Table of Contents
The need for new kit is a constant cycle for any cricketer, at any level. Whilst bats and pads are seen as necessary purchases, the cricket bag is often overlooked. Buying a cricket bag should have the same level of attention as any other piece of kit because it is going to protect your purchases and make it easy to carry everything around. A place for your bat (often the most expensive piece of kit) is key as it cannot be stuffed in with everything else. Dampness and dirt can really affect the performance of your bat so having a bat pocket within the bag is a must have.
Here is a selection of cricket bags which have a dedicated section to store your bat. This makes it much easier to carry all of your kit at the same time.
Reviews of the 6 Best Cricket Bags with Bat Pocket
SS Premium Camo Duffle Cricket Kit Bag – Camo Green
SS (Shareen Sports) have produced a very eye-catching design which is also unusual in the world of cricket. Bags tend to be one solid colour with the manufacturers log emblazoned across the sides. The camouflage effect is very smart and isn’t spoiled by the SS logo on the back. This bag comes with not one, but two bat pouches on the sides so a spare bat (or a friend’s) can be packed away. The shoulder straps have plenty of padding and are double thickness – vital when carrying a duffle bag. Although this is a duffle bag, there is lots of room inside it. Pads, gloves, helmet, and cricket boots all fit comfortably inside and there is space for clothing for a match day too. The waist band is a nice addition as this makes it more comfortable to wear and puts less strain on your shoulders. All this being said, the material quality does not live up to what you would want in a cricket bag. The bat pouches tore after a couple of uses which was a shame as it is very convenient to have your hands free whilst carrying your gear around. Also, the material used towards the top of the bag is inferior in quality and strength to the material used for the lower section. When the bag is full, the material at the top starts to fray away near the shoulder straps. If the whole bag was made of the same quality material, the bag would be much better.
SS Cricket Viper Duffle Kit Bag
Unlike the SS Premium duffle, the Viper bag is of much higher quality in terms of material. The appearance is far more generic compared to other cricket bags so if you want something a bit different this is not the bag for you. The bat compartment is large and well-padded, so it doesn’t cause any discomfort when carrying and hasn’t become damaged or weakened from being used. The shoe compartment is a really good feature as it keeps muddy (and smelly) boots away from equipment and cricket clothing. There is also extra padding across the base of the bag which adds strength. The main compartment is very large and can easily accommodate the general kit items required of a player. Wicketkeepers might need a larger bag due to them needed to pack 2 sets of pads and 2 sets of gloves plus inners. The double thickness shoulder straps are great quality and make carrying the bag so much easier and comfortable. The adjustable waist strap also adds to the comfort levels when carrying kit around. Zipping this bag up is very straight forward as your equipment doesn’t fill the bag all the way to the top. Because of this, you don’t need to force the sides together to fasten them. Some bags don’t offer this bit of extra space and it can be very hard to fasten them.
SG Duffle Prodigy Cricket Kit Bag
This bag, by SG, is aimed at the club level cricketer including juniors. It is a simple design with a black and green appearance. The positive message along the side is a really good idea for motivating cricketers, especially youngsters. When carrying the bag, the double shoulder strap’s padding makes it comfortable. This is surprising as the PU material that is used for this bag doesn’t feel like the greatest of quality. However, the straps themselves haven’t become worn or weakened through using the bag, nor has there been an issue with other parts of the bag. The separate section for a cricket bat is well thought out as the bat is to the side of the bag. When carrying the bag there is no chance of a bat handle hitting you. It is a deceptive bag. There is more than enough space inside the bag for all of your cricket kit and clothing items. The only thing that this bag needs is a waist strap as it does put a lot of strain on your shoulders when it is full. Although this is a general use bag, there haven’t been any short cuts taken in terms of quality, right down to the zips. These all work perfectly and can withstand being pulled together when the bag is almost full. Some bags are unable to cope with a strain such as this, so this is a massive plus for the SG Duffle Prodigy Cricket Kit Bag.
Gravity Camo Kit Bag for Cricket
Another bag that has opted for the camouflage design but with a slight twist. When looking more closely at the bag, Gravity have added army style markings and words. This does make the design stand out a bit from the other camouflage designs on the market. This is a lesser-known brand in cricket, unless you are from India, but this doesn’t mean the quality is a let-down. The bag is quite large for a backpack style bag and there is more than enough space for all of your playing equipment and match day clothing. The bat holding sections are on the sides of the bag. This makes the bag more comfortable to carry compared to other bags who have this down the back of the bag. There are 2 bat sections so you can bring a spare or offer to carry someone else’s bat along. The issue with 2 of these sections is that if you only have one bat, as most amateurs do, then the bag has more weight on one side. This does make it awkward to carry so you quite often end up carrying your bat which makes the compartments redundant. The whole bag is easy to fasten up, and the black zips make the bag look quite smart and also authentic alongside the army style print across the bag. The shoulder straps are a bit of a let down in terms of size and padding. Other bags have wider straps with much more padding. When the bag is packed for a matchday it is noticeable that the straps are thin and can dig into your shoulders. The lack of a waist band is a big miss as this would go someway towards addressing the discomfort when carrying the bag.
CW Back PAK Cricket Kit Bag Large College Duffel Bag
A longer looking bag that other duffle styles and looks quite smart in black with green details. What is good about this bag is the extra sections and storage pouches it has. There is a large section for a cricket bat and also a section on the front which can store cricket boots. This section is particularly good after a training session on game on a damper ground to keep dirty boots away from equipment and causing potential damage. At the very least it saves you from cleaning your boots and other pieces of equipment. Carrying the bag is relatively comfortable due to the amount of padding on the shoulder straps. These are also fully adjustable which means you can find the perfect size for you. The bag is advertised as waterproof, and it certainly delivers. Even the zip sections are waterproof which is a great feature of this bag. The base of this bag is also quite rigid which is great for standing it up at practice and also in changing rooms. This means it doesn’t collapse when some equipment is removed and also makes it much quicker to pack your gear away before you head home. As padded as the straps are, other bags offer a wider fit which does make them more comfortable on the shoulders than this CW model. A final feature which is great is the side pouch for your water bottle. Having this separate to everything else is great. If the bottle leaks, then your gear is safe because the bag is waterproof, so the spillage is kept in the water bottle storage pouch on the outside of the bag. Simple, but a very effective piece of design by CW cricket.SS Cricket Viper Kit Bag 100% Original Branded
This is a smart looking bag duffle bag with lots of storage options. The first part that stands out is the bat compartment which differs to other bags in style. This resembles a bat sleeve as it zips up around your entire bat. This is great when dashing from the changing room to your car on those rainy afternoons and evenings. It does make the bag difficult to carry with their only being one bat section on one side of the bag though. The mesh pouch is great for popping a water bottle into and protects your equipment from a spillage or a leak. Another well thought out design feature of this SS Cricket Bag is the front compartment for your cricket boots to go into. Sharp studs or bits of muck can cause damage to things like shirts and batting pads. Having these separate also makes them easy to get hold of rather than rummaging around in the bottom of a bag. Carrying the bag is comfortable due to the extra padding at the top of the shoulder straps. Being able to adjust the straps also adds to the comfort as you can change how the bag sits on your back depending on how full it is.Conclusion
There are lots of different cricket bags available which resemble a duffle bag or a rucksack. As with all equipment, it is important to consider lots of different bags before deciding on your purchase. Settling for the one that looks the best isn’t always to the best option. Checking for different storage compartments and whether your equipment will fit in the bag are good places to start. Sometime the lesser-known brands may offer a less expensive option which is just as good in terms of quality as more leading brands.
