The position of catcher is arguably the most physically demanding in all of baseball. Squatting on bended knees for games routinely lasting three hours, trying to direct the pitcher on what to throw, and then trying to catch a bewildering array of high-speed fastballs, breaking curveballs and sliders, and knuckleballs that can quickly dart in any direction. Add in foul tips, errant throws, runners stealing bases, and collisions with runners.
Factor in dealing with all this while wearing about ten pounds of protective equipment, standing right behind someone swinging a three-pound bat as hard as he can. It’s no wonder “Muddy” Ruel called catcher’s equipment the tools of ignorance.
Our Personal Best Choice
Best Catcher's Wheeled Bag Under $100
Features
COMPARE PACKAGE FEATURES
PREMIUM
$399
Payable Every Year
Best Value Bag
Best Overall Bag
Mizuno Classic Wheel Bag
PREMIUM
$399
Payable Every Year
Best Honorable Mention Bag
Easton E510W Team Wheeled Bag
Best Catcher's Wheeled Bag Under $200
Features
COMPARE PACKAGE FEATURES
PREMIUM
$399
Payable Every Year
Best Overall Bag
Bownet - The Commander
PREMIUM
$399
Payable Every Year
Best Value Bag
Easton E900c Wheeled Catchers Bag
PREMIUM
$399
Payable Every Year
Best Honorable Mention Bag
Rawlings R1502 Wheeled Catchers Bag
As we noted, with all the specialized equipment that is needed, a catcher must have the capability to move his gear to and from the baseball park easily. A catcher’s gear bag meets that requirement. We have identified ten notable bags, and, in this section, will review them at a fairly high level.
In the next section, we’ll take a look at the ten best catcher’s equipment bags.
Comparison Table
We’ll identify some of their best features, sizes, ratings, price range, and customer reviews.
Find out all the borring details here!
All this information will be presented in a tabular format, so you can either look through the whole review or jump to a gear bag that catches your eye.
Following this, we’ll look at some of the key features and specifications for catcher’s gear bags that may be relevant to your choice to purchase. Afterward, we’ll take a detailed look at each and every bag, giving an overall review and impression of the bag, noting the key features and specifications, and the pros and cons for each bag. We’ll close out the review with some “best of” recommendations.
The ratings in the table are taken from the Amazon website. For the most part, these bags have multiple customer reviews. There are, however, a couple of bags with very few customer reviews. We’ll highlight these, as one very positive or very negative review can perhaps misrepresent the overall quality of the bag.
We’ll spend a little time here looking at the development of this specialized equipment.
It’s hard to imagine, but in the early days of baseball, catchers did not have the benefit of all this protection. Early catchers played a few steps behind the batter, catching the ball of the bounce rather than directly. This bit of self-protection ended in the early 1900s when rules were changed to make the catcher play immediately behind the home plate. Even though they were available much earlier, this rule change pretty much dictated the use of a catcher’s mask.
The first mask was developed in 1876, made from a fencing mask. This development caught on quickly and was widely used by the 1880s.
Several design improvements were made, with the aim of added protection while increasing visibility for the catcher. In the 1970s, a hanging strap was added to the masks to protect the catcher’s throat from being hit by the ball. Interestingly, this strap was offered as an option to a 1903 mask but never caught on.
Let’s take a quick look at the next major piece of catcher’s equipment – the catcher’s mitt. Hand protection for a catcher seems like a logical extension to face protection, and the early versions of catcher’s mitts were routinely seen in the 1870s. The earliest mitts were basically round pads to cover the hand.
The pillow-shaped mitt came out at the turn of the century and remained in use until the 1920s. A hand and finger -designed mitt by Rawlings Company (you’ll see that name later in this review) became the new standard, but it still required catching with two hands to the ball did not pop out of the mitt.
The result, as expected, was a lot of bruised, jammed, and broken fingers. To solve this problem, the hinged mittwas developed and became popular in the late 1960s. This solution allowed the catcher to use one hand to catch the pitch and keep the other hand safely protected behind his back. Except for specialty mitts like those used to catch knuckleballers, these gloves are still in use today as the catcher’s standard.
