The 5 Best Drumstick Bags (2023)

The logistics of being a drummer can be challenging! While transporting bulky drums and hardware, it’s easy to misplace your drumsticks, drum keys, and other drum accessories. This is where a nice drumstick bag can come in handy!

It’s worth investing in a good drum stick bag. It’s one thing less to stress about, and it makes it far easier to bring them around.

Some stick bags can also be attached to a drum or piece of hardware so that it doubles up as a drumstick holder, making it easy to access your sticks during gigs.

The 5 Best Drumstick Bags (2023)

1. Meinl Percussion Drum Stick Bag MSB-1
Editor's Choice - Great quality bag with tons of features for a very reasonable price.
2. YMC DSB10-BK
Affordable Option - An affordable drumstick bag with lots of space
3. Vic Firth Basic Stick Bag
Lightweight bag for carrying up to 12 pairs of sticks, perfect for students and holding your sticks in one place
4. Promark Transport Deluxe Drumstick Bag
A stylish drumstick bag that can hold around 8 pairs of sticks
5. TAMA TSB12BK POWERPAD
A compact bag that serves its purpose nicely

Let’s compare at them in more detail:

1. Meinl Percussion Drum Stick Bag MSB-1

View Price at SweetwaterView Price at Amazon

The MSB-1 is a quality-made drumstick bag that will last you a long time. It ticks all the boxes, and that is why it is my top pick of the lot.

Pros

  • Adjustable shoulder strap
  • Lots of different sized pockets
  • Floor tom hooks

Cons

  • Can lack space for additional items

This bag is made out of 600 deniers heavy-duty fabric which can endure travel and any hardships it will inevitably meet in its lifetime.

The zippers are double-back and it has lots of space inside. You can use 9 differently sized pockets for your sticks while having two large pockets on the outside for the rest of your things (metronome, phone, keys, etc.).

Material600 denier heavy-duty fabric
Stick capacityIt can easily hold 10 pairs + accessories
Comes with a shoulder strap?Yes

It comes with an adjustable shoulder strap and floor tom hooks. This way, you always have your bag near you when you need to change the sticks in a hurry. Its price is very affordable, which only adds to the benefits of this product.

2. YMC DSB10-BK

View Price at Amazon

The YMC DSB10 is a budget option for people who want a no-nonsense bag and don’t want to pay a ton of money for it.

Pros

  • No-nonsense design
  • It can fit up to 10 pairs of sticks
  • Floor tom hooks

Cons

  • No shoulder strap

The DSB10 is a standard, roll-over design bag. It has three pockets on the inside which can house up to 10 pairs of sticks—whatever you’re playing that should cover you for a day. The bag is made out of tough nylon with a 10mm foam padding inside to give it better safety and feel when handling.

MaterialNylon with 10mm foam padding
Stick capacity3 large pockets – up to 10 pairs
Comes with a shoulder strap?No

It also comes with floor tom hooks, which you can secure around the floor tom and have your sticks near you if you need to change them. A nice feature of this bag is that you get an additional drum key with it. It also has two large pockets on the outside for additional items you might carry around.

This is a good quality drumstick bag from one of the biggest brands of drumsticks: Vic Firth.

Pros

  • Floor tom hooks
  • Space for up to 12 pairs of sticks
  • Lightweight and durable

Cons

  • No shoulder strap

This bag can house up to 12 pairs of sticks, making it perfect for drummers who have to carry lots of different types of drumsticks and mallets to their practice. The bag is made out of nylon, which makes it waterproof and very lightweight.

On the downside, the fact that it’s so light can be a bit stressful to some people as it won’t provide tons of protection to the drumsticks and accessories inside.

MaterialWaterproof nylon
Stick capacityUp to 12 pairs
Comes with a shoulder strap?No

It’s not meant for some heavy-duty touring but is perfect for people who just have to take their sticks across town or hold them in one place.

4. Promark Transport Deluxe Drumstick Bag

View Price at SweetwaterView Price at Amazon

If you’re looking for a nice stick bag that also looks great, then you should consider the Promark Transport Deluxe. It has all of the features that you could need and it’s also beautifully designed.

Pros

  • Adjustable shoulder strap
  • Lots of different pockets and hooks inside the bag
  • Quality build and beautiful design

Cons

  • Price

The bag is made out of nylon, with soft padding and leather handles. The handles also have magnets to keep them closed at all times. Inside the bag, you will find several deep pockets in which you can fit around 8 pairs of sticks.

