How 6 Strategist Staffers Pack Their Beach Bags
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Bringing the right essentials makes any trip to thebeach, pool, or lake much more pleasant — especially when dealing with elements like sun or sand. So because my fellow Strategist staffers arediscerning packers, I polled them about what exactly they prioritize in a swim bag. Here, you’ll find all the gear our writers swear by for toting kids’ stuff, surfing, birdwatching, and every activity in between.
Arielle Avila, writer
Now that I’ve taken up surfing, I’m starting to figure out my bag-packing routine. In my Lands’ End tote, I pack my Quiet Town poncho for changing and using as a towel if I want to lie out post-session, extra clothes, lots of sunscreen (right now, my go-tos are Dune’s Melt Stick for my face, Sun Bum for my body, and Prequel for my lips), and a couple of fruit snacks from Solely. I’ll also throw in a book and some non-branded aviators I picked up on a trip for some post-surf beach rotting. An extra thing I pack: my Rip Curl Springsuit in a Baggu. This has been my makeshift dry bag the past couple of months, and it’s worked for me so far.
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Editor’s note: Arielle’s Quiet Town poncho is no longer available, so we linked a similar product.
Kitty Guo, writer
I got this tote as a gift from Bonbon and have used it for several summers in a row now. It’s roomy enough to fit a blanket and a big beach towel, and it also has three separate pockets inside, one big and two small, which are very convenient for stashing your sundries. (I hate when big totes don’t have inner pockets because all your stuff just floats around willy-nilly and you have to dig for five minutes just to find your lip balm.) The material is 100 percent cotton canvas, and the print is vibrant so it really stands out on the sand. I feel like I would never lose it or get my bag mixed up with someone else’s, which is important on a crowded beach like Rockaway.
I bring the big jug of Vacation sunscreen, because I’m zealous about reapplying. My Mare Veloce towel is large, plush, and made from organic cotton, with a fun reversible two-tone design. It always gets compliments from fellow beach-goers. My cover-up is from Find Me Now. With the snaps, you can wear it as a dress, top, or skirt, in 100 different ways. Every time I put it on I experiment with a different configuration. I’ll also bring a couple protein bars for sustenance and my water bottle — I don’t need anything fancy, I just need it to keep my drinks cold, which it does. I’ll also bring a portable Bluetooth speaker for tunes, and a book. I do love short, spare unsettling novellas, so I’m excited to dive into this one that was gifted to me by a friend. I’ll also bring a regular baseball hat to keep the sun off my face.
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Michael Zhao, senior writer
I have a Yeti Hopper M30 soft cooler to keep food cool, and everything else fits into one or two of these collapsible shopping bags we get from Trader Joe’s — similar ones are also available onAmazon. I like Outlier’s Grid Linen towels for their packability and ability to shed sand. I typically lay them over an old REI-brand picnic blanket that’s water resistant on one side and soft on the other. I keep cold water in a 40-ounce Hydroflask Trail Series bottle, which is less chunky than other insulated bottles and holds enough for the whole day. If I remember to, I like to pack a pair of NOCS Field Issue binoculars, which are totally waterproof and great for spotting birds and whales in the distance.
I discovered thisShibumi shadeearlier this summer and I’m obsessed, as is everyone who comes across it. The single-pole design assembles in just a couple of minutes and uses the offshore winds to stay afloat. It comes with its own carrying bag, which you fill with sand to anchor the front. I also just got this Helinox beach chair, which is made from a recycled mesh fabric that’s completely permeable to the wind so it doesn’t get blown over every time I get up. It comes with a carrying tote made from the same material.
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Editor’s note: Michael’s exact blanket is no longer available, so we linked a similar one. His Outlier Grid Linen towel is also currently out of stock, but you can sign up for restock notifications on the website.
Krista Bennett DeMaio, beauty writer
I don’t have a greatbeach bagright now — I’m actually in the market for one. I used a sail cloth bag for years and finally retired it. It was easy to clean and could get wet. My beach bag always has a few sunscreens. My kids like Sun Bum lotion for body. They use my La Roche Posay, Isdin, or Elta MD for their faces. I keep a stick on hand for touch-ups and areas like the hairline and ears — currently, I’m using the Bubble stick. I usually wear my hat. I look for packable/foldable hats — the last one I bought was a Panama-style fedora with UPF50 from Amazon.
I always pack a book. I am in between books right now, but I’d like to startYesteryearnext because a friend recommended it. I keep snacks light: pretzels and some fruit like watermelon or grapes. The ice-cream man is always parked at our town beach, so I know my kids will want a cone at some point. For drinks, we all bring water bottles. The kids all have Owala, and I use one of their Stanley cups. Having older kids who can carry their own chairs and bags is a game-changer, but when they were young, I relied on a beach cart to hold everything.
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Dominique Pariso, senior writer
I am a totalbeach freakso I keep my bag well stocked. Sunglasses, reading material, a bag of toiletries, and lots of electrolytes. I also always have an obscene amount of SPF and tanning supplies (I contain multitudes) in rotation depending on my mood and the UV rating. My secret weapon is the humble Ziploc. It keeps everything dry and organized.
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Amelia Jerden, sleep writer
Though I love the beach, I hate things getting sandy, so my bag of choice is a structured tote bag that’s extra long and stands up on its own. That way, I don’t have to dig through the bag or take anything out to find what I need, and I don’t have to worry about the bag falling over into the sand. I rotate between different sunscreens, but Hawaiian Tropic is my go-to for body. It’s not too expensive, always seems effective, and blends into my skin well (plus it leaves a little sparkle). I’ve been using this MadHippie mineral sunscreen for my face, which has a lower SPF, so I make sure to reapply frequently. It doesn’t leave a white cast, which I appreciate.
I typically treat my hair with ActiveCoco spray before swimming. I love swimming in the ocean, but salty water and sun are hard on my already-fine hair. The spray keeps my hair feeling softer and less tangled. I also usually bring a hat for sun protection. On top of a regular towel for drying off, I like to bring my Tarpestry to lie on. It’s plastic on the bottom and fabric on the top, but it’s easy to wipe sand off both sides. I prefer a sandal that’s easy to slide on and off, so I usually wear my Chacos Chillos. And I’ll usually pack a book too; this summer, I broughtCats: A Historyon my beach trip.
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Editor’s note: Amelia’s exact Sun Squad tote and towel are no longer available, so we linked similar ones.
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