When we think of the gear we need for basketball, the things that come to mind are usually things like the hoop, great shoes, or basketballs.
These tools are all very important to the serious player, but another tool that can make your game better is a basketball bag.
Basketball bags keep your gear together, and also help keep it from getting damaged. If you’re interested, you can also check out another post which reviews backpacks for basketball.
It’s just a thought since both of these items basically perform the same function.
Anyway, a good bag can help preserve your equipment and speed up your ability to head to the court, while a bad bag can be frustrating to use.
Here are some of the best sports bags available, along with some advice on how to tell what makes a bag worth buying.
Top 7 Best Bags For Basketball
1.Under Armour Undeniable Duffle 3.0 Gym Bag
One of the top favorite bags recommended by customers everywhere is the Under Armour Undeniable Duffle 3.0 Gym bag.
This bag has a little bit of everything for different play styles everywhere.
As most people who love sports knows, Under Armour has produced top quality sports items in almost every category, from clothing and shoes to basketballs and yes, bags.
The Undeniable Duffle Gym Bag is no different.
It starts out with tough material made out of polyester fabric. Polyester is resistant to tearing, and the thick cut they use makes tearing even less likely, no matter how much you stuff in the bag.
Of course, with Under Armour it isn’t just a simple polyester cloth.
The company takes it a step farther with abrasian resistant bottom and side panels for the inevitable sliding around and knocking into things.
They also use their unique UA Storm technology to add a water resistant finish to help keep your stuff clean and dry.
The strength and quality of the materials itself are completed with double zippers.
Solid materials are reason enough to love this bag, but that’s not all the Undeniable Duffle Gym Bag has to offer.
They follow this up with a practical interior that was made for people who love to work out.
The surprisingly well organized interior includes a vented pocket for your shoes and clothes, a mesh pocket, and an exterior pocket for quick access of your keys, phone, or other small personal items.
There’s also a large front zip pocket for better organizing, leaving any number of ways you can stash your stuff to keep it clean, sorted, and ready to go.
Finally, Under Armour takes into account your grip. Soft, comfortable grip handles make it easy to grab for a quick carry, or if you prefer it has an adjustable, padded HeatGear shoulder strap for total comfort.
It also comes in different sizes to meet your needs, so if you’re worried it is too small or that you’ll be stuck carrying around a giant gym bag with your basketball rattling around inside, you can find the perfect fit for you.
Customers who have purchased this bag almost universally loved it. The few who didn’t complained that the sizing difference between the different bags is large.
If you’re concerned about this, simply read the dimensions carefully before making a purchase.
This is a great bag, and one of the few that will likely meet the needs of everyone who uses it.
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2.Baden Ball Bag
Basketball bags come in all shapes and sizes. Not everyone is looking for a bag that can house just one ball and their gear.
If you’re in charge of local tournaments, you may be looking for a bag that will allow you to quickly carry enough balls for several teams to practice.
If you’re hosting a basketball tournament or class and need a way to carry a whole bunch of balls, the Baden Ball Bag can make moving and storing your balls a breeze.
This bag can store up to 6 balls. It comes with a strap that can be removed, or adjusted to fit your height, depending on your needs.
Besides the main compartment, this bag also features extra compartments with plenty of space for housing other important pieces of gear.
The outer compartment makes it easier to retrieve smaller or personal items from the bag, and there is another interior pocket as well.
Finally, the bag is made out of tough, durable material that will give you long lasting use even under tough conditions.
The material is polyester, which is ideal for most sports needs.
The only problem with this bag is that the zipper is a simplistic design that is weaker than the type other brands offer.
This could lead to tearing, which would be an unfortunate early end to the bag if it gives way.
Despite being a simple design however, it is a full sized zipper, and the bag has a full zip design for easy access to the balls.
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3.Y-Nut Basketball Shoulder Carrying Bag with Mini Air Pump
This unusual looking bag has a number of features on it. The bag is designed for basketball storage, and there is just enough room in the main compartment for one basketball.
Of course, with an offering by Y-Nut, one of the leading basketball bag brands, it doesn’t end there.
The bag features two mesh pockets which are large enough to store your water bottles, towel, or other small items.
It also comes with its own mini air pump, which can be used to keep your ball in top playing condition.
The bag has a carry strap that can be removed and adjusted as needed, and it is made from top quality materials.
It features a double zipper enclosure that is resistant to tearing, and also keeps the basketball from accidentally popping out.
