When it comes to preparing for summer beach days, the first things that spring to mind are often the best swim trunks and towels. There’s no doubt that these, along with flip-flops, sunglasses and sunscreen, are some essential items required for ensuring your day is as good as can be. But to be truly beach-ready, you need one of the best beach bags.
Beach days can be full of single-use waste and products which harm the environment. Be a better beach-goer by considering the following guidelines when choosing your beach accessories:
- Bags – Avoid plastic bags and aim to invest in one of the best beach bags instead. The main advantage of doing this is that you can use it time and time again. Where possible, try to find a beach bag that’s made from eco-friendly materials machine washable, so you can keep it looking great after every use.
- Sunscreen – You might think that because sunscreen is good for your skin, it can’t be harmful to the environment. Unfortunately, you couldn’t be more wrong. Some of the chemicals found in traditional sunscreens cause damage to the nature around us, especially coral reefs. For this reason, reef-safe sunscreen has been developed and is really the best way you can protect both your skin and the beautiful environment.
- Flip Flops – Indosole, Waves and Ecoalf are just three of the best eco-friendly footwear brands which produce sandals for men. Many use recycled materials, including tires and bottles, to produce shoes with a better eco-footprint. A quick Google search will flood your feed with additional brands, styles and options to ensure you never need to wear a non-sustainable pair of shoes to the beach ever again.
- Picnics – Staying hydrated and fueled with food is important at the beach but doing so in an environmentally friendly way should also be at the forefront of your thoughts. Insulated water bottles are a fantastic way to keep your drinks chilled without gathering lots of single-use plastics or cans. Additionally, sturdy plastic containers are a better way to transport and protect your snacks rather than single-use packaging.
Below, we have rounded up the best 11 beach bags available to order online. There are a range of designs, including smaller pouches for valuables as well as larger, weekend-style bags, ideal for packing everything you might need when hitting the sand.
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1. MARCHWAY Floating Waterproof Dry Bag
BEST OVERALL
Available in a range of colors and sizes from five to 40 liters, the MARCHWAY Floating Waterproof Dry Bag is one of the best beach buddies. Not only are these bags great for the beach, but they are also ideal for storing your belongings when kayaking, swimming or embarking on any other water-filled adventure. The bags ranging in sizes from five to 20 liters feature one single carry strap, and the larger ones feature two for a rucksack-style carry. Whichever size you opt for, these bags are made of double-sided PVC filled with a high-density polyester mesh, offering both strength and waterproofing. Over 16,000 existing customers have awarded these bags five out of five stars, so it’s safe to say your beach day will be better with one on hand.
2. Narwey Mesh Beach Bag
BEST VALUE
Designed with beach toys in mind, the Narwey Mesh Beach Bag is durable, colorful and extremely lightweight. Despite its thin mesh walls, the bag is sturdy enough to carry a haul of buckets, spades and other beach games. The mesh walls allow for a quick dry in case of splashing, and the small holes let sand fall out rather than get trapped inside. When opened out fully, the bag features a small, inner pocket that also doubles as a storage envelope for the bag itself when folded down into its compact, nine-by-six-by-one-inch shape. Additionally, the long blue straps make it easy to spot this bag against the sand and also aid in a comfortable carry.
3. AiRunTech Waterproof Pouch
BEST FANNY PACK
Protecting your valuables on the beach is easy with the AiRunTech Waterproof Pouch. This handy pack of two pouches is ideal for you and your partner to roam the beach and sea without worrying about your phone, keys or passport. The triple ziplock design offers secure protection for everything inside the pouch for up to 10 meters underwater. You can also continue to use the touch screen on your phone through the pouch walls. Measuring 9.5 by 5.8 inches each, one grey and one black pouch are included. The difference in color also makes it easy to keep track of whose is whose.
4. Hiearcool Universal Waterproof Case
BEST PHONE PROTECTION
Specifically designed to protect your smartphone, the Hierarcool Universal Waterproof Case is sized to suit most makes and models. Two cases are included with each order, both of which enable touch screen use, so you can still check your messages or take photos even when you’re in the sea or swimming pool. These cases are certified waterproof up to 100 feet and also come with a detachable lanyard, which can be adjusted from 13.8 to 21 inches long. Underwater profile pic here you come.