MaterialNylon and leather
Stick capacityAround 8 pairs
Comes with a shoulder strap?Yes

Apart from that, you will find a business card holder, a metal lock for your keys, two pencil holders, and an inside pocket to fit your phone. It also comes with a large outside pocket. It packs an adjustable shoulder strap and floor tom metal hooks as well.

It’s not necessarily the cheapest option, but it’s certainly worth considering if you want something stylish and functional!

The TSB12BK is a very compact and well-designed stick bag that has everything you need but in a small and discreet build.

Pros

  • Adjustable shoulder strap
  • Lots of different sized pockets
  • Floor tom hooks

Cons

  • Can lack space for additional items

The main selling point of this bag is its compactness. It can hold up to 6 pairs of sticks into two separate holders. You can access them both by unfolding the whole bag or by just opening the top of the bag, reaching to get the sticks.

It is built out of very quality made fabric, giving you the look and the feel of a much higher-end product. It also comes with a very innovative design for hanging on the floor tom. It doesn’t have complicated metal hooks, but just simple stretching circles, which you hang on the tom, and voila.

MaterialHeavy-duty fabric
Stick capacity6 pairs
Comes with a shoulder strap?No

All in all, this is a very nice product for a very nice price and it’s definitely worth considering if you’re looking for something subtle and useful.

Which Drumstick Brand is the Best?

This is a tough one to answer considering there are a lot of notable drumstick brands out there. For high-quality pairs of drumsticks, you will most likely see the following names: Vic Firth, Meinl, Promark, TAMA, Zildjian, Donner, and a few others.

To single out only one is simply impossible because it all boils down to personal preference. All of these manufacturers are great so choosing one is up to you.

What’s the best Material for Drumsticks?

Drumsticks are usually made from wood, more specifically hickory. Now, there are lots of other notable mentions that can be quite better than hickory like oak which is heavier and more durable than hickory.

You also have maple which is a more lightweight material for flexibility, fast playing with a quick response. Between these 3, I think the choice is ultimately what you want and need. All three are high-quality materials.

Can you make your own Drumstick Bag?

You most certainly can! A drumstick bag is not different from e conventional bag, only in the sense that it’s carefully crafted for a specific purpose by a manufacturer.

To be able to make your own drumstick bag, you need to get creative. Bust out some scissors, some tape, and get down to business. The great thing here is that you can carefully craft small accessory pockets to your liking and even use a water-resistant material if you want.

You don’t have to go overboard though, a practical yet simple design will get the job done. Make some interior pockets if you want, choose the width, and you are good to go!

What to look for in a Drumstick Bag?

First and foremost, you want the bag to be of suitable size in order to carry around your drumsticks, brushes, even your in-ear monitors, or your cell phone. Your drumstick bag should be your good friend and should serve the purpose of making things easier for you by providing sizable storage!

Look for a bag with good little additions, like separate compartments, a carrying handle, inner vertical pockets, a mounting clip, basically anything that will add more value to the bag. A drumstick bag should enable quick access as well, and the more compartments you have the better.

Quality is another factor to consider, you don’t want to fill your bag and have your spare cymbal felts, drumsticks, or even pens (if you carry them) falling out on your way to rehearsal! A good quality bag should be able to hold all your accessories without the worry of tearing.

Lastly, consider the price before buying, it’s no good to go all out especially if you are just starting out. Beginners could make do with the more affordable options, whereas professional drummers could make good use of a more pricey drumstick bag.

Summary

Drumstick bags are simply bags designed to specifically hold drumsticks and maybe some other small accessories. They should be lightweight, preferably durable, and easy to carry around.

Quality and price both need to be considered before making a purchase. You can make your own drumstick bag if you are feeling crafty and want something personalized. What matters is that it should be of good quality because otherwise, you might end up wasting money on materials and losing time.

There are a lot of great manufacturers out there so buying one is ultimately up to you as it’s all dependent on your preferences.

Mike O'Connor
Mike O'Connor

I've been playing drums for over 18 years. I work as both a session drummer and a drum teacher, and I love to share my knowledge and tips on this site. You can also find me on the Electronic Drum Advisor YouTube channel.

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