Customers have praised this bag as being a sensible choice for student athletes, and those who need a compact bag that can easily clip to a duffle bag or other carry bag.
Best of all, Y-Nut offers a warrant on their bag, so if it ends up failing as soon as you get it, you’ll be able to get a new one.
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4.FoRapid Basketball Bags
Another top quality basketball bag for a single basketball is the FoRapid Basketball Bag.
This bag has many similar features to the Y-Nut bag, including two carry pockets and interior space for a single basketball.
While there is only room for one basketball, it is sized to be able to fit a standard size ball comfortably.
It also has an exterior pocket for storing things you might not want to risk in an open pocket, such as your keys or cellphone.
If you’re the kind who likes to have all matching gear, you’ll love the wide range of colors it comes in. Bags are available in black, blue, camo, orange, red and green.
This bag is compact, and is designed to be a useful carry bag for on the school bus or in crowded areas, where you might not want to drag around a huge bag that can cause others to stumble or get in the way.
It’s also very tough, with high quality materials including durable synthetic Oxford fiber and a double zip enclosure.
One drawback to this bag is that even though it offers most of the same features as the Y-Nut bag, it does not come with a warranty.
If you’re concerned about this bag breaking, you may want to go with the Y-Nut bag instead.
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5.BusyAgain Duffle Bag
If you need a bag that can stash more than just your basketball, the BusyAgain Duffle bag may be a good choice.
This bag has a lot going for it, including enough room inside for your basketball and shoes or gym clothes, as well as outer pockets that can stash your water bottle or towels.
There’s even a small pocket perfect for keys or your cellphone.
The U shape zip top opens wide enough to help you easily remove bulky items such as your basketball, and it comes in a variety of colors such as black, royal blue, red, orange, gray, and navy.
The bag comes with an adjustable strap that can be removed if desired, so you can carry it comfortably, no matter what comfortable is for you.
This duffle bag is on the smaller size for this type of gym bag.
It’s ideal for tucking into tight lockers, or if you just need room for one basketball and a couple of other things.
If you’re expecting a lot of room, you may find yourself disappointed in the bag.
This bag is a great general purpose duffle bag, and works well for basketball. Some customers have complained about a weak feeling zipper, or ripping.
If you’re tough on your bags, you may want to select one of the sturdier bags we have talked about, or one with a warranty.
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6.FunFitness Mesh Sports Basketball Bags
Another good option for carrying multiple balls, this bag comes in different sizes and can house between 6 and 18 balls, depending on which size you get.
The tough nylon material can hold up to 25 pounds of weight without tearing, making it unrivaled quality that can hold up to the demands of a busy basketball team.
Breathable mesh helps keep odors and other problems caused from moisture building down, and a front pocket gives you a place to stash your keys, cell phone, or other important personal items while you are moving balls.
This basketball bag features two straps, so that you can carry it like a backpack if the weight of carrying it duffle bag style is too much.
This is great if you’re carrying a lot of balls for an event, as they can get quite heavy.
Finally, the bright colors used for this bag are there by design.
They make it far easier to spot your basketballs among others that are stored in more standard black mesh, and also stand out well against grass and other backdrops.
This is a really useful bag for a sports team or for an organizer, but it’s not designed to be an ideal gym bag.
If you’re looking for something to carry your personal items in only, this probably isn’t the ideal bag for you.
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7.Acrodo Ball Bag
This unique bag is a perfect choice if you’re not quite certain about what style of bag you want, and don’t want to waste money on 5 different bags to figure this out.
The Acrodo Ball Bag has the straps to be a backpack or a duffle-bag. It’s also a very practical and well organized bag.
If you like to play sports all day long, or are looking for a practical bag for school, the Acrodo ball bag has a lot to offer.
It has 3 separate pouches, including a center compartment that stabilizes your ball and keeps it safe, a cooler for your lunch, and a shoe compartment.
This is a really practical way of organizing it, allowing you to keep snacks and food away from your stinky shoes or sweaty clothing, as well as keeping your drinks cold.
When you’re working up a sweat and burning hot from winning on the court, getting an ice cold drink from your bag is so much more refreshing than a warm one that smells vaguely of your shoes.
The straps can be adjusted to fit both an adult and a child, so it’s perfect regardless of who plans to use this bag.
The straps have ergonomic grips to make them more comfortable, and thick durable material that resists tearing. The shoe compartment includes a draw string bag for shoes to help keep things clean and organized.
The majority of people who have purchased this bag have loved it, but there are a few drawbacks depending on your needs.
The bag is a perfect sports bag, but there’s only really enough room for your sports gear. It has enough room for your gym clothes, towel, ball, shoes, and small personal items.
It doesn’t have extra room left over if you plan to use it as a school bag also.
If you’re worried about buying it and not liking it, there’s one more feature that may make you like this bag a whole lot more.
Acrodo is confident you will like this bag, and if you don’t, they have a money back guarantee riding behind it. Very few companies can say the same.
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Benefits of Basketball Bags
If you’re shopping for a basketball bag, you probably know why basketball bags are beneficial to players.
If you’re a casual player who only hangs out under a backyard hoop, or just taking your ball to the park and can dribble your way there, a basketball bag isn’t that important.
Once you start hitting the road with your ball however, having a bag is essential.
If you travel by bus at all, many bus drivers do not allow balls loose on their vehicles for safety reasons. That means even if it is not difficult to carry the basketball, you’ll need something to carry it in in order to use the bus.
If you’re serious about basketball and visit the gym every single day, the need for a bag becomes more obvious.
While you could certainly jumble all your stuff in a large backpack and hope for the best, having your sneakers touch your drinks or your sweaty gym clothes mushing around with your clean clothing can end up causing you problems.
If you are an organizer for events, the need to carry a great number of balls makes a bag that’s easy to carry them all together very beneficial.
All of these things can be handled with a bag, but it has to be the right bag for your needs.
A giant bag that can hold a dozen basketballs would be silly to drag onto the bus, and a tiny bag with just enough room to squeeze one ball in isn’t going to do an organizer any good.
So what makes a good bag truly useful? High quality bags have a number of considerations that go into them. You’ve probably thought about some of these features, but others may surprise you.
Versatility
Everyone has a slightly different approach to basketball, and that means different gear too.
While some of the stuff you have is probably the same, such as gear and shoes, a basketball bag should be adaptable enough to carry an extra ball or have a place to slide an important tool.
Many basketball bags are aimed at only one purpose. They may be a storage bag for one ball or a huge number of balls.
They may be a gym bag. If you have a specific purpose that’s fine, but if you’re not sure, you may want to go with a roomy gym bag that can adapt to your needs within reason.
Capacity
How much do you need to store in your basketball bag? Do you just need a ball and your change of clothes, or are there other items you deem essential?
Having a good idea of what you need to carry is important when you’re looking for the best basketball bag, and that size is different for everyone.
If you’re an organizer for a large event, carrying 6 balls in 6 individual bags would be a waste of your time and extremely time consuming.
In this case you need a large bag that can hold a lot of balls. On the other hand, if you are in middle school or high school and take the bus every day, and your bus driver requires you to keep your ball in a bag, you may be looking for an extremely compact one.
Most people who are looking for a gym bag to take their basketball along with other things like shoes and gym clothes will need a bag somewhere in between.
It’s important to know what your needs are before purchasing a bag. Once you determine that, you’ll have a much easier time of selecting a bag that is right for you.
Compartments
Sheer size isn’t the only consideration. What about small things such as your keys or cell phone?
A good basketball bag will offer plenty of these small compartments you can use to stash small items so they don’t get lost under your shoes and gym clothes.
Pockets with purpose
Having compartments is nice, but pockets with purpose are even better.
You can pile your gym shoes in with your clean clothing, but having a compartment for shoes, complete with vents to let air in and smells out, is a lot better.
A great bag can really make a difference in subtle ways, even if you never knew it was a problem in the first place. Just having clothes to change into that don’t smell like dirty feet can be a big plus.
Conclusion
A good bag can save you a lot of time and hassle, but it’s not always easy to find.
We’ve all had that bag that doesn’t quite zip right, isn’t big enough for our needs, or perhaps is divided up too much so we can’t customize it to our own needs.
What you need in a bag will determine what makes a bag good for you. The perfect bag for one person may not be perfect for another.
That is one of the reasons why our list has such a large variety in size and compartment availability. While all of the bags are good quality, they’re all good for a specific type of person.
The best bag for you is one that has enough compartments for your needs, but also enough space in each compartment to do what you need done.
It needs to be made of tough enough material that it can stand up to every day use, but also open easily the first time and several years down the road. That’s why choosing the best basketball bag for your needs is important.
By taking the time to compare brands and choosing what is right for you, you can get a bag that improves your quality of life instead of being a drag.
