losing or forgetting something.
