Flag Football Gear: The Essential Equipment Checklist
When you’re heading onto the flag football field, you want to have the right gear that’s going to help you make that play everyone talks about the next day, and the next, and the next. The flags and belt that connect them are just as important as the cleats you’ve got on your feet. Now, the type of flags, belt, cleats, even shorts and mouthguard you wear should always be in compliance with your league and their rules and regulations for gear beforehand. What follows is a list of essential flag football gear every player should have. Use our checklist so you’ll be ready for your next game.
Flag Football Essential Gear List
Flag Football Belt and Flags: Of course, it wouldn’t be flag football without the flags! You’ll find belts with flags that either Velcro on or pop out from their sockets. Your flag football belt should fit snug without sagging off of you, and the flags should be aligned with your sides while being accessible to defenders.
Flag Football Cleats or Shoes: Many professional and youth flag football leagues won’t allow metal cleats due to the danger they can pose. It’s important to find the right kind of flag football cleats that help you best perform dynamic movements such as cuts and other lateral moves. Look for molded rubber or turf cleats depending on the surface you’re playing on and your style of play. Ankle-cut, mid-cut, and high-cut flag football cleats all serve their own special purposes.
Performance Shirt or Jersey: Flag football games are competitive, long, and full of energy. Be prepared for it with the shirt or jersey you put on. If you’re just playing in the backyard with friends, wearing a jersey might not be a necessity, but just be sure to grab a shirt that’s moisture-wicking and dries fast. That way you’re able to stay comfortable and cool from the first snap to the last. Same goes for your jersey if you’re on a team and/or in a league. Be sure they’re lightweight and made to stay breathable. Plus, matching jerseys and gear give your squad a sense of unity when you step onto the field.
Athletic Shorts (No pockets): Rules might depend on your league, but it’s almost an unwritten rule in flag football that the shorts you wear can NOT have pockets. Per NFL Flag, not only does it help the belts and flags of players always stay visible, but they help avoid unnecessary penalties and serve as a “safety precaution so that fingers don’t get stuck when attempting to remove the flag.”
Gloves (Optional but useful): The other accessories that you wear, such as gloves, headbands, and arm sleeves are completely optional. A good pair of flag football gloves should be breathable, so your hands avoid being sweaty throughout the game, as well as grippy to help you catch the ball better. Other accessories can help you with protection, too, like headbands keeping your hair out of the way and sunglasses (if allowed) protecting against the sun.
Mouthguard (If required): Another piece of equipment to talk to your league supervisors on is a mouthguard. Most of the time, a mouthguard is the only protective piece of equipment flag football players wear. They’re designed to help protect against potential impact injuries. Just because you’re not tackling, doesn’t mean you’re not in the clear of running into other players, falling, and being susceptible to impact plays.
Compression Layers or Baselayers: What you wear is going to help dictate your performance. Sweat-wicking, non-chafing gear helps you stay comfortable compared to loose clothing that builds up sweat and doesn’t dry. In the case of compression gear and baselayers, they sit close to your skin and are designed to add more protection and prevent rubbing from your other gear. The right kind of flag football baselayer lets you move better in every direction while staying ventilated. There’s also certain baselayers made for specific weather and conditions that help you keep cool in the heat, and warm in the cold.
Water Bottle & Towel: Keep yourself comfortable throughout your entire flag football practice or game with workout essentials like water bottles and towels. Durable, vacuum-insulated water bottles keep your water chilled, and should be leak-resistant. Between the sweat, grass, and pebbles from turf that’ll stick to you when you’re playing flag football, getting a towel to wipe yourself clean and get back out there can make a difference with your performance.
Final Tips: Getting the Most Out of Your Gear
Take care of your gear! Not only will proper care of your flag football equipment help it all last longer, but it’ll also help you get more comfortable with it. Sometimes it takes a few practices to break in a pair of cleats, get comfortable with a certain piece of gear and how it feels on your body when moving, and more. Here’s some quick tips to care for a few flag football essentials.
Cleaning football gloves: They’ll get sweaty. They’ll build up turf and grass throughout their lifetime. Check the manufacturer’s instructions and keep them on-hand when you purchase a pair. Wiping them with a damp cloth, washing them by hand with some cold water, and letting them air dry are some quick pointers to keep your football gloves fresh all season.
Cleaning baselayers: Always check the tag on your baselayer, as most can be machine washed but some may not be able to. Wash with like colors in cold water and tumble dry on low or air dry. Don’t use fabric softeners, which can leave a film behind and interfere with the moisture-wicking feature.
Cleaning Cleats: From muddy days on the field, to dry ones that cake dirt stains on your gear, it’s imperative that you have consistent maintenance on your cleats throughout the season. Tapping your cleats on a hard surface or against each other will help loosen and free the grass, dirt, and other gunk that’s stuck to their soles. Use a brush to remove dirt from the exterior. If you're looking to clean the inside of your cleats, find our tips for that and how to clean white cleats.