Every pickleball addict knows the trifecta of success: a good paddle, reliable shoes, and the perfect bag. This guide is your key to unlocking that last essential piece.
Diving deeper into the world of bags, it’s apparent that the market is saturated with generic models from manufacturers, modestly adjusted and adorned with a brand’s emblem. Yet, amid the sea of sameness, there are standouts dedicated to the art of pickleball. Through rigorous search and scrutiny, I’ve unearthed the crème de la crème: the ultimate large, medium, small, and budget-friendly pickleball bags that break the mold. Here they are, curated just for you.
Table of Contents
ADV Pickleball Backpack V2 - The Best Large Bag
Category: Large
Bag name: ADV Pickleball Backpack V2
Dimensions: 12″ W x 21″ H x 9″ D (37L)
Price: $225 ($202 with code PBEFFECT)
Link to purchase >>
About ADV:
ADV got their start making bags for tennis and brought their expertise to pickleball in 2024. They are a bag company. They build their products from the ground up with feedback from the community.
Overview:
If you tend to pack a lot and want to keep your shoes in your bag, this is a great choice. It has plenty of accessory pockets and some special ones too, like a cooler pocket outside and a toiletry pocket inside. Check out the video above to see how I pack my essentials and still have lots of space left.
It’s nice that the shoes in the bag don’t hog all the space or block other important pockets, which can be an issue with bags that have shoe compartments. Additionally, the bag stands on its own and has a structured design, making it easy to load and unload. The material is durable and easy to clean, and it features high-quality YKK zippers. You can comfortably fit three paddles in the dedicated paddle sleeve. You can even fit a couple of more paddles behind the shoes in the main compartment if you wanted to.
Although the bag is large, it’s comfortable to wear and doesn’t look too big on people.
The bottom line:
This bag is great for its spacious design, practicality with specialized pockets, and quality construction, making it an ideal choice for those who carry a lot without compromising comfort or accessibility.
Use the code PBEFFECT on ADV’s website for 10% off their bags.
FORWRD Court Caddy - The Best Medium Bag
Category: Medium
Bag name: Court Caddy Pickleball Bag
Dimensions: 8″ D x 12″ W x 20″ H (30L)
Price: $299 (Free add on with code PBEFFECT)
Link to purchase >>
About FORWRD:
FORWD was founded in 2024 with the sole intent of making the highest quality pickleball bags. They don’t do anything else. The founder has started and ran another bag company before he fell in love with pickleball and brought his background and skill set to pickleball
Overview:
This bag was designed with the feedback of over 500 players and you can tell when you use it. It has several specific features designed for the needs of pickleball players.
Here’s what I like about it. It stands up on its own, the water bottle pockets can hold bigger water bottles and close flat when not in use, has ball sleeves that are accessible from the outside, super high quality materials that are easy to clean, minimal branding, smart pockets, and comfortable. It also features a computer sleeve and several paddle sleeves in the main compartment.
KTCHN designed the bag to be modular too, which I thought was clever. You buy the bag and then there are add ons like a shoe cube, eyeglass case, or paddle sleeve you can buy to customize it how you like. Or not buy, if you don’t need them. Speaking specifically to the shoe cube. You can attach it to the back of the bag but it gets bulky at that point and I prefer to just carry it. If that’s annoying to you then it’s something to be aware of.
This is also the best bag I tested that’s good for taking to work. It’s not oversized, isn’t over branded, and has a laptop sleeve. People in your office won’t know that you will be headed to the courts as soon as 5pm hits.
The bag was designed to be a daily driver type bag, so while there is ample space in there for your everyday pickleball needs, if you’re heavy packer then you’re going to wish there was more space and more pockets. It gets especially tight on tournament days when you’re packing extra water bottles, food, clothes, towels, and other things.
While I’m a big fan of the bag, I know people will look at the price and think nope, that’s too much. I will say this about the price, though. When you get the bag in the mail, it feels and looks like a $300 bag. Its materials and quality are a couple steps above every other pickleball bag I’ve tried. They even back it up with a lifetime warranty. This thing will last you forever if you take decent care of it.
You can watch my video review of the bag here >>
The bottom line:
If you’re a pickleball junkie want the best quality bag you can get, this is it. It has a place for all your essentials and is going to last you lifetime. Not the best choice for players who like to load their shoes in the bag or are heavy packers.