Next up is the start of the catcher’s armor – the chest protector. Chest protection also goes back to the early days of baseball, but, unlike other catcher’s equipment, has not really evolved to the same extent. The early protectors were bladders filled with air, but soon foam padding replaced the air padding.
While the types of foam used today have become much lighter while affording additional protection, the original design is still much the same. The only major modification is the extension of the padding to cover and protect the shoulder areas.
The last equipment we will take a look at is the shin guards worn by catchers. These, much like the chest protector, have not changed much during their evolution. Originally made of light cane, they were first seen in the 1890s. Leather replaced the cane, and fiberboard later replaced the leather as the primary material of construction and was featured in an early Rawlings catalog from 1916.
The shin guards are designed to protect the kneecaps, ankles, and insteps, with hinges at the knee joint, to ease movement and flexibility. In the 1960s, engineered plastics became the choice material of construction, offering solid protection, while lightweight and flexible.
So, there’s a quick summary of the additional equipment catcher’s need to not only wear but also to carry. They also need the standard equipment of other position players, including bats, helmets, spikes or cleats, batting gloves, and hats. And, obviously, they need some way to transport this paraphernalia to and from the baseball diamond. On the right side is a picture of a fully geared-up catcher. And this, of course, leads right into our review of the best catcher’s gear bags.
But first, let’s switch gears really quick, and take a look at the development of suitcases. Early suitcases were along the lines of steamer trunks; large, heavy, and difficult to carry and transport. In the early 1970s, horizontal wheeled suitcases were invented, using a cord to pull them.
The introduction of the wheeled suitcases we are used to seeing today came in 1987 when a Delta pilot developed the vertically oriented roller suitcases for use by flight crews. They were subsequently commercialized, and are now the standard in air travel globally.
So, how did we get from the catcher’s equipment to suitcases?
The catcher’s equipment bag is basically a modified suitcase, with specialized compartments to hold the various tools of the trade.
Buying Guide
The purpose of this section is to identify, define, and review several key features and specifications that you should consider when buying a catcher’s equipment bag. Many of these bags will have the same or similar specifications, but there may also be subtle differences in looks, performance, or durability within that specification.
Materials of constructions might be a good example. We recommend you look at these bags from three different perspectives – what do I absolutely need, what would be nice to have, and what are the “bells and whistles” that I don’t need and would not even use?
The idea is not to go into tons of detail here, but to give you a high-level look at some of the key information about equipment bags. If you need more specific information, you can review the data at the Amazon or manufacturer’s web sites.
Bat compartment
Bat compartment
Most of these equipment bags will have a separate, usually external compartment to hold your bats. Some of the considerations when looking at the compartment should be the number of bats the compartment will hold, and also the size of the bats that it can hold.
The barrel of a bat will be thicker than the handle and will determine the overall number of bats for storage. Most bats will be in the range of 32 – 34 inches long. If the compartment is zippered, you will need to make sure it can handle the necessary length of the bat. Some will also have dividers to prevent the bats from banging into each other while in the bag.
Glove compartment
Glove compartment
In general, you will see that some of these bags have dedicated compartments for the various pieces of catcher’s equipment. Others will have one large storage area to hold everything. Neither approach is necessarily right or wrong. The advantage of a separate storage compartment for the catcher’s mitt is that it will offer some added protection to help the glove stay in its proper form while stored. It also keeps it away from equipment which could damage it, such as spikes or cleats.
Size
Size
Your particular requirements will drive the size requirements for the bag. For this reason, we’ve listed the bag dimensions in the table above. You’ll note that the height of each bag is fairly consistent, with a range from 3 to 3-1/2 feet. The variation is in the length and width of the bags. You will need to make sure that the measurement approach is consistent, and that some of the measures are not taken while the bag is compressed, while others are taken when fully extended.
Weight
Weight
At some point, you will be slinging this bag full of bats, equipment, and other paraphernalia in and out of a car trunk. The sum of all this can become fairly heavy, and the weight of the bag itself will contribute to it. Look at not only the total weight but any other features to make handling the weight easier, such as handholds to aid in lifting.
