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What to pack in your tennis bag
The list of what you actually need, what you will forget, and what is dead weight in Puerto Rico's climate.
A tennis bag fills up with things you never use and is always missing the same items. This is the short list.
The essentials
- Racquet. And if you compete, a second one: a string breaks at the worst possible moment.
- Spare overgrips. In this humidity, one per long session is not excessive.
- Water, more than you think. In the south of the island, at least a liter per hour of play.
- Towel. For you and for the handle.
- Cap and sunscreen. There is no shade on court.
- Balls in good condition. Old balls change the game more than people admit.
What everyone forgets
- Spare socks. Finishing the second set in soaked socks is where blisters come from.
- A dry shirt for afterward.
- Something to eat if you will play over an hour: a bar or some fruit.
- Band-aids. Blisters arrive without warning.
What is dead weight
Spare dampeners, racquet weights, three kinds of drink. If you carry your bag like a pharmacy, you are hauling weight in the sun for nothing.
The bag itself
In this climate a thermal compartment genuinely helps: it keeps the racquet at a reasonable temperature while you wait for a court. And a backpack-style bag carries better walking in the sun than a hand-carried one.