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[tim2000s]

As a few people have mentioned on other threads, me included, we seem to have more and more people with what can only be described as enormous cricket bags. I learned the hard way that these enormous bags don't fit in cars well and are best used when going on tour to also take all your clothes in.

I "manage" very comfortably with a bag that is 86cm x 36cm x 33cm, or a volume of 0.102 cubic metres. This holds on any given Saturday:

Ayrtek Helmet
GM 909 D3O pads
GM Original LE D3O Gloves
Aero P2 Strippers
Spikes
Rubbers
Trousers
Couple of shirts
Short and Long Sleeved Jumpers
Ball Towel
Selected Balls
Wash towel
Wash Kit
2 x Bats
Coloured Pen set
Variety of food and drink
Arm guard
Sun Hat
Cap
Sunscreen
Box
Compression wear

With that lot in it's very heavy, but it does its job and fits in both car and changing room, and while closed can be stored on end if necessary. If I needed to stick keeping pads and gloves in, I could but it would be a tight fit.

We then have people taking bags of 97cm x 46cm x 36cm (0.161 cubic metres) and carrying much the same set of items.

Are people deliberately buying super large bags because they are there? Is it (No Swearing Please) envy (mine's bigger than your's)? Do I take an unusually small amount of kit with me to a cricket match?

Does your average cricketer take as much as a forumite? What bags are most popular for the sponsors throughout the season?

What are your thoughts? I've been there and done that with the big bag, and given up. Where are you in your bag buying/thought process? Is this almost as big an obsession as Buzz's Thigh Guards?

[PedalsMcgrew]

Like I said before, I'm going to use a cheapy Slaz duffle this season. I have always taken too much kit to games and I spend more time thinking about my gear than the game itself. I can get everything I need in a duffle and I'll remove a distraction at the same time so it's got to be worth a try? I'll also be a lot more popular with my teammates....

[wilkie113]

Having sold a lot of my bigger bags, I now have a duffle for nets and a small wheelie for games.
I think when you use a smaller bag you use the space more wisely and make sure it's organised. When I was using a big bag I just used to chuck everything in there and that was that. I now organise my bag a lot better

[cricketbadger]

I have an absolutely huuuuge bag. its great for storing pretty much all my gear, all my spare gloves pads and bats

but is a bit of a pain for fitting in the car, only just squeezes onto the back seats of my corsa
and takes up plenty of room in changing rooms, so i therefore use a duffle when we play at grounds with tiny changing rooms

so there is pro's and cons of a big bag

[tim2000s]

I have an absolutely huuuuge bag. its great for storing pretty much all my gear, all my spare gloves pads and bats

but is a bit of a pain for fitting in the car, only just squeezes onto the back seats of my corsa
and takes up plenty of room in changing rooms, so i therefore use a duffle when we play at grounds with tiny changing rooms

so there is pro's and cons of a big bag

Do you need to take all your spare gloves and bats with you to evey game you can?

[cricketbadger]

No i dont take all my gear with me
But for storing everything when im at home, mum isnt too keen on me leaving gloves and pads allover the house, so this way I keep it all together, and importantly for my mum, out of the way and tidy

[johnnyw]

I have 3 bags. I use my Shamrock Wheelie for when I am wicket keeping, duffle for netting and a GN Quantum for when I am playing as a batsman only. I dont see the point in having a big bag when I am not keeping because the bag is half empty with batting gear only and it is a pain in the rear end travelling, changing rooms etc

[tushar sehgal]

As long as its well designed a small bag should be enough, now having said that i do like to take atleast 3/4 bats to matches as when my team is batting i use that time to knock my bats since i cannot do it at home anymore additionally i like having 3-4 bats with me on match days depending on what feels right that day etc etc..as for other kit i usually take a pair of pads
2 x sets of gloves
2 pairs of shoes
thigh guard
helmet
some clothing

For me a bags capabilities of holding bats makes or breaks it for me...at home i can have as many as 8 bats stuffed in the bag but i don't carry them all with me but it still needs to be able to hold them all and be stored away properly..

[tim2000s]

Tushar, you need padded bat covers with straps. Sling them over yet shoulder and you'll be fine!

[mattcoll12491]

At the end of the day, the big bag trend came in due to ease and laziness of players. I, personally, do not want to spend my Friday nights making sure I have everything I need in it. I just like to pick up my bag, knowing that everything is in there.

But I can see both sides of the argument, before I got my Ayrtek bag; I had a smaller bag but I supplemented it with a holdall/back pack for my whites. It is all due to personal preference and how considerate you are to your team mates needs.

I do see stand up bags as a step forward because when I'm not getting changed/padded up I stand my bag up in the corner, so the area of the changing room floor is relatively small.

[tushar sehgal]

Tushar, you need padded bat covers with straps. Sling them over yet shoulder and you'll be fine!

I have a few but i find they keep sliding off my shoulder...anyways after being not too impressed with Newbery Tour i am going to switch to either a smaller bad (Salix ones are appetizing) or go all out and get a bigger coffin....been doing some research of what is available here locally so if its cost effective then looking at the plastic molded coffin instead of a traditional one...still have to draw the internal design first before i can get a quote on it..

[Tumo]

I have a few but i find they keep sliding off my shoulder...anyways after being not too impressed with Newbery Tour i am going to switch to either a smaller bad (Salix ones are appetizing) or go all out and get a bigger coffin....been doing some research of what is available here locally so if its cost effective then looking at the plastic molded coffin instead of a traditional one...still have to draw the internal design first before i can get a quote on it..

I normally take 1-2 bats, gloves, pads, whites, caps, spikes, helmet, box+thigh guards, water, under-armour, cricket balls, and a wash bag full of deodorant, sunscreen, etc and I find that duffle fits fine. I have one of the SAF ones at the moment, not tried to fit everything in yet but it has my gloves/bat/pads and there is SO much space left. I have a hunts county wheelie bag as well but find that if I have that I end up over-filling with stuff I don't need so I don't use that as much anymore!

[tim2000s]

Oops, I nearly forgot, the most important item in my bag.... And well battered it is too... Yes, it's Tom Smith's Cricket Umpiring and Scoring. Always useful if there are some disagreements as to the rules...

[Vitas Cricket]

I have

1 lid
2 bats
batting pads
batting gloves x 2
strippers
box
keeping pads
keeping gloves
whites
under garments, skins, support shorts, socks etc
spikes
spiked trainers
'guff' - painkillers, deep heat, spare grips, helmet nuts etc

Most bags only just manage to fit all of that in. Maybe I'm not a very efficient packer!

[Cover_Drive]

Last year for season I carried following kit;

- 2 bats (One to be used in game and second if rain erupts)
- 1 Pair of pads
- 2 Pair of gloves (although I have never in my entire life used more than one pair on a given day!)
- ShockDoctor
- Remfrys
- 1 Pair of spikes (Might change to two if I get to bowl in upcoming season)
- Baggy Cap
- Skins, 2 pair of socks, helmet nuts, sweatbands, headband et cetra
- Towels
- 2/3 grips and grip cone.
- Sunscreen
- Hand sanitizer, lotion and face-wash

I look for as smallest bag as possible which can fit all gear. I had MB double decker then bought GM Original LE Duplex, bought were HUGE! Then I picked up M&H Distinction Canvas from M&H clearance and bought Salix Pod Pro on Tims suggestion and its brilliant! Lovely lovely bag!

I always carry my bag on shoulders (expect if there is carpet) because I store my closet so don't wish to cause any mess there! With Salix Pod Pro you get shoulder strap which has padding and that is best thing, brilliant bag! Once again thanks for your recommendation Tim