Use the code PBEFFECT on FORWRD’s website for 10% off their bags.
Geau Axiom Backpack 2.0 - The Best Small Bag
Category: Small
Bag name: Geau Axiom Backpack 2.0
Dimensions: 20” H x 14” L x 8” W
Price: $149.99 ($134.99 with code PBEFFECT)
Link to purchase >>
Overview:
Geau is a well known bag designer in the tennis world and I discovered their Axiom Backpack 2.0 functions well for pickleball too. The Geau Axiom Backpack 2.0 is a well-designed and thoughtfully constructed bag that functions well for the pickleball player who wants a quality small bag.
Geau used high quality materials to ensure its durability while also keeping it affordable. The bag features four accessory pockets, including a large, impact-resistant front pocket for valuables, two large water bottle pockets, a shoe compartment, and a sleeve on the back that accommodates up to two paddles. Although compact, the bag’s intelligent design allows for easy organization and ample space for shoes and essentials.
A standout feature is the optional divider in the main compartment. This divider prevents the main compartment from becoming disorganized, adds structure, and separates the shoe compartment. The side-entry shoe compartment is easily accessible and doesn’t monopolize the main compartment’s space like many small bags do that also have shoe compartments. The materials used feel high-quality and contribute to the bag’s overall premium feel.
The drawbacks are the lack of a dedicated ball space (balls tend to collect at the bottom of the main compartment) and aren’t easily accessible, the bag’s tendency to not stand upright on its own, and I wish it had two fence hooks on the back to make it sturdier when handing instead of the one center hook. These are all minor things to me though and don’t overshadow the quality and other design features of the bag.
The bottom line:
This is an off the beaten path bag that I discovered, and it turned out to be a great find. It’s a particularly good option for players who prefer a minimalist, purpose-built design. While it may not have all the extra features, not everyone requires them, and the bag offers high-quality material at a reasonable price.
Use the code PBEFFECT for 10% off this bag and other Geau gear on their website.
JOOLA Vision II Deluxe Backpack - The Best Budget Bag
Category: Small
Bag name: JOOLA Vision II Deluxe Backpack
Dimensions: 20” H x 12” L x 8” W
Price: $79.95 ($72 with code PBEFFECT)
Link to purchase >>
Overview:
This bag was simple yet had the right pockets to carry all your essentials. It’s also a great bag for people who want to take their gear with them to work and then hit the courts right after. It has room for your pickleball gear and has a laptop sleeve.
It’s a backpack style bag with a paddle compartment, main compartment, two bigger side pockets and a couple of smaller accessory pockets. With it being a backpack style bag I liked that it has a paddle pocket that sits behind the main compartment and is separate from everything else. It holds two paddles comfortably. Joola actually advertises this pocket as a laptop sleeve but it’s better as a paddle pocket and then there’s a separate sleeve in the main compartment that fits any size laptop.
There are two larger compartments on the sides that stretch the entire length of the bag. I really liked these. You can fit a good size water bottle on one side and then you can use the other side to hold up to four balls perfectly and makes it easy to access the balls when you need them.
It also had just enough number of accessory pockets to hold your phone, keys, overgrips, tungsten tape, and other smaller items though there wasn’t much room to spare afterwards.
It also has a shoe compartment on the bottom of the bag that is ventilated. When you have shoes in the bag there is still some room to put things on the side of the shoes in the main compartment as well as on top and I was surprised by how many things I could fit into the larger compartment.
I also like that the bag isn’t goofy looking and has some style to it. There was a surprising number of smaller pickleball backpacks that weren’t attractive looking.
The main downside to the bag was the obvious cheaper materials. It could see it easily ripping and the stitching was starting to fray in some places after only using it a few times.
The bottom line:
This bag is a great option for the person that takes their gear to work, or the person that doesn’t want a large bag. It has a computer sleeve, dedicated paddle sleeve, and enough pockets for the essentials like shoes, balls, a change of clothes and a water bottle. While it’s not the highest quality material, it does the job for a good price.
Use the code PBEFFECT for 10% off this bag and other JOOLA gear on their website.
Braydon competes at the 5.0 level and plays in 5-10 tournaments a year. He plays/drills 3 to 4 times a week and would play more if time allowed it.
