Rugby Bags
Rugby bags are used to transport rugby gear around easily and keep it safe. A lot of players use their rugby bags to transport their balls, shoes and clothing to different training grounds and games.
There are a number of different types of rugby bags. The most common types include backpacks, team bags, wheelie bags and shoulder bags. Ones with wheels and/or bigger straps are the most useful, as they can be heavy and bulky to carry around.
Rugby teams also usually take physio bags and water bottle bags wherever they go, so again, ideally these should have big straps and wheels.
Rugby bags come in many different shapes and sizes. They are all typically very big, because they need to be able to carry all the rugby gear that a player has.
The bags that are usually the biggest are the team bags and the wheelie bags, as normally a group of people will put their boots, balls and other rugby essentials in the bag due to its size.
The smaller bags such as individual backpacks are used by one person. Even though this type of bag is a lot smaller than a team bag, players can usually fit their boots and a drink inside the backpack which still makes it convenient, as it could be used on a training day.
Physio bags and water bottle bags tend to be the smallest, although still medium sized. They need to be a good size, so they can fit necessary first aid equipment and water bottles in. However, they must be small enough to be easily carried to the pitch if someone is injured.
Materials Used in Rugby Bags
Rugby bags are usually made primarily out of polyester. There are a few other materials used such as metal and plastic, mainly on the wheelie bag because of the wheels and handles.
Polyester is a good material choice because it is durable, and it can be well maintained. It is also very good because it has strong fibres that do not wear down and they are flexible and resistant to wrinkles and shrinking.
It is important to keep your rugby bag well maintained so it retains its strength and durability; bags that are left damp or screwed up in a corner will naturally wear out before bags that are well looked after.
Each bag will have manufacturers guidelines for maintenance; as a general rule of thumb, however, you should not:
- Bleach
- Tumble dry
- Iron
- Dry clean
- Washing in a machine
- Dry using direct heat (such as a hairdryer or on a radiator)
If your bag has become damp, we’d recommend leaving it spread out as much as possible in a warm place, such as a conservatory in the Summer or in a warm room of the house. You shouldn’t place it in direct sunlight as this will bleach the colour from the material.
The type of bag chosen will depend firstly on who’s buying; an individual will most likely look to buy a backpack or an individual ball bag. If someone is buying on behalf of a team, then a wheeled bag or large holdall is more likely to be suitable, for holding multiple items belonging to the team. The person responsible for physio will look for a specific medical bag.
The next purchasing factor is likely to be size – why buy something bigger than you need, as it all needs to be carried around from place to place. After size comes price and brand; a smaller club or individual player may go for a lower price point, whereas a bigger club may be loyal to one brand and buy their product regardless of the price.