The best beach bag

Our pick: L.L.Bean Boat and ToteThe L.L.Bean Boat and Tote bag is made in Maine from thick 24-ounce canvas, which helps it stand up to the elements (though it's not waterproof) and allows it to stand up like a bucket even when empty. In this bag, your valuables will remain hidden from prying eyes, as well as protected from sand and splashes. It features a reinforced bottom and double overlapping seams made of nylon thread, which resists rot better than cheap cotton thread.

The Boat and Tote bag is available in four sizes - small, medium, large and extra-large - and each size offers two options for handle length. The large bag we tested, which measures 15 by 17 by 75 inches and holds about 35 litres, comes with the standard 8-inch handles of that size, long enough to fit over one shoulder and free up your hands to carry umbrellas and coolers. If you plan to fill the bag to the brim, opt for the longer, 14-inch handles to accommodate the bulk. They extend across the entire bottom of the bag and are designed to hold 500 pounds.

The bag has no extra pockets or zips, but that's not a bad thing. The pockets fill with sand. And as Wirecutter founder Brian Lam discovered after testing - and discarding - six different zippered bags, zips, unless specifically designed for high-salt environments, quickly rust and seize up in ocean air.

Read more in NYTIMES.