10 Items You Should Always Carry In Your Softball Bag

A lot of time and effort go into preparing for a tournament; long, tiring practices, training with a private coach on the weekends, waking up early the morning of a tournament and more. We've created a checklist to take one more thing off your plate when preparing for a tournament:


      1. Your Bat


Don't depend on your teammates or coach to supply you with a bat. Using your own bat will also allow you to fine tune and mold your hands to the grip and feel of the bat rather than having to adjust to every new bat you borrow.


      1. Hair-ties


Playing underneath a blistering sun, in 80% humidity with black softball pants and high socks are not the ideal combo. Add in long hair that sticks to your face and neck. Now you have yourself a hot mess, pun intended. Pack some hair-ties in your backpack so you can get your hair out of the way during crucial plays. RIP-IT has designed a fielder's mask that includes a pony -tail strap perfect for any hairstyle.


      1. Water bottle


Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. We can't emphasize this enough. When you are playing a sport in 95 degree weather and are fully clothed, it is extremely important to hydrate whenever possible or else your body will break down and you will no longer be able to perform. If you don't hydrate enough you will start to feel a list of uncomfortable symptoms: sluggishness, fainting, weakness, dizziness, dry mouth, confusion, palpations and more. The RIP-IT softball backpack includes a slot where you can store a water bottle. Now you have no excuse to not hydrate.


      1. Tampons


You never know when mother nature will curse you with a visit, better hope it's not at the bottom of the 6th inning. Always have a few packed for those worst case scenarios.


      1. Fielder's Mask


Having a ball come off a bat at 70 mph and hit your face can cause serious long-term brain damage. Don't be foolish, bring your fielder's mask and wear it, even if you don't think it looks cool or it feels uncomfortable. It will be a lot more uncomfortable and uncool when you can't play because you are injured.


      1. Deodorant


Don't torture your teammates during group huddles with your bodily scents. Stay fresh throughout long tournament days with an all-natural deodorant. Make sure the label says aluminum free. Studies have found that those exposed to high levels of aluminum develop Alzheimer's disease and cancer later in life. If you are having trouble finding aluminum free deodorants, reference this list.


      1. Gloves


It's always good to have your gloves accessible during a tournament because if you borrow a bat that does not have a great grip you will be cursed with painful sting and blisters the rest of the tournament. This could be extremely distracting and hindering to your performance.


      1. Helmet


A helmet is great to have with you because it not only provides excellent protection but it will keep your head from getting hot. They now come in an array of colors you can match to your team's uniform and they become an instant accessory item.


      1. After game shoes


It's always handy to carry around sandals or Toms that you can change into after you're done playing. Walking into a Tijuana Flats with dirty cleats on can be uncomfortable and a tad unfitting to the surroundings. Not to mention walking on concrete or hard pavement other than clay or grass will slowly dull the studs on your cleats.


    1. Sunscreen


This is a common item in a Floridian's or Californian's backpack, but not to the northerners. It is a myth that if there is no sunlight out, you won't burn. You are just as likely to burn in overcast weather than when it is sunny outside. So no matter the weather, make sure to protect your skin from deadly rays.