Bennett Winch serves up a game-changing holdall

Bennett Winch are masters of the multipurpose. It’s been that way since the British brand zipped, clipped and buckled its way onto the scene back in 2014. Over the past decade, founders Robin Bennett and Robin Winch have unveiled some of the most adaptable, logical pieces of luggage around, from their backpack with laptop sleeve and detachable waterproof compartment, to the famously James Bond-approved Suit Carrier Holdall, the hybrid piece for which the brand has become widely known.

But the duo’s latest big multipurpose swing is this: the ever-dashing, racket-stashing Sport Holdall — a lightweight, low-profile carry that changes the tennis bag game. Realised through the craftsmanship and design nous of Bennett Winch design director, Rupert Shreeve, it’s a sports duffle unlike any other. No neon piping, no lurid logos, no shiny synthetic materials. It’s not overbuilt, has no awkward shaping or proportions, and — most importantly — it isn’t built solely for sport.

Of course, whether you’re a pickleballer, a padelista or just a garden-variety lawn tennis loyalist, the Sport Holdall will handsomely stow your rackets. But there are more multipurpose touches across its hard-wearing, colour-fast nylon construction than you can shake a Wilson Clash 100 at. Think scratch-proof Rifi zips, for example, or solid brass hardware. The handles and trim are cut from veg-tanned leather sourced in Italy — though the duffle itself is handmade entirely in the brand’s London workshop.

There’s a parachute webbing shoulder strap — of the same military grade seen across the brand’s hardy Cargo range. And, flanking each side of the bag’s vented body, two unique outer pockets are designed to hold every bat, paddle or striker you could think to swing — expertly devised to separate your kit from your equipment, and guaranteed to put any days of love-lost tennis togs or squashed squash gear squarely behind you.

That’s helped by some savvy sectioning inside. A removable waterproof shoe pouch keeps trainers and sweat-soaked gym kit separate from your wallet or work documents, which are themselves protected by a nylon lining throughout. That means you’ll have no worries also using this holdall as your everyday work bag — especially as a protective laptop sleeve can safely stow screens of up to 16 inches.

But, thanks to an extensive main compartment capacity that nudges 30 litres — that’s around the same as the brand’s Commuter holdall — it’s perfect for overnights, or even short sporting trips, if you’re heading off on a brief sojourn to the clay courts of southern France, or hitting up Eastbourne’s manicured lawns.

Equally, if you’re merely returning to the office after a lively lunchtime hit-around, it’ll fit in there, too — working just as well in the boardroom as it slips slimly into your local club’s lockers.

Here at Gentleman’s Journal, we’ve always had a soft spot for Bennett Winch’s ‘Olive’ colourway. But, if you’re looking to refine your tennis bag even further, the brand also offers the Sport Holdall in navy or monochrome black for an more executive flavour.

But, for us, it’s got to be green. After all, what colour is better suited to the king of court sports? You’ve got the bottle-green blades of Wimbledon, the fuzzy, high-energy chartreuse of those hard-hitting tennis balls, and — now, thanks to Bennett Winch — the polished olive green tones of this new, do-all holdall.