Are you preparing yourself for a Tennis Summer camp, or attending a tournament or in charge of arranging the same? Then, you have to pack up your bag with lots of tennis items.
Normally, basic tennis requirement includes racquet, tennis ball and a net. But, for the reasons stated above or for any other purpose, you must ask yourself whether you need other tennis equipment or not.
Rightly so, in this article, I have made up a 23-item tennis equipment list along with their purposes and when you need to use those. Also, note down some of the best recommendations for each of them. This will help you choose the right ones and avoid the worst.
Contents
Tennis Equipment Listed
- Racket
- Tennis Grip
- Ball
- Tennis Net
- Shoe
- Wrist Band
- Head Band
- Tennis hat
- Tennis Ball Machine
- Backpack
- Arm Sleeves
- Sunglass
- Tennis Hopper
- Can of balls
- Tennis ball cart
- Tennis rosin
- Snacks
- Squeegee
- Strings
- String Savers
- Sweat bands
- Vibration Dampeners
Okay, before diving into details, let’s check out major tennis equipment makers and tennis growth, trends and forecasts. Hope you have a lot of info on that page and now, let’s start with the tennis racket with a few recommendations.
Tennis Racket
Nothing to say about a tennis racquet. Without this, you can just play cricket with your tennis ball!
Jokes apart, yeah, you need a racquet that is of a well brand, durable, lightweight and long-lasting. You better know about different types and brands of tennis racquets before choosing the perfect one for you.
Recommendation
Babolat Boost Aero Racquet: best for beginners to get proper maneuverability and control
Wilson Ultra 100: for intermediate
Wilson Pro Staff 97 Autograph: For advanced players like Nadal
Read also:
- Best Tennis Racquet Brands 2021 (What Famous Players Love: Answered!)
- Top 9 Best Tennis Racquet for Beginners-2021
- Top 9 Best Tennis Racquet For Intermediate Player In 2021
Tennis Grip
There are mainly two types of grip
- Maintenance Grip: You apply it directly onto the handle of your racquet.
- Overgrips: This is an extra grip over to your main grip. It is much thinner than the maintenance grip.
Why Grip: Sometimes, you need to change your grip for any of the following reasons:
- When your grip gets worn and you just feel uncomfortable to handle with.
- You sweat a lot due to the poor condition of your existing grip.
Then, you must change the grip or use an overgrip, by which your handle will be well cushioned, you get a sticky backup out of it, and you feel firm & comfortable handling the racquet and play.
Recommendation
Wilson Pro Overgrip: Perfect for sweat handling and well gripping
Tennis Ball
Professional, championship and practice are the three common types of tennis balls.
Professional balls are designed with every specification tested and approved by the famous players. They are versatile, and made for necessary speed and control. Perfect for the professionals and international matches.
Championship Tennis Balls
If you look for balls for recreational play, junior’s tournament or possibly for a practice game, these extra duty balls will be the right ones. They are not like the professional type, but still good for feel, pop, speed and control. You can play as many matches as you want with these solid balls. So, don’t be afraid of practicing hard. Just choose the pack of well branded ones.
Recommendation
Best for hard practice: Wilson Championship Extra Duty Tennis Balls
Best for a championship game: Wilson RF Legacy All Court Tennis Balls (Can)
Practice Balls
Practice balls are meant for only practice games, not for any USTA organized tennis matches. Although these balls cost way lower than the other two types, the quality of the balls are not poor at all. Many tennis lovers use the balls across the nation due to their regulation size, consistent bounce and durable feature.
Besides, these balls can also be used for ball throwing practice, cricket game and play with the pets.
Recommendation
Best For Beginner Level: Tourna Pressureless Tennis Ball (Pack of 60)
Tennis Net
A tennis net is surely under the main tennis equipment list. Without which, you cannot play a tennis match.
Before buying a tennis net, you have to know the standard dimension of it. It is 1.07 meters in height at the posts and 0.914 meter high in the center of the court. 12.8 meter is the width of the net which is set between the posts. If you ask about the quality, we suggest you choose the nets made of polyethylene and polyester. These materials are well resistant to any fade or will worn out soon.
However, the size of the court (full standard size, half size) is another issue on which the type of tennis net depends. Sportszing has more info about tennis net.
Recommendation
Best Nylon Net for Tennis and Pickleball: SONGMICS Badminton Net Set
Best Portable Net Set: Boulder Portable Badminton Net Set
Tennis Shoe
The 4th most important equipment for tennis is the shoe. Since you have to move continuously across the tennis court, you need to give special attention choosing your shoes. There are mainly two types of tennis shoes: Clay court shoe and Hard court shoe.
Clay court shoe features
Amount of traction is higher than other types
Herringbone outsole allows moving easily, fast, and keep you in control
Hard court shoe features
Featured with ample cushioning
Solid materials and tough upper make the shoe supportive and durable
Quality midsole helps in absorbing shock
Lightest
As hard court shoes are flexible and versatile, these can be used in grass court as well.
Some play tennis with running shoes, but these may not give you required lateral support. That’s why, choose tennis shoes which are perfect for the ground you play on. Good tennis shoes never damage the court because of the fast movement of players on the court. They will give you support and stability.
Recommendation
Best All Court Shoe: Mizuno Men’s Wave Exceed Tour 3 All Court Tennis Shoe
Best Court Sneaker: adidas Men’s Grand Court Sneaker
Wrist Band
Tennis players sweat a lot. When they move around and run fast on the court, the sweat runs onto their wrists. This is where the wrist band does the work. They absorb the sweat and help tennis players grip the racquets for a long time. Besides, tennis players also swipe sweat away from their faces and foreheads with this tennis equipment.
Head Band
Players look stunning on their head bands. Not only for the look purpose, but also they wear headbands for the following reasons
- To soak up the sweat
- For taming the locks
- Some uses bandana for the protection of hair losses (Nadal uses for that)
- Some uses when hair goes above their shoulders.
Remember, your headbands should be made of good materials, lightweight and absorbing.
Recommendation
Vinsguir Sports Headbands for Men and Women
Tennis Hat or VCap
When you play outdoor tennis, you must wear a tennis hat to protect yourself from the scorching heat of the sun. Wearing a visor becomes a fashion as well among the tennis lovers. Some wear it backwards. But, to keep you safe from the sun, you must wear it in the traditional way. You have to keep in mind three important factors while buying visors:
- It should match to your flavour
- It should be light, breathable and comfy
- Adjustable
- Should have enough velcro to tighten up.
Recommendation
Tennis Ball Machine
Want to practice tennis of your own? Well, you need a good tennis ball machine. What a ball machine does is throw the balls from one side of the court where it has been set, you are on the other side of the court. The machine throws the balls automatically, and you hit from the other side. Basically, it will develop your serve, forehand, backhand and volley.
So, it happens that sometimes you may not find your buddies to practice with or you just want to practice in your backyard or on a tennis court, then the machine would be the perfect choice for you to continue practice.
Recommendation
Tennis Backpack
The more compartments you get in your tennis bag, the better. However, what kind of backpack you need mainly depends on what level of player you are or what purposes you need to fulfill with.
Basically, you need compartments specially for tennis rackets, balls and for the shoes.
Besides, you need to keep other equipment like your clothes, a few strings, grip tape, headband etc. So, check out whether these options are available or not. Also, don’t forget to note down choosing a bag from a well brand like Wilson or Head. It will confirm you with easy carry, durability and comfort.
Arm Sleeves
There are mainly two purposes of tennis Arm Sleeves
- It will keep your arm cool in hot weather
- Keep you warm in winter season
- You will feel relaxed
- Arm sleeves help in compression and muscle awareness
Recommendation
Copper Compression Recovery Elbow Sleeve
Tennis Sunglasses
Wearing sunglasses has become a fashion for tennis lovers. But, if we talk about the purposes, the following points to be noted down:
- It reduces the glare: helps players see the ball and opponent clearly.
- It protects from harmful rays like UVA, UVC, and UVB.
- It’s a fashion and can make you confident.
Recommendation
Torege Polarized Sports Sunglasses
Read also: What Experts Are Saying About Best Tennis Sunglasses
Ball Hoppers
Tennis ball hopper is just a basket or cage where you can put a bunch of tennis balls at a time. It also helps to pick up the ball comfortably.
Normally, modern hoppers are made up from steel or graphite. However, there are many types of hoppers out there in the market. Before choosing anyone, better if you learn about the different parts of hoppers.
1. The Basket: Steel cage of heavy Duty 2. Handles. Sometimes it can be folded for comfortable carrying. 3. Legs: To elevate the basket more accessible for taking balls. 4. Lid: To keep the balls more secure (helpful in some places)
5. Wheels: Helps to move the hopper around the court.
So, now you know what options you need to have in a hopper and choose accordingly.
Recommendation
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I bring to tennis practice?
Well, other than your regular tennis equipment, you have to pack up your bag with some extra things. Like:
- Off-Court shoes
- Extra pair of socks
- T-shirts
- Jackets
- Comfortable Flip flops
etc.
What equipment was first used in tennis?
In early days of tennis in 1873-1900s, tennis monks use their hands to hit the ball. Later, felt uncomfortable, started using webbed gloves and paddles to play the game.
What are the dresses for tennis?
Shorts
Shirts
Make sure the shorts match the color of the shirts.
But, before choosing the tennis outfit, you must read a complete article related to tennis clothing.
Conclusion
So, hope you got the idea about tennis equipment. However, the most important issue is choosing the best one out there in the market. For that, do proper market research, look for a good brand, read the reviews and pick necessary items for your next tennis tour.