Cleats compartment
Cleats compartment
Let’s face it – athletic shoes are going to smell. Do you want your cleats stored with your hat, uniform, and other personal articles, or are they better off in a separate compartment? Both styles are available in the bags we review here. If a separate compartment is not available, is the one that will be used ventilated?
Straps and handles
Straps and handles
The majority of these equipment bags will have some straps or handle to assist in carrying the bag, as there are times when wheeling it will not be practical. Key features for these straps will be whether or not they are capable of being adjusted based on player size, and whether they are padded to make carrying the weight more comfortable.
Decorative panels
Decorative panels
Some of these bags have a special, removable decorative panel that can be personalized for the individual player. This customization could include player name, number, team logo, and so on.
Pockets
Pockets
We’ve talked a little already about separate compartments for specific equipment, but bags will also need to store personal equipment in addition to the baseball equipment. This could include things like wallets, glasses, cell phones, etc. There may be multiple smaller pockets or one or two larger ones to accomplish this storage.
Zippers
Zippers
Zippers on these bags can be put under a lot of stress when the bag is full, so a heavy-duty zipper is preferable. Zipper sizes are measured in millimeters, based on the width of the zipper when closed. So, a #5 zipper is 5mm wide, and a #10 is 10mm wide, and so on.
A larger zipper will generally be stronger than a narrower one, although materials of construction can also come into play (e.g., metal vs. plastic zipper). Some of these zippers also are capable of supporting locks, in case valuables will be stored inside.
Materials of construction
Materials of construction
Most of these bags will be made from some type of man-made cloth or material. You should be looking for a durable, heavy-duty material to stand up to the rigors of transporting the catcher’s equipment.
In some of the specifications, you will see information related to the denier count. The denier count is a measure to identify the thickness of the individual fibers making up the bag. This helps determine, or at least predict, the relative durability of the bag.
The higher the denier count, the stronger the material will be.
Hooks
Hooks
It’s a given that, filled with bats, equipment, and other general stuff, these equipment bags will not be fully stable. If left to stand on their own, they will most likely fall over. To counter that, many manufacturers will add a hook or two to the bag. These can be used to attach it to a fence or other object to keep the bag from falling over.
Pull handles
Pull handles
You will see a few different looks on pull handles for these equipment bags. Some have a simple cloth handle to grab and pull. Others will have handles similar to those on suitcase roller bags, some of which will be permanent and fixed in place, and others retractable for easier storage.
Wheel system
Wheel system
Well, since we are reviewing wheeled bags, some discussion does seem necessary on the wheel systems. The systems will consist of two components – the wheels themselves and the axles on which they are mounted. These bags are going to be pulled on a variety of surfaces, from the grass of the baseball diamond to lose stone parking lots to concrete driveways and sidewalks.
The wheels should be able to deal with all these surfaces easily. The width of the wheel will go a long way to determining how easily it will move through these forces.
A wider wheel, with its extra surface area, will be the most flexible in dealing with multiple terrains.
The second component is the axle. Typically, you will run across two different mounting systems – one shorter axle for each wheel, or one long axle that runs across the width of the bag to support both wheels. One is not necessarily better than the other.
Key to their durability is the thickness of the axle, and how it is mounted to the bag itself. In either case, the mounting plates should be solid and thick enough to support the overall weight of the bag and moving it over and through uneven surfaces.
Price
Price
We present a wide range of equipment bags here, running from about $35 all the way up to over $200. While many of us will have budget constraints when making a purchase like this, other considerations will drive your decision. We talked earlier about must-have vs. nice to have features. Is this bag going to be used for a single season, or multiple years? Will it be passed down from child to child, or is there only one catcher in the family?
We can’t answer these questions here; they only relate to your personal circumstances. What we can suggest, however, is that you focus on the overall value of the bag, not just the purchase price. Value is that combination of price, along with features and specifications, that meet your need for both cost and performance.
This wraps up the Buying Guide portion of the review, so it’s time to move on to da detailed review of each of the ten bags. As noted earlier, this will consist of general impressions, features and specifications, and the pros and cons of each bag. We’ll wrap up with a few “best of” picks from the ten equipment bags.
Product Reviews – Catcher’s Wheeled Bag
Rawlings R1502 Wheeled Catchers Bag
Storage Space
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Rawlings R1502
Wheeled Catchers Bag
Features and specifications:
- capacity to hold up to four bats in external, zippered compartment
- separate molded pocket to protect glove
- zippered, separate pocket for cleats
- reinforced hand and shoulder straps
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This is one of the larger bags on the list, with storage capacity for up to four bats. While suitable for youth equipment, this bag will easily carrier adult sizes. It comes with a five- star review, but caveat emptor; that review is based on only one review. We checked a couple of other sites, and there are no reviews available there either, so this is most likely a fairly new introduction.
Pros
Pros
Large bag size, suitable for adults
Manufactured by Rawlings, who has made baseball equipment for over 100 years
Heavy-duty rail and wheel system for durability
Cons
Cons
Only one customer review, limited purchase information since introduced in this year
- semi-hard molded case for cleat or helmet storage
- wide wheels, rubber tread for easy movement on all terrains
- equipment bag weighs 15 pounds, so might be a bit heavy for younger players
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Fairly large, multi-compartmented bag offering 14 separate compartments – a lot of storage area for various equipment. It is available in seven different colors and designs and comes with a solid 4.6 rating. It has a personalization panel for a team logo, player name, and number, etc. This is a top ten seller in Amazon baseball equipment bags.
Pros
Pros
Solid quality rating for this bag
Well-organized storage with multiple compartments; users call it a “hanging locker.”
Compartments can be moved and repositioned to meet personal needs
Cons
Cons
One strongly negative review about customer service
Not especially well balanced when loaded, so (integral to bag) hooks need to be used
- strong #10 zippers throughout, which are also lockable
- vented pockets to minimize odors
- full bottom rails for increased strength
- integrated fence hooks
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This is another 4.5 rated bag, but comes in a little cheaper than the Bownet, at $170. It has wide-set wheels for stability and durability and weighs in at just under ten pounds. There is a zippered three-bat external compartment, multiple pockets, and heavy-duty construction. Based on consumer feedback, it is built to last.
Pros
Pros
95% of customer ratings are eight 4- or 5-star
Constructed of 600 Denier polyester fibers for anti-rip strength
- both exterior and interior compartments to hold a wide variety of gear and personal items
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This bag is versatile enough for baseball, t-ball, or softball equipment. It’s constructed from 600 Denier polyester fabric and can store up to four bats with all the other ancillary equipment, yet weighs only 3 pounds net. With several pockets for personal items, plus all the baseball equipment, it has a good rating and very attractive pricing.
Pros
Pros
Price
Good ratings for value and durability
Cons
Cons
Very narrow at 9 inches; will not hold larger youth or adult equipment
User complaints around zippers, stability, wheel width
- just over six pounds weight, large main compartment, insulated water bottle compartment, and separate valuables pocket
- removable panel for customization with team logo, player name, etc.
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Another Easton bag, much the same size as the previous one, but with a slightly different configuration. It has a four-bat capacity, and multiple compartments, including a vented one for cleats. Wide-set wheels with a full axle and bottom rails give the bag good stability and structure.
Pros
Pros
90% 4- and 5-star ratings
Good price to rating ratio
4300 cubic inch main storage compartment
Cons
Cons
Complaints are about durability and functionality of zippers
The tendency to tip over, but has fence hooks integrated into the design
- fleece-lined cell phone pocket, interior pocket for valuables storage
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This is the first of two DeMarini bags in this review, and the number four seller equipment bag on Amazon. It has an armored compartment for bat storage and will hold up to four bats in individual sleeves, and seven overall. It has a removable, customizable decoration panel, and a separate pocket for valuables storage.
Pros
Pros
Solid construction, with full features
Breathable and washable shoe compartment
Large enough for youth and adult equipment
Cons
Cons
The bag has an even lower 3.4 rating (120 reviews) on the manufacturer’s website
Virtually every complaint has to do with zipper quality and zipped pulls breaking off
- four hooks to hang gear such as masks and helmets outside the bag, plus fence hook
- shelf system for customizable storage area
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This bag is available in eight different colors and designs. While the Amazon specs show it as 6 inches deep, the manufacturer shows 12 inches, which appears to be more in line with the photos. We’ve taken the manufacturer’s numbers in the comparison table, which makes it one of the bigger bags. It has nine total pockets, with three ventilated, and a three-bat capacity.
Pros
Pros
8 rating for durability, 4.6 for value
5-star review on manufacturer’s site, 4.7 on another site
Cons
Cons
Complaints about stability when rolling the bag
Zipper quality and fabric strength are recurring complaints
- four bat capacity in a zippered, external compartment
- ventilated compartment for footwear
- reinforced pull handle, customizable panel for team logo, etc.
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This Mizuno product also comes in highly rated, with a 4.3 customer review. It’s fairly lightweight at just over six pounds but has some heavyweight features. It has separate pockets for storage and heavy-duty wheels for durability over any surface.
Pros
Pros
Good value based on price and quality rating
Dual hooks for fence hanging
5-star rating on a different site (8 reviews)
Cons
Cons
The bag may be too small for gear for an older, larger player
Some complaints about the durability of the bag, showing premature wear, and zipper failure
- reinforced bottom to deal with bulging and premature wearing
- bracketed inline wheels on the bottom of the bag for stability and durability
- reverse coil #8 zippers for coils protection and against blowouts
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New Easton’s new E510W wheeled bag is even more versatile than it has been before. There are new rubberized pullers and a fence hook added to increase the functionality. The vented pockets will eliminate any odor, and they will also allow the bag dry faster. Heavy-duty bracketed inline wheels are designed for stability and durability. There is also a removable shoe panel that will be highly appreciated by the players. Basically, it a good bag for any player.
Pros
Pros
Large bat storage capability, with removable sleeve
Retractable handle, plus padded top handle for carrying
Cons
Cons
No bottom rail between wheels so has a tendency to bow out when loaded heavily
- removable panel to customize with player name, team logo, etc.
- integrated fence hook and valuables compartment
- #10 zippers on the main storage area opening
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This is another bag from the DeMarini line, but, as evidenced by the rating (and price), from the lower end of their catalog. It has a pretty small storage area and is really not suitable for catcher’s equipment other than for the youngest and smallest players. It does feature a padded, separated four bat storage area, with an interior shelf to separate gloves from other equipment in the bag.
Pros
Pros
The second lowest price of all the bags in this review
So, that marks the end of the detailed review of each of our ten wheeled catcher’s equipment bags. Let’s summarize the “best of” from the analysis; in the interest of fairness for comparison, I’ve split the ten bags into two groups of five bags each. The first group is those priced under $100, and the second group those between $100 and $200. Here are the results:
Features
COMPARE PACKAGE FEATURES
PREMIUM
$399
Payable Every Year
Best Value Bag
Best Overall Bag
Mizuno Classic Wheel Bag
PREMIUM
$399
Payable Every Year
Best Honorable Mention Bag
Easton E510W Team Wheeled Bag
The Mizuno hit the top end of the scale for the overall bag and best value. It costs $100, a very solid 4.3 rating, and an even higher rating on a different site. I also liked the Easton E700W as the best value choice, but it had constant criticisms for the same problem, which I would think would be adjusted in the design phase. Honorable mention goes to the Easton E510W.
For the bags priced under $200, I chose:
Features
COMPARE PACKAGE FEATURES
PREMIUM
$399
Payable Every Year
Best Overall Bag
Bownet - The Commander
PREMIUM
$399
Payable Every Year
Best Value Bag
Easton E900c Wheeled Catchers Bag
PREMIUM
$399
Payable Every Year
Best Honorable Mention Bag
Rawlings R1502 Wheeled Catchers Bag
The Bownet bag had a high rating, large size, flexible storage, and a molded storage section. The only real scathing complaint was not about the bag, but about customer service. The Easton bag also had a good 4.5 rating and was the second cheapest bag in this category.
The rating and price factored in with the wide variety of features and specs, give it the best value award. I was also impressed with the Rawlings R1502 bag; nice features, reasonably priced, but put this one back to honorable mention because of the single rating applied to the bag. Check it next year, and I think you will see a very high overall rating.
We hope this information has been helpful to you in making your decision on a catcher’s equipment bag.