Any bag recommendations for these criteria?

[Posture Guy]

I've been reading all the bag review threads I can find but I'm still not really clear on what would be the best bag for my needs. Basically, I've only had a few bags and never really been happy with them. And have looked at a few in the stores and wasn't overly impressed. Seems like most have 1 or 2 compartments for racquets, then a large compartment to throw all your other stuff in, and if you're lucky a smaller compartment for other stuff. I've got a Tumi laptop briefcase and I LOVE that thing. Lifetime warranty, great craftsmanship, and a super design, there's a perfect space in there for everything I want to put in it. I take that mentality to the search for a racquet bag and it's hard to find something good. Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking to blow a bunch of $$, but I'd like to get something I can be happy with for the long haul. Here's my criteria:

- well made and attractive

- can fit into an airline overhead bin as a carry on and I don't feel like I'm hauling this massive thing around. So that probably means no larger than a 6-pack.

- separate shoe compartment

- enough organizational structure that I'm not having to put my cell phone or clothes into the same pocket as my water bottle, for example

Sorry to add another bag thread. I really tried to glean the info above from what was already out there. I really wish Tumi or even someone like Ogio would make a tennis-specific bag. Ogio makes some great golf bags, was hoping they make tennis stuff, but they appear to just have general sports duffels.

I appreciate any recommendations, thanks.

 

[Posture Guy]

From just stumbling around the TW site, these bags seem like good candidates:

really liked this one from Pacific.

the Donnay looked good, too. Wish there were video.

Then also found an Adidas and a Volkl that looked nice.

Will 6-pack bags of this size both fit and be allowed on planes in overhead compartments?

And if anyone has any experience with any of these bags, I'd love to hear their comments.

 

[MAXXply]

^^^ I bought the Pacific XL bag you linked to above; the Pacific Black range is hands down the highest quality bag range out there right now. The materials and build quality are absolutely top-notch, right down to the details like rubberized seam piping, thicker internal linings and larger, thicker cushion pads.

From experience, no single bag will tick all your desired boxes - they will satisfy a few criteria but not all of them. Wilson IMO have the worst bags in terms of adequate compartmentalization for small items, and worst styling (King Tut on acid). HEAD's Tour Team bags offer adequate pocket space but flimsy, insubstantial nylon materials.

My simple wish is for a compact 6-pack that has one thick, beefy adjustable shoulder strap positioned instead of messy double backpack straps. I think the current Pro Kennex 6-pack features this.
E: maxxply at jee mayall dot komm

 

[Posture Guy]

thanks very much for your post. So may I assume that if you could do it over again that you'd still buy the same Pacific Bag?

re straps, is it possible to use one of the backpack straps as a shoulder strap, or are your only viable choices carrying it by the handle or wearing the backpack straps?

if the latter, how well do they work and how does it fit? Looks like it has the straps on the top instead of the bottom, like with some other bags. So does that mean the top of the bag (the part that is curved instead of flat) is against your back?

 

[MAXXply]

Yes - I wouldn't hesitate to choose any Pacific Black bag over a comparable model from other brands, especially Wilson and HEAD. The only range that comes close for build quality is Babolat's Team Line, but the fabrics on the Pacific are luxuriantly thick and strong while the Bab's are slightly thinner IMO

Yes - I use only one of the straps, positioned diagonally across the bag. It is a simple, more efficient carry but obviously takes on more load stress, although my bags rarely groan under the weight and support points are firmly stitched into the bag for added support. I'd be happy to do away with backpack and/or shoulder straps altogether - if manufacturers enlarged the loop of the carry handles then we could simply and intuitively carry them on our shoulders like the pros did in the mid-80s, like Mac and Lendl for example.

Yes - when carried backpack style the curved, narrow end of the bag is behind your neck/shoulders. Trying to do this with the HEAD Tour Team bag was an exercise in futility as the clips swiveled every which way but on the Pacific are fixed and don't move.

My owner feedback for the Pacific XL is pending approval/upload - check back in a few days, but in the meantime read ALL my comments for the HEAD Tour Team bags (brown/black range)

 

[Posture Guy]

thank you very much. Looks like a great choice. I appreciate you taking the time to write up your feedback.

 

[Posture Guy]

ok, just got the Pacific Basalt bag delivered today. Before I cut off the tags I went on a nice tour of the thing. This appears to be a VERY well made bag, great design, looks terrific, and what I really like is it's so well designed that unless you cram it to the gills it doesn't look like one of these beached whales like some of the other 6-racquet bags out there.

one thing was interesting, I had trouble figuring out what was the shoe bag. Then I thought, well maybe this one pocket is it, but it couldn't possibly be big enough to hold two of my size-12 tennis shoes. Sure enough, that's exactly what it was, and they fit beautifully and just as important (if not moreso), you flat out can't tell they're in there. They don't stick out or make the bag lumpy or change its dimension, they just fit beautifully.

the backpack straps work great, feels really nice to wear. Good quality handle, good quality zippers and I love the look of these. Now I haven't taken it to a court yet, but just loading it up and looking at it sitting in the corner, I'm very happy with this purchase.

 

[jim e]

Just so you would know, a tennis racquet being 27 inches by itself will not fit the long dimension of the airlines guidlines, so even a racquet by their definition of size requirements they can deny you to bring in onboard.
That said, I have carried on the Wilson six pak without issues a # of times to date. One time an airline worker asked me about my bag, and i quickly walked away, and later returned when boarding started and got on okay, but I know at times I get looks from them and I would not like to check it on thats for sure. If it ever did happen, I would at least take out the racquets, and then give them the bag to check, but that would be last resort.

 

[MAXXply]

I'm glad you like your bag, Posture Guy - I'm still loving mine. Doesn't it just feel bulletproof? You feel like you could deflect a hostile attack just by using it as a shield or something

I agree the bag's compact dimensions avoid the creeping bag-bloat found on many other current 6-packs, a design aspect that the brands need to rein in. The understated black and orange colours will always stay stylish next to, say, any appallingly bright Wilson BLX bag.

One nifty incidental feature I noticed are the tiny loops on the zip-pulls. I'm hoping there are micro-wire cables thin enough to thread through them so I can maybe use the bag as travel luggage - it certainly seems built to endure it. I'm also considering getting the XXL size just for the heck of it.

 

[Posture Guy]

yeah, it's just a very solid, well built piece of gear. The last one I had was a Fila that, frankly, was really flimsy and poorly designed. This thing is, well, I guess a good description would be 'professional grade'.

 

[Posture Guy]

wanted to add another observation. I got a new box of racquet demos from TW, 4 new racquets to play with for a week. This Pacific bag says it's a 6 racquet bag so I thought I'd see if it could really hold 6 racquets, didn't look like it.

the verdict is, it CAN hold it, but the last racquet really has to be worked in there, the fit is very tight. It can hold 4-5 very easily with no issues, but the 6th is pushing it a bit.

the good news is, the bag is so well designed that with all 6 racquets in there, it didn't look any wider than when I just had 2 racquets in it. It's really remarkable.

if someone is looking for a quality bag, I'd definitely give this a look.