Started my tennis gear hunt after my wrist kept hurting during backhand swings. Figured I’d test stuff myself ’cause online reviews were all over the place. Went straight to my local court last Saturday with an old duffel bag full of random equipment I’d collected over years. Here’s how it went down.
The Racket Rumble
First up: rackets. Dug out three from my garage – a cheap Walmart one, some fancy graphite model I bought on sale, and my buddy’s worn-out wooden relic. Hit 50 forehands with each against the ball machine. That wooden thing? Felt like swinging a brick. Walmart racket vibrated so bad my teeth chattered. Ended up sticking with the graphite one ’cause it just clicked – sweet spot felt bigger, didn’t murder my elbow.
Sweat Wars: Wristbands vs. Towels
Texas heat had me dripping by 10am. Tried cotton wristbands first – soaked through in 20 minutes. Switched to terrycloth ones mid-game. Big mistake. Felt like wet rats strapped to my arms. Finally grabbed this microfiber towel from my gym bag. Wrapped it around my grip between serves. Total game changer! Absorbed sweat without turning into a soggy mess. Lesson: skip wristbands, pack a damn towel.
The Shoe Saga
Wore three different pairs consecutively:
- My running shoes: Slipped like Bambi on ice during lateral moves
- Old basketball kicks: Too heavy, felt like concrete blocks
- These random tennis shoes I thrifted: Got blisters after 30 minutes but had killer grip
Next day bought proper tennis shoes with reinforced toes. Suddenly stopping didn’t feel like risking death. Worth every penny.
Ball Bucket Showdown
Used my kid’s plastic beach pail for balls first. Cracked when I sat on it during water break. Borrowed my neighbor’s collapsible mesh thing – balls kept rolling out every time the wind blew. Finally caved and got a proper 75-ball bucket with handles. Now I’m not crawling after strays like a raccoon in a dumpster.
Overgrip Olympics
Tested five overgrips after my palm got slippery. That “high-tech” blue one felt like holding a live fish. Leather one gave me instant blisters. Ended up with basic white tacky grip – cheap as chips and sticks like glue when sweaty. Changed it twice during testing. Pro tip: re-wrap monthly or it turns gross.
Final verdict? My top 5 essentials racket, towel, proper shoes, solid ball bucket, and tacky overgrips. Saved $200+ skipping hyped brands and just testing things myself. Next mission: figuring out why my serves keep hitting the net.
