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Organizing your bag pockets: a checklist before you go play

Published on October 21, 2026 Reviewed October 22, 2026 About 4 min

The Bagage de Court editorial team.

A notebook with a checklist lying next to a closed sports bag by the door.
The pre-departure list. A fixed list, read again before every departure, keeps you from forgetting your paddle, balls, water or a change of clothes. Put each item in its own pocket, always the same one, so you can find it without emptying the bag. Once the habit is formed, packing takes a few minutes.

You opened “Organizing your bag pockets: a checklist before you go play,” so let us get straight to what matters. Get your bag ready in a few minutes with a simple checklist to tick before every session. So you do not get lost, know that we will also cover a few things to explore. If that describes you, settle in: this page speaks to pickleball players in France, beginners or club members, who want to choose and organize their bag and travel with their gear.

What should you check before leaving the house?

A figure to keep handy: all the lines on a pickleball court are 2 inches (5.08 cm) wide, according to the USA Pickleball rules.

Here is the value to know: according to the USA Pickleball rules, the sum of the paddle's length and width, edges and end cap included, must not exceed 24 inches (60.96 cm), and its length cannot exceed 17 inches (43.18 cm).

A measured benchmark: each team has two timeouts for games to 11 or 15 points, and three for a game to 21 points. Each lasts one minute at most.

Where should you store small items?

A figure to keep handy: a sticker or decal on the paddle must not extend more than 1 inch (2.54 cm) above the top of the grip, according to the USA Pickleball rules.

Here is the value to know: according to the USA Pickleball rules, the non-volley zone extends 7 feet (2.13 m) from the net.

A measured benchmark: USA Pickleball indicates a minimum playing area of 30 feet wide by 60 feet long, which is larger than the court itself (20 by 44 feet), to leave room around the lines.

How do you plan for a change of clothes?

Here is the value to know: the net height tolerance is ± 0.25 inch (about 0.635 cm), both at the posts (36 inches) and at the center (34 inches), according to USA Pickleball.

Here is the value to know: the USA Pickleball rules provide for a distance of 22 feet (± 1 inch, or 6.71 m) between the net posts, and a net at least 21 feet 9 inches (6.63 m) long.

On the rules side: in a match with line judges, the only line call left to the players is the centerline on the serve.

Also worth exploring

Here is how to find your bearings, point by point.

  • The FFT distinguishes three types of nets: portable with removable metal posts, on wheels, and permanent with posts anchored in the ground.
  • The pickleball net is 6.70 m wide, with a height of 86 cm at the center and 91 cm at the posts.
  • Shoes must not mark the court surface, and the patterns or graphics on clothing must remain in “good taste,” according to the USA Pickleball rules; the tournament director may enforce these rules.
  • The USA Pickleball rules prohibit non-slip paint, rubber, sandpaper-like features and moving parts on the paddle.
  • The pickleball is a hard plastic ball, slightly larger than a tennis ball, with holes (26 to 40 according to the FFT); indoor and outdoor models differ in the number and size of the holes.
  • According to the FFT, a pickleball paddle weighs about 240 grams and measures about 40 cm high by 20 cm wide; it is made of composite or fiberglass.
  • Allowed on a paddle, according to USA Pickleball: edge guard tape, lead tape, grip modifications and face replacement.

In a few lines

A quick memo to copy into your notes.

  • Allowed on a paddle, according to USA Pickleball.
  • The FFT distinguishes three types of nets.

At the end of this read

Make your own list from these lines and stick it somewhere within reach.

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References

Baggage dimensions and conditions vary by airline and change over time: always check your carrier's rules before you leave.

European law on free cabin baggage is under discussion and does not apply yet: the information on this site is dated.