5. YETI Camino Carryall Tote Bag
BEST SPLURGE
The YETI Camino Carryall 35 Tote Bag takes beach bag quality and design to the next level. It’s no wonder this unique beach bag has an outstanding five-out-of-five star rating from over 1,000 satisfied customers, as it’s made by such a reliable brand. The sturdy, waterproof base and walls ensure the bucket-like structure holds up as you pack your items and take them out. Made for adventures, this bag is damage-resistant and ready to carry your belongings as you travel from point A to point B(each). Furthermore, there are MOLLE-like hoops attached to the external handles, which allow you to clip on additional items using carabiners.
6. Speedo Unisex-Adult Deluxe Bag
HONORABLE MENTION
The beach and swimming go hand in hand, so choosing a beach bag designed by a reputable swimming brand makes sense. The Speedo Unisex-Adult Deluxe Bag is available in a huge range of colors to suit your style. The open mesh design is both durable and quick drying. Plus, the bag also allows for sand to fall straight through. The top of the bag features a user-friendly drawstring closure, and there are two shoulder straps to enable a backpack-style carry.
7. Lifewit Collapsible Cooler Bag
BEST COOLER BAG
No beach day is complete without a few chilled drinks and some snacks. The Lifewit Collapsible Cooler Bag measures 11 by 14 by 11 inches and has space for up to 40 small cans. It features elastic mesh pockets on either side and has a grab handle on top for a tote-style carry. An optional shoulder strap is also included. This strap can be attached to the integrated hooks. Once you’ve loaded in your cold drinks and filled the remaining space with ice, this cool bag can keep the cubes in reasonable shape for up to 12 hours. Plus, the collapsible design allows the bag to be folded flat when empty and stored in a small space until your next beach day.
8. FORICH Backpack Cooler
BEST RUCKSACK
As well as providing plenty of space for all your beach snacks and drinks, the FORICH Backpack Cooler acts as a place marker on the beach thanks to its bright orange color. It has a large capacity, which is able to carry up to 30 cans, and features a storage pocket on either side for carrying two bottles of wine or water. Although very lightweight when empty, you can fill this durable and sturdy bag with a decent amount of food and drinks, as the double shoulder straps spread the added weight evenly. There’s also a smaller storage pocket on the front of the bag, which is ideal for valuables. Finally, we should note that this bag features a reflective strip for safety.
9. CleverMade SnapBasket LUXE
BEST BASKET DESIGN
Sporting a nautical blue and white striped design with brown trim and handles, the CleverMade 30L SnapBasket LUXE is a generously sized beach bag. The smart design allows it to pack down flat to under 1.5 inches tall, so it can be placed on top of your suitcase once you’ve piled in all your clothes underneath. This sturdy, basket-style beach bag is completely open on top, and so it offers easy packing and picking. Upgrade options include an insulated version suited to food and drink storage. Whichever you choose, this bag can support an impressive 30 pounds of all your beach essentials.
10. FITFORT Mesh Beach Tote Bag
MOST VERSATILE
Beach bag meets cool box to create the ingenious FITFORT Mesh Beach Tote Bag. This two-in-one design offers storage for your beach belongings as well as your snacks and drinks. The mesh lining on top ensures no sand stays caught inside as you pack in your swimwear and towel. With space for up to 12 cans, the lower compartment boasts a well-sized cooler box. To top it off, the tote bag can be fully removed from the cool box and used as a standalone beach bag if and when preferred. Equally, the cool box section features an individual carrying handle for when it’s all about keeping your chilled cans close.
11. SHYLERO Beach Bag
NAUTICAL PICK
Life’s a beach when you adopt a sailor-inspired look with the SHYLERO Beach Bag. Featuring both a built-in key holder and a bottle opener, this bag is designed for keeping your valuables safe as you enjoy a full day out at the beach. The nautical rope handles are strong and add a flash of fashion. There’s plenty of room for a family’s worth of towels in this large, weekend bag, and it’s lined with water-resistant material to ensure an easy clean once it’s home and dry.
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