Which bag has the best thermal protection?

[Raphael]

The topic says it all.

Has consumer reports or something like it, done an independent test to see which thermal protection is best?

Thanks!

[mrw]

Dunlop makes a nice one as does Wilson. I scored a Wilson rather cheaply and am happy with it

[jwbarrientos]

I watched strong material and heard good comments about BB, Dunlop, Head, material UMHO looks similar but Babolat looks wider.

Personally use PK Super 9, can't complain about the thermal protection, had left my bag on my car many times.

[tennisnj]

Boris Becker bags do not have thermal protection (nor do Volkl).

[SirGounder]

My Babolat Aero bag is great. The bag is solid, barely any wear after 4 years. The thermal compartments are great too. Stays cool in my car even during Socal summers.

[Mig1NC]

I have the big Dunlop Aerogel bag (like a 10-pack or something). Very good thermal properties. But honestly my previous three bags were not thermal so I can't really compare them.

All I can say is that I am very happy with it.

[bharat]

Originally Posted by SirGounder

My Babolat Aero bag is great. The bag is solid, barely any wear after 4 years. The thermal compartments are great too. Stays cool in my car even during Socal summers.

I agree, my aero is pretty much brand new after 2 yrs. Very solid, almost makes u want it look used. Dont want to be the new guy going around with a new bag all the time

[ryangoring]

Wilson of course.

[charliefedererer]

Let's face it. The thermal protection of bags is largely a hoax.

There is no way that less than inch of insulation is going to keep the compartment from heating up in an hour or less.

So while this may be long enough to leave your bag in your car while you run in the store to buy some Gatorade, there is no way that you racquet and strings are not getting cooked if left in a hot car for any length of time.

Someone actually did a test of car trunk temperatures based on the color of the car left out in the sun on an 80 degree day. The temperature in the white car trunk got to 88 degrees, a light grey 102 degrees, and a black car trunk 133 degrees. http://www.tom-morrow-land.com/tests/cartemp/index.htm

So if you value your racquet and strings, don't leave them in a parked car, with or without a bag with thermal protection.


And similarly if you are out on the tennis courts with extra racquets in your bag, keep it in the shade, or as much shade as possible. (By the way, the hood temperature in that car study of a red car, the color of Wilson bags, was 140 degrees.)
Or just leave the racquet compartment unzipped for air circulation so it doesn't get hotter than it is outside.

[Raphael]

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Babo...BAB-BAB12.html is the bag I have now.

I'm just wondering if an independent test has been done to see which bag/company has the best thermal protection.

I played yesterday for 90 min and after about an hour when I switched sticks, they were really hot inside the bag.

[ollinger]

I wouldn't expect Consumer Union or a similar group to do a test of something of such limited interest. But I think Charlie's probaly right about the limited value of the insulation, not only because it's so thin but because the metal zippers conduct heat very well and would likely render the insulation useless. (Some parkas are made with non-metal or coated zippers for this reason, or with a flap that goes over the zippers.) Stick a themometer in your bag with the racquets, put it in your trunk on a hot sunny day, and check the tempeature in an hour. I'd be really surprised if it wasn't plenty warm in the bag. (Note -- feeling the racquets is not indicative as graphite doesn't conduct heat as well.)

[tbuggle]

Originally Posted by charliefedererer

Let's face it. The thermal protection of bags is largely a hoax.

^^^^ +1. additionally, comparing thermal bags to insulated clothing is silly.
Humans, when wearing insulating clothing are producing the heat they are trying to retain through the use of said clothing.

Tennis rackets produce no heat and no cooling so any bag will achieve ambient temperature in a short amount of time. To help keep rackets from cooking, keep the in the shade or a cooler place. Don't expect a bag to keep them cool. Perhaps if you want to throw an ice bag in or something it may help for a short while.

[retlod]

"Thermal" bags do nothing. Foil reflects infrared radiation, all of which is coming from the outside. Put the foil on the outside of the bag and you might see an effect. Otherwise, insulation in tennis bags is about trapping layers of air between your racquet and the outside. Each layer will limit the amount of convective heating your racquets receive from the outside. Want better insulation than a bag alone can provide? Wrap your racquets in towels, then put them in the bag.

[Lefty78]

If you must leave racquets in your trunk during the summer months, use a cooler. Even the cheap styrofoam ones work pretty well, if you can find one long enough to fit racquets.