Softee Carburo Padel Bag (Black)

Look at the bag end-on and it splits into three. The two outer sections zip open along the sides and are where the rackets go; Padel Nuestro, the Spanish retailer with the fullest listing, describes them as two large racket compartments. In the middle, behind its own zip, is a shoe compartment big enough for a pair of trainers, which our gallery photo shows with shoes inside. A smaller exterior pocket takes keys, a phone or a spare overgrip.

That middle section is the reason to buy this rather than a backpack. Sandy shoes stay away from your towel and spare shirt, and the rackets don't share space with either.

Possibly. Padel Nuestro's description says one compartment protects the rackets from high temperatures and can carry drinks. The spec table on the very same page says "Thermal Compartment: No", and also says no shoe compartment, which we can see is wrong from the photo. So the table looks unreliable, but we haven't had the bag apart to check the lining ourselves.

Our advice: if a thermal sleeve matters to you because your rackets live in a car through summer, treat it as a bonus rather than a promise. The padel bag guide explains why heat is hard on foam cores, and which bags confirm a thermal lining.

Softee doesn't publish dimensions or a litre figure for the Carburo, which makes a straight size comparison impossible. What we can compare is the layout. Below, the Carburo sits next to two other entry bags we've written up and its own backpack sibling.

One or two rackets, a pair of shoes, a towel and a water bottle: if that's your usual load, the Carburo covers it. It's a sensible first proper bag after a racket cover, and the plain black design with white lettering makes it an easy padel gift for someone who has just started playing weekly.

If you'd rather carry it on your back for a cycle or a walk to the club, the Carburo backpack is the lighter option from the same range. Softee's Car padel bag in olive green is another option from the brand, and the red Car listing is the same line in a different colour.

Rackets go in the side sections face to face, ideally with a racket protector on each so the frames don't rub. Shoes in the middle, still sandy if they must be, and a fresh tube of padel balls in the exterior pocket. Empty the shoe section after every session and leave it unzipped overnight; damp shoes in a closed compartment are how a bag starts to smell.

Still kitting out from scratch? The padel racket range and our padel shoes are the two things worth getting right before the bag.