If you own a Table Tennis Bat (or racket) you should also own a table tennis bat case. I’m always surprised by just how many players spend a fortune on their bat just to chuck it in their bag allowing the delicate rubbers to get damaged and increasing the chance of having to buy a new one.
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In this article I will recommend some of the best table tennis bat cases, as well as telling you what to avoid when buying a case or cover for your racket.
What to avoid…
Now that I’ve convinced you to invest in a table tennis bat case your first instinct is probably to go out and grab the cheapest one you can find.
Please don’t!
The most popular table tennis bat cases are the cheap racket-shaped ones with a small zipped pouch on the front for three balls. You know which ones I mean. Of the 10 most popular bat cases on Amazon.com, all of them are this type. I guess that shows you how much Amazon caters to the recreational table tennis market.
I had one of these for my first table tennis bat (back when I was 10) and you sometimes get one for free when you purchase a premade table tennis bat.
The problem with these bat cases is that they don’t protect the edges of your rubbers. The fact that the case is racket-shaped means that the edges of your rubbers are constantly rubbing against the inside edge of your bat case.
What you’ll end up with is something like this…
So, that bat clearly hasn’t been very well looked after. But, can you see how the majority of damage to the rubber occurs along the top edge. This is the area that suffers most in a racket-shaped bat case.
As you zip your bat case open and closed you are basically rubbing the metal zipper along the top edge of your bat. You might not notice at first but over time you’ll start to see signs of damage to your rubbers and then once they have been weakened split and cracks will appear. Eventually, the rubber and sponge will begin to flake off, exposing the wooden blade underneath.
Storing Table Tennis Balls in that convenient pouch on the front of the bat case can also be a problem. Those three balls are basically sitting there pushing into your rubber.
This isn’t a particularly good idea.
I’ve seen some players even have three small indents in the surface of their rubber on one side of their bat due to months of pressure from the table tennis balls in that zipped pouch.
The Best Table Tennis Bat Cases
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, here are some of the bat cases I actually like. You’ll notice that have a couple of things in common.
- They are all rectangular. Virtually all competitive table tennis players will use a rectangular bat case to protect their rubbers from damage.
- If they have storage space for balls – and many don’t – it doesn’t put any pressure on the racket.
Here they are…
Eastfield Original Bat Case
Okay, I have to admit, I’m a little bit biased here.
Towards the end of 2014, I started sketching out some initial ideas for my perfect table tennis bat case. By early 2015 I’d found a factory that could turn my sketches into a physical product and I had the first prototype in my hands. By the summer of 2015 Eastfield Co. was formed and our first product, The Original Bat Case, was on sale to the public.
This bat case takes inspiration from the current trend in iPad and laptop cases. It holds one bat, features a navy design, PU leather trim, and even has a small table tennis bat logo on the back.
- You can buy one from Amazon.co.uk for £20.00 (including postage)
I’ve been using the Eastfield Original to house my table tennis bat ever since I got my hands on the finished product. I couldn’t be happier with it and it certainly stands out from the crowd when compared to the standard bat cases used by the majority of players.
You can certainly buy a cheaper bat case but, for me, the Eastfield Original is worth every penny! I wonder how long it will be before the big table tennis brands start producing bat cases that look more like this and less awful!
Aluminium Bat Boxes
If you are looking for maximum protection for your table tennis bat then look no further than an aluminium bat case/box.
With your bat safely inside one of these you could probably drop it off the top of a building and your racket would still be in one piece. Knocks, bumps, and drops that occur while your racket is in transit should be no problem at all.
All of these bat boxes are practically identical and can hold one bat and three balls. I reckon they are probably all made by the same factory in China!
Here are a few options…
Amazon.co.uk
- Joola Aluminium: A best-selling case in the UK and great value. Available for £21.86!
- Donic Aluminium: Identical to the Joola case but more expensive. Available for £29.90!
Amazon.com
- Joola Aluminium: This one pops up everywhere. Available for $50.00!
- Killerspin Aluminium: This one comes with a metal handle. Available for $58.35!
Megaspin.net
- Butterfly Aluminium: This is a pretty cool looking bat case. Available for $49.99!
- Donic Aluminium: Very similar to the Butterfly case but $10 cheaper. Available for $39.95!
Tabletennis11.com
- Tibhar Aluminium: The cheap one at Tabletennis11. Available for €29.90!
- Joola Aluminium: Looks exactly the same as the Tibhar. Available for €34.90!
- Donic Leather: A very smart looking bat box in black leather-style. Available for €34.90!
If you’re the type of person who is always breaking things – you know who you are – then perhaps an aluminium bat case could be a very good investment. A crack in your blade can be expensive!
Double Bat Cases
If you like to carry a spare table tennis bat around with you then you should probably think about buying a double racket case.
Lots of table tennis bat cases claim to be able to hold two rackets but often they just mean you are able to squeeze two rackets into them. I like the bat cases that actually have two separate compartments allowing you to keep two bats well protected. The key is to look for two zippers!
Here are my favourites…
Amazon.co.uk
- Cornilleau Fittcare: An affordable double bat case. Available for £15.45!
- Stiga Max Line: Not the best looking case but quite cheap. Available for £12.99!
- DHS Double Deck: Another double bat case. Available for £23.22!
Amazon.com
- Killerspin Optima: A stylish red and black racket case. Available for $29.99!
- DHS Double: A really ugly case. Not sure why I’m linking to this. Available for $37.43!
Megaspin.net
- Butterfly Nelofy DX: A nice looking simple case with two compartments. Available for $34.99!
- Andro Kiwu: A well designed double bat case at a good price. Available for $21.99!
Tabletennis11.com
- Tibhar Century: A great value nice looking double case. Available for €14.90!
- Joola Safe: This one is uglier and more expensive. Available for €15.90!
Plenty of options for you there. As I said earlier, I love my Eastfield Original bat case. But, if you are looking for a double case these are all good.
Table Tennis Ball Holders
Finally, if you do want to carry table tennis balls around with you – and you should, because you always need them – you have a few different options when it comes to cases.
Some players just throw loose balls into their table tennis bag but I have found that this is a certain way to crack and dent your balls, which are pretty expensive now. Read more about which balls I recommend in my article The Best Table Tennis Balls.
Here are some of the options…
Amazon.co.uk
- Joola Ball Case: Triangular protection for your table tennis balls. Available for £3.67!
Amazon.com
- Joola Ball Case: Triangular protection for your table tennis balls. Available for $8.95!
- Brodmann Blades Ball Belt: Carry eight table tennis balls on you at all times. Available for $19.11!
Megaspin.net
- Butterfly Ball Holder: Holds 2 balls and comes with a keyring attachment. Available for $9.99!
Tabletennis11.com
- Joola Ball Case: Triangular protection for your table tennis balls. Available for €4.90!
- Gewo Ballbox: Able to hold six table tennis balls and doubles up as a roller. Available for €3.00!
I doubt the “ball belt” will catch on any time soon! What’s wrong with putting extra balls in your pocket?
Summary
Your table tennis bat is expensive and the rubbers are delicate. Please invest in a good bat case.
I recommend the Eastfield Original (which you can buy for £20 from Amazon). However, any of the other table tennis bat cases mentioned in this article are great as well